Timber harvests supported a large part of B.C.’s economic development and continue to provide the economic base for many rural communities. The annual timber harvest from all public and private land increased ten-fold during the 1900s, and levelled off in the 1990s.

Concern about the rapid increase led to government regulation of harvest levels to ensure sustainable timber supplies and community stability. Beginning in 1949, government set allowable annual cuts (AACs) to regulate harvest levels on public land and some private land.

Over the last ten years, the average total timber harvest was 77 million m3 per year, of which 68 million m3 per year (89%) were from forests where harvest levels are regulated by AACs.

Almost all of the harvest regulated by AACs is from 37 timber supply areas (TSAs) and 33 tree farm licences (TFLs), for which the provincial government’s chief forester sets AACs. These provided about 86% of the total timber harvest over the last ten years. The government’s senior decision-makers also set AACs for more than 800 woodlot licences and community forests that comprised 3%.

The remaining 9 million m3 per year (11%) were from lands with no government-set AACs, primarily private land and some public land.

Regulating Forest Practices
British Columbia's Forest and Range Practices Act applies to any forest or range activities on public land, maintaining the province's high level of environmental protection in an efficient and effective manner. It specifies requirements to conserve soils, to reforest logged areas, and to protect riparian areas, fish and fish habitat, watersheds, biodiversity and wildlife. It also specifies requirements for the construction, maintenance and deactivation of forest roads.

Under the Act, forest companies must develop forest stewardship plans that outline how they will meet objectives set by government for soils, timber, wildlife, water, fish, biodiversity and cultural heritage resources, and they are held accountable for their on-the-ground performance. Public views and forest values must be considered before forest companies can harvest timber, build roads or undertake other forest activities on public forest land.

Government also requires special management for areas of local concern, such as recreation trails, wildlife habitat areas, winter range for animals such as deer and mountain goats, lakeshore management zones, community watersheds, fisheries-sensitive watersheds and scenic vistas. All activities must be consistent with existing land use plans.

Soon after public land is logged, it must be reforested with native species suited to local ecological conditions to maintain natural diversity. Each year, about 200 million seedlings are planted in British Columbia to reforest areas after logging, wildfire or insect infestations. Forest companies are responsible for a harvested area until there is a well-established healthy young forest.

British Columbia's forestry laws are backed by a comprehensive compliance and enforcement regime involving various provincial and federal agencies. In addition, the independent Forest Practices Board watches over all forestry activities on behalf of the public.

Determining Harvest Levels
At least once every five years, British Columbia’s independent chief forester is required by law to determine how much wood can be harvested in each of the province’s 70 management units. The chief forester can postpone a timber supply review for up to five more years if the annual cut is not expected to change significantly or set a new harvest level earlier to deal with abnormal situations such an insect infestation.

This process involves a detailed technical analysis, public comment and the consideration of forest resource values such as wildlife and fish habitat, soils, water, and recreation opportunities. It ensures that all harvest levels are based on the latest information, practices and government policies, both economic and environmental. This is the foundation of sustainable forest management, protecting ecological values while allowing stable economic benefits for British Columbia communities.

Involving British Columbians
British Columbia is unique among the world’s leading forest producers because 95 per cent of its forests are publicly owned and managed by government to protect their natural diversity and address the interests of all British Columbians.

Comprehensive land use planning involves British Columbians directly in planning related to the protection, resource development and other uses of their public lands. This process has resulted in new park designations, identified lands for resource use and set aside areas requiring special management to conserve ecological or cultural values.

British Columbia’s comprehensive land use planning process is open and locally based, and decisions take into account the needs of communities, the economy and the environment. While the planning process is consistent across British Columbia, each plan is unique so it can meet local needs. It is structured to encourage participation by the public, stakeholders and various levels of government, including First Nations. Over the last 10 years, planning has been completed in close to 85 per cent of the province.

British Columbia has roughly the same amount of forested area as it did before European settlement. Only two per cent of the province’s land has been permanently converted to other uses such as farming, ranching and urban development.

British Columbia's Coast: A Global Treasure
In the north and central Pacific Coast planning regions, an area of immense beauty and diversity known as the Great Bear Rainforest, representatives from resource sectors, environmental groups, First Nations, local communities, tourism, labour and government worked hard together to find innovative solutions to issues related to land and resource management.

Final land use agreements, announced by the British Columbia government in 2006, included protection for 1.8 million hectares (4.4 million acres), or nearly one-third of the region. Logging is not allowed in another five per cent, bringing the total where no commercial forestry is allowed to 2.1 million hectares (more than five million acres). Where resource development is allowed, it will be guided by the principles of ecosystem-based management – an adaptive management approach that seeks to maintain a balance between environmental and socio-economic concerns.

In 2007, participants in the coast planning process were awarded WWF International’s Gift to the Earth Award in recognition of the creation of the protected areas, the participatory land use planning process that led to their identification and the establishment of an innovative and well-endowed conservation and sustainable development funding mechanism to support coastal communities.