Healthy Forests-Healthy Communities: A conversation on BC forests released the results of two years of dialogue with communities, experts and concerned citizens, including those in 100 Mile House, on Feb. 14.
The report identifies 13 strategic recommendations related to the priority forest management issues identified during the 2011 dialogue. The participants are asking for a change in focus from short-term economics to long-term stewardship to maintain and enhance the British Columbia forest asset.
A 10-year Strategic Action Plan is proposed to be delivered in two phases that will:
• Identify the foundation to guide sustainable forest management decisions (principles, provincial and local visions and goals, strategies, forest management framework, public involvement processes and supporting laws and policies).
• Employ land use, forest management, forest resources inventories and economic support laws and policies to increase community diversification.
• Involve communities in strategic, local forest lands management decision-making.
• Ensure resource inventories, monitoring and assessments provide reliable knowledge on the state of the forest, its values and resources.
• Conduct priority forest management treatments to meet local and provincial forest lands visions and goals.
• Ensure a vibrant forest lands research sector exists to support long-term forest management, community resiliency and forest sector competitiveness.
Detailed (“how to”) actions for each recommendation are also presented.
The Healthy Forests-Healthy Communities Final Report and separate Executive Summary and Recommendations can be obtained from the HFHC website at www.bcforestconversation.com.
Enquiries should be directed to info@bcforestconversation.com or the HFHC co-ordinator Bill Bourgeois at 604-924-0765 or 604-836-0765.