Last Thursday’s rally at the ‘curtailed’ Somass Mill was a mix of skepticism and hope for the future of the forest industry in the Alberni Valley. Skepticism because a major forestry company has indefinitely ‘curtailed’ production at one of the oldest mills in Port Alberni, without definitely closing it down. Hope because someone has come forward offering to buy and re-open the mill, investing money in its aging infrastructure. … It would also be a reversal of a trend the forest industry has experienced for nearly three decades now in the Alberni Valley. …It is issues like these that underline how important a national forest strategy is, especially for British Columbian communities such as the Alberni Valley. Alberni’s MP and MLA both say they are working toward such a strategy—it will be interesting to see whether their efforts come to fruition.