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Ecological integrity
Ecological limits determine what happens on the land.
British Columbia
NEW
FOREST ACT
A new legislative framework for forestry in British Columbia
A proposal to put ecological integrity first, give local communities decision-making power, and build stable community-based economies.
READ THE PROPOSAL EXECUTIVE SUMMARYThe New Forest Act is a citizen-developed proposal, not government legislation. For it to become law, British Columbians must bring it to their elected representatives and ask government to act on it. What you can do →
The framework
What the New Forest Act does
The New Forest Act proposes replacing BC’s existing forestry legislation with an outcomes-based system that manages forests within ecological limits and in the public interest. Forests are treated as critical public infrastructure — supporting water security, slope stability, biodiversity, community safety, and a reliable long-term timber supply.
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Community decision-making
Local people and Indigenous Peoples have decision-making power over the forests and watersheds that affect their communities.
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Community-based economies
Forestry supports stable regional economies, local businesses, restoration work, and value-added manufacturing.
Nature-Directed Stewardship
Protect. Restore. Harvest.
The New Forest Act puts Nature-Directed Stewardship into practice through a spatial framework that determines where protection, restoration, or harvesting is appropriate.
PROTECT
Protect primary forests and critical watershed areas.
RESTORE
Restore degraded forests, watersheds, and ecological function.
HARVEST
Harvest previously disturbed forests using selection and partial-cutting systems where ecological limits allow.
Structural change
Nothing changes until the legislation changes.
For decades, changes to forestry policy, regulations, practices, and planning have been made within the existing legislative system.
The New Forest Act takes a different approach: replace the legislative framework itself.
SEE WHAT THE PROPOSAL CHANGESMore than a call for reform
A developed legislative framework
The New Forest Act sets out how a different forestry system could work.
LegislationReplace the existing forestry legislative framework.
LandProtect, restore, or harvest according to ecological condition.
GovernanceGive communities decision-making power through Community Forest Boards.
ForestryUse Nature-Directed Stewardship and selection-based harvesting.
EconomyCreate regional log markets and support local and value-added businesses.
TransitionPhase out existing licences as they reach renewal over a 1–5 year period.
Public interest
Forests are infrastructure.
Forests do much more than produce timber. The New Forest Act proposes managing these functions as fundamental public infrastructure rather than secondary considerations.
Clean waterStable slopesFlood protectionBiodiversityCarbon storageCommunity protectionLong-term timber supply
WHY CHANGE IS NEEDED
Read the framework
The proposal
Executive Summary
Start here.
A short introduction to the framework, PRH model, governance, transition, and economic approach.
READ / DOWNLOADNew Forest Act Proposal
The complete framework.
The detailed proposal for changing BC’s forestry legislation, governance, forest management, and economic structure.
READ / DOWNLOADBackgrounder
The evidence behind the proposal.
Research and analysis supporting the case for structural forestry reform.
READ / DOWNLOAD
Citizen-developed. Citizen-advanced.
This proposal needs the public.
The New Forest Act did not come from government. It is a citizen-developed framework being put forward for government consideration.
Government will not enact it simply because the proposal exists. People who want the framework considered must bring it to their MLAs, local governments, organizations, communities, and other decision-makers.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Coming October 2026
Learn how to present the New Forest Act.
A practical training webinar will explain the framework, the key points to communicate, how to approach decision-makers, and how to use the public resources provided on this site.
After the webinar, the recording will be available here as a permanent public training resource.
Watch
Understand the New Forest Act.
About
Developed in BC. Built for structural change.
The New Forest Act was developed through years of research, forestry expertise, public education, and engagement with people and communities across British Columbia.
The framework has been presented publicly across BC and discussed with elected representatives and government officials. It remains a citizen-developed proposal: its future depends on people continuing to put it in front of those with the power to change the law.
ABOUT THE NEW FOREST ACT