DOCUMENTS
Community Forest Document Downloads.
Report To The Community / Annual Reports
Expansion of PRCF’s Community Forest Area
Community Forest Agreements in BC - Objectives
Opportunity for more local control over how local forests are managed and to receive directly, benefits from local forest development.
• A community forest agreement {CFA) is an area based, replaceable forest tenure which allows harvest of timber on provincial forest. It is the only forest tenure issued “directly” by the Minister of Forests. There is approximately 80 CFAs province wide.
• To receive the Minister’s direct invitation to apply for a CFA, a community must show there is broad community support. qathet Regional District supported the City of Powell River stepping forward as the applicant on behalf of the entire community.
• The CFA area covers Provincial Forest, within qathet Regional District and Tla’amin Territory. It also covers parts of the Haslam Lake and Lang Creek community watersheds. Tla’amin has their own, larger CFA.
• The Powell River CFA was awarded in Aug 2006. A corporation; Powell River Community Forest Ltd {PRCF}, was created to hold the CFA licence on behalf of the community and to manage the full range of forestry operations on the CFA.
• PRCF’s organizational structure has been a big part of its success. Key components include; limited liability corporation, independent/competent board, professional management and a supportive/arm’s length shareholder. To be income tax exempt there must be a clear link with the local government entity, and how the profits are utilized in the community.
Community Forest Reserve Fund Bylaw: 2012/08
Bylaw: 2012/08
Money from the fund will be used for special community projects which will benefit the community as a whole. The money in the fund is not intended to be used for the City’s operations or capital expenditures of a regular nature. Before any money is used from the fund the City will seek input from the Powell River Community Forest Ltd board.
In 2008, The City created a reserve fund to receive PRCF’s annual dividends. The bylaw wording is City council’s pledge as far as how the money in the fund will be used.
Basic intent; the monies in the fund are not considered the City’s general revenue and the fund is for projects which will benefit the entire Powell River community. The wording is consistent with the Provincial community forest program objectives and recognizes monies in the fund were generated from forest development outside City boundaries.
It is a reserve fund in name only. Monies in the fund are intended to support much needed direct investment into our community. The largest percentage of community forest grant funds have gone to projects within the City of Powell River. Those projects tend to be larger scale and involve facilities which are utilized by the entire community. The larger number, but mostly smaller grants to non profit community groups which are spread across the entire community are just as important. They are also integral to PRCF’s “social licence” to undertake forest development in the CFA.
The eligibility for who can apply for grants is outlined under policy. PRCF does attempt to balance the monies available for grants, year over year and to support both spring and fall grant awards. There are no set targets for distribution of money from the fund. The grant process is application driven and City council’s decisions on which grants to approve, are based on the policy (grant evaluation criteria).
PRCF Policies & Minutes
Inventory, Timber Supply Analysis, AAC Recommendations and Management Plan Reports
Water Quality Management
Forest Stewardship Plan
Direct Contact
Chris Laing – PRCF Manager
chrislaing@shaw.ca
604-487-9540
Greg Hemphill – President
greghemphill@telus.net
604-223-4887