Activities

The BC Community Forest Association (BCCFA) proposes an expansion in the number and size of community-based tenures around rural and Indigenous communities to help achieve wildfire protection and promote rural development.

The BCCFA’s partnership with the UBC Faculty of Forestry has led to a funded  placement which gives the students a chance to put their classroom learning into practice in the unique environment of a community forest. 

Susan Mulkey, BCCFA governance specialist,  is available to work with BCCFA member communities for $500 per day on their organizational development, strategic planning, communication strategy and policy areas.

A core BCCFA activity is the provision of extension services to new and operating community forests, applicants and communities seeking community forest agreements. Susan Mulkey,

All around British Columbia, there is growing support for more community control of our forest resources. Community Forest Agreements are a powerful tool to support local jobs and diversify the economic base of rural communities while maintaining forest ecosystems and values for the future.

The mission of the BCCFA is to promote and support the practice and expansion of sustainable community forest management in BC. The purposes of the Association are to:
•    Work to ensure the viability of community forest initiatives 
•    Provide education on community forestry issues
•    Assist community forest practitioners in accessing resources required to succeed
•    Promote community forest management as a strategy for community economic development

All of these purposes speak to the importance of extension in the work of the Association.

Non-timber forest products are botanical and mycological products and associated services of the forest other than timber, pulpwood, shakes or other wood products. Examples include wild berries,

The purpose of the BCCFA extension work is to provide support to member communities as they go through the CFA application process, become operational and navigate the challenges of change and growth.

The BCCFA serves as an advocate for communities, and a communication link between government and those interested in and practicing community forestry.

The BCCFA has a mandate to:

• Serve as the voice and advocate for community forestry in B.C.

From humble beginnings in 2002 with only 10 member communities, the BC Community Forest Association (BCCFA) has become a respected organization,