Six forestry projects in Omineca region to get funding of $5.8 million

Sep 15, 2023 | 1:18 PM

PRINCE GEORGE — On Wednesday Sept. 13, 42 newly funded forest enhancement projects were announced, and six of them are located in the Omineca region.

In Kamloops on September 13, the Forest Enhancement Society of BC announced 42 newly funded forest enhancement projects. These projects throughout BC will either assist with the delivery of uneconomic forest fiber to pulp and pellet mills or green energy facilities or will help communities reduce their wildfire risk. Six of these projects are located in the Omineca region.

The six projects in the region being funded by FESBC, are firstly, transporting low value logs outside of the current economic range to PG Pulp, rather than being burned. Second and third, clearing a stand that was damaged by Mountain Pine Beetle and transporting the low value fiber to pulp mills here in Prince George. Fourth and fifth, transporting fibre and grinding wood waste piles, both being shipped to BioNorth Energy in Fort St. James. And finally, shipping low value fibre harvested under a Mountain Pine Beetle salvage license to the chip plant in Mackenzie, then onto pulp mills in PG. Overall, the funding being provided for these projects, is around 5.8 million dollars.

“The costs are higher than what the value is worth when you deliver it to a pulp mill or a pallet plant or cogen facility. So the best contribution, all we do is we just help get it over the hump. We pay that the differential between what the market value is and what the actual costs are and the ratio over time, over the last number of years we found is that for every dollar that we contribute, the forest industry pays the rest another $3.” – Steve Kozuki, Executive Director, Forest Enhancement Society of BC

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These newly funded projects come as a result of the $50 million given to FESBC earlier this year by the Ministry of Forests to boost fibre supply by utilizing uneconomic fibre and reduce wildfire risk while also supporting workers and communities.

Of the 42 new projects funded throughout the province, 24 projects have direct First Nations involvement, while eight have some First Nations involvement.

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Twitter: @AdamBerls

Email: Adam.Berls@pattisonmedia.com

by Adam Berls

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Six forestry projects in Omineca region to get funding of $5.8 million

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