Areas requiring improvement are identified practices that are in non-compliance with legislation but are not considered significant. In certain cases, the Board may wish to highlight the practice as requiring improvement, but is not likely to make a recommendation.

These items could include:

• a non-compliant forest or range activity, or activities, that does not meet the test of significance, but is considered a poor practice, and should not be repeated by the auditee.
• For example, where the auditee has constructed 30 kilometres of new road during the audit period, of which 28 kilometres are constructed well, but on a 2-kilometre section, there are 4 crossings that did not maintain the natural surface drainage patterns and were not removed at the end of construction or prior to spring freshet – contrary to legislation. While minimal harm may have occurred, this practice should not be repeated; therefore, this could be considered an area requiring improvement.
• For example, where the auditee does not conduct formal fire hazard assessments but does abate the fire hazard. Even though the fire hazard is being abated, without a formal fire hazard assessment, the auditee cannot demonstrate that it has been diligent in assessing the hazard, which is a non-compliance with legislation. This non-compliance is considered not significant since fire hazards are being abated in an effective and timely manner. As a result, this could be considered an area requiring improvement.

Forest Practices Board audits determine compliance with the provincial forestry legislation based on audit criteria derived from the Forest and Range Practices Act and related regulations. Audits by the Forest Practices Board are conducted in accordance with the auditing standards developed by the Board, which are consistent with generally accepted auditing standards.

Under the Forest and Range Practices Act, administrative penalties and certain plan approvals/rejections can be appealed to the Forest Appeals Commission. Commission decisions can, in certain circumstances, be appealed to British Columbia Supreme Court.

The unit by which forage or grazing capacity is measured. The amount of dry forage required by one animal unit for one month is 450 kilograms of forage per month per cow aged 6 months or older.

The allowable rate of timber harvest from a specified area of land. The Chief Forester sets AACs for timber supply areas (TSAs) and tree farm licences (TFLs) in accordance with Section 8 of the Forest Act.

Plant species that have established outside their natural distribution.

The holder of an agreement under British Columbia’s Forest Act or Range Act.

A person, company or party that the Forest Practices Board believes could be significantly and directly adversely affected by an analyst’s review, or by a proposed Board report. A significant effect could, for example, be economic or related to employment or reputation.

An opinion arrived at when non-compliance is significant, sufficiently pervasive or is of such magnitude as to warrant an overall negative conclusion.

A BC government review of certain types of legal determinations. It can lead to confirmation, cancellation or variation of the determination, or to a new determination.