British Columbia’s deputy chief forester has set a new allowable annual cut (AAC) level for Tree Farm Licence (TFL) 44, located in west-central Vancouver Island near the Alberni Inlet and Barkley Sound.
The new AAC for this TFL is 642,800 cubic metres, a 19% decrease below the previous AAC. The lowered AAC reflects reductions related to buffers adjacent to parks and objectives for the recovery of marbled murrelet. The new AAC also accounts for harvest reductions associated with the culturally significant Thunder Mountain area and a ministerial mandate to allocate unharvested volume to new forest licences.
The new AAC also includes a partition where no more than 484,600 cubic metres may be harvested from the economic land base, the area where it is more easily harvested economically. Within this same area, a maximum of 225,400 cubic metres may be harvested in stands less than 121 years old to ensure potential growth of these stands prior to harvest.
The TFL 44 licence is held in partnership between Western Forest Products Inc. and the Huu-ay-aht First Nation. The TFL also overlaps the Maa-nulth First Nation’s treaty area and the territories of 11 First Nations: Ahousaht First Nation, Cowichan Tribes, Ditidaht First Nation, Halalt First Nation, Hupačasath First Nation, Lyackson First Nation, Pacheedaht First Nation, Penelakut Tribe, Stz'uminus First Nation, Tseshaht First Nation, and Ts'uubaa-asatx Nation.
The deputy chief forester’s AAC determination is an independent, professional judgment based on information ranging from technical forestry reports, First Nations and public input to the government’s social and economic objectives.
Under the Forest Act, the chief forester must determine the AAC in each of the province’s 37 timber supply areas and 33 tree farm licences at least once every 10 years. The new AAC takes effect immediately.
