resources

Resources

 

The Skeena-Nass is a region blessed with abundance: rivers, lakes, forests, mountains, and ocean fjords. From this abundance comes a flow of natural resources that is unparalleled.

  • water - the lifeblood of a wild diversity of plants and animals, the source of commercial and recreational fisheries and tourism, and a source of large and small-scale power

  • forests – home and shelter for innumerable species, the source of timber for shelter and wood products and of non-timber products, and a place for recreation and reflection

  • minerals – “there’s minerals in them thar hills!” Gold, copper, molybdenum, silver, to name a few. Plus, there’s oil and gas potential.

  • wildlife – fish, plants, mammals and insects that provide the structure to our region, sustenance to our people, and potential income to our communities.

  • Wow! – the views, the air, the waterfalls, the rivers, the forests, the mountaintops: these are the region’s most “intangible” resources, and they form the basis for a tourism and recreation economy.

Timber

The forest economy in the Skeena-Nass region has historically been based on the production of timber for one primary commodity: pulp. The pulp commodity at times was offset by another commodity: dimension lumber. But, the forest stands that are utilised in the regional forest economy for these basic commodities include trees of varying species and attributes: alder, cedar, cottonwood, fir, hemlock, and spruce; tonewood, large sound saw timber, small sound saw timber, “rough” saw timber, and fibre wood. SNCIRE believes basing our economy entirely on commodities is incorrect – instead, a sustainable economy needs to be based on the parts of the forest that make our region stand out. The less tangible parts of our forests need to be considered in the economy as well, e.g. carbon sequestration.

Water

Transportation corridors, food sources, energy, culture. There’s no shortage of water in the Skeena-Nass, and the rivers, lakes, and ocean have been the lifeblood of the region for millennia. Today, water drives the economic engines of fisheries, power production, and recreation, and is critical to the lifestyle and culture of our region. At SNCIRE, we believe the full potential for the “water economy” has not yet been “tapped”.

Rocks

Rocks and minerals have long been a part of the economy of the Skeena-Nass region. Mt Edziza obsidian was highly sought after by aboriginals throughout North America, and early European settled the region in search of gold, silver and other metals. Many small mines and several large complexes have been established, and there continues to be exploration and review of existing and potential sources. Put a lot of rocks together and you get mountains … and scenery, and recreation opportunities!

 

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