This summary describes the contents and main findings of the 79 page report, Malcolm Island Community Forest Tenure Feasibility Study. Following this summary is the Table of Contents of the full report.

This report explores the feasibility of establishing a Community Forest on Malcolm Island, British Columbia.

The Concept of a Community Forest

Section 1 outlines the concept of a community forest: what it means and how it might be applicable to the Malcolm Island community. Three essential features define a community forest: the community makes the management decisions; the community benefits; and the forest is managed for multiple values. Drawing from the literature and the practical experience of community forests in British Columbia and elsewhere, the attributes of a successful community forest are presented. These attributes provide the "checklist" with which to assess the feasibility of a community forest for Malcolm Island.

Malcolm Island Land Base

Section 2 provides an overview of the Malcolm Island land base. The analysis of the land base involved compiling inventory information on topography, fisheries values, archaeological sites, past silvicultural practices, forest cover, recreation features, land status and other special features of concern to the community. This provides an understanding of the biophysical foundations for a community forest.

Conserving biological diversity is a key objective of sustainable forest management. A number of biodiversity issues are addressed as part of this feasibility study, including: impacts of forestry, the role of protected areas, natural disturbance patterns of Malcolm Island's forests, and the implications of the Forest Practices Code.

Given the past history of logging on Malcolm Island, a strategy to manage the forest for biodiversity will include restricting harvesting levels to well below the long run sustained yield for at least several decades. Silvicultural systems and logging methods that preserve stand-level structural diversity (e.g. partial cutting, retention of wildlife trees, mixed species stands, longer rotations) will be worth serious consideration as a means to meet objectives for forest health.