Lumber harvest limit reduced for area near Okanagan Indian Band

Nov 21, 2025 | 5:26 PM

The limit on how much timber can be harvested from a forested area bordering the Okanagan Indian Band has been reduced.

B.C.’s chief forester has set a new allowable annual cut (AAC) limit for Tree Farm Licence 49 (TFL 49), located on the west side of Okanagan Lake, of 150,500 cubic metres.

The area in red highlights the Tree Farm Licence 49 location (image courtesy of the B.C. Government’s website)

The new limit, which takes effect immediately, reflects a 26.2 per cent reduction from the previous AAC.

“This decision [to deduce the harvest limit] reflects a return to sustainable harvest levels following wildfire impacts in 2021 and 2023, considers updated land base and ecological considerations, including the removal of the Brown’s Creek area from the TFL, and reflects adjustments for increased riparian reserve buffers,” the province said in a release.

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The new AAC also includes partitions to support sustainable forestry and overharvesting. The old forest area can only see a maximum of 67,500 cubic metres harvested annually; up to 83,000 cubic metres can be harvested from stands not defined as old forest; and no more than 128,000 cubic metres can be harvested on slopes with grades less than 40 per cent.

The province said the chief forester made the changes to the local lumber harvesting based on technical forestry reports, First Nations consultation, input from the public, and the government’s social and economic objectives. AACs are reviewed at least once every 10 years under the Forestry Act.

by Liam Verster

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