The B.C. Forest Practices Board audited the Lake Babine Nation’s First Nations Woodland License, finding they complied with B.C. Forestry Legislation.
The audit covered activities between August 2020 and August 2022, which saw 41 kilometres of new roads constructed, two bridges built, and 25 cutblocks harvested.
“We are pleased to see Lake Babine Nation participating in the forest economy and carrying out sound forest practices on their traditional territory,” said Bruce Larson, acting chair of the Forest Practices Board.
The nation’s licence is for 36,500 hectares of land north of Burns Lake, with three other areas towards Babine Lake’s western end.
The licence gives them exclusive timber harvesting rights on the land, with an annual cut allowance of 74,000 cubic metres.
In late January, the Lake Babine Nation signed an agreement with the province to reclaim 20,000 hectares of land, enabling the nation to expand its forestry business.
You can read more about the agreement here.