Annual Allowable Cut Reduced For Terrace Area Tree Farm Licence

Thursday, April 17, 2008 03:46 AM

Terrace, B.C. - The allowable annual cut for tree farm licence 1 (TFL 1), near Terrace, has been reduced from 611,000 cubic metres to 500,000 cubic metres effective immediately.

Several factors contributed to a lower allowable cut, including a 13 per cent reduction in the area available for timber harvesting. Much of TFL 1’s forests consist of older, western hemlock and amabilis fir stands. Updated information suggested that the economic viability of harvesting these stands is uncertain.

In his decision, deputy chief forester Craig Sutherland also acknowledged that forestry activity in the TFL has been limited over the past few years due to poor market conditions and ownership changes, but the area still provides an important source of local jobs.

“To support employment over the long term, it’s important to maintain an appropriate harvesting balance between TFL 1’s lower and higher quality stands,” said Sutherland. “I’ve therefore directed that the licensee annually reports its harvesting levels in TFL 1’s lower quality hemlock stands, second growth and cedar stands. This ongoing performance monitoring will help ensure undue pressure isn’t being placed on higher quality or more easily accessible timber in the area.”

TFL 1 is held by Coast Tsimshian Resources Limited Partnership, a Port Simpson-based company owned by the Lax Kw’alaams First Nations.

Located in the Nass and Skeena regions, TFL 1 covers 517,622 hectares within the Kalum Forest District. Nearby communities include Terrace, Kitselas, Kitsumkalum, New Aiyansh, Gitwinksihlkw and Lakalzap (or Greenville).

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