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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012
Nov. 1-7 is Crime Prevention Week
Proudly serving Williams Lake and the Cariboo-Chilcotin since 1930
VOL. 82. No. 87
POPPY PIN SALES HELP VETERANS IN NEED Photo submitted
The Legion’s annual poppy campaign is in full swing leading up to Remembrance Day this Nov. 11. Here Mayor Kerry Cook receives the first poppy from Royal Canadian Legion Cariboo Zone Commander Vivian MacNeil. The purpose of poppy funds is to provide assistance to veteran women and men in need. This may include food, shelter or medical attention for veterans and their families. Other uses include bursaries for children and grandchildren of veterans, low-rental housing and care facilities for elderly or disabled persons and their dependents, community medical appliances and medical research, day care centres, meals-on-wheels, transportation and related services for veterans, their dependants and the aged.
The B.C. government has declared Nov. 1-7, “Crime Prevention Week” and Justice Minister and Attorney General Shirley Bond is encouraging British Columbians to stand up against crime in neighbourhoods throughout the province. CPW is an opportunity for families, schools, businesses and neighbourhoods to work together to create safer streets in communities. It is also a chance to acknowledge the many dedicated British Columbians who make significant contributions to crime prevention and community safety. One of the highlights of the week is the Ministry of Justice Community Safety and Crime Prevention Awards that will be handed out today. The awards honour citizens who have demonstrated how commitment, perseverance and innovation in crime prevention can build safe communities.v
Inside the Tribune NEWS CMH opens lab Saturdays.
WL community forest application submitted A2
SPORTS A8 Harlen Crowns return Nov. 13. COMMUNITY A12 BCRA fashion show a hit. Weather outlook: Expect more freezing rain today clearing to cloudy periods Wednesday.
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$1.34 inc. HST
Monica Lamb-Yorski Tribune Staff Writer The City of Williams Lake and the Williams Lake Indian Band announced Nov. 2 that a Community Forest Agreement (CFA) application has been submitted to the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations. If approved, the CFA will be for an initial term of 25 years, with provisions that it can be replaced, the city said in a press release. The agreement will allow the partners to jointly harvest 40,000m3 (or approximately 800 logging truck loads) of timber annually from two areas. A south block, the Flat Rock Block, is located west of the City, north of Highway 20 between Esler subdivision and overlooks the Fraser River, measuring 5,927 hectares. A north block, the Potato Mountain Block, is east of Williams Lake. Spanning 22,912 ha, the block covers an area between the Likely and Horsefly Roads from Potato Mountain eastward and to Beaver Valley in the north. “The city and the band under-
stand that people living near the community forest are interested in the management of the forest and the benefits derived from it,” the press release noted. The application includes several ways of sharing those benefits: the creation of a community council will provide opportunities to gather input on the goals and activities of management for the community forest area, work will be available to local individuals and companies through a contract tendering process, the community forest will purchase goods and services (e.g. search and rescue, firefighting, community hall rental) from communities and the creation of a community fund to support grants to community groups and projects. Under the agreement, the city and band will be responsible for sustainably managing the forest resources within the two blocks, including timber, water, recreation, wildlife habitat, range and cultural values; and for accommodating the interests of resource users such as ranchers, guide outfitters, trappers and water licensees.
Once the application is approved, the partners will begin preparing a Forest Stewardship Plan for public review and comment. “Submitting this application is quite an achievement. Over the past few years, we have been able to build a strong relationship with Chief Ann Louie and the Williams Lake Indian Band around our mutual interest in community forestry. We look forward to this application being approved and getting to work,” Williams Lake mayor Kerry Cook said. Chief Ann Louie of the Williams Lake Indian Band said the band is pleased to partner with the city of Williams Lake. “We look forward to managing the community forest sustainably and with respect for the spiritual and cultural values that are important to band members. While the community forest will provide benefits today, we will not lose sight that it is very important to future generations.” In May 2011, Steve Thomson, minister of forests, lands and natural resource operations, extended an invitation to apply for
a (CFA) to the City of Williams Lake and the Williams Lake Indian Band. Responding to the draft application, community members from Big Lake, Miocene and Horsefly passed a resolution during a town hall meeting facilitated by Cariboo North Independent MLA Bob Simpson on Oct. 24 in Big Lake. Joan Sorley, director for Area F of the Cariboo Regional District, said the resolution was to write a letter to Thomson asking first for more substantial benefits to the communities and secondly for a win-win situation for everyone involved. “We’ve always wanted to support the CFA, but want more benefits for the communities. Is there an opportunity for the communities of Big Lake, Miocene and Horsefly to have this block for ourselves and give another block to the city and the band?” Sorely said, adding the communities have always understood the area is Williams Lake Indian Band traditional territory. See RURAL Page A3