ABOUT US

Our Organization

The vision of the Wells Barkerville Community Forest (WBCF) is to manage, harvest, protect and expand the timber and non-timber resources of the Community Forest in an economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable and transparent fashion, for the benefit of the Community of Wells.

Objectives

To manage the Community Forest land base so that it is healthy and producing at a growth rate higher than we received in 2014.
Utilize a silviculture management system (whole cycle through harvest, regeneration and growth management) that is appropriate for the Community Forest’s geography and vegetation
Promote sustainability of all resources, including non-timber resources
Promote habitat management and maintain biodiversity
To meet or exceed Provincial standards for environmental management

Operate the Community Forest to provide economic value to the shareholder
Increase and support local jobs by tendering contracts locally where possible and viable
Promote value-added manufacturing by allowing local manufacturers access to wood
Ensure sound fiscal management to find the balance between a necessary profit margin and a forestry system that respects the ecosystem
Goal to increase timber harvest land base and AAC

The Wells-Barkerville Community Forest is managed under the terms of a 25 year Community Forest Agreement, signed in 2014, between the Province of British Columbia and Wells-Barkerville Community Forest Ltd, a company 100 per cent owned by the District of Wells.

Learn more about this agreement and our forestry practices here!

WBCF was a long time in the making, with so many pivotal moments way before our founding.

Discover WBCF History here!

Our Board of Directors

WBCF's volunteer company directors are appointed by the District of Wells. Our current board includes Ian Macdonald (President), Tony Bensted, Darryl Koekmoer and Jennifer Lewis.

The directors meet approximately eight times each year. The meetings are open to the public : community input is encouraged at each meeting and, in addition, at least one Open House is held each year to encourage community participation.

All management decisions and activities must conform to the terms and conditions of the Community Forest Agreement, of the Management Plan developed as a requirement of the Agreement, and of a Forest Stewardship Plan approved by the provincial government.