McGregor Model Forest Tackles New Area

By 250 News

Kathi Zimmerman, the Projects and Extension Coordinator with the McGregor Model Forest says suggestions  the forest industry is walking away from the model is absolutely not correct. "No they haven’t walked away from us "she said. "The Forest industry continues to walk alongside of us."

Zimmerman adds that about 50% of the funding for the McGregor Forest will continue to come from the Canadain Forest service, with the balance from a new group "Which will result in us changing our focus to sustainable resource management as opposed to the old forest management." 

The links with the forest industry are strong " The Canadian forest service  has always been our senior partner and will continue to be so" she said.

After 15 years, the Canadian Model Forest program  will wrap up on March 31st of this year to make way for the new " Integrated Resource Management partnership".

Zimmerman says the  focus is shifting "In the past we have been based on forestry, under our new programs we will expand into other areas."   The McGregor Forest has submitted a proposal for an integrated resource management partnership.

The IRM Partnership has grown over the past 4 years, adding additional partners and now represents many of the key natural resources sectors, including:

• Council of Forest Industries (Northern Operations), Prince George, BC
• Association for Mining Exploration in BC, Vancouver, BC
• Mining Association of BC, Vancouver, BC
• Geoscience BC, Vancouver, BC
• Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, Calgary, AB
• Muskwa-Kechika Advisory Board, Fort St. John, BC
• McGregor Model Forest Association, Prince George, BC
• Council of Tourism Associations of BC, Vancouver, BC
• Province of British Columbia, Northern Interior IAMC, Prince George, BC
• Omineca Beetle Action Coalition (OBAC), Prince George, BC
• University of Northern BC, Prince George, BC

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