Province increases funding for community forest wildfire risk reduction

Photo: Kaslo and District Community Forest during a field tour to see their salvage work following the 2022 Briggs Creek Wildfire on the community forest. 

We are pleased to announce that the BCCFA and the Ministry of Forests have deepened their partnership to support the efforts of community forests in long-term wildfire resiliency activities and expansion of cultural and prescribed fire. New funding, in the amount of $300,000, will be directed at activities focused on the community forests’ engagement in wildfire mitigation and climate change adaptation. The initiative is designed to identify ways to increase our communities’ and forests’ resiliency to wildfire, capacity to adapt to climate change, and provide opportunities for training and capacity building in intentional use of fire on the land.

An initial step undertaken by the BCCFA/BCWS partnership is the development of a governance structure and a plan that will guide their work moving forward. Also this year, an assessment will be conducted of the resources and capacity development needs of community forests over the next 5 years, coupled with the identification of  the barriers and challenges community forests face when planning and implementing  fuel management projects. Networks will be established that emphasize peer to peer knowledge exchange, mentorship, and capacity building.

Click here for the full press release.

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