Timber Harvest Review Underway

Wednesday, November 12, 2008 02:56 PM

The fourth timber supply and review has begun for the Prince George timber supply area.

Public comment will be accepted until January 30th of 2009 as the Chief Forester prepares a decision on what the new llowable cut for the Prince George TSA will be next fall.

The current allowable annual cut of 14.9 million cubic metres was set in October 2004. It reflected the need to address a mountain pine beetle epidemic by increasing the harvest of pine timber in the TSA, which is composed of the Vanderhoof, Prince George and Fort St. James forest districts.

The mountain pine beetle is still affecting the timber supply area, but recent research shows that the epidemic has already peaked in the Vanderhoof and Prince George forest districts. In the Fort St. James district, the infestation is still increasing.

By 2024, the mountain pine beetle is projected to have attacked a cumulative total of more than 220.9 million cubic metres of pine across the Prince George TSA. As part of the review process, a socio-economic analysis will be done to help assess the impacts and implications of the decline in timber supply. The chief forester will review the socio-economic analysis, along with other information, before setting a new allowable annual cut.

The public is encouraged to review and comment on the documents until Jan. 30, 2009. There will be a second opportunity to comment once the initial document has been prepared.

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Posted on Wednesday, November 12, 2008 02:56 PM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: Don Wilkins on November 12 2008 4:30 PM

I don't care how many of the beetle attached pine they cut. What I worry about is the pressure on the green stands once the beetle wood is gone. Only green would allowed should be just enough to sustain a market.

Posted by: active on November 12 2008 6:25 PM

what about the pressure on green stands already? I have seen many logging trucks coming through with spruce or fir branches sticking off the logs... never mind the pine beetle.

Posted by: tinyapplecork on November 13 2008 6:13 AM

What I want to know is why after all this time the beetle kill is still standing?! Unacceptable to allow those stands to infect the green growth perpetuating the problem. Millions spent on studies, millions of tax payer dollars sitting waiting to actually address the problem but those funds used to fund "beetle kill initiatives" that do not seem to be solving the problem. IMO there shouldn't be any beetle kill still standing. It has been...what...5 plus years now?

Round and round we go....

Posted by: RugratsMom on November 13 2008 10:45 AM

I want to know why people post their opinions on here without knowledge of the legislation.