Mtg at Big Lake re: WL Community Forest - Feb 24th

Courtesy of CRD Area 'F' Director Joan Sorley's Facebook page:

Subject: Community Meeting on Williams Lake-Williams Lake Indian Band proposed Community Forest

Where: Big Lake Community Hall

When: Sunday, Feb 24 at 1pm

Called and Hosted by the Big Lake-Horsefly-Miocene Community Forest Working Group (Ross McCoubrey, David Zirnhelt, Jack Darney, Sam Zirnhelt, Bee Hooker and Cecil Morhart)

A proposal has been submitted for a community forest in the Big Lake area that will be managed by the City of Williams Lake in partnership with the Williams lake Indian Band. 84% of the proposed area and 94% of the harvest proposed is derived from the forest area around Big Lake, Horsefly and Miocene. The proposal does not address the serious concerns repeatedly raised by the residents in the communities or by community representatives from Big Lake, Horsefly, and Miocene.

The opportunities the proponents have proposed through which our communities would participate in management decisions and receive economic benefits are unacceptable. For example, they want the rural communities to accept a small percentage of net revenues that they would have to apply for through a grants program. They asked the CRD to approve their grant program proposal without the courtesy of discussing it with the communities first and they have refused to share the business plan which might give an indication of what revenues they intend to generate.

Furthermore, the City of Williams Lake made decisions about board appointments and how profits from the community forest will be spent through “in-camera” meetings (not open to the public). That is no way to start a “community forest”.

The proponents know they don’t have the support of the rural communities. In a recent attempt to demonstrate that they do have some support they’ve sent a request to specific individuals and organizations asking them to write letters of support. Those folks need to be aware of our concerns and proposed solutions.

There are options that would provide better management input and fair economic benefit to the communities that are near to and surrounded by the proposed forest but the proponent has refused to engage in the type of discussion which could generate mutually-beneficial solutions.

Community members and the Working Group have repeatedly stated their support for the Williams Lake Indian Band to acquire a long-term area-based tenure. However, the government needs to address the basic question is it right for a City the size of Williams Lake to have a Community Forest and to put that tenure over top of other communities, and if so, under what conditions? One of those conditions certainly must be that the communities support it!

The proponents (City of Williams Lake and the Williams Lake Indian Band) and decision makers in the Ministry of Forests need to hear community members concerns directly. They will also be invited to this meeting.

Media contact Sam Zirnhelt 243-0055