In October 2010, the Board conducted a full-scope compliance audit of forest planning and practices of Forest Licence (FL) A15385, held by Conifex Mackenzie Forest Products Inc. (Conifex). FL A15385 is located in the Mackenzie Forest District, on the west side of the northern half of the Williston reservoir, and the east side of the southern half of the reservoir. In August 2010, Conifex took over FL A15385 from Abitibi-Bowater (Abitibi), who was in bankruptcy protection and had not actively harvested in the licence area for approximately three years. The audit found Conifex in compliance with the legislated requirements of the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act.
Audit of Forest Soil Conservation: Mackenzie Forest District
The Forest Practices Board conducted a pilot audit of forest soil conservation in the Mackenzie forest district. The audit was one of two pilot audits designed to explore the Board’s approach to auditing the effectiveness of forest practices in anticipation of the Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA).
Audit of Forest Soil Conservation: Mackenzie Forest District
Special Report on the Kemess South Mine Power Line Right-Of-Way
In June 2000, the Board published a special investigation report titled “Significant Breaches of the Forest Practices Code along the Power Line Corridor for the Kemess South Mine.” The report was based on an investigation of breaches of the Forest Practices Code along the right-of-way for a 340-kilometre power line built to service the Kemess South copper mine in northeastern BC. That report made a number of recommendations to address environmental problems and government enforcement of the Forest Practices Code of British Columbia Act (the Code).
The 2000 special investigation report was the first and, to date, the only case where the Board has found significant breaches of the Code. A significant breach is defined in the legislation as a breach of Code requirements “that has caused or is beginning to cause significant harm to persons or the environment.” The Board concluded that the failures to comply with Code requirements were causing significant harm to the environment and that government’s response to the reporting of significant breaches was inadequate and uncoordinated. In total, six separate breaches of the Code were identified.
Special Report on the Kemess South Mine Power Line Right-Of-Way
Mountain Pine Beetle Salvage and Road Access Through a Proposed Protected Area
On August 11, 1999, the Omineca Community Forest Association complained to the Forest Practices Board with concerns about plans to log timber near Germansen Landing in the Mackenzie Forest District.
There are two parts to this complaint. The first part concerns an amendment to Slocan Forest Products’ 1998-2002 forest development plan (FDP) for forest licence A15384. The amendment proposed three cutblocks in the Discovery Creek area to harvest timber damaged by mountain pine beetle infestation. The amendment was approved in August 1998. The complainant asserts that each of the three cutblocks is larger than the maximum allowed by the Code and is too large relative to the size of the pine beetle infestation.
The second part of the complaint concerns Slocan Forest Products’ 1999-2003 FDP, which included 19 cutblocks in the Twenty Mile Creek area. The complainant asserts that the cutblocks were approved without specifying which existing road, or newly proposed road, would access the area.
Mountain Pine Beetle Salvage and Road Access Through a Proposed Protected Area
Effect of Powerline Clearing on Trappers near Upper Lay Creek
On May 11, 1999, the Board received a complaint from the BC Trappers Association on behalf of trappers on three registered traplines. During 1997 and 1998, Royal Oak Mines Inc. (the licensee) constructed a powerline for the Kemess South Mine that intersected the complainants’ trapping areas. The complainants claim that traps, trails, a trapping cabin, furbearer habitat, and their businesses were harmed by construction of the powerline. The complainants requested that the Board assist them in getting compensation for their losses. However, the Board has no authority to require either the licensee or government to pay compensation.
Effect of Powerline Clearing on Trappers near Upper Lay Creek
Significant Breaches of the Forest Practices Code along the Power Line Corridor for the Kemess South Mine in the Mackenzie Forest District
On July 27, 1998, a member of the public complained to the Forest Practices Board that his water supply had been affected by clearing work on a right-of-way for a power transmission line to the Kemess South Mine in northeastern BC. During the investigation of the complaint, Board staff observed that there were many instances of apparent failures by Royal Oak Mines (the licensee) to comply with provisions of the Forest Practices Code of British Columbia Act and regulations (the Code). Board staff undertook an inspection of the entire power line corridor and staff concluded that there were many failures to comply with Code requirements and that these were causing significant harm to the environment. The failures were a significant breach of the Code.
On June 28, l999, Board staff provided written notice, with details of the significant breaches, to the Forest Practices Board, the three ministers responsible for enforcing the Forest Practices Code (Forests; Environment, Lands and Parks; and Energy and Mines), senior staff of the three ministries and the licensee (Royal Oak Mines Inc.). This notification followed the procedure described in Section 4 of the Forest Practices Board Regulation. The Board assumes that the purpose of the requirement to promptly notify the ministers and licensee about significant breaches is to allow them to promptly address situations where there is significant environmental harm.
