November 1, 2022

The Spel'kúmtn Community Forest is seeking review and comment regarding the proposed harvesting and associated road construction for cutblocks GR1000, GR1001 and GR1001A specifically with respect to use of the area by members of the communities of Pemberton and Mt Currie.

Community members are encouraged to submit any comments or concerns regarding public use activities or effects of harvesting on existing forest values associated with the Green River / Lower slopes of Mount Currie where the planned blocks are located.

Review and comment by the community is requested so that Spel'kúmtn CF is aware and can plan activities to minimize any potential impact to public use and ensure any forest values of concern for the community are addressed. View the GR1000-1001 Public Forestry Referral Form.

View the Visual Impact Assessment.

Please send comments to: spelkumtncf@gmail.com

April, 2022 Update:

Log Hauling Has Started in the Mackenzie Basin

Hauling timber from the blocks in the Mackenzie Basin has started as of March 10 and will continue until approximately April 7, 2022. We ask that recreational users of this area exercise extreme caution while driving, cycling or otherwise using the FSR when logging trucks are present. 

Please respect all forestry activity-related signage and remember that descending/loaded logging trucks always have the right-of-way.

Mackenzie Basin Harvesting Schedule

Harvesting Activities started in Mackenzie Basin on February 1, 2022.

The Mackenzie Basin FSR has been plowed, 4x4/chains currently recommended if driving this road.

Old roads required for harvesting blocks MK005A and MK005B have been plowed/reconstructed. New road required for MK001 has been constructed.

Harvesting activities will be ongoing until approximately February 25, 2022.
Hauling timber from the blocks will commence approximately March 15 through April 7, 2022.

During harvesting activities, the Mackenzie Basin Forest Service Road may be closed for short periods of time to ensure safety during harvesting activities.

Please obey all signage and temporary closures and do not enter active logging areas.
Do not obstruct passage of harvesting equipment on the Mackenzie Basin FSR when parking.

1. Block harvesting of MK001, accessed by a short new spur road at approximately 8.5km on the Mackenzie Basin FSR is ongoing harvesting – trees have been felled and ongoing work to skid logs to roadside.
2. Block harvesting of MK005A and MK005B located between 7km and 8km on the Mackenzie FSR will begin February 10, 2022 and will continue through to March 1, 2022.
3. Block harvesting of MK004B will start approximately February 20, 2022
4. Hauling logs from all the harvested blocks is projected to take place beginning mid-March, 2022 through April 7, 2022.
5. Extreme caution while driving when logging trucks are present will be required, descending/loaded logging truck always have the right-of-way.
6. Trail Crossing signs will be installed at all trail / FSR intersections to alert logging truck drivers of trail locations and potential for cycling traffic to appear on the roadways.

Owl Ridge Harvesting Schedule

Harvesting Activities planned to start in Owl Ridge, Block BH902, approximately February 21, 2022.

Block BH902 is located adjacent to the BC hydro Tx line to the north of the Owl Ridge Sub-division.

The block will be accessed from 0.5km on Owl Ridge Drive via an existing resource road (Joe Smith Main) and a short planned new spur road.

Harvesting activities will be ongoing from February 21 through March 15, 2022.

Hauling timber from the block will commence approximately March 15 through April 7, 2022.

During harvesting activities, the public is requested to avoid use of Joe Smith Main. Joe Smith Main is currently gated / locked. Existing use of this road is occasional ATV use and hiking/dog walking use by local Owl Ridge residents.

Please obey all signage and temporary closures and do not enter active logging areas.

Public review and comment now CLOSED

Miller Creek area Proposed Harvesting (Fall 2022)

The Spel’kúmtn Community Forest (SCF) is seeking review and comment regarding the proposed harvesting and associated road construction for cutblocks MI100A, MI100C and MI100D specifically with respect to use of the area by members of the communities of Pemberton and Mt Currie.

Community members are encouraged to submit any comments or concerns regarding public use activities or affects of harvesting on existing forest values associated with the south Miller Creek area where the planned blocks are located. Review and comment by the community is requested so that SCF is aware and can plan activities to minimize any potential impact to public use and ensure any forest values of concern for the community are addressed.

Please contact: spelkumtncf@gmail.com

These blocks are proposed to be harvested under the Spel’kúmtn Community Forest tenure agreement, a partnership between the Líl’wat Nation and the Village of Pemberton. The revenue generated from this community forest harvesting will be shared between these partners as per the agreement developed for the community forest. Harvest planning and implementation of all activities will be managed by Lil’wat Forestry Ventures.

Please see block details and maps below:

• 2022 Proposed Harvesting Referral Form (Blocks: MI100A, MI100C, MI100D)
• Appraisal Map
• Preliminary Visual Impact Assessment for Blocks MI100A, MI100C and MI100D
• Miller Creek Overview Map

Public review and comment now CLOSED

Location: Upper Mackenzie Basin

The Spel̓kúmtn Community Forest (SCF) is currently planning for the harvest of approximately 19 ha, distributed across five separate small cutblocks, in the Upper Mackenzie Basin area. Harvesting is planned to occur between December 15, 2021 and March 15, 2022. These blocks are proposed to be harvested under the Spel̓kúmtn Community Forest tenure agreement, a partnership between the Lil’wat Nation and the Village of Pemberton. The revenue generated from this community forest harvesting will be shared between the Lil’wat Nation and the Village of Pemberton as per the partnership agreement developed for the community forest. Harvest planning and implementation of all activities will be completed by Lil’wat Forestry Ventures (LFV) and all harvesting will be completed by local forestry contractors.

Public Review and Comment

Prior to the application to the Province of British Columbia for a permit to commence harvest operations, the SCF has committed to provide community members an opportunity to review proposed areas for harvesting and to comment on any concerns they may have with harvest of the proposed areas. Information about the current proposed areas for harvest, including information of the forest resources present and known uses by the community are included in this info package. All interested members of the Pemberton and Mount Currie communities are encouraged to review the available information and to relay any comments or concerns to the Spel̓kúmtn Community Forest by December 15, 2021. A response to any comments or concerns raised will be provided by LFV, and a summary of the comments/concerns and LFV responses will be posted prior to the cutting permit application stage.

Questions

The community forest tenure system also provides the community with the opportunity to become informed about forest management practices and how the variety of values derived from the forest are identified and managed. Community members are encouraged to submit questions at this time regarding how the variety of resources present in the vicinity of the proposed harvesting (soils, water, wildlife, visuals, recreation, biodiversity, etc) are managed. Forest management professionals from LFV will provide a response to questions raised regarding management of forest resources.

Maps

Please see below maps of the five cutblocks that are to be harvested, an overview map and the full Proposed Harvesting Referral Form:

• MK001
• MK004A
• MK004B
• MK005A
• MK005B
• Overview Map
• 2021/22 Proposed Harvesting Referral Form

If you have questions or would like to provide feedback on the proposed harvesting plans by December 15, 2021, please contact Klay Tindall, RPF, of Lil’wat Forestry Ventures at klay.tindall@lilwat.ca or Abe Litz, RPF, of Chartwell Resource Group Limited at alitz@crgl.ca.

As demonstrated by over 58 community forests across BC, the benefits of a community forest include:

• Local Decision Making: Community Forests are managed by community-based organizations, with decisions reflecting local values and priorities. Decisions take into account the unique local social, economic, ecological and cultural context.
• Accountability: Local-level decision making supports locally appropriate decisions and improves the incentives to consider the long-term benefits of sustainable management.
• Profits Remain Local: Earnings from the Community Forest are shared between Lil’wat Nation and the Village of Pemberton. Each community can determine how those profits are used based on their own priorities
• Local Employment and Economic Development: Community forests create local jobs, enabling people to stay and work locally. They also create economic opportunities for local businesses, community partnerships and contributions from those businesses in the future.
• Local Engagement and Stewardship: The Speĺkúmtn Community Forest provides local communities with the opportunity to participate in stewarding the local forests and have a say in how forestry looks in our area. Community participation can improve awareness and understanding of forest management.
• Relationship Building: A Community Forest supports improved communication and collaboration between all who value and use the forest. It provides a strong opportunity for growing relationships among community members and between Pemberton and Lil’wat communities.
• Wildfire Risk Management: Some areas overlap with identified ‘high-priority’ areas (areas that have higher values at risk due to locations directly adjacent to the community) in the Village of Pemberton’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan. In some cases, wildfire hazard mitigation treatments to reduce forest fuels can include harvesting of some of the timber within these areas, resulting in income for the community forest and increased community safety.

In 2001, Village Council considered the changes that were taking place in the forest industry and determined that it would be prudent to investigate the possibility of establishing a community forest in the Pemberton area. In 2005 the Ministry of Forests issued a press release in which the Village of Pemberton, along with the RMOW and District of Squamish, was invited to apply for a five-year probationary community forest licence that would provide up to 10,000 m3 of timber annually. Although application was not pursued there continued to be interest in this initiative. Over the years the Village met with Ministry officials to discuss the community forest program, understand the 2007 timber supply analysis, and consider partnership opportunities.

Due to renewed interest in 2014, Council determined that it would be useful to better understand the feasibility of pursuing this initiative. In 2015, a request for proposals was issued by the Village for a study to explore the feasibility of entering into a Community Forest Agreement with the Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resources Operations. Numerous discussions with Provincial representatives took place and preliminary research was completed. The aim of the feasibility study was to learn about the potential benefits of entering into a community forest agreement, including the establishment of forest stewardship over the lands surrounding the Village; the development of recreation opportunities and protection of those opportunities that are already in place; partnership opportunities; and social and economic benefits to the community through job creation and retention.

The Community Forest Feasibility Study was completed and presented to Council in January of 2016. To view the feasibility study, click on the Spel̓kúmtn Community Forest Documents section below.

The study outlined the application process and provided information regarding the potential costs and benefits of undertaking the project and options for partnerships. An opportunity to partner with Lil’wat Nation was presented and in December of 2016, Council resolved to negotiate with Lil’wat Forest Ventures to establish a partnership agreement to operate a community forest.

In 2017 an official partnership between the Village and Lil’wat Nation was established, including the development of a Limited Partnership Agreement and Shareholders Agreement. The Spel̓kúmtn Community Forest Corporation was formed in 2018 and an  interim Board was appointed with representation from both communities.

At the same time, work proceeded on the development of a management plan and forest stewardship plan, which were presented to the public in the fall of 2018. These plans accompanied the Spelkúmtn Community Forest Limited Partnership’s application to the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development (FLNRORD) for a community forest agreement (CFA) in the areas surrounding Pemberton and Mount Currie. The CFA was approved and announced by FLNRORD on March 11, 2021.

An Interim Board has been appointed with representation from both communities as follows:

Village of Pemberton

Mayor Mike Richman,

Councillor Ted Craddock,

Nikki Gilmore, Chief Administrative Officer

Lil’wat Nation

Chief Dean Nelson,

Councillor Maxine Bruce,

Kerry Mehaffey, CAO, Lil’wat Nation

The Interim Board adopted its governance policy on January 12, 2022.

Media Release: Forest agreement to benefit First Nation, community - March 11, 2021

Spel̓kúmtn Community Forest Sales & Marketing Policy

Spel̓kúmtn Community Forest Maps

Spel̓kúmtn Community Forest Management Plan

Spel̓kúmtn Community Forest Stewardship Plan

2021 Harvesting Plan

Frequently Asked Questions

Information Session Storyboards - November 19, 2018

Media Release: The Village of Pemberton & Lil'wat Nation to partner on the establishment of a community forest - July 30, 2018

Community Forest Feasibility Study and Appendices

Community Forest Backgrounder

For project related questions, please contact Sheena Fraser, Manager of Corporate & Legislative Services at 604.894.6135 or by email at sfraser@pemberton.ca.