Message from the Minister

In March 2003, we introduced the Forestry Revitalization Plan, comprehensive reforms to revitalize British Columbia's forest sector. These reforms are now in place in legislation, and in coming months will be implemented to the benefit of communities across the province.

We have laid the groundwork for change. Now it is time to put our new forest policies to work.

The coming year will see:

• Market-based pricing that will ensure British Columbians receive a fair price for their forest resource
• New community-based salvage licenses and small-scale tenures such as community forests and woodlots
• Forest and Range Practices Act Regulations that focus on results and ensure tough environmental standards are upheld
• New opportunities for First Nations and other new entrants
• Response to the Firestorm 2003 review as part of our ongoing commitment to improve provincial fire protection efforts
• Long-term strategies to mitigate the economic impact of the Mountain Pine Beetle epidemic.

We are also acting on our New Era commitment to spend one per cent of direct forest revenues in marketing B.C.'s forest products to the world. With initiatives such as the "Dream Home China" project in Shanghai, we are partnering with industry to showcase B.C. wood in new markets.

Lastly, we are securing our forest industry's future through our commitment to funding education. Through secondary school forestry programs, through summer forestry camps for First Nations youth, and through post-secondary training, we can raise future foresters, silviculturists and other professionals to ensure a strong grown-in-B.C. forest economy for years to come.

We are setting in motion these and other changes to create a new foundation for a healthy and globally competitive forest sector in British Columbia.

Honourable Michael de Jong
Minister of Forests

February 4, 2004