Province reduces annual allowable cut for Arrowsmith Timber Supply Area

Province reduces annual allowable cut for Arrowsmith Timber Supply Area
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The province has announced a new allowable annual cut set for Arrowsmith Timber Supply Area, with a 10 per cent reduction compared to the previous cut level. Photo courtesy CBC.

The province has announced a new allowable annual cut set for Arrowsmith Timber Supply Area, with a 10 per cent reduction compared to the previous cut level. Photo courtesy CBC.

The province is reducing the allowable annual cut for the Arrowsmith Timber Supply Area (TSA) on Vancouver Island.

The ministry of forests and the chief forester has set the cut region to 348,000 cubic metres, a 10 per cent reduction from the previous cut level of 385,779 cubic metres.

The major species of timber in the supply area include Douglas fir, western red cedar and western hemlock.

“I am grateful to the First Nations, individuals and companies who have contributed to the process of making my determination,” chief forester Diane Nicholls said in a release Friday.

“After careful review and discussion, I am satisfied that the new allowable annual cut takes into account the social, cultural and economic factors that are representative of government’s current forest management practices.”

The Arrowsmith TSA covers the southern half of Vancouver Island, south of Campbell River.

Map of the Arrowsmith Timber Supply Area, marked in red.

Map of the Arrowsmith Timber Supply Area, marked in red.

The new allowable cut includes 50,000 cubic metres from the eastern portion for the Nanaimo and Cowichan timber blocks, 6,850 cubic metres from the Clayoquot Sound area and a maximum of 291,150 cubic metres from the western portion of the TSA.

The province says the cut reflects a reduction in the timber supply area, a transfer of treaty settlement lands to the Maa-nulth First Nations, a First Nations Woodland Licence and the Barkley Sound Community Forest.

Andy NealAndy Neal

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