British Columbia's deputy chief forester has reduced allowable annual cut (AAC) levels for two West Kootenay areas.
The new AAC for Tree Farm Licence TFL) 23, located northwest of Castlegar, near Arrow Lake is 382,800 cubic metres. This is a seven-per-cent reduction from the previous AAC, but is still above the average annual harvest level of the past 12 years.
A July 18 statement from the B.C. Ministry of Forests (MoF) said the new level reflects adjustments made to account for the removal of the Incomappleux Valley Conservancy area and to account for lower harvest performance on slopes greater than 50 per cent.
Reductions were also applied to account for unstable and potentially unstable terrain, increased wildlife-tree retention, and the disposition of 90,000 cubic metres of unharvested volume.
MoF says that in order to "maintain sustainable forestry and deter over harvesting in lower sloped areas," the new determination includes three partitions:
• a maximum of 306,200 cubic metres per year (80 per cent of the AAC) can be harvested from stands on slopes less than 50 per cent;
• a maximum of 19,100 cubic metres (five per cent of the AAC) may be harvested from stands defined as old forest; and
• a maximum of 363,700 cubic metres (95 per cent of the AAC) may be harvested from stands that are not defined as old forest.
TFL 3 comprises 78,091 hectares about 40 kilometres north of Castlegar, near the Village of Slocan. The new AAC for this TFL is 56,100 cubic metres. This is a 30-per-cent reduction from the previous AAC, while remaining in line with the average harvest level in the past 12 years.
According to the statement, the new level reflects adjustments made to account for lower harvest performance on slopes greater than 50 per cent. Reductions were also applied to account for unstable and potentially unstable terrain, increased wildlife-tree retention and the disposition of 100,000 cubic metres of unharvested volume.
The new determination includes three partitions:
• a maximum of 33,700 cubic metres per year (60 per cent of the AAC) can be harvested from stands on slopes less than 50 per cent;
• a maximum of 7,300 cubic metres (13 per cent of the AAC) may be harvested from stands defined as old forest;
• a maximum of 48,800 cubic metres (87 per cent of the AAC) may be harvested from stands not defined as old forest.
"The Province and First Nations have worked with industry to defer harvest of at-risk old-growth forest while work progresses on long-term approaches to old-growth management in the Kootenay-Boundary region. As outlined in the AAC partitions, some harvesting of old forests continues outside of deferral areas," said the MoF.
TFL 23 overlaps the territory of 13 First Nations and TFL 3 overlaps the territory of 12 First Nations. The MoF says all were consulted during the timber supply review process.
The deputy chief forester also "sought and considered public and industry input."
The deputy chief forester's AAC determination is an independent, professional judgment based on information ranging from technical forestry reports, First Nations consultations, input from the public and the government's social and economic objectives.
Under the Forest Act, the deputy or chief forester must determine the AAC in each of the province's 37 timber supply areas and 34 tree farm licences at least once every 10 years.
