British Columbia’s deputy chief forester sets a new allowable annual cut (AAC) level for the Sunshine Coast Timber Supply Area (TSA). Effective Thursday, June 6, 2024, the new AAC for the Sunshine Coast TSA is 1,050,000 cubic metres. This represents a 12.3% reduction from the previous AAC and remains 2% above the average harvest level over the past decade.
Recently, British Columbia reduced the AAC for the Kootenay Lake Timber Supply Area by 13.4%, and the AAC for southern Vancouver Island was decreased by 5.5%.
In light of the old-growth deferral areas within the TSA and to ensure sustainable forestry practices, the determination includes two partitions: a maximum of 262,500 cubic metres may be harvested from stands older than 140 years, and a maximum of 787,500 cubic metres may be harvested from stands 140 years and younger.
The Sunshine Coast TSA comprises approximately 1.7 million hectares on the southwestern coast. The TSA overlaps the territory of 22 First Nations, all of which were consulted during the timber-supply review process, and their feedback was considered. The deputy chief forester also sought public input and considered various concerns, such as old growth, water, ecosystem function, recreation, climate change, and extreme-weather events.
As part of the province’s updated forest planning, a forest landscape plan (FLP) pilot was initiated concurrently with the timber supply review. FLPs are completed in partnership with First Nations and establish clear direction for forest management, including approaches to managing old growth and biodiversity, climate change, and wildfire risk. The deputy chief forester has committed to redetermining a new AAC when the FLP is complete.
The deputy chief forester’s AAC determination is an independent, professional judgment based on information ranging from technical forestry reports, First Nations consultations, input from the public, and the government’s social and economic objectives. Under the Forest Act, the chief forester must determine the AAC in each of the province’s 37 timber supply areas and 34 tree-farm licences at least once every 10 years.
Source: British Columbia reduces allowable annual cut for Sunshine Coast Timber Supply Area