Skeena Region, B.C. – On April 24, 2025, Minister of Forests, Ravi Parmar, shared details on newly funded forest enhancement projects throughout the province at the BC First Nations Forestry Council (FNFC) Conference in Penticton. The announcement highlighted 64 projects receiving investments from the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) for wood waste utilization and wildfire risk reduction, eight of which will occur in the Skeena Region.
These newly funded projects represent nearly $20 million in investments, with almost $3 million allocated to projects in the Skeena Region that will either boost fibre supply and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by utilizing uneconomic wood waste or reduce wildfire risk to better protect communities and important infrastructure. Many projects have additional benefits, such as taking action on climate change and enhancing wildlife habitat, and will help create or sustain good, family-supporting jobs.
“We received so many excellent applications from interested parties across the province looking to invest in the future of B.C.’s forests,” shared Jason Fisher, Executive Director of FESBC. “After careful review, we are pleased to be able to support a portfolio of projects that will make forests more resilient and communities safer, while unlocking the value of wood waste generated through forest management activities.”
In total, wood waste utilization projects in the Skeena Region are anticipated to utilize over 101,000 cubic metres of fibre, equivalent to 2,100+ truckloads, which will enable almost 45,000 tonnes of avoided emissions (tonnes of CO2e) from utilizing wood waste instead of burning it. Wildfire risk reduction projects in the Skeena Region will allow for the treatment of 183.8 hectares of forest and prescriptions, or planning, for future wildfire risk reduction work in 800 hectares.
Wood Waste Utilization Projects
- Wood Fibre Recovery: NorthPac Forestry Group Ltd. will receive funding to support the transport of low-grade wood fibre from north of Hazelton to local pulp and bioenergy facilities.
- Wood Fibre Utilization: Westland Resources Ltd. will receive funding to support the transport of biologs, a wood product that is low in quality and unsuitable for traditional manufacturing. These biologs, normally left behind after harvesting activities, will be delivered from three different First Nations licensees in the Coast Mountain Resource District near Terrace and will help fully utilize the resource to support local First Nations while reducing the need to burn slash piles, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
- Wood Fibre Recovery: Tahltan Forestry Ltd. will receive funding to support the transport of low-value, beetle-damaged wood fibre from remote settings near Stewart to tidewater, where it will be transported to coastal pulp mills.
- Wood Fibre Recovery: The Coast Tsimshian Resources LP. and NorthPac Joint Venture will receive funding for a project that supports the transport of low-value wood fibre in the Terrace area to a central chipping facility for conversion into chips for later use at the Canfor pulp mill in Prince George.
Wildfire Risk Reduction Projects
- Wildfire Risk Reduction Treatment: Burns Lake Community Forest will receive funding to finalize work on projects which are a part of the implementation of the Burns Lake Community Forest Landscape Wildfire Plan. The outcome will be a fuel break area along primary road systems near Burns Lake for landscape wildfire response, which encompasses strategies to proactively reduce wildfire risk as well as recover and restore landscapes after wildfires have occurred.
- Wildfire Risk Reduction Treatment: Chinook Community Forest will receive funding to support fuel reduction work around the community of Southside on the south shore of Francois Lake near Burns Lake.
- Wildfire Risk Reduction Treatment: Wetzin’kwa Community Forest Corporation will receive funding to continue previous work by the community forest to create a landscape-level fuel break along the egress route (or evacuation route) from Hudson Bay Mountain near Smithers.
- Wildfire Risk Reduction Treatment: Cheslatta First Nation will receive funding to create a landscape-level fuel break along the western shores of Ootsa Lake near Burns Lake. The fuel reduction treatment will be combined with other projects to create a more fire-resilient forest and enhance local wildlife habitat.
Of the 64 total new projects to receive investments from FESBC throughout the province, 31 projects are led by Indigenous organizations and an additional 14 projects have significant Indigenous participation.
“The BC First Nations Forestry Council would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the Province of BC and FESBC for providing the funding needed to get boots on the ground and support critical work. Mitigating wildfire risk and creating a more fire-ready landscape is essential,” said Lennard Joe, CEO, BC First Nations Forestry Council. “I am grateful for our First Nations contractors, whose capacity and readiness, position them to lead this important work and help move the province forward in a good way.”
To learn more about some of the innovative and collaborative projects invested in by FESBC that have been led by local project proponents throughout the province, you are invited to take a look at the Spring 2025 Accomplishments Update.
For an interview with the Forest Enhancement Society of BC, contact:
Aleece Laird, Communications Liaison, communications@fesbc.ca | 250.574.0221
ADDITIONAL QUOTES:
Jennifer Gunter, Executive Director, BC Community Forest Association: “FESBC has played a vital role in supporting community forests across the province to complete work that prioritizes local values, including wildfire risk reduction, utilizing wood waste, and enhancing forest resiliency in rural areas. By partnering with local stakeholders such as community forest managers, they help ensure that their initiatives align with the unique needs and priorities of each community. This collaborative approach not only promotes sustainable forest management but also creates important economic and social opportunities.”
Gord Chipman, Executive Director, Woodlots BC: “Every year, between 5,000 to 10,000 hectares of woodlots are impacted by wildfire. 20% of woodlots are located in a Wildland Urban Interface and have a high or extreme wildfire risk. With FESBC’s investments for new wildfire risk reduction projects, woodlots will have the opportunity to be proactive and take greater strategic action to better protect communities and people. These projects will be innovative and evolve with the involvement of BC Wildfire Service and local Forest Districts.”
FESBC would like to gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Forests.