PLANNING FOR SUSTAINABLE FORESTS IN BRITISH-COLUMBIA THROUGH LAND-USEZONING

Economic theory suggests that managing every hectare of forestland for multiple products, which is occurring in British Columbia, is ineffic ient. Using a case study for the Revelstoke area of the province, we d emonstrate that spatially separating commercial timber activities from non-timber ones can lead to higher timber rents, while affording bett er environmental protection, including protection of critical wildlife habitat. Zoning provides an incentive to invest resources in intensiv e management in areas dedicated to commercial timber production, while enhancing the flow of other resource values from the unit as a whole. With zoning it is possible to avoid areas where visual and environmen tal amenity values are particularly sensitive, which is not possible w ith current, multiple-use management regimes. By focusing timber produ ction, it is possible to reduce the forestland base, required to maint ain current levels of harvest, by over 50 percent.