How two Merritt-based companies are revolutionizing sustainable forest management

MERRITT – In a unique collaboration, Stuwix Resources Joint Venture (SRJV), a First Nations-owned fibre management company, and Valley Carriers, a multi-generational transportation company, are working to improve sustainable forest practices. With support from the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC), they’re undertaking a BioHub Pilot Project to get more out of every tree cut.

The project involves a shift from traditional cut-to-length forestry to full-length tree harvesting, embracing a zero-waste approach. Instead of piling wood waste into a slash pile, forest residuals will be ground up and transported to a green energy facility in Merritt.

Forest Minister Bruce Ralston is a big supporter of the project. “Projects like this are a significant step towards a stronger and more sustainable B.C. forestry sector, transforming harvest residue that was once considered waste into value.” Ralston says the strategy also mitigates wildfire risks by removing fuel from the forest floor.

The centralized BioHub aims to meet the growing demand for wood residuals and biomass, creating value-added products from what was once considered wood waste. Beyond environmental benefits, the project creates jobs in Merritt, addressing unemployment and contributing to the local economy.

SRJV manages the Forest Tenure Opportunity Agreement and forest licenses for eight First Nations communities in the Nicola Valley. It integrates First Nations cultural, environmental, and social values into its forest management practices. Valley Carriers, part of the Klassen Business Group, brings a 60-year legacy of working with forest residuals to the partnership.

“The business of recovering under-utilized residuals has allowed our company to maintain steady employment for 25-30 people in Merritt for the last six years, and we are looking to grow with further resource utilization,” said Klassen.