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B.C.'s forest renaissance; a growth industry

From 2011 to 2012, forestry jobs increased from 53,400 to 56,400 – a six per cent increase

Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations

VICTORIA – From 2011 to 2012, forestry jobs increased from 53,400 to 56,400 – a six per cent increase and more than triple the increase for all other sectors.

* Lumber prices for the past two months are at their highest levels since fall 2005, and analysts predict we're heading into a super-cycle.

* In 2012, the total volume of B.C.'s lumber exports worldwide was 5.9 per cent higher than in 2011, and the total value of those exports was up 9.7 per cent.

* In 2012, the volume of B.C.'s lumber exports to the U.S. was up 11.3 per cent from 2011 and the value up by 25.2 per cent.

* In 2003, softwood lumber exports to China totalled $69 million, grew 1,500 per cent to almost $1.1 billion in 2011, and held steady in 2012.

* In 2012 B.C.'s production of wood pellets increased to about 1.95 million tonnes, almost double the volume produced in 2010.

* B.C. has more than 52 million hectares certified to one of three internationally recognized sustainable forest management certification standards, more than any other region in the world.

* B.C. plants an average of 200 million trees each year, and is anticipated to plant more than 225 million in 2013.

* Since 2005, the provincial government's Forests for Tomorrow program has invested $269 million, surveyed 1.3 million hectares and planted more than 80 million seedlings over 61,000 hectares.

* The Province recently released a 10-year Strategic Forest Inventory Plan, supported with $8 million annual funding for the life of the plan. Through this plan, 35 million hectares will be inventoried in mountain pine beetle affected and other priority areas.

 

* Since 2002, the Province has signed forestry agreements with 175 First Nations, providing more than $324 million in revenue-sharing and access to over 63.2 million cubic metres of timber.