Notification of Aerial Forest Fertilization in the Sea to Sky Natural Resource District - October to November 2023

The SLRD has been advised that an Aerial Forest Fertilization project will be taking place in the Sea to Sky Natural Resource District between mid-October to November 2023. Signage will be posted on roads to inform the public of any safety hazards or delays.

The fertilization plans for this project have been shared with and approved by local First Nations, forest licensees, and the Ministry of Forests.

Aerial fertilization is funded by the Forest Investment Program (FIP), formerly, the Forest Carbon Initiative funding mechanism, (FCI) Forest Carbon Initiative - Province of British Columbia (gov.bc.ca) and the  Land Based Investment Strategy. The project is administered by B.A. Blackwell & Associates Ltd. under  contract with the Province of British Columbia.

Below are listed the objectives and benefits of fertilization:

1. The primary objective is to sequester carbon dioxide (CO2) as a means of mitigating climate change. The application of fertilizer will increase the amount of available nutrients, which will improve tree growth and storage of atmospheric carbon, allowing trees to store up to 55 tonnes of carbon per hectare over a 10-year period. A secondary objective is to improve timber volumes and value for future harvesting.
2. The Chief Forester’s guidance recommends that stands remain unharvested for a minimum of 7-10 years following fertilization. Fertilization plans are shared with forest licensees prior to treatment to ensure that they do not conflict with harvest plans. The increase in volume can be up to 30 cubic meters per hectare in a 10-year period.
3. In addition to increased timber supply and carbon storage, fertilization also has economic benefits. The employment and GDP impacts of fertilization are 4.5 full-time equivalents (FTE) and $2.7M per 10,000 hectares of treatment, respectively.

The following link provides more information about the fertilization program: cleanbc.gov.bc.ca

Overview maps, information about the fertilizer, the BC fertilization standards, an informational brochure, and a sample site map and prescription.

Specific block information can be provided upon request.

For more information, please contact:

Jason Hutchinson, RPF, Technical Advisor Forest Carbon
Email: Jason.Hutchinson@gov.bc.ca

Leslie Campbell-Brown, RPF, B.A.
Blackwell and Associates Ltd.
Email: l_brown@bablackwell.com