FORESTRY

History

Likely has ridden the boom and bust lifestyle that comes with being a resource extraction community since the arrival of the European settlers. In the 1950’s the lumber industry came to the community.

At the peak of Likely’s prosperity, the town boasted three sawmills and all the associated economic and social activities that go with it. By 1965, the sawmills and crews were gone. Timber harvested in the area is now trucked to distant mills mainly in Williams Lake.

In 1999, the Provincial Government introduced a new forest tenure, a Community Forest License, and called for proposals. Likely teamed up with the Soda Creek Indian Band, and was successful in 2003, receiving one of the original 11 Pilot Community Forests.

 THE FOREST

Likely is located at the West end of Quesnel Lake in the Beaver Valley Enhanced Resource Development Zone of the Cariboo Chilcotin Land Use Plan. Mainly located in the ICHwk2 and ICHmk3 Biogeoclimatic zones, there are also small areas of SBSmw, SBSdw1 and ESSFwk1. These zones, located in the Cariboo transition and interior wet belt areas, represent a unique and limited ecosystem in the province, including critical mule deer winter ranges. Within these zones a wide variety of ecosystems are represented. These ecosystems are some of the most productive in the interior.

PRESENT

Likely sits in the middle of about 23,000 Ha of forest land sustainably managed by the community or by community members. The 20,000 Ha Community Forest surrounds or boarders against five privately owned woodlots (600Ha each) This allows for a unique situation, a small unincorporated, wilderness community, managing crown land for our own goals and benefits.

One main objective of our management of the Community Forest is to meet targets for seral stage distribution as defined by the Cariboo Chilcotin Land Use Plan. Approximately half the Community Forest area is in the Polley Landscape Unit, which has an interim Intermediate Biodiversity Emphasis Option (BEO) and a recommended High BEO. The other half is in the Likely Landscape Unit with a Low BEO. Seral stage

Targets and Recommended Seral Stage Management Strategies will be implemented as stated in the Biodiversity Conservation Strategy for the CCLUP.

Any profits left after all commitments of this license are met get dispersed to community groups that’s mandate improves the quality of life in our two communities, and for the visiting public.

British Columbia Community Forest Association   BCCFA

Federation of British Columbia Wood Lots   FBCWA

Click here for map of area  ta_174039_exhibitA[1]

LXCF DVD (not available yet)