Comments on other ongoing government processes in the Prince George Timber Supply Area are summarized here to indicate perspectives on issues that may influence timber supply in the future.
Two forest industry respondents stress the issue of splitting the Prince George Timber Supply Area should not be considered.
One respondent comments there are no better qualified or experienced persons to manage our Canadian forests than our own Forest Service personnel here in British Columbia. Preferably, they should be free from influence by or input from other countries.
One submission states land claims should be settled. Another recommends immediate implementation and enforcement of the Forest Practices Code to protect non-timber values.
Two submissions say the Timber Supply Review does not address the impending consequences of the Forest Practices Code, Protected Areas Strategy and First Nations negotiations.
Concern is expressed in one submission that the high volume of mature timber in the Prince George Timber Supply Area will mean the protected areas proposals will have a higher-than-proportional impact on the allowable annual cut.
One respondent states the allowable annual cut should be revised as soon as the land and resource management plan is complete. Additionally, because the Prince George Timber Supply Area has some of British Columbia's best back-country it should not be considered as a means of making up for timber shortfalls arising from over-protection elsewhere in the province.
A submission regarding Pulpwood Agreement 18 states that it remains a vital underpinning of the company’s proposed pulp mill. The economic impact of the proposed pulp mill on the Vanderhoof area would be significant and would generate the following benefits:
• 175 new direct full-time jobs around Vanderhoof
• 590 additional jobs locally and across Canada
• a $350-million investment that would generate over 1,000 person-years of direct employment during the construction and in excess of $500 million in tax revenues to all levels of government over 20 years
The submission urges that discussions over the conditions of the offer—e.g. the proposed "firmwood standard"—be resolved in order to move ahead with the proposal.
Another submission states the Woodlot Expansion Program will remove upwards of 100,000 hectares from the timber supply area.
A forest industry submission recommends more work be done on gathering data for managed stands prior to the next yield analysis.
