Concentrating on projects to reduce the impact of wildfires and being overall responsive to residents and groups in and around 亚洲天堂 Lake has resulted in a provincial award being granted to the Chinook Community Forest.
Directors and officials of the community forest were presented with the 2024 Robin Hood Memorial Award during the annual gathering of community forests held this year in Mackenzie in northeastern B.C.
In 2023, it completed 200 hectares of wildfire risk-reduction treatments around the community, along with surveying another 1,000 hectares for wildfire risk-reduction projects.
Tracking old-growth areas prone to wildfires or pests also came about through a partnership with the University of Northern B.C. in which LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) high tech sensing equipment was used to pinpoint specific locations.
Reforestation in the form of one million trees was also accomplished in 2023.
Profits generated through sales are turned into community supports and in the past five years, events and organizations have benefited by $600,000 in donations.
鈥淏y making their community safer from wildfires and their rigorous sustainable forestry practices, the Chinook Community Forest has truly showcased excellence in community forestry," said forests minister Bruce Ralston.
The massive 2018 wildfires in the area brought out a concentrated effort on the part of Chinook with community forest manager Ken Nielsen working closely with the BC Wildfire Service on the Nadina wildfire for 10 weeks.
Chinook members the helped with salvage planning, wood salvage and rehabilitation, experiences that lead Chinook to advocate for a greater role in lessening the impacts of wildfire.
Chinook Community Forest is a partnership of six First Nations and two municipalities:
- Lake Babine Nation
- Wet'suweten Nation
- Tsil kaz koh Nation
- Cheslatta Carrier Nation
- Nee Tahi Buhn Indian Band
- Skin Tyee Nation
- The Village of 亚洲天堂 Lake
- The Regional District Bulkley Nechako
The 2024 Robin Hood Memorial Award comes with a grant to Chinook of $10,000.
It is named after Robin Hood, a Likely resident who was involved in two community forests in that area and who was president of the B.C. Community Forest Association for the better part of 10 years. He passed away in 2016.
