Effective immediately, the allowable annual cut for Weyerhaeuser’s Tree Farm Licence 59 in the South Okanagan will have an allowable annual cut level of 60,700 cubic metres. This is an 8% decrease from the previous cut level of 66,000 cubic metres per year set in 2018. This new, lower cut level takes into account changes in forestry practices to accommodate First Nations interests, including cutblock size, stream riparian zones and cumulative effects. “After carefully reviewing all the available information on timber and non-timber resources in Tree Farm Licence 59, and consulting with First Nations, I am reducing the allowable annual cut,” said Diane Nicholls, chief forester. “I am satisfied the new cut level is sustainable, considers the area’s biodiversity, wildlife and socio-economic concerns, and respects Indigenous interests.” The tree farm licence covers about 46,500 hectares, with approximately 43,000 hectares available for timber harvesting.