New Woodland License for First Nations in Forest Industry

As part of National Aboriginal Day, the Province is announcing a new First Nations’ woodland licence to support increased First Nations participation in the forest sector.

The new First Nations woodland licence is a long-term, area-based tenure. First Nations’ woodland licence holders are required to prepare both management and operational plans to ensure compliance with the environmental values and standards of the Forest and Range Practices Act. The First Nation woodland licence was a recommendation of the Working Roundtable on Forestry.

The First Nations woodland licence includes:

· Exclusive rights to harvest timber on Crown land.

· The right to harvest, manage and charge fees for botanical forest products.

· The ability to practice Aboriginal stewardship.

Only First Nations that sign a Forest Tenure Opportunity Agreement with the Province are eligible for the licence. The licence is awarded without competition and the First Nation is required to follow all provincial regulations and policies including the payment of stumpage and other fees.

Quotes:

Steve Thomson, Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations –

“This is something First Nations have been specifically asking for. We’ve been working closely with them to develop a licence that meets their specific needs and supports their participation in the forest sector.”

Chief Bill Williams, President of the BC First Nations Forestry Council –

“This new woodland licence will allow our communities to make their own decisions in their territory and create economic opportunities for our families.”

Quick Facts:

· Long-term tenures, starting at 25 years, provide increased tenure security and improve First Nations’ ability to secure investment and loans.

· In March 2009, the Working Roundtable on Forestry released 29 recommendations for “a vibrant, sustainable, globally competitive forest industry that provides enormous benefits for current and future generations and for strong communities.” The report contained five recommendations directed to making First Nations full partners in forestry.

· The Province also has forests and range consultation and revenue sharing agreements with First Nations that provide for revenue sharing from stumpage paid on their licence and from third party harvesting in their traditional territories.

· The Province signed the first direct-award agreement with First Nations in September 2002. Since then, the Province has signed forestry agreements with 172 First Nations providing $288 million in revenue-sharing and providing access to 60 million cubic metres of timber.

Learn More:

* First Nations Forestry Agreements: http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/haa/
or http://www.newrelationship.gov.bc.ca/agreements_and_leg/forestry.html

· Working Roundtable on Forestry: http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/mof/forestry_roundtable/

· First Nations Forestry Council: http://www.fnforestrycouncil.ca/