CKPG News File Image

By Veronica Beltran

first nations forestry

First Nations forestry projects generating jobs and benefitting the environment

Jul 16, 2020 | 2:28 PM

WILLIAMS LAKE—Grants from the Forest Enhancement Society of B.C. (FESBC) are supporting the Williams Lake First Nation (WLFN), creating jobs, creating a cleaner environment, and reducing wildfire risks.

To date, the grants have helped with the removal of 64,000 cubic metres of slash (debris from forest fires) and over the next two years, the total will reach 200,000 cubic metres. The ongoing project will create an estimated 26 jobs for both, the WLFN and the Tŝideldel First Nation (TFN), which has partnered to grind the debris on site and ship it to local markets.

“The WLFN have partnered with the TFN on this unique ongoing project that is seeing slash piles turned into biomass fuel instead of burning them.”—Doug Donaldson, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development

“This green-energy project is reducing greenhouse gas emissions and building new economic opportunities for both communities while contributing to B.C.’s clean energy plan,” added Donaldson.

Three grants, totalling $3 million, from the FESBC between 2017 and 2019 have helped develop the ongoing program and enabled it to build several partnerships to grind the debris at site and truck it to local markets. One of the most significant partnerships was with the TFN contractor, Tsi Del Biomass Ltd., which brought logging and grinding experience to the project.

Downtown Safety

String of downtown fires has business owners fed up

1h ago

UNBC AWARD

UNBC earns Canada West Feature of the Year Award

1h ago

Highway 97 closure

Wildfire causes Highway closure just south of Chetwynd

1h ago

“Tsi Del Del has really appreciated the opportunity to collaborate with Williams Lake First Nation on grinding and trucking more than 1,000 piles to customers in our local fibre basket.”—Percy Guichon, director, Tsi Del Del Enterprises Ltd.

Usually, slash from wildfire salvage logging is piled and burned at site because transportation is cost prohibitive; the practice of burning slash increases smoke in local airsheds and increases greenhouse gas emissions.

High-quality slash fibre from the projects will be used by Pinnacle Renewable Energy to make industrial wood pellets, which are used by large-scale thermal power generators as a greener alternative to produce power. Lower-quality slash fibre will be turned into “hog” fuel to be used by Atlantic Power Corporation’s biomass-fired generating facility located in Williams Lake, to provide thermal electricity for the community’s energy grid.