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By Adam Berls

community forests

Community forest needs to be revisited: Mayor Yu

Mar 11, 2023 | 2:49 PM

PRINCE GEORGE — Community forests are an idea that have been implemented in a number of communities throughout the provinces, but Prince George is one community that does not have one.

At the Future of Forestry forum a few weeks ago, the idea of community forests was brought up. A community forest agreement (CFA) is an area based forest licence managed by a local government, community group, First Nation or a combination of all three, for the benefit of the community. Mayor Simon Yu brought up the idea at the forum and discusses how Prince George first acquired a community forest agreement back in 2006.

A map showing Community Forest Agreements (CFAs) in our region. CFAs are highlighted in bright colours. Image Credit: BC Ministry of Forests

Back in 2014, city council voted to surrender its forest tenure, and Mayor Shari Green said at the time “in terms of being in the logging business, it’s not our core service.” Mayor Yu says that that the idea of Prince George not having a community forest is bizarre.

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Mayor Yu says that the idea of a community forest for Prince George does need to be revisited, for the benefits it could provide to the city.

One community that does have a community forest is Valemount. Craig Pryor is with the Valemount Community Forest and speaks to the benefits that it provides to the community.

“We just built a road and logged log ski runs for a for a future local ski hill. So all those kinds of things, we know they’re all available to us to help the communities.” – Craig Pryor, Valemount Community Forest

In B.C., community forest agreements are for a term of 25 to 99 years and are replaceable every 10 years, and support opportunities like recreation, wildlife and watershed management and can contribute to a more diversified forest economy.