Local forests, Local people

Community Forest project focussed on multiple benefits

By Jim Hilton, professional agrologist and forester

Last week the members of the Standing Committee for the Williams Lake Community Forest toured some harvesting under way next to Woodland Drive. Community Forest management provided information on logging that is taking place this spring in Douglas fir stands off Birch Lane. This forest is managed by partial-cutting rather than clear cutting, and seeks to achieve multiple objectives: …Ken Day and the management team described the challenge of optimizing multiple objectives throughout the project when trying to meet the needs of the multiple interest groups, local residents and legal obligations. Minimizing the impacts to the local bike groups, maximizing fuel break effectiveness, managing conflicts the cattle grazing, maintaining mule deer habitat, and leaving visual buffers for the adjacent subdivision while managing bark beetles all add to the complexity of harvest planning.

Read More