The province is proposing a ‘working forest’ model — but what does that mean? | CBC News

B.C.'s Ministry of Forests announced last Tuesday it would begin piloting its new Working Forest Landscape Model.

It will be tested out in an area near Campbell River, by splitting forests into three zones: a working forest zone, a multiple-use zone and a conservation and protection zone. The system is designed to work in tandem with forest landscape plans (FLP), according to the province.

A working forest zone would prioritize commercial timber harvest. Forestry companies operating within it would be able to plan for the broader area from the start rather than incrementally adding more cutblocks.

A multiple-use zone would have various functions aimed at "the restoration and enhancement of biodiversity and ecosystem functions," such as wildfire mitigation, according to the province.

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Parmar said the model addresses a problem he described as "cutblock by cutblock permitting" by providing certainty over where forests can be logged through an area-based management approach.

Under the new system, the province would explore a "no-net-loss" principle, which would see new land added to a zone if land is removed from it.

It’s that aspect of the model that has some advocates and experts concerned about sustainable forestry.

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Ken Wu, executive director of the Endangered Ecosystems Alliance, said he's concerned that could put ecologically valuable forests at risk.

"The new plan will simply allow forestry companies to liquidate the last remaining stands of harvestable wood," she said in an email.