Author Archives: hfhc

BC Belongs to British Columbians

BC Belongs to British Columbians
Current trends being experienced in the field are disturbing and leave many people wondering whether the government of today has abandoned the concept of sustainability and the notion of ‘stewarding the land for the future’. BC’s Crown lands are being treated as ‘government land’ that the Province can do with what they want – with seeming little respect for public ownership, economic sustainability and the Crown’s obligation to honor the claims of First Nations.

HFHC 2011 Activities Summary Report

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

BC Crown lands represent 94% of the Province. The public expects the Provincial Government to manage these lands in the public’s best interest (i.e., management will be done in such a manner as to protect social, cultural and economic values over the long term and provide the BC residents with expected products and services). The demands can be summarized in the overall objective of achieving healthy and resilient communities (Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal), which depend on conservation and use of healthy forests. This is commonly reflected in the practice of Sustainable Forest Management (SFM). Concerns began in 2009 regarding the future of BC forest lands by groups with a wide range of perspectives. This generated the Healthy Forests-Healthy Communities initiative (HFHC).

The HFHC was initiated in January 2011 as a non-partisan, volunteer supported initiative to provide an opportunity for communities and concerned citizens to inform decision-makers of their views and concerns regarding management of BC forests. Over 150 volunteers across BC contributed to delivery of the HFHC through providing expert opinions based on experience and science and community views arising from local experiences. Twenty-seven (27) Background Briefs were provided by experts in various fields of forest lands management as information for use by participants in the 20 Community Dialogue Sessions held across all regions of the Province.

Anthony Britneff (NSR) Response – BC Forest Professional Article

Anthony Britneff (RPF, Ret) responds with an article in the BC Forest Professional (Jan-Feb) to the forests Ministry article regarding Not Satisfactorily Restocked forestlands in BC (Sep-Oct, 2011 BC Forest Pro)
The Healthy Forests-Healthy Communities initiative is gaining momentum – with your help, countless volunteers have gathered to plan Community Dialogue Sessions, prepare Background Briefs on the status of different resources, and provide support to the initiative. We will keep you updated with the latest information on BC forests and communities.