In June 2011, the Stellat’en First Nation of Fraser Lake (the Stellat’en) asked the Forest Practices Board to investigate government approval of plans by Fraser Lake Sawmills (the licensee) to re-align and widen several haul roads through traditional Stellat’en territory.
The Stellat’en asserted that a major haul road would seriously disrupt traditional uses of their territory and that consultation and accommodation of Stellat’en interests by both the licensee and the government were inadequate.
While on the surface this complaint is about the adequacy of consultation, the Board found that much of the concern was about accommodation, particularly compensation.
This audit examined the activities of the BC Timber Sales Program (BCTS) in the Mackenzie District. Numerous natural resources support a wide range of interests in the district—including recreation, trapping, guide-outfitting, tourism, wildlife and fish—creating challenges for BCTS and timber sale licensees that carry out forestry activities in the area.
Another challenge faced by licensees there is how to achieve free-growing silviculture milestones in areas prone to rust infection (a fungus that infects hard pines). Rusts can reduce tree growth and cause early mortality in pine stands, impeding the ability to achieve freegrowing status. However, on all cutblocks where the risk of rust infection was moderate or high, BCTS achieved free-growing, and it continues to work in collaboration with licensees and
the ministry to further enhance knowledge and management of pine rusts.
As part of the Forest Practices Board's 2011 compliance audit program, the Board randomly selected the Quesnel District as the location for a full scope compliance audit. Within the district, the Board selected occupant licences to cut (OLTC) L43043 and L48493, held by Troll Resort Ltd. (Troll).
The OLTCs were awarded under the Forest Act, but because they are contained within the Troll Mountain Controlled Recreation Area (CRA), designated under the Resort Timber Administration Act and the CRA Regulation, they are administered by the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, Resort Development Branch. While forest practices are not administered under the traditional legislative framework, the licencee still must meet the requirements of the Forest and Range Practices Act, Wildfire Act and related regulations for OLTCs.
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.
The Board conducted a full-scope compliance audit, in which all harvesting, roads, silviculture, protection activities and associated planning done between September 1, 2008, and September 30, 2010, as included in the audit. These activities were assessed for compliance with the Forest and Range Practices Act, the Wildfire Act and related regulations.
The Board's audit fieldwork too place from September 27 to 30, 2010.
In July 2010, the Board conducted a full-scope compliance audit of Pacific Inland Resources (PIR).The Board notes PIR’s commitment to work with the community to ensure operations are consistent with land management plans in the area.
