Spel’kúmtn Community Forest distributes $339,030 to Shareholders
Local communities benefit from sustainable harvest operations
August 31, 2024- The Líl’wat Nation and Village of Pemberton have each received $169,515 from Spel’kúmtn Community Forest, representing the latest disbursement from revenues. These funds are generated through the harvest and sale of timber from the Community Forest tenure which lies within the Unceded and Traditional Territory of the Líl’wat Nation and includes land surrounding Pemberton and Mount Currie.
Incorporated in 2019, the Spel’kúmtn Community Forest is a partnership between the Village of Pemberton and Líl’wat Nation. Community Forests are a unique type of forest tenure created by the Province to increase community involvement and participation in forest management, encourage diversified use and benefits from tenures, and provide social and economic benefits.
Andrea Blaikie, the SCF’s Executive Director, was “pleased to announce this distribution of funds, reflecting a productive 2024 harvest. Essential to the success of 2024 was the expertise of our local and regional contractors who seamlessly executed a standing single stem program on Ts’zil-MountCurrie. It is a demanding and complex undertaking and we’re grateful for their vision and efforts.”
Standing single stem harvesting involves identifying and assessing individual trees and removing them by helicopter while still standing. This allows for a very light touch on the land with little ground disturbance or visual impact, while accessing high quality, sought-after ‘poles’ for use in hydro distribution lines.
Alongside each shareholder distribution, the SCF also allocates an equal amount — $169,515 — to its Partnership Project Fund. This fund is dedicated to supporting projects that reflect the shared community values outlined in SCF’s management plan and provide benefit to Pemberton and Líl’wat communities.
Blaikie added: “The intention of the Spel’kúmtn Community Forest was always to create direct benefit for the local communities. In the past months we’ve been able to support schools in getting students out on the land to learn about ecosystems and land management, Earth Week events, a sustainable trails workshop and video, and we’re excited to be sponsoring the upcoming Grizzly Bear art event hosted by the Coast to Cascades Grizzly Bear Initiative on October 17th. We’re also proud to be adopting new practices like the use of the Carbonizer, a low-emission system that turns post-harvest wood waste into biochar, a valuable end-product.”
Kukwstum'úlhkal'ap (we thank you all) to the Líl'wat and Pemberton communities, and the many organizations who care for the land.