Sustainable Forestry Extension for Small Tenures

Project Abstract:
There is a need for extension programming specific to the management of small tenures (such as woodlots, aboriginal and community forests) as they face unique challenges which are often different from larger licensees. This year’s activities include outreach and peer assistance to small tenures, partnering a SFU-led Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) project on community forests, and follow-up to a “First Nations in Community Forests: A Dialogue” workshop. The socio-economics extension program has been working with faculty from SFU and UBC on a SSHRC proposal on the economic, ecological, and institutional transformations which are possible through community forests titled “Community Forests as a New Model for Forest Management in British Columbia”. Activities to be undertaken during this year are site visits to selected community forests to assess their research and extension needs, and to identify best practices on community forests. A LINK article on this activity describing desirable legal, administrative, and structural options for community and aboriginal forest management will be drafted. Another activity is partnering with the British Columbia Community Forestry Association (BCCFA) and the First Nations Forestry Council in disseminating learnings through publications or other follow-up activities from the “First Nations in Community Forestry: A Dialogue” workshop held in January, 2009. The Socio-economics Extension Specialist plans to participate at the annual meetings of the BCCFA and the Federation of BC Woodlot Associations. Other activities include peer assistance and outreach to assist small tenures, First Nations and rural communities develop sustainable and viable community-supported forests and businesses.

For further information on this project, please contact Ajit.Krishnaswamy@forrex.org.