Weyerhaeuser will be able to grow and harvest timber in the Grande Prairie area for another 20 years. The Alberta government confirmed Thursday it has renewed its forest management agreement, along with one for the Pembina Timberlands near Drayton Valley.
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Economic Development Nate Horner says, combined, these agreements are expected to maintain more than 1,250 full-time, contract, and seasonal positions. They will reportedly potentially contribute $12.2 million and $14.7 million in annual holding and protection charge payments, $313 million and $277 million in timber dues, and $3.2 billion and $3.5 billion to Alberta’s gross domestic product.
“The decision to renew Weyerhaeuser’s forest management agreements is a great example of how we can provide industry partners with the security needed for long-term investment, maintain hundreds of well-paying jobs for Albertans and ensure sustainable management practices for Alberta’s forests. A competitive forestry sector drives growth by ensuring that our wood fibre products remain sought-after in a globalized economy.”
Weyerhaeuser’s forest management agreement applies to an area of 1,117,146 hectares located mostly south of Grande Prairie. It was first established in 1969. Currently, the sawmill and other activities in the area employ 277 full-time staff and about 380 contract staff in logging, transportation, and other forestry support services.
Part of the agreement is that Weyerhaeuser is required to reforest harvested areas within two years. About 286 million seedlings have been planted in the Grande Prairie area.
