On this podcast we often talk about managing the forest for ALL values, equally, in a way that benefits all interests. Community forests may hold some answers. How do engage the public in a meaningful way? How do we embody cultural, recreational, and environmental values in forest management? How do we do collaboration right? The good folks of Wells Gray Community Forest might have some answers.

Community Forests with George Brcko

Episode highlight

George Brcko speaks about the role of community forests in paving the way to a sustainable future.

Resources

Wells Gray Community Forest:

http://wgcfc.ca/wp/

Use of LIDAR for Forest Inventory and Forest Management Application: https://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/gtr/gtr_wo077/gtr_wo077_193.pdf

Sponsors

West Fraser: https://www.westfraser.com/

GreenLink Forestry Inc.: http://greenlinkforestry.com/

Damaged Timber: https://www.damagedtimber.com/

Giveaway

Enter YourForest10 at checkout at the Damaged Timber store for a 10% discount!

Quotes

30.18 - 30.26: “Bring the people back into the forest. They think that they’re separated from it and industry is the one that controls it. Well, that’s not the case.”

Takeaways

“Forestry is an incredibly complex career” (04.44)

George’s passion for forestry began in his childhood growing up on an Ontario farm. The slower and more connected community forest world helped him discover forestry’s spiritual ties to the natural world.

The intersection of science and spirituality (09.42)

George explains that community forests are small tenures held by communities, including indigenous communities across BC. The profits from forestry go back into studying the community’s forests.

By the people, of the people, for the people (17.25)

George’s community forest in Clearwater is one of 63 in BC. Collaboration with the First Nations community is essential in the management and profitability of community forests. 

Bringing communities back into forestry (32.13)

George shares that the industry does purchase many resources from the activities of the community forests, and this generates revenue for communities to invest in their people.

The educational role of community forests (37.01)

Each community decides how they will manage their local forests based on their unique values and priorities, and are liable for the consequences. More than half have 50% indigenous ownership.

Playing with fire (40.25)

Fire management, says George, is a big concern for community forests and they put their effort into fuel management, burning techniques and retrieving burn areas.

We do need some education (45.00)

The outreach work done by the community forests includes public meetings, education sessions for citizens and children and awareness campaigns.

The Good Forest (47.44)

George is driven by the work he does because he has seen the worldwide good that surplus profits from community forestry can do.

Let’s do better, let’s go again (54.41)

George acknowledges the debates around clear-cutting and how he incorporates those in the work that he does. He has creates a public interface group to create awareness, educate and bridge gaps.

First Nations leading the way (1.14.33)

Some First Nations community forests even use the 7-generational model to study the impacts on the next 7 generations. Wells Gray Community Forest hopes to learn from the CFA’s which have FN leadership for this objective.

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