NOVEMBER 2011
 

B.C. JOBS & TRADE MISSION

FORESTRY PORTION - CHINA AND JAPAN

NOV. 6 - 14, 2011

 (to view all photos from the forestry portion
of the trade mission click here)

FIRST SHIPMENT OF CANADIAN WOOD PRODUCTS SINCE MARCH 2011 TSUNAMI - Ambassador Fried, Minister Steve Thomson and Natural Resources Canada Minister Joe Oliver flanked by forestry delegation of Asia Jobs and Trade Mission at Sendai. In the background, the first shipment of Canadian wood products since March 2011 tsunami. The wood will be used to build post and beam houses.

CANADA, B.C. ANNOUNCE FUNDING FOR TOHOKU RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT - Minister Steve Thomson, Minister Joe Oliver and Rick Jeffery of the Canada Wood Group, announced $4.5 million towards a community facility to be built from Canadian wood, in the area devastated by the March 2011 tsunami. Federal government news release

MATSUDO CONSTRUCTION SITE TOUR - Minister Steve Thomson and forestry delegates toured the Matsudo elderly care centre construction site in Japan. It is estimated that Japan's elderly care centres will require 1.55 billion board feet of lumber.

MINISTER VISITS HI-VIC PRE-CUT PLANT - Minister Steve Thomson toured the Hi-Vic Osata Pre-cut plant, one of Japan's largest manufacturers of post-and-beam homes. The company imports hemlock and Douglas-fir from B.C.'s coast.

HEBEI SHOWCASES B.C. WOOD FOR LOCAL DESIGNERS - The Langfang Home for Planners and Architects was built by one of Hebei's leading developers to promote building with wood.

MINISTER THOMSON TOURS SONGJIANG TOWNHOUSE PROJECT - Minister Steve Thomson and delegates toured the Songjiang townhouse complex, outside Shanghai. It is a super 'E' project - energy-efficient and environmentally friendly.

B.C. WOOD FEATURED IN MAJOR SHANGHAI TOWNHOUSE PROJECT - Premier Christy Clark, Minister Steve Thomson and project officals toured the Jinqiao townhouse development in Shanghai. Made using wood from British Columbia, when the project is complete, it will feature over 600 wood-frame structures. Learn more about this project and Dream Home Canada in this video.

B.C. JOBS AND TRADE MISSION VISITS CROWN HOMES – Minister Steve Thomson and delegates visited Crown Homes' development project and look at a scale model of the Green Town Hi-Tech Office Park. The Office Park includes 14 buildings that display every kind of wood-frame construction - from framing with 2x4s to heavy timbers and glulam beams.

OTHER MINISTRY NEWS

ILLEGAL GARBAGE SITE NO LONGER VISIBLE FROM OUTER SPACE - Compliance and Enforcement staff removed almost 240 tons (529,000 lbs.) of illegally-dumped garbage from Crown land near Oscar Creek in the Kootenay/Boundary Region earlier this month with help from local volunteers and businesses.

SQUAMISH NATION BUYS CROWN LANDS FOR FUTURE HOUSING - Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Minister Steve Thomson and Squamish Nation Chief Gibby Jacob announced that the Squamish First Nation is purchasing 467 hectares (1,154 acres) of Crown land in the Squamish area from the Province for $16.275 million.

LAND ACT CHANGES IMPROVE PROTECTION OF SLED DOGS - The Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations is now requiring any sled dog company receiving a Crown land tenure to obtain an annual inspection of its sled dogs.

FISH AND WILDLIFE

THOMPSON RIVER STEELHEAD SPORT FISHERY REOPENS - The Province has opened the Thompson River steelhead catch and release sport fishery for the remainder of 2011, effective Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011.

WEBSITE OPENS CONSULTATION ON ANGLING, HUNTING REGULATIONS - A new, permanent public engagement website will give British Columbians an opportunity to review and comment on proposed angling, hunting and trapping regulations. Website

RECREATION SITES
AND TRAILS

B.C.'S BACKCOUNTRY PLAYGROUND - Recreation Sites and Trails BC manages approximately 1,200 recreation sites and 800 trails around the province. To find a recreation site or trail near you visit www.sitesandtrailsbc.ca

FRONTCOUNTER BC

Visit FrontCounter BC online at www.frontcounterbc.gov.bc.ca/

Since January 2011, 12 FrontCounter BC offices have opened around the province. Stay tuned, as there are more openings to come!

FORESTRY

MORE FOREST RESOURCES TO BENEFIT BURNS LAKE COMMUNITY – A 5,400-hectare expansion to the Burns Lake Community Forest will provide the community-owned forest corporation with access to timber resources near Ling Lake.

TAKE PRECAUTIONS WHEN CONDUCTING BACKYARD BURNS - The public is reminded of their responsibilities when conducting any backyard burning.

NEW WOODLOT LICENCE AVAILABLE NEAR GOLD RIVER - A new woodlot licence available about 30 kilometres west of Gold River will increase forestry opportunities for small operators. The woodlot includes 740 hectares of Crown land and has a proposed allowable annual cut of 3,000 cubic metres. Applications will be accepted until Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 11 a.m.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Jan. 18 - 20
Truck Loggers Association AGM
Victoria

Feb. 22 - 24
Association of B.C. Forest Professionals Convention
Victoria

WEB RESOURCES

• To find out more about the B.C. Forest Service Centenary, click here. 

• For information about the protection and conservation of B.C.’s archaeological resources visit the ministry's Archaeology webpage.

• For an A to Z index of all ministrty publications, branches and webpages click here.

For more information on ministry announcements and events, visit the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Newsroom.