The Global Context
Community Forest Timeline in BC
1945 Sloan Commission and first BC community forest in Mission
1947 Second Sloan Commission
1976 Royal Commission – Peter Pearse
1990s Industrial licenses in Revelstoke, Kaslo, and Creston
1998 Community Forest Pilot Program established
2002 BCCFA formed
Government Objectives for the Community Forest
• Long-term community management
• Manage for a range of community priorities
• Diversification
• Community involvement
• Environmental stewardship
• Innovation
• Safety
• Strengthen relationships
The Community Forest Agreement
• Area based
• 25 year renewable long term25 year renewable long term
• Operates under FRPA
• Annual harvest targetAnnual harvest target
The Community
Forest Agreementg
• Distributes exclusive rights to harvest timber• Distributes exclusive rights to harvest timber• Opportunity to manage beyond just timber • 52 communities are operating or in the planning stages
Non Timber Forest Resources
• The rights to harvest, manage and charge fees for botanical forest resources and other prescribed products are granted to CFAs by p p g ylegislation
• Currently no regulation or tenure mechanism to guide management of NTFPs
• Any regulation must respect First Nations rights and title
Application Process Requires a management plan that includes all valuesRequires a management plan that includes all values
Legal Entity and Governance
Range of structures - limited company, corporation, limited partnership, non-profit society, cooperative
Board models - municipally elected officials, appointees from the community, chief and council, 50/50 partnerships between
i i l d f h b hitwo communities, elected from the membership
“Community Forests own the principle of social license. They have the ability to pilot ideas and innovate in the They have the ability to pilot ideas and innovate in the
way they manage their land base…they have an opportunity like no other tenure in the past.”pp y p
Pat Bell, Minister of Forests
BCCFA - Local land, local people, local decisions• Serves as the voice and advocate for community forestry in BC
• Works with government to expand community forestry in BC
• Provides input to government to facilitate the success of p gcommunity forest initiatives
• Provides support to BC communities striving to obtain and successfully implement community forest initiativessuccessfully implement community forest initiatives
The BCCFA Network
C i b d Community based, grass roots Leadership is trusted and accountable to the membersCooperation, partnerships and inclusionp p pFocus on what we do well, not on doing everythingCollaborative, solutions based approach with governmentNon-political Non-political
Key Activities of the BCCFA
Provincial Policy Education & Networking
Bill 13March 2009
Elimination of the 5 Year P b i P i dProbationary Period
Timber PricingTimber Pricing
• Removes all cruising requirements for CFAs
• Provides an 85% rate reduction to the Interior Appraisal • Provides an 85% rate reduction to the Interior Appraisal Manual Table 6.1
• Provides a 70% reduction to the Average Sawlog Stumpage Provides a 70% reduction to the Average Sawlog Stumpage Rates for the Coast Forest Region.
• Two zones createdwo o es c eate
Extension ServicesServices
2007- 2008
Meetings with 18 ti18 communties
Cowichan Lake Community Forest Cooperativey p
The Community Forestry y yGuidebook:Tools and Techniques for CCommunitiesin British Columbia
Generously supported by FORREX and the Vancouver Foundation
Forest Investment AccountP i i l i h f b d Provincial program to improve the forest asset base and support sustainable forest management practices on Crown land.
2007/2008 - $460,0002008/2009 $650 0002008/2009 - $650,000
A BCCFA Special Project
Openin Ne Doors: Brandin BC’s Comm nit ForestsOpening New Doors: Branding BC’s Community Forests
• Funding received from WD/CEDI, SIDIT, NIDIT and SIBAC
• Production of a CF documentary
First Nations Outreach
“The community forest has allowed for the spiritual connection on the land to be re-established. They don’t call it a community forest at home, they call it home.”, y
Mike Robertson, Senior Policy AdvisorCheslatta Carrier Nation
Ongoing Advocacyg g y
• Long term stewardship through area-based Long term stewardship through area based tenures
• More Community Forest Agreements
• Large enough to be efficient, viable and provide community benefits
• Expansion of open and competitive log markets
• Appropriate pricing system
Annual Conference - Networking, Learning and Planning
2009 Conference and AGM Port Alberni May 28 - 31, 2009
Sechelt Conference 2008
“In community forestry,we don’t just manage the land. We wrap our hearts around it ” We wrap our hearts around it.
Robin Hood