The Lakes District timber supply area (TSA) has been significantly affected by the mountain pine beetle outbreak.
According to Agathe Bernard, stewardship officer for the Ministry of Forest and Natural Resource Operations, the outbreak has killed 76 per cent of the pine volume available for harvest in the Lakes TSA.
The annual allowable cut (AAC) will be significantly reduced in the area after 2020.
Although the current AAC of Burns Lake Community Forest is 225,000 cubit metres, it is expected to decline to 63,000 in 2020. The current AAC of the Chinook Community Forest is 150,000 cubit metres, but it is also expected to significantly decline in 2020, dropping to 65,000.
After 2020, the Burns Lake Community Forest and the Chinook Community Forest will represent only a portion of the log supply required to keep Babine Forest Products and Decker Lake Forest Products operating.