Khowutzun Forest Services has completed contracts with both the Private and Public sectors. Over the last 7 years KFS has covered over 1,000 hectares of silvicultural activity. Economic development in the forest sector is a long-term goal. In all of our projects, we aim to provide employment and training opportunities to Cowichan people. As each year passes, Cowichan Tribes people will begin to enjoy the fruit of their labours through these initiatives.

The District Manager of the South Island Forest District approved the KFS PCFA Management Plan on December 21, 2004 and a PCFA License Agreement was signed by the Regional Manager on December 28, 2004. KFS is the Licensee on behalf of Cowichan Tribes of a 1,786 hectare community forest. We are currently in the process of developing a Forest Development Plan and a Forest Stewardship Plan. The license has an Annual Allowable Cut of 10,000 m3, for 2005 there is 20,000 m3 planned for harvest. Harvesting is anticipated to begin in late summer of 2005 upon approval of the Forest Development Plan.

March 16, 2003, KFS was awarded a 2000 m3 Direct award Timber Sale located on Glenora road. To date, KFS has engineered the falling block boundary and roads, providing employment and training opportunities for Cowichan band members. The falling, yarding, and trucking were completed in early March, and the road deactivation was completed in mid March. KFS utilized J. Taylor Enterprises to market all the harvested timber. In the future KFS would like to be responsible for the stumping, slash pile burning, planting, and any future stand tending projects.

The Fire Suppression Training Program was developed and delivered locally in partnership with Malaspina University-College Cowichan Campus and Khowutzun Forestry Services. The objective of this program was to train and certify Cowichan Tribes band members in selected fire suppression courses that would meet the requirements of the Ministry of Forests Standing Offer for ten-person crews. The program was a comprehensive combination of topic specific courses that provided the knowledge base required for effective fire suppression. Each course provided certification that is recognized by provincial organizations such as WCB, FISA, and the Ministry of Forests. Successful participants of the program are valuable to fire suppression crews and other forestry and transportation related employers.

KFS is conducting a timber inventory on the Cowichan Indian Reserve and preparing a management plan for land owned by Cowichan Tribes and by individual Cowichan band members who hold certificates of possession for their land. A cruising contractor is training two Cowichan band members in inventory techniques and timber cruising. KFS plans to utilize these trainees in our Community Forest project in the near future. The management plan that KFS will produce as a result of the inventory will be used as a management tool for the Cowichan Indian Band and Cowichan band members who hope to harvest timber on their land. This project is funded by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada.