PROVINCE TO ISSUE LONG-TERM COMMUNITY FOREST AGREEMENT

VICTORIA – The Province has offered the Harrop-Procter Community Co-operative a 25-year forest licence, providing it with long-term certainty in managing the local forest in the local interest, announced Forests and Range Minister Rich Coleman today.

“This long-term agreement will allow Harrop-Procter to continue building on its vision for a strong, vibrant forest economy,” said Coleman. “This government is committed to more community involvement in managing local forest resources.”

The Harrop-Procter community forest covers about 10,900 hectares of public land near the communities of Harrop and Procter east of Nelson. The Harrop-Procter Co-op works with local sawmill owners and remanufacturing businesses to produce rough-cut lumber and home finishing materials, which support local manufacturing jobs.

“When we began this adventure with a five-year pilot project, we were hopeful we could acquire a longer-term agreement,” said David Johnson, chair of the Harrop-Procter Community Co-operative. “We are very pleased that the Province’s confidence in our organization’s performance and in the community of Harrop-Procter has resulted in a 25-year agreement, allowing us to explore more economic opportunities and to create as much local employment as possible.”

Since August 2004, government has provided new or expanded community forest opportunities for 26 communities across the Province. These agreements give local governments, community groups and First Nations the opportunity to more fully participate in the stewardship of local forest resources. New community forest agreements are limited to a term of five years, after which they may be extended for another five years or replaced with a long-term agreement

Reference #: 2006:###FOR0098-001035

Date released: Aug 11, 2006

Region: Province Wide

Category: General

Contact(s):

Tiffany Akins

Public Affairs Officer

250 356 7503

Dave Johnson

Harrop-Procter Co-op

250 229 4765

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The Ministry of Forests web site is http://www.for.gov.bc.ca

All Ministry of Forests news releases, back to 1994, are available at:

http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/pscripts/pab/newsrel/mofnewstitles.asp