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Forestry Review and Engagement
We are developing an Interim and Long-Term Forest Management Plan for the Municipal Forest Reserve. During this process, stakeholders and the public will be able to share their vision for the forest and influence how the forest will be managed. The Interim and Long-Term Forest Management Plans will include a summary of what the public said and describe how input shaped the Plans.
North Cowichan is one of the few communities in North America that owns and manages forest lands for the benefit of residents. The Municipal Forest Reserve (MFR) is 5,000+ ha and accounts for approximately 25% of the land base in North Cowichan. Since 1946, the MFR has been managed as a working forest. The MFR also serves as a significant recreational area for the community, loved by residents and frequented by visitors from across Vancouver Island and beyond.
In response to public interest in harvesting activities and requests for a review of forest management, Council implemented strong limits on harvesting in 2019. Council also committed to undertaking a technical review of forest management practices along with public engagement on the future management of the Municipal Forest Reserve. The technical review will support the public engagement process by providing the information needed for informed public participation, and the public engagement process will inform the evaluation of the technical scenarios and options.
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August 28, 2020
Council has enacted a 60-day pause on the engagement process to facilitate a government-to-government consultation with local First Nations. Click here for more information.
December 14, 2020
In alignment with Council’s previous decision to pause public engagement to facilitate First Nations consultation, the public engagement will remain on hold until an agreed-upon way of moving forward is reached during the First Nations consultation process.
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Engagement Timeline:
Note: An updated timeline will be added when Council directs staff to resume public engagement.
Working Group:
A 16-member working group has been formed to help shape engagement and the future of the Municipal Forest Reserve. The Working Group will meet approximately 4 times throughout the engagement process and minutes from these meetings will be posted here: Working Group
Stakeholders:
A list of local organizations has been identified as stakeholders in this project. You can view this complete list here. If you are part of a local organization that wants to be on our stakeholder list and receive project updates email us at info@northcowichan.ca
Want to get involved?
Your input is important, we want to hear from you!
Stay tuned! When public engagement resumes, there will be many chances to engage; including public forums, phone/online surveys, and pop-up events around North Cowichan!
Questions?
Check out our frequently asked questions:
2020 FORESTRY REVIEW & ENGAGEMENT FAQS.pdf [PDF - 419 KB]
Stay in the Loop!
Updates will be posted to this page on a regular basis. FAQs, background, and past Council decisions on the MFR can be found here.
Stay connected by joining our e-newsletter to find out more.
For more information contact:
Tammy Isaachsen
Acting Manager, Communications & Public Engagement
250.746.3206
tammy.isaachsen@northcowichan.ca
