B.C.’s Deputy Chief Forester Reduces Port Alberni Areas Annual Allowable Cut by 19%

British Columbia’s deputy chief forester announced on Monday (6-26-23), that effective immediately the new allowable annual cut (AAC) for Tree Farm License (TFL) 44 locate in west-central Vancouver Island near the Alberni Inlet and Barley Sound is being decreased by 19% to 642,800 cubic meters.

Under the Forest Act, the chief forester must determine the AAC in each of the province’s 37 timber supply areas and 33 tree farm licenses at least once every 10 years.

The TFL 44 license is held in partnership between Western Forest Products Inc. and the Huu-ay-aht First Nation. The TFL also overlaps the Maa-nulth First Nation’s treaty area and the territories of 11 First Nations: Ahousaht First Nation, Cowichan Tribes, Ditidaht First Nation, Halalt First Nation, Hupačasath First Nation, Lyackson First Nation, Pacheedaht First Nation, Penelakut Tribe, Stz’uminus First Nation, Tseshaht First Nation, and Ts’uubaa-asatx Nation.

The new lower AAC reflect reductions related to buffers adjacent to parks and objectives for the recovery of the marbled murrelet. The new AAC also accounts for harvest reductions associated with the culturally significant Thunder Mountain area and a ministerial mandate to allocate unharvest volume to new forest licenses.

The deputy chief forester’s AAC determination is an independent, professional judgement based on information ranging from technical forestry reports, First Nations, and public input to the government’s social and economic objectives.