Establishment of the Creston Log Sort Yard: Case Study

Abstract

In British Columbia, forest-dependent communities have identified log sort yards as one means of diversifying and bolstering the viability of smaller wood-manufacturing businesses, and of bridging the gap between wood suppliers and wood users. In southeastern British Columbia, community stakeholders formed the Creston log sort yard in 1999, and operated the yard until it was privatized in 2002. This case study summarizes Creston's experience by discussing conditions that contributed to the formation, growth, and eventual privatization of the log sort yard. The author presents insights on the viability of such a venture for the benefit of other communities that may be interested in establishing a log sort yard as a strategy for improving the local forestry economy.