COMMUNITY FORESTRY
A community forest is a forestry operation managed by a local government, First Nation, or community-held organization for the benefit of the entire community. At its core, community forestry is about local control over the benefits offered by local forests.
Communities practice sustainable forestry that provides local forest employment. This innovative form of forest management generates economic, social, cultural, and environmental benefits for local communities, the province, and the environment.
PILLARS OF COMMUNITY FORESTRY
SOCIAL
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ECONOMIC
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ECOLOGICAL
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CULTURAL
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FAQS
What is community forestry?
Community Forestry refers to a model of forest management where local communities, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, manage local forests for the benefit of the entire community. This innovative form of forest management generates economic, social, cultural and environmental benefits for these communities and for society as a whole. At its core, community forestry is about local control over and enjoyment of the monetary and non-monetary benefits offered by local forest resources.
What is a community forest agreement (CFA) in BC?
The community forest agreement (CFA) is an area-based licence on crown land that grants the exclusive right to harvest timber within the CFA area, along with the right to manage botanical forest products. Licences are long-term—25 years in duration—and are replaceable every 10 years. The CFA tenure was created to provide local communities with the opportunity to manage forests for the benefit of their residents, in ways that reflect locally defined objectives and values. CFAs are governed by the Forest Act, the Forest and Range Practices Act, and all other applicable statutes and regulations.
When was the CFA Program established?
BC’s Community Forest Program was initiated by the provincial government in the late 1990s to create opportunities for greater participation by communities and First Nations in the management of local forests. The new tenure was added to the Forest Act in 1998. Beginning as a pilot program, community forest pilot agreements were awarded in the early 2000s to test the viability of community-based crown tenures in BC. In 2004, the provincial government introduced further changes to the Forest Act and its regulations, replacing the pilot with a five-year probationary term and allowing for the direct awarding of CFAs. With the passage of amendments in 2009, the probationary period was eliminated, making all existing and new community forest agreements eligible for 25-year, replaceable licences.
Who operates community forest agreements?
Community forest agreements are held by a local government, community-based organization, First Nation, or a partnership among these groups. Legal entities include limited partnerships, corporations, societies, co-operatives, First Nations Bands and local governments. Half of the operating CFAs are held by First Nations or are partnerships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. Collectively, over 100 Indigenous and rural communities are involved in community forestry in BC. The average population of the communities involved is less than 4000 people.
What is the average size of a community forest agreement?
Community forest tenure vary widely in size, ranging from 361 hectares to 184,682 hectares, with an average of 31,119 hectares. These relatively small tenures have an average Allowable Annual Cut (AAC) of 37,006 m³ in 2025. Most are modest in size: 63% have an AAC under 30,000 m³ per year, the majority fall below 50,000 m³ per year, and only 6% harvest 100,000 m³ per year or more.
Are community forests managing for the long term?
Community forest agreement holders are uniquely incentivized to invest in the long-term sustainability of the forest resource. With a long-term, area-based tenure, communities must live with the consequences of their management decisions and, conversely, are motivated to invest for future benefits. For this reason, CFA holders manage for a broad range of objectives that extend beyond timber, ensuring ecological, cultural, social, and economic values are sustained including: - Wildfire mitigation & community protection - Climate change mitigation and adaptation - Enhanced forest stewardship and incremental silviculture - Conservation of ecologically and culturally significant areas and values, including old growth forests.
How many community forest agreements are there?
Since the development of the CFA tenure in 1998, BC has issued 62 CFAs with another 2 formally in the application process.
What makes community forest agreements unique?
The provincial government’s goals for the Community Forest Program reflect the values of local stewardship and responsible forest management. They are intended to guide the program’s outcomes while allowing communities to manage forests in ways that support their unique priorities. As the program evolves, these goals may be refined to reflect emerging needs and opportunities. Currently, they focus on: - Supporting community-defined priorities - Encouraging diverse forest use - Delivering social and economic benefits - Practicing responsible forest stewardship - Promoting local involvement - Strengthening Indigenous and non-Indigenous relationships - Fostering innovation, and - Promoting safety in the forest sector.
What are the benefits of a community forest agreement?
The benefits of community forestry vary between communities as they each identify their unique values and priorities. For example, one rural mountain community has identified water protection as their highest priority, while a First Nation community forest sees education and long-term employment of band members as their key priorities. The numerous benefits of community forestry include: - Long-term community economic development resulting in the increased resilience of rural communities. - Local employment in rural communities. - Local-level decision making that leads to locally appropriate decisions and improves the incentives to consider the long-term benefits of sustainable management. - Building new relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. In addition to community forests where First Nations are owners or partners, many community forest organizations include First Nations representation on their boards. In many cases, First Nations are engaged in cooperative planning, share profits, have MOUs and employment contracts, and work with community forest organizations in capacity building activities like training and education. - Increased potential to resolve conflicts over timber harvesting in watersheds and other sensitive areas. - Protection of drinking watersheds, viewscapes, and other values that are important to communities and to local and regional economic activity. - Enhanced opportunities for education and research. Community forests can be laboratories for testing innovative forest practices. - Community participation in resource management leads to an improved awareness of forest management among members of the public. - Greater opportunity to manage forests adjacent to communities to reduce the threat of wildfire and adapt to climate change.
How does a community get a community forest agreement?
In January 2025, Minister of Forests Ravi Parmar was directed in his mandate letter to expand the Community Forest Program. The Minister has acknowledged that most existing community forests are seeking to expand and that many communities without a community forest would like the opportunity to establish one. The reality, however, is that not all communities will be able to secure a tenure. With BC’s timber harvesting land base already largely allocated, the release of new areas for community forest opportunities is currently very limited. The Ministry of Forests has confirmed that no new community forests will be issued in 2025. Instead, the priority is to develop policy and a clear path forward for how expansion will occur. Communities interested in acquiring a community forest are encouraged to formally express their interest to their local Ministry of Forests office. To strengthen their position, communities should consider the following steps: 1. Engage with Indigenous Peoples: Build meaningful partnerships with local First Nations as a foundation of any community forest initiative. 2. Demonstrate local support: Secure advocacy from local elected officials (e.g., at UBCM), along with letters of support from stakeholders such as industry and recreation groups. 3. Participate in Timber Supply Reviews: Engage actively when Timber Supply Reviews are underway to represent your community interest. Should the government identify available volume for a community forest, the Minister will directly invite communities to apply for a Community Forest Agreement. 4. Become a member of the BCCFA: Communities seeking a community forest can access a wealth of resources and join the provincial community forest network for a modest fee of $250 + GST.
BENEFITS OF COMMUNITY FORESTRY
The benefits of community forestry vary from community to community, as each community decides how they will manage their local forests. Through local decision making, communities manage their resources by identifying their unique values and priorities.
Economic Development
Long-term community economic development resulting in the increased resiliency of rural communities.
Local Decision Making
Local-level decision making that leads to locally appropriate decisions and improves the incentives to consider the long-term benefits of sustainable management.
Environmental Values
Protection of drinking watersheds, viewscapes, biodiversity and other values that are important to communities.
Sustainable Jobs & Forest Management
Local employment in rural communities where the community has a vested interest in sustainable management.
Conflict Resolution
Increased potential to resolve conflicts over timber harvesting in watersheds and other sensitive areas.
Education & Research
Enhanced opportunities for education and research. Community forests can be laboratories for piloting innovative forest practices.
Relationship Building
Community forests are helping build new relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. Beyond those where First Nations are owners or partners, many community forest organizations include Indigenous representation on their boards, engage in cooperative planning, share profits, develop MOUs and employment contracts, and support training and education to build capacity.
Community Participation
Community participation in resource management leads to an improved awareness of forest management among members of the public.
COMMUNITY FOREST AGREEMENTS IN BC
The Community Forest Agreement (CFA) is an area-based licence operating on crown land, that provides the exclusive right to harvest timber within the CFA area, plus the right to manage botanical forest products. CFAs are for a term of 25–99 years and are replaceable every 10 years. They are governed by the Forest Act and the Forest and Range Practices Act and all other applicable statutes and regulations.
CFA tenure was developed to give local communities the opportunity to manage local forests for the benefit of those communities, in a manner consistent with locally defined objectives and values.