Before harvesting starts WFN undertakes a series of analyses and field assessments. Our initial analysis reviews the potential growing capacity of our forests and overlays that with the constraints. This analysis provides us with a projection of the potential harvest level over the next 250 years.
When we investigate specific potential harvesting areas WFN must be cognizant of other values that we are managing for. Within our forests these other values include the following:
Archaeological Assessments: Our archaeological crews determine whether there are any archaeological or cultural sites in the development area. Where these are encountered they are catalogued and the site is protected.
Community Watersheds: Over 60% of the Community Forest is located in registered community watersheds. These watersheds provide drinking and irrigation water to the Municipal Districts of West Kelowna and Peachland.
Pennask Creek: Approximately 15% of the WFN-CF is within the Pennask Creek Watershed. This watershed is a provincially and nationally significant fisheries watershed and produces virtually all of the rainbow trout used to stock lakes in British Columbia.
Ungulate Winter Range: The lower elevations of our forests are important wintering areas for ungulates, primarily mule deer. Planning strategies in these areas include retention of forest cover as a food source and as thermal cover.
Visual Impacts: The steep and sometimes broken terrain in the Okanagan valley means that many of our forests are visible from the urban setting and during recreational uses. In highly visible areas we make use of visual design experts to aid us in crafting the shapes of proposed harvest units.
Fisheries: Many of the drainages in our forests contain resident fish populations including trout. We retain the services of professional biologists to provide us with stream and habitat assessments to determine their potential as fish habitat. All of our drainages are provided with protection in the form of timber retention.
When we investigate specific potential harvesting areas WFN must be cognizant of other values that we are managing for. Within our forests these other values include the following:
Archaeological Assessments: Our archaeological crews determine whether there are any archaeological or cultural sites in the development area. Where these are encountered they are catalogued and the site is protected.
Community Watersheds: Over 60% of the Community Forest is located in registered community watersheds. These watersheds provide drinking and irrigation water to the Municipal Districts of West Kelowna and Peachland.
Pennask Creek: Approximately 15% of the WFN-CF is within the Pennask Creek Watershed. This watershed is a provincially and nationally significant fisheries watershed and produces virtually all of the rainbow trout used to stock lakes in British Columbia.
Ungulate Winter Range: The lower elevations of our forests are important wintering areas for ungulates, primarily mule deer. Planning strategies in these areas include retention of forest cover as a food source and as thermal cover.
Visual Impacts: The steep and sometimes broken terrain in the Okanagan valley means that many of our forests are visible from the urban setting and during recreational uses. In highly visible areas we make use of visual design experts to aid us in crafting the shapes of proposed harvest units.
Fisheries: Many of the drainages in our forests contain resident fish populations including trout. We retain the services of professional biologists to provide us with stream and habitat assessments to determine their potential as fish habitat. All of our drainages are provided with protection in the form of timber retention.
