The District of Mackenzie invites qualified and experienced firms to submit a proposal for operational wildfire fuel reduction treatments to achieve the targets and objectives of the “District of Mackenzie Fuel Management Prescription (FMP), Amendment #2” (attached).
The purpose of this project is to carry out operational fuel treatment activities as prescribed in the FMP developed for the District in Treatment Units DAHL -1, DAHL-2 and A1 (see attached maps). The successful proponent will be responsible for:
Cutting and removal of trees prescribed for removal.
Control of vehicle (car, ATV, motor bike, etc) and non-motorized (pedestrian, bicycle, horse, etc) traffic in and around the vicinity of fuel treatment operations.
Pruning of trees intended to be retained, cutting brush to be removed, and bucking, chipping, and removal of debris.
Management of debris created during operations.
For details, see the Request for Proposals documents:
Deadline for proposal submissions is August 22, 2019 4:00 pm.
Proponents are required to attend a mandatory site viewing on Wednesday August 7, 2019 10:00 am. The site viewing will commence from the Little Mac Ski Hill at the end of Laurier Drive in Mackenzie.
Want to help enhance the McLeod Lake Mackenzie Community Forest or have a project idea that would benefit the communities of McLeod Lake and Mackenzie?
The call for year 2024 project funding proposals is now OPEN.
We now have 2 funding streams!
The MLMCF Tenure Enhancement Stream supports research, physical works, and other applied projects that:
Are relevant to and enhance the Community Forest area; and
Support sound environmental and cultural stewardship, social values, and economic growth.
The MLMCF Community Benefits Stream supports local projects and services that:
Benefit the communities of McLeod Lake Indian Band and Mackenzie.
How to apply
Read the MLMCF funding policy (link below) and familiarize yourself with the MLMCF tenure area map (link below) to ensure your proposal will meet the project eligibility criteria.
Download the application form (link below) to your computer. Using Adobe Reader, fill in your answers to the questions and then save the completed PDF form.
Refer to the evaluation criteria / application ranking tool (link below) to understand how your application will be reviewed and scored.
Submit your completed application and any relevant attachments to the MLMCF before the deadline: 4 pm March 31 2024.
Download and save the application form to your computer. Using Adobe Reader (available as a free download), fill in your answers to the questions. Save the PDF form occasionally as you work through the application.
*Please ensure that the application form is downloaded and saved to your computer desktop prior to entering any information. If opened and completed within your internet browser, any information entered will not be saved.
Having trouble downloading or typing and saving in the application form? Send your technical questions to admin@mlmcf.ca
Submitting your application
Completed funding applications (with all attachments) must be received by McLeod Lake Mackenzie Community Forest no later than 4:00 pm on March 31 2024
Mail to: MCLEOD LAKE MACKENZIE COMMUNITY FOREST, PO BOX 579, MACKENZIE BC, V0J 2C0
-Or-
Deliver to: MLMCF Office, Suite 127B in the Commercial Wing of the Mackenzie Mall. You can drop your application in the mail slot if the office is closed.
Notification of results
The MLMCF Board of Directors is planning to provide notification of funding decisions to all applicants by May 1, 2024.
Public announcements of funding decisions will be made at the Chamber of Commerce Trade Show in early May 2024.
Questions?
Contact Admin Assistant: Cherri Carlson by email admin@mlmcf.ca or General Manager: Dan Boulianne by email generalmanager@mlmcf.ca or call 250-997-8155.
Or visit the MLMCF office at Suite 127 in the Commercial Wing of the Mackenzie Mall.
Want to help enhance the McLeod Lake Mackenzie Community Forest?
The McLeod Lake Mackenzie Community Forest (MLMCF) allocates up to $100,000 annually towards research, physical works, and other applied projects that will:
Enhance the Community Forest area;
Support sound environmental and cultural stewardship, social values, and economic growth;
Benefit the communities of McLeod Lake Indian Band and Mackenzie.
How to Apply
Deadline for 2024 project proposals is 4 pm March 31, 2023. Get more information and download an application form at www.mlmcf.ca
McLeod Lake Mackenzie Community Forest receives good audit
An audit of the McLeod Lake Mackenzie community forest in the Mackenzie Natural Resource District has found compliance with B.C.’s forestry legislation.
The community forest is jointly managed by the District of Mackenzie and the McLeod Lake Indian Band.
“We are pleased to see that the community forest carried out sound forest practices and fully met the requirements of the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act,” said Kevin Kriese, board chair.
“Of note, the community forest has been proactive in adopting fire-management stocking standards for stands harvested in the wildland urban interface,” said Kriese. “These standards permit more deciduous trees and fewer coniferous trees when these stands regenerate and will assist in reducing the risk of wildfire to the community of Mackenzie. This is a best practice that deserves recognition.”
The community forest has five operating areas around the Town of
Mackenzie, from the Parsnip River in the south to Nation Arm on
Williston Lake in the north.
The McLeod Lake Mackenzie Community Forest Limited Partnership
harvested 108,000 cubic metres of timber between September 2016 and
September 2018. The audit examined all operational planning, harvesting,
roads, silviculture and wildfire protection activities carried
out during the two-year period.
The Forest Practices Board is B.C.’s independent watchdog for sound
forest and range practices, reporting its findings and recommendations
directly to the public and government. The board audits forest and range
practices on public lands and appropriateness of government
enforcement. It can also make recommendations for improvement to
practices and legislation.
Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPPs) were created in BC in response to the devastating 2003 Wildfires in Kelowna. CWPPs’ primary purpose is to minimize wildfire risks around communities.
Mackenzie developed their first CWPP in 2005 and in 2017 had it updated. Progress has been made on recommendations of the initial CWPP, and the recent update of 2017 has clearly identified next steps.
The Mackenzie Wildfire Advisory Committee (MWAC) was recently formed as a partnership led by the MLMCF and the District of Mackenzie, with a primary focus on ensuring that the recommendations outlined in the CWPP are implemented and to identify wildfire mitigation opportunities at the landscape level.
Accomplishments to date
Fuel treatments surrounding the town (2005 CWPP)
Cross-training between Mackenzie Volunteer Fire Department & BC Wildfire Service
Development of an official Emergency Response and Recovery Plan
Registration to receive status as a FireSmart Community
Applied for $500,000 funding for various wildfire mitigation initiatives in 2018
Establishment of a steering committee in 2018
Commencing fuel treatment prescriptions, Fall 2018
Town Hall Meeting
Join us on September 19, 2018 at 6:30 pm in the Rec Centre Conference Room (upstairs) to discuss:
How we as a community can reduce our wildfire risks
How to prepare for an evacuation
Roles of local industry, municipal and provincial governments, and residents
How to protect your home in the event of a wildfire
Questions or Concerns?
Mackenzie Wildfire Advisory Committee contacts:
Joan Atkinson, District of Mackenzie 250-997-3190
Dan Boulianne, McLeod Make Mackenzie Community Forest 250-997-8155
The Forest Practices Board will be examining the activities of the McLeod Lake Mackenzie Community Forest Limited Partnership (the partnership), located in the Mackenzie Natural Resource District, starting Sept. 10, 2018.
The auditors will examine whether all operational planning, harvesting, roads and bridges, silviculture, and wildfire protection and associated planning carried out between Sept. 1, 2016, to Sept. 14, 2018, met the requirements of the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act.
Once the audit work is complete, a report will be prepared, and any party that may be adversely affected by the audit findings will have a chance to respond. The board’s final report and recommendations then will be released to the public and government.
The Forest Practices Board is B.C.’s independent watchdog for sound forest and range practices, reporting its findings and recommendations directly to the public and government.
The board audits forest and range practices on public land, as well as appropriateness of government enforcement.
Profits from the MLMCF’s log sales are used to achieve the Community Forest’s mission, goals and objectives; including short and long term forest management planning and operations. In addition, a reserve fund is held for contingencies.
As per its ‘Distribution of Profits’ policy, each year, the MLMCF evaluates their financial position to determine whether there are surplus funds. The Board of Directors determines the surplus available for distribution in equal portions to the District of Mackenzie, the McLeod lake Indian Band and the MLMCF. Each recipient develops their own priorities and systems for use and/or distribution of the funds.
The MLMCF uses their share of these funds to enhance the Community Forest tenure area by making funding available to organizations wishing to undertake projects which will:
a. provide economic opportunities for local workers, businesses, contractors, and manufacturers;
b. support forestry and natural resource related research, education and training – ie. capacity building, trades training, all levels of the education system;
c. enhance forest based recreation and tourism;
d. support other multiple-use activities on the community forest area; and
e. increase tenure productivity through enhanced silviculture.
This year, the Community Forest has provided $100,000 to fund projects and was very pleased to present cheques to these successful applicants:
Synergy Applied Ecology, Wildlife Monitoring around the Mackenzie townsite, $25,000
Mackenzie Nordiques Cross Country Ski Club, Convert lighting on 2.5 km. lit trail to energy efficient LED bulbs, $24,000
MORATA (Mackenzie Outdoor Route and Trail Association), Tools for Trail Maintenance & design of a downhill mountain bike trail, $20,000
Mackenzie Nature Observatory Banding Station, Build a kitchen shelter at the banding station, $15,000
Mackenzie Autumn Lodge Society, Upgrades to Mackenzie Legacy Garden, $12,000
Mackenzie Gets Healthy Committee, Towards creation of an Outdoor Exercise Park, $5,000
TOTAL OF FUNDING AWARDED: $101,000
MLMCF Cheque Presentation to Community Project Funding Recipients, May 2017
Future Plans
The MLMCF has set aside a reserve fund with the intention of continuing this annual Project Funding program as long as possible. We intend to invite applications in the winter of 2017/2018 and target issuance of cheques next spring, 2018.
The BC Community Forest Association is pleased to share the report of their 3rd annual Community Forest Indicators Survey. The survey collects data on the economic, social, cultural, and environmental benefits that community forests bring to their communities and to the province.
The survey results show how important community forests are to their local communities and regions. They generated an average of $1.9 million of economic activity in the reporting year. They contributed $257,000 on average in cash and in-kind donations, a significant boost to rural communities, most with populations of 3,000 or less.
By collecting data on 18 different indicators, the BCCFA has found a way to measure the unique and varied contributions that community forests make. 93% of the operating community forests in the BCCFA participated in the survey and nearly 50% are held by First Nations or a partnership between an Indigenous and non-Indigenous community.
Erik Leslie, President, BCCFA Community Forest Association describes how “The BCCFA Indicators report includes not just statistics and quantitative measures. The report is also filled with dozens of stories that demonstrate the creative energy and innovation that we see in community forests across the province.
Jim Atkinson, General Manager, McLeod Lake Mackenzie Community Forest, said “The Indicators Survey shows the spectrum of what community forests can accomplish. Profitability for a community forest is measured by different metrics than used by industry. While profitability for a community forest can be measured in cash, no less important are more intangible benefits such as the long-term health and sustainability of our forest; recreation, employment and development opportunities for community members and harmony with all the other users of the forest.”
For more information contact:
Jennifer Gunter, Executive Director
jgunter@bccfa.ca
250 384 4110
Join us in Tumbler Ridge, the land of waterfalls and dinosaurs, and home of the new UNESCO Global Geopark, for the 2017 Conference and AGM, hosted by the Tumbler Ridge Community Forest.
Each year, community forest managers and board volunteers, along with forest professionals, local and provincial government representatives and academics look forward to the informative sessions and valuable networking opportunities of this event. Join us and experience BC community forest culture first hand.
Thursday, June 15th 9:00-3:00 Field trip to Tumbler Ridge Community Forest & local special features
6:00-10:00 Opening Reception
Friday, June 16th
8:30-4:30 Sessions will include a round table on community engagement, building trust and the cultivation of social licence; information on the new BC land based funding opportunities including the new carbon project; updates on key activities from the MFLNRO and the BCCFA; Manager and Board sessions on current and emerging issues.
6:00-10:00 BCCFA Banquet, Awards and celebration of the BCCFA’s 15th Anniversary
Saturday, June 17th
8:30-3:00 BCCFA AGM; Community Forest Showcase; liability and volunteer projects on the community forest; and more
Coarse Woody Debris and Furbearer Applied Research Project in the McLeod Lake Mackenzie Community Forest
What is CWD and why is it important?
Coarse Woody Debris (CWD) can be defined as “sound and rotting logs and stumps, and coarse roots in all stages of decay, that provide habitat…and a source of nutrients. Material generally greater than 7.5 cm in diameter” (Stevens, 1997). For this study, the majority of the CWD consisted of various sized unmerchantable logging debris piled in large, continuous windrows.
CWD plays an important role in forest ecosystems, serving in three key areas: long term enhancement/ maintenance of forest productivity; provision of habitat for a variety of flora and fauna and; provision of structure for streams and soil. Functions of CWD include
Nutrient cycling and storage
Moisture retention
Regeneration sites for trees
Moist microsites for invertebrates
Hiding and protective cover
Facilitates travel of organisms
Sites for nests, dens and burrows
Erosion prevention
Flow control in streams
Project Background
A coarse woody debris wildlife habitat windrow
In March, 2016 the MLMCF developed a Coarse Woody Debris (CWD) Strategy in order to guide management decisions around CWD and to serve as a reference for forest practitioners working within the Community Forest. In the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations’ (FLNRO) Management Guidelines for Fur Bearers in British Columbia (2003), a frequent recommendation is to create a complex cover of CWD in the post-harvest stand. The MLMCF has adopted this recommendation and is implementing a post-harvest CWD management goal to improve fur bearer habitat through management techniques incorporating CWD and habitat connectivity.
The most recent work towards this goal has been in cooperation with the John Prince Research Forest; developing in September 2016, 19 windrows which varied in length from 100 to 400 m. The windrows were constructed of stacked coarse woody debris to create terrestrial structure; enhancing habitat for invertebrates, fur bearers, birds and amphibians. Generally extending from one standing timber edge to another, the windrows also acted as CWD travel “corridors”, providing connectivity. In total, approximately 3,000 m of windrows were constructed on 6 cutblocks that were created by salvaging Mountain Pine Beetle (MPB) damaged stands within the Community Forest. With practice, the operator became quite skilled at constructing windrows with abundant cavities and entrance points.
The objective of this project is to confirm that CWD wildlife habitat windrows do indeed create fur bearer habitat on recent cut blocks as demonstrated through quantified wildlife use of the windrows. If the outcome is successful, the MLMCF will implement this technique on appropriate future blocks; thereby contributing to biodiversity and creating opportunities for wildlife viewing and trapping.
The Study
To determine whether or not the establishment of the coarse woody debris corridors made a positive difference in the habitat suitability of cut blocks to fur-bearers, corridor and non-corridor locations were monitored with trail camera stations over a 10-week period (January to March of 2017). Twenty sites in total were selected within the recent MPB salvage cut blocks; each was set up with both a trail camera and a small piece of meat, just large enough so that if an animal was in the immediate vicinity, it would position itself in front of the camera. The installations were designed by staff from the John Prince Research Forest (JPRF), who then worked with Kim Forest Management Staff to complete the installations.
Ten of the sites were located on the CWD windrows while the remaining ten sites were “control” sites. The control sites were located sufficiently away from mature timber and the corridors so as to be removed from their influence. The trail cameras recorded animals as they came to investigate the bait, or as they passed in the back ground. After receiving training from JPRF staff, field data collection and initial processing was then done by KFM before being shared with the John Prince Research Forest.
Trail camera photo of an American marten on the coarse woody debris windrow.
Outcome and Application
The American Marten (Martes americana) was by far the most commonly detected animal on the cameras. Other species included squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus), fox (Vulpes vulpes), moose (Alces alces), Lynx (Lynx canadensis) and wolf (Canis lupus).
Based on camera detection comparisons, preliminary results of this study show a distinct trend of higher wildlife use associated with the coarse woody debris corridors than without.
This pattern was consistent among nearly all species.
These findings, however, represent only a very small sample size over a small window of time. Prior to this strategy being wholly adopted by the MLMCF, further research will be needed to better understand the relationships between the coarse woody debris windrows and other organisms over time. Encouraged by these promising early results, it is the intent of the MLMCF to pursue funding opportunities to continue this research on this and other sites where CWD corridors have subsequently been established.
The BC Community Forest Association is pleased to share the report of their 3rd annual Community Forest Indicators Survey. The survey collects data on the economic, social, cultural, and environmental benefits that community forests bring to their communities and to the province.
