Cariboo Wildfire Risk Reduction & Wood Recovery Utilization Projects Receive Funding

The Forest Enhancement Society of BC has given over $5 million for 18 projects in the Cariboo Region.

Executive Director Jason Fisher said the Society distributes the money on behalf of the Province to invest in Forest Management activities related primarily to two major functions.

“There’s the wildfire risk reduction, which involves going in and removing potentially some of the crown closure, removing some of the stems, some woody debris off the ground and making forest stands more resilient in the event of wildfire or less likely a wildfire that occurs in those stands would lead to more catastrophic wildfires.”

Fisher said the other major function is wood recovery and utilization.

“If there are damaged stands out in the land base that have been damaged by weather, insects, or disease, or fire, or if there has been harvesting activities that have taken place, and some of the debris that’s left behind, we will help support applicants in going in, collecting that wood and bringing it to facilities like pulp mills or pellet plants to generate economic opportunities.”

The Forest Enhancement Society of BC said many projects have additional benefits, such as taking on climate change and enhancing wildlife habitat, and will help create or sustain good family-supporting jobs.

Fisher noted for our region there are going to be a few fibre utilization projects and a larger number that are going into wildfire risk reduction.

“Even though the Forest Enhancement Society was created to really focus on making forests more resilient and leaving more resilient forests behind after the projects are done, there are certainly social and economic benefits that spin off that as well. There are jobs that are created when you look at stand tending, the spacing, the pruning of trees when you’re doing wildfire risk reduction projects. And there jobs sustained when we’re helping to unlock that fibre and get that wood that would be considered waste and potentially burned in piles on landing somewhere out in the forest and bring them to pulp mills, pellet plants, or an energy system to help keep those jobs going,” Fisher said.

In total, wood waste utilization Projects in the Cariboo are anticipated to utilize over 68,000 cubic metres of fibre, equivalent to 1,400-plus truckloads, which will enable 13,900 tonnes of avoided emissions from utilizing wood waste instead of burning it.

Wildfire risk reduction projects in the Cariboo will allow for the treatment of 670 hectares of forest and prescriptions, or planning, for future wildfire risk reduction work in 772 hectares.