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West Boundary municipalities get sweeping dividends from community forest

Midway, Greenwood to use money for local projects
Laurie Tritschler
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(L-R) Greenwood mayor Barry Noll, Coun. Mark Seymour, Chief Administrative Officer Marcus Lebler, Coun. John Bolt and the West Boundary Community Forest’s (WBCF) Dan Macmaster met for a special cheque presentation Monday, Feb. 14. Photo courtesy of WBCF

Greenwood and Midway are $1 million richer between them, thanks to hefty dividends returned by the West Boundary Community Forest (WBCF).

The WBCF’s Dan Macmaster was on hand for cheque presentations at Midway and Greenwood council meetings Feb. 7 and 14, handing $500,000 cheques to mayors Martin Fromme and Barry Noll, plus assembled councilors and staff.

(L-R) Midway Coun. Richard Dunsdon, Chief Administrative Officer Penny Feist, forester Dan Macmaster, Mayor Martin Fromme and village Couns. Darrin Metcalf, Gary Schierbeck and Fred Grouette celebrated Macmaster’s cheque presentation Monday, Feb. 7. Photo courtesy of the West Boundary Community Forest
(L-R) Midway Coun. Richard Dunsdon, Chief Administrative Officer Penny Feist, forester Dan Macmaster, Mayor Martin Fromme and village Couns. Darrin Metcalf, Gary Schierbeck and Fred Grouette celebrated Macmaster’s cheque presentation Monday, Feb. 7. Photo courtesy of the West Boundary Community Forest

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2021 was a good year for timber sales, which paid windfall dividends for the municipalities that own the WBCF. The community forest is managed by Vaagen Fibre Canada, based in Midway.

“It was a high year, but we’ve always been pretty strong,” Macmaster said Thursday, Feb. 17.

Macmaster pointed out that the logs sold by the community forest were harvested through area wildfire risk mitigation and pine beetle control projects.

“I’m looking forward to showing some of these off when the snow melts this spring,” he said.

Noll said Greenwood’s council would likely use their $500,000 to pay for the city’s upcoming reservoir replacement project.

“Our partnership with the Village of Midway and the forest management provided by Vaagen Fibre is essential to our communities and the continued success of the community forest,” Noll continued.

“We are proud of our community forest,” Fromme said, adding, “These funds allow us to invest in our community, Outdoor Education Centre, and in the residents who live here.”

The WBCF was formed in 2014, according to Macmaster.

 

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laurie.tritschler@boundarycreektimes.com
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