Welcome

VISION:
The vision of the Alberni Valley Community Forest is to put control of lands and resources into the hands of local people by building a financially viable timber and non-timber forest resource business which provides benefits to the community and manages the forest in a manner that achieves a balance between community values and practicable management.

CORPORATE STRUCTURE:
The Community Forest tenure is held and operated by the “Alberni Valley Community Forest Corporation” (AVCF) which is 100% owned by the City of Port Alberni. The board of directors for the AVCF is comprised of seven directors appointed by the City of Port Alberni (the shareholder) and includes Jim Sears (Chairman), Gary Swann, Ed Proteau, Chris Duncan, Warren Lauder (Hupacasath nominee), Dwayn Hearn (Tseshaht nominee), Bob Cole (Sproat Lake nominee) and City Councillor Ron Corbeil as a liaison to the Board.

COMMUNITY FOREST AGREEMENT:
In November of 2009 the AVCF entered into a 25 year Community Forest Agreement with the Provincial Ministry of Forest and Range. The Agreement provides for the exclusive rights to harvest Crown timber and non-timber resources from a specified land base area encompassing 6378 hectares with an Annual Allowable Cut (AAC) of 18,156 m3. Under the Agreement the AVCF will provide rent and stumpage revenue to the Province of B.C.

LAND BASE:
The AVCF is located in the Alberni Clayoquot Regional District (ACRD) in close proximity (13 km or greater) to the City of Port Alberni and located north and west of Sproat Lake in the Sproat Lake Community Watershed within Tree Farm Licence 44. The Agreement provides two distinct areas for the AVCF; the Sproat Operating Area and the Taylor Operating Area.

The Sproat Operating Area is located approximately 11 km northwest of the City of Port Alberni, north of Highway 4, opposite the West Bay Hotel. The AVCF abuts Island Timberland’s private lands at the historic E&N Railway land grant boundary. It slopes southward from the height of land between the Great Central Lake watershed, and Highway 4 and is bounded to the east by private land owned by Island Timberlands, and to the west by Friesen Creek. The area encompasses 3000 hectares.

The Taylor Operating Area slopes northward from the height of land between Mount Klitsa and Adder Mountain, and Highway 4 at Sutton Creek and the Taylor River. It is bounded to the east by Klitsa Creek and to the west by a southeast to northwest line running along the height of land from Adder Mountain to Sutton Pass east of the boundary of Clayoquot Sound. The area encompasses 3378 hectares.

The vast majority of harvestable stands in the AVCF are 41-80 year old (second growth) Douglas Fir, followed by immature (not ready to harvest) Douglas Fir and Western Hemlock stands. Additionally, 480 hectares of old growth Douglas Fir and Hemlock are available to harvest, as well as a smattering of Western Red Cedar, Douglas Fir, and Western Hemlock in other age classes.

AVCF GOALS:

• Demonstrate forestry practices based on community values.
• Safeguard the domestic water supply to Sproat Lake from the effects of harvesting.
• Promote a diverse use of the land base.
• Provide opportunities for meaningful public participation.
• Create a viable self-sustaining business which will not be a burden to local taxpayers.
• Manage for a variety of timber and non-timber products while protecting other values that provide community benefits, such as water, recreation and trails, viewscapes, wildlife and biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and spirituality.
• Generate revenues to be retained and utilized for community based projects supported by the Alberni Valley.
• Advance a high standard of safety for workers and forest users.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES:

• Achieve financial viability on a continuing basis.
• Undertake community forestry consistent with high standards of environmental stewardship.
• Foster and advocate innovative practices in resource and environmental management.
• Be transparent in all activities by maintaining continuous dialogue with the community about forest management and by maintaining an up-to-date web page on forest activities.
• Advance a high standard of safety for workers and forest users.
• Initiate and sustain partnerships between the AVCF, First Nations, and the community at large.

MANANGEMENT PLAN:
The management plan is consistent with the current forestry legislation and the Community Forest Agreement licence requirements. Management objectives within the plan include not only those respecting Timber Resources but also objectives respecting community watershed , fisheries and riparian protection, recreation uses, cultural heritage, wildlife, botanical forest products, visual aesthetics, biodiversity, soil conservation, public education, and tourism.

Additional information regarding the Management Plan and other details regarding the AVCF can be found on our website at www.communityforest.ca

FOREST STEWARDSHIP PLAN:
The Forest Stewardship Plan (FSP) is a requirement of the Forest Range and Practices Act (2004). The FSP is a landscape level plan, which is focused on establishing strategies and results for conserving and protecting timber and non-timber resource values for forest management activities over the life of the plan. Read more…