The Williams Lake Community Forest (WLCF) will be awarding local community organizations $80,000 towards 2025 projects through their granting program.
The organization's annual six-week window for grant applications is now open until Friday, Nov. 22 at 4 p.m.
Each year, five per cent of WLCF profits area set aside to go back to the community through the granting program.
WLCF provides funds towards recreation and recreational structures including signs, trails and kiosks, community-based culture and arts projects related to nature, capital improvements to facilities available for public use, outdoor opportunities relating to sustainable forestry, education and outreach projects for all age groups, environmental stewardship, and other projects related to forest resource values.
Funds available fluctuate from year to year depending somewhat on the price of timber and the amount cut, though the amount cut does not fluctuate greatly in order to stay within the five-year 200,000 cubic metres allowable cut. The foresters separate out high-quality logs which will get a higher price from log home builders to help maximize the value of the harvested wood, explained Mary Thurow, with the Williams Lake Community Forest. Annually, harvesting occurs in both parcels of the Williams Lake Community Forest - Flatrock block (Ne Sextine) up by Esler and in the Potato Mountain Block (Peskwenkwinem) between Horsefly, Big Lake and Miocene.
This year, the WLCF has increased the funds to be distributed to the community for 2025, after awarding $75,000 in grants for 2024.
The Big Lake Community Association received $3,000 for a fencing project to keep cattle off the Big Lake Hall property. The Cariboo Chilcotin Orienteering Club received $5,000 to build an orienteering map and host an orienteering event.
Cariboo Disc Golf Club put $5,000 in grant funds towards a tournament-grade disc golf course at the Esler Sports Complex and $4,980 went towards improving the Chimney & Felker Lakes Volunteer Fire Department hall and equipment. Gavin Lake Forest Education Society used $5,000 to support their Grade 6 outdoor program.
Funds were also used by the Williams Lake Cycling Club, Williams Lake Climbing Association, Williams Lake & District Seniors Activity Centre, Wildwood Fire Department, Spi7uy Squqluts Language and Culture Society, School District #27, Scout Island Nature Centre and many more.
Those applying for the funds must be living and/or working in the WLCF area which includes the city of Williams Lake, and electoral areas D, E and F of the Cariboo Regional District. Electoral areas D, E and F extend west to the east bank of the Fraser River, North to Marguerite, east to Bosk and Crooked Lakes and north encompassing Quesnel Lake and Mitchell Lake.
Applications must be from registered charities, non-profit and/or community organizations such as parent advisory councils, clubs and community associations. Public, private, and Indigenous schools and educators from the local area are also able to apply.
The Wiliams Lake Community Forest harvested 47,400 cubic metres from the forest in 2024 which it sold to Tolko, West Fraser and some small value-added facilities.
For more information on the Williams Lake Community Forest granting program, go to: https://williamslakecommunityforest.com/community-granting/
