Merritt Timber Supply Area

The Merritt TSA, located in the southernwestern interior of B.C., covers approximately 1.13 million hectares. The communities of Merritt and Princeton are the largest in the Merritt TSA. Smaller communities include Tulameen, Brookmere, Missezula Lake, Douglas Lake, Lower Nicola, Osprey Lake and Allison Lake.

Current Timber Supply Review

The current allowable annual cut (AAC) for the Merritt TSA is 2,814,171 cubic metres, effective July 1, 2005. The current AAC determination concludes an urgent timber supply review of the Merritt TSA, conducted in 2005 by the Ministry of Forests and Range. This urgent review was undertaken in response to the expanding impact of an epidemic mountain pine beetle infestation in the TSA.

The current AAC includes a partition of 312,500 cubic metres attributable to stands of small-diameter (smallwood) pine. The current AAC will remain in effect until a new AAC is determined which must take place within five years of the date of this determination, unless the next determination is formally postponed according to the provisions of Section 8(3.1) of the Forest Act.

A description and full copies of the relevant background documents can be found on the 'Documents' page.