CANADA, September 4 -
Summary
- B.C.’s deputy chief forester has determined the new allowable annual cut (AAC) for Tree Farm Licence 30 at 340,000 cubic metres
- The decision reflects changes in understanding of the land base related to what is economically available for harvesting, as well as additional retention of forests for wildlife habitat and to address cultural values since the last AAC determination
- The new AAC is 17.6% lower than the previous AAC
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B.C.’s deputy chief forester has determined the new allowable annual cut (AAC), the maximum amount of timber that can be harvested each year, for Tree Farm Licence (TFL) 30 in the Omineca region.
The new AAC, which takes effect Friday, Sept. 4, 2026, is 340,000 cubic metres, a 17.6% reduction from the previous AAC.
The deputy chief forester considered changes that have affected the amount of timber that can be sustainably harvested since the previous review. It includes the need to retain more trees for wildlife habitat, protect riparian areas and conserve rare ecosystems.
The decision incorporates the latest information to help ensure forests remain healthy and productive over the long term, including protecting archeological and cultural heritage sites, recognizing areas that are not suitable or uneconomic for harvesting and considering the potential effects of climate change.
Based on the factors, the deputy chief forester has lowered the AAC.
TFL 30 overlaps the territory of the following First Nations:
- Lheidli T’enneh Nation
- McLeod Lake Indian Band
- West Moberly First Nations
- Tsay Keh Dene Nation
The determination considered issues raised by First Nations, including maintaining habitat for moose and protecting streams, riparian areas and fish habitat.
Lheidli T’enneh First Nation was one of a number of First Nations consulted for the determination. Together, the licensee for TFL 30 and the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation have a joint working group, the Canfor-Lheidli T’enneh Stewardship Working Group, for discussions around stewardship issues, including the timber supply review that helped to determine the new AAC level.
Public feedback is part of every timber supply review process. For TFL 30, the licensee made the draft information package and draft management plan available for public review from Sept. 8, 2024, until Nov. 8, 2024, before submitting the plan to the ministry.
When B.C.’s chief forester makes an AAC determination, it 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.
The AAC will remain in effect until a new AAC is determined, which must take place within 10 years.
Quick Facts:
- TFL 30 comprises approximately 180,000 hectares approximately 50 kilometres northeast of Prince George in the Prince George Natural Resource District.
- BC Timber Sales has an annual harvestable volume of 21,312 cubic metres per year that is also within the AAC in place prior to this determination.
- Under the Forest Act, AACs must be reviewed at least once every 10 years for 37 timber supply areas and 34 tree farm licences in B.C.
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