Six forest enhancement projects in the Prince George-Omineca region have received funding from the Forest Enhancement Society of BC.
This includes over $3 million dollars to transport low-value logs outside of the current economic range to Canfor’s Prince George Pulp and Paper Mill.
“We appreciate the grant funding the Forest Enhancement Society of BC awarded for our Incremental Pulplog Haul Program project. This funding allows Canfor Pulp to access and purchase pulp logs that are outside the economic radius we can normally operate within. It is particularly important at a time when the timber supply and the availability of sawmill residual chips are shrinking. This funding will provide assistance to harvesting and hauling contractors, enabling them to supply pulp facilities in nearby communities. We will be able to transform low-value logs, which would otherwise be burned, into higher-value-added products. By doing so, it will help minimize waste, pollution, and carbon emissions.” said Kevin Edgson, President & CEO, of Canfor Pulp.
In addition, a pair of Northern Interior Grinding Fibre Utilization projects worth approximately $1.6 million are in the works to transport fibre to BioNorth Energy in Fort Saint James. The company will also receive grind wood waste piles, which will be shipped to the facility.
A trio of other initiatives received funding from the Forest Enhancement Society including:
Prince George Fibre Recovery 23/24: $281,250 in FESBC funding to clear a stand that was damaged by Mountain Pine Beetle and transport the low-value fibre to pulp mills in Prince George. The stand will be replanted afterwards.
East Fraser Fibre-Increased Utilization of Uneconomical Fibre: $780,997 in FESBC funding to ship low-value fibre harvested under a Mountain Pine Beetle Salvage License to the chip plant in Mackenzie and then onto pulp mills in Prince George.
SP22DPG-720-YR3: $96,190 in FESBC funding to clear a stand that was damaged by Mountain Pine Beetle and transport the low-value fibre to pulp mills in Prince George. The stand will be replanted afterwards.
These newly funded projects come after $50 million was given to the society earlier this year by the Ministry of Forests.
“The funding provided by the Forest Enhancement Society of BC is a testament to the Government of British Columbia’s drive to foster environmental sustainability and community wildfire risk reduction. Their support of these transformative projects demonstrates their commitment to helping communities reduce their risk of catastrophic wildfire events and transforming waste wood into green energy and sustainable products. They are taking action on climate change while at the same time promoting job growth and community resiliency throughout our province,” said Steve Kozuki, Forest Enhancement Society of BC executive director.
Of the 42 new projects funded throughout the province, 24 of them have direct First Nations involvement.
The projects are intended to assist with the delivery of uneconomic forest fibre to pulp and pellet mills or green energy facilities or will help communities reduce their wildfire risk.
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