Prince George, B.C.- The Special Committee on Timber Supply  will be holding a public consultation in Prince George on June 21^st. 

The all party Committee was appointed last month to investigate and make recommendations to address the loss of mid-term timber supply in the central interior due to the mountain pine beetle epidemic. 

It is projected that 10 to 15 years from now, overall provincial timber supplies will be 20 percent below the pre-infestation levels and that this reduction may last for up to 50 years.

The discussion paper, outlines the following possible options for addressing the issued and increasing the timber supply:

·        harvesting some of the areas currently constrained from timber harvest in order to support other resource values;

·        increasing the harvest of marginally economic timber;

·        changing the flow of timber by adjusting administrative boundaries or accelerating timber availability;

·        shifting to more area-based tenures and associated more intensive forest management; and

·        increasing the level of intensive forest management through fertilization and other advanced silviculture activities.

"We plan to visit 15 communities and hold meetings in Vancouver to find out which options First Nations, local governments, the public and stakeholders prefer," says committee chair John Rustad. "We are hoping to learn from communities what values and local knowledge should be considered when making recommendations about the mid-term timber supply," adds Norm Macdonald, deputy chair. 

In addition to the public hearing set to take place in Prince George on the 21^st, hearings have been set for the following communities: 

• Smithers             June 18
• Houston              June 18
• Burns Lake           June 19
• Fraser Lake          June 19
• Fort St. James       June 20
• Vanderhoof           June 20
• Mackenzie            June 21
• Valemount            June 22
• McBride              June 22
• 100 Mile House       July 5
• Williams Lake        July 5
• Quesnel              July 6
• Kamloops             July 12
• Merritt              July 12

You can find   details on how to register to appear at one of the hearings, or file other comments with the committee by visiting the Committee’s website.

You have until July 20th  to submit your comments.  The Committee will release its report by Aug. 15, 2012.