About Wetzin’kwa
Wetzin'kwa Core Values
Cultural Values
Wetzin'Kwa Community Forest Corporation (WCFC) is in the traditional territory of the Wet’suwet’en.
WCFC's objective is to protect and conserve cultural heritage sites, features, and values and to maintain and enhance a good working relationship with Wet'suwet'en peoples.
Harvesting and road development plans are referred to the Office of the Wet'suwet'en to ensure known cultural heritage sites and resource values are identified and protected.
WCFC’s Cultural Values icon was designed by James Madam, in collaboration with Laura Stanton:
“I started with the half circle, the tree, the mountain, and a big part of our culture, the Bald Eagle, which we admire and are in awe of its majestic strength and beauty. The human face is a horizontal profile, a tear drop falls and turns into a creek, then into a river. The cabin is my grandfathers, where my parents stayed and trapped in the harsh winter by Macdonld Lake.” -James Madam
Economic Values
Wetzin'kwa Community Forest Corporation seeks to manage the economic values of the community forest to expand local small business opportunities and employment. Timber resources are managed to sustain a financially viable forest resources business for the long term benefit of residents in the Bulkley Valley. Wetzin'kwa promotes opportunities to harvest botanical products; a goal is to encourage research and development of commercial ideas without any disincentives.
A community forest adds value to living trees adjacent to communities by ensuring jobs and profits stay within the community. For example: sorting on the stump and at roadside landing, supporting local log markets, supporting local mills, and supporting value added manufacturers.
Ecological Values
Wetzin'kwa Community Forest covers over 30,000 hectares and includes four biogeoclimatic zones; Sub-Boreal Spruce, Interior Cedar-Hemlock, Engelmann Spruce-Subalpine Fir, and Alpine Tundra (Boreal Altai Fescue). These zones span from the rich conifer and mixed forests of the valley bottoms to the tundra and glaciers of the mountains.
The rich ecology of the community forest provides habitat for a large variety of wildlife, from small to large. It is not uncommon on a summer drive through the area to see lynx, deer, moose, grizzly and black bears. For those who are a little more adventurous and get into the back country, it is possible to see mountain goat, wolves, wolverines and a host of small forest dwellers.
The aquatic features of the community include extensive wetland and lakes, extensive stream and river systems. The community forest is the headwaters of the Zymoetz River (Copper River). This river system is renowned for its steelhead, salmon and trout.
Recreational Values
Wetzin'kwa Community Forest Corporation recognises the numerous recreation values that exist within the community forest tenure. Recreational use includes hiking, mountain biking, ice climbing, cross-country skiing, wildlife viewing, trail riding, snowmobiling, and downhill skiing.
Wetzin’kwa partners with the Bulkley Valley Cross Country Ski Club to develop and maintain the ski trail network at the Bulkley Valley Nordic Centre. This includes consultation when planning harvesting, removal of dead standing timber to improve trail safety, supporting community events such as the Wetzin’kwa Loppet and profit sharing from timber harvested within the Nordic Centre area.
Recreation Sites and Trails BC maintains two recreation sites within the community forest: Dennis Lake and Glacier Gulch. These campgrounds provide local residents with family friendly, scenic camping close to home.
Community Values
Each year the Wetzin’kwa Community Forest Corporation distributes funds back to the community via Stakeholder donations and the Community Grant Program.
