SECHELT - The Board of Directors of the Sunshine Coast Community Forest and the District of Sechelt are pleased to announce that the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations has approved a 25 year renewable Community Forest Agreement (CFA) tenure.
This is effective immediately and replaces the five-year Probationary Community Forest Agreement (PCFA) tenure granted to the District of Sechelt in 2006.
“The District of Sechelt saw the need for and benefits of having a community forest; an economic endeavour that is now proving its economic as well as its recreational value to the community. We would like to thank all those who have contributed greatly to the creation and success of this operation: Mayor Inkster and council, past mayors and councils of Sechelt; past chairs Mr. Len Pakulak and Mr. John Henderson; and past Operations Manager Mr. Kevin Davie,” said Glen Bonderud, Chairperson of the Board of Sechelt Community Projects Incorporated (SCPI), the company that operates the Sunshine Coast CFA on behalf of the District of Sechelt.
“As we look to the future, we will be working with the community to build relationships and a better understanding of all positions and opinions related to the management of the Community Forest. Our aim is to foster a better understanding of the economic, social, environmental and recreational benefits created, and the jobs our Community Forest can create and sustain on the Sunshine Coast,” said Bonderud.
“The granting of this CFA ensures that local watershed management remains in the hands of local owners and residents. The District of Sechelt and SCPI are committed to protecting drinking water quality and to the maintenance of a high quality community watershed,” said Sechelt Mayor Darren Inkster.
SCPI is a subsidiary of the District of Sechelt, and operates the Sunshine Coast Community Forest under tenure from the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources, with a mandate to maintain a healthy, sustainable forest for future generations. For additional information on the Sunshine Coast CFA and SCPI, visit www.sccf.ca.
–By Sunshine Coast Regional District