Sunshine Coast Community Forest (SCCF)
What is the Sechelt Community Forest?
The Sunshine Coast Community Forest (SCCF) is a logging company licensed by the provincial government to log within a specific mandated area and required to meet a minimum annual allowable cut (AAC).
This business venture is owned by a single shareholder - the District of Sechelt.
The SCCA is not categorically opposed to community forests, per se. We were the original proponents of community forestry in the Sunshine Coast Regional District, and so we were very interested when the District of Sechelt announced its intention to apply for a "probationary community forest agreement" in 2003. Unfortunately, it soon became apparent that the application would open up logging in the Chapman/Gray drinking watershed and other sensitive areas.
A Community Forest is meant to be managed based on community values and balance all values and stakeholders needs in the community. This includes recreation, conservation, natural assets, business, education and jobs. The SCCA has tracked Community Forest operations in its three operating areas since 2003.
Take Action
Every year the Community Forest puts forward its Operations Plan for review and feedback.
The 2024-2028 Operating Plan was published in May 2024 for public review and comment. Proposed cut blocks were included in the new provincial Forest Operations Mapping (FOM) portal and the SCCF held a Webinar on the Plan in June 2024. The OP comment period ended on July 15, 2024. The public can contact the info1@sccf.ca to comment on these plans at any time.
Updates on the Sunshine Coast Community Forest
Sunshine Coast Forests: Question to 2024 Provincial Candidates
Introduction Since 2011, the SCCA has provided all candidates engagement opportunities for Sunshine Coast voters to hear from candidates on environmental issues with written Q&A. This year we framed the Q&A in terms of how BC government ministries and mandates intersect with the environment. We hope the background information provided along with the questions helps […]
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Legal Victory for Marbled Murrelets
This month, the SCCA is celebrating a legal victory that could help the threatened Marbled Murrelet – the bird shown in our logo, which inspired our creation.
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Reed Road Forest in Elphinstone Not on the Chopping Block this Year
“As of June 2023, and for the first time in almost a decade, the Elphinstone parcel known as District Lot 1313 is NOT slated for logging in BC Timber Sales’ five year operating plan. This is good news, but we have yet to secure permanent protection for this valuable and biodiverse forest.” Donna McMahon, SCRD Director, Elphinstone
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Sunshine Coast Timber Supply Review – Old Paradigm. No Shift.
BC’s Chief Forester will soon decide an Annual Allowable Cut (AAC) for the Sunshine Coast Natural Resource District (SCNRD). The AAC determines how much logging can occur in the Timber Harvest Land Base (THLB) on the Sunshine Coast over the next ten years. NOTE: The THLB represents 160,000 hecatres of public forested land, but it is NOT the only place […]
Read MoreCommunity Forest Seeks Input on 2022-2025 Operations Plan
The Sunshine Coast Community Forest is seeking feedback on its 2022 – 2025 Operations Plan. This plan is going to dictate which areas of local forest get logged in the coming three years, so it’s important that they hear from the general public and those concerned about the well-being of our forests and local wildlife.
Read More2021 – 2026 Community Forest Operating Plan Under Review
The 2021-2026 Community Forest Operating Plan (CFOP) shows the planned operations for the community forest for a five year period. This plan is currently under review. Submit Feedback by June 15th, 2021 for inclusion into the plan.
Read MoreUpdate on Draft Order to Establish Forestry Visual Quality Objectives
In January 2021, the BC Ministry of Forests Lands and Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development (FLNRO) advertised a draft Order to establish revised Visual Quality Objectives (VQO) for logging in the Sunshine Coast Natural Resource District (SCNRD). The draft Order was open for public comment for 60 days. Visual Quality Objectives determine to what extent clear-cut logging […]
Read MoreChapman and Gray Creek Watershed Assessment
The SCCA has just discovered that the Community Forest is hosting a presentation by Ms. Glynnis Horel, P.Eng on March 10, 2014 at 6:30 pm at the Seaside Centre. The presentation will detail the findings of a comprehensive coastal watershed assessment conducted in the Chapman Creek and Gray Creek watersheds. An assessment report will be […]
Read MoreSunshine Coast Community Forest: A History of Public Concerns Ignored
2003 The SCCA is not categorically opposed to community forests, per se. We were the original proponents of community forestry in the Sunshine Coast Regional District, and so we were very interested when the District of Sechelt announced its intention to apply for a “probationary community forest agreement” in 2003. Unfortunately, it soon became obvious […]
Read MoreWilson Creek Watershed at risk – again
In response to concerns about proposed logging in the Wilson Creek Watershed, the SCCA has written to Sechelt Community Projects Inc. (the Community Forest) requesting a formal Coastal Watershed Assessment of the entire Wilson Creek Watershed. The Wilson watershed was extensively harvested before 2002 and again excessively disturbed by private managed forest land logging in […]
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