“We are excited about taking the next steps with the Burns Lake Community Forest thanks to being FSC Certified,” says Frank Varga, General Manager of BLCF. “We have a challenging next couple of years as the value of the forest fibre continues to deteriorate due to the mountain pine beetle epidemic. We will look for FSC Certified fibre opportunities to leverage our strength in the fibre supply.”
BLCF holds strong principles of developing strong working relations with First Nations partners supported by the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and operates with rigorous environmental standards while examining economic opportunities. These ambitious standards helped the BLCF achieve the certification.
Market demand for FSC wood is growing, and in Canada, all of the major banks print on FSC-certified paper. Companies like IKEA are aiming to source 100% of their wood, paper, and cardboard from FSC or recycled sources. “For BLCF, FSC certification benefits range from improved revenue and market opportunities to improved community relations. FSC supports developing and strengthening our relationships with our First Nation communities, and to setting a strong governance system and policies for BLCF,” Varga emphasized.
The Burns Lake Community Forest was awarded the Long-Term Community Forest Agreement K1A for a term of 25 years in April 2005, the first of its kind in the province. The community forest has undergone several expansions since that time and now consists of more than 89,000 hectares of crown land.
Source: BC Community Forest Association Newsletter from December and August .