North Cowichan seeks feedback on future of municipal forests
A public engagement process is underway to determine what route North Cowichan, B.C., should take when it comes to managing its Municipal Forest Reserve (MFR).
There are four different scenarios the public can voice their opinion on. The scenarios are:
• Keep the status quo and continue harvesting at rate of 17,500 cubic metres per year.
• Reduce harvesting per year by 35 to 50 per cent.
• Active conservation which will drastically limit the amount of harvesting per year.
• Passive conservation which will move entirely away from harvesting.
For years, harvesting has brought in a revenue source for the municipality to lower taxes and fund certain projects. However, if a more conservative scenario is chosen, carbon credit offsets could be a revenue source instead.
People can voice their opinion during a series of public engagement processes taking place during December.
There will be an in-person session on Wednesday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Maple Bay Fire Hall.
Virtual engagement sessions are also scheduled for Dec. 6 and 12. There will also be telephone and an online surveys.
The review process began last year when the UBC Partnership Group, including the University of British Columbia and 3GreenTree Consulting, were hired to conduct a technical review of the forests, which resulted in the four scenarios put forward for consideration.
North Cowichan has managed it’s MFR since the 1940s, making it one of the oldest community forests in the province.
The MFR is made up of 5,000 hectares of woodlands, including Mount Prevost, Mount Sicker, Mount Tzouhalem, Stoney Hill, Mount Richards and Maple Mountain.
North Cowichan, B.C., is pictured. (CTV News)The public input will be gathered by staff and submitted to council in the new year, along with the consultant's final recommendations and input from local First Nations to determine a path going forward.
The last MFR review was done in the 1980s.
More information about the review process can be found on the North Cowichan website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Half of Canadians have negative opinion of latest Liberal budget: poll
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
Twins from Toronto were Canada's top two female finishers at this year's Boston Marathon
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Senate expenses climbed to $7.2 million in 2023, up nearly 30%
Senators in Canada claimed $7.2 million in expenses in 2023, a nearly 30 per cent increase over the previous year.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Accused of burglary at stepmother's home, U.S. senator says she wanted her father's ashes: charges
A Minnesota state senator and former broadcast meteorologist told police that she broke into her stepmother's home because her stepmother refused to give her items of sentimental value from her late father, including his ashes, according to burglary charges filed Tuesday.
Australian police arrest 7 alleged teen extremists linked to stabbing of a bishop in a Sydney church
Australian police arrested seven teenagers accused of following a violent extremist ideology in raids across Sydney on Wednesday, as a judge extended a ban on social media platform X sharing video of a knife attack on a bishop that started the criminal investigation.