under the Forest Practices Code, the Forest Practices Board reported today.
The board’s special investigation examined landslides in harvest blocks and near forestry roads built since the 1995 Forest Practices Code came into effect. The report examined the rate of forestry-related landslides and their potential environmental damage; whether landslide risk assessments conducted by professionals were adequate; and the implications of these findings for the new Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA).
“The board found significant improvement in the reduction of landslides from forest practices after the code took effect,” said board member Fred Lowenberger. “The total number of landslides declined, and those that did occur were less likely to damage streams. However, we also identified numerous landslides caused by pre-code roads, even when these roads hadbeen deactivated.”
The report concluded that forest companies completed landslide risk assessments where required. However, nearly half of the assessments were not used to guide logging plans or road design. The quality of the assessments improved over time, as forest companies and their professional consultants gained experience with the new code requirements.
“While there is still room for improvement, the overall code system for reducing landslides due to logging operations worked well,” said Lowenberger. “With FRPA, code requirements for landslide hazard mapping and assessments have been removed, and replaced with a general objective to avoid negative effects from landslides on forest values.
“The onus is now on forest companies to maintain their high performance levels, and on government to provide more detail on what level of damage from landslides is acceptable."
The Forest Practices Board is an independent public watchdog that reports to the public about compliance with FRPA and the achievement of its intent. The board’s main roles under FRPA are:
-30-
Erik Kaye
Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250-356-1586 or 1-800-994-5899
VICTORIA – Northern Nlaka’pamux Forestry Resources Ltd (NNFR), based in Lytton, complied with the Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA) and worked efficiently to salvage fire-damaged timber, the Forest Practices Board reported today.
The audit report covered NNFR’s forestry operations from May 1, 2004 to May 11, 2005. The Ministry of Forests and Range awarded NNFR a one-time, three-year licence to harvest timber damaged during the 2003 Venables fire, southwest of Ashcroft.
“The board found that NNFR met all legal requirements and did a good job in rapidly harvesting fire-damaged timber before it began to deteriorate,” said board chair Bruce Fraser. “NNFR also followed the direction set by the Kamloops Land and Resource Management Plan, in areas such as retaining undamaged trees in old-growth management areas and respecting the needs of recreational users.”
The Forest Practices Board is an independent public watchdog that reports to the public about compliance with the FRPA and the achievement of its intent. The board’s main roles under FRPA are:
This news release and more information about the board are available on the Forest Practices Board Web site atwww.fpb.gov.bc.ca or by contacting:
-30-
Erik Kaye
Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250-356-1586 or 1-800-994-5899
VICTORIA – An all-terrain vehicle (ATV) trail and cabin on Sinclair Mountain, near Smithers, contravene forest practices legislation, the Forest Practices Board reported today. The board also found the Ministry of Forests and Range did not enforce the legislation appropriately.
These conclusions arose from a board investigation of a September 2004 complaint by a Smithers resident, concerning unauthorized construction of a cabin and ATV trail on the mountain. The trail was built in 1999 and the cabin in 2000. The specific concern was ATV use of the trail in summertime, which conflicts with a local Recreational Access Management Plan (RAMP).
While the RAMP is not legally binding, the cabin and trail were built on Crown land without authorization, which contravenes the former Forest Practices Code, and the ongoing use of the cabin contravenes the Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA) .
“To have unauthorized trails and buildings on Crown land is contrary to the public interest,” said board chair Bruce Fraser. “The use of the trail in summer is threatening sensitive alpine vegetation, and creates unauthorized access for ATVs to the mountain range, so a prompt government response is required.”
The Ministry of Forests and Range investigated the issue, but was unable to identify the persons responsible for building the cabin and trail. However, the ministry could have restricted access to the trail and cabin, but did not. This allowed the parties responsible for the illegal construction to benefit from their actions.
“The board recommends that government agencies take action to restrict summer ATV access to the trail by August 15, and make a final decision on the future of the cabin by October 1,” said Fraser. “Finally, the board believes that the local forest district should develop a plan by October 1 to minimize any further damage caused by the use of the trail.”
The Forest Practices Board is an independent public watchdog that reports to the public about compliance with FRPA and the achievement of its intent. The board’s main roles under FRPA are:
This news release and more information about the board are available on the Forest Practices Board Web site atwww.fpb.gov.bc.ca or by contacting:
-30-
Erik Kaye
Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250-356-1586 or 1-800-994-5899
VICTORIA – The Forest Practices Board will audit the forest planning and practices of the British Columbia Timber Sales (BCTS) program in the Nadina Forest District.
The audit will examine BCTS’s operations in the Lakes timber supply area (TSA), located in North Central BC, which covers 1.12 million hectares. The TSA includes the communities of Burns Lake and Grassy Plains.
The audit will examine forest practices carried out between July 1, 2004, through July 29, 2005, to assess compliance with the Forest and Range Practices Act. All timber harvesting in this area is focused on beetle-infested trees.
The Forest Practices Board carries out periodic independent audits to see if government and forest companies are complying with the province’s forest practices legislation. This BCTS program was chosen randomly from all the BCTS programs in the province, and not on the basis of location or level of performance.
The audit team will be in the area for one to two weeks, beginning July 25, 2005. Once the fieldwork is done, the audit report is prepared, and any party that may be adversely affected by the audit findings will have a chance to respond. The board’s final report and recommendations will then be released to the public and government.
The Forest Practices Board is an independent public watchdog that reports to the public about compliance with the Forest and Range Practices Act and the achievement of its intent. The board’s main roles are:
-30-
Erik Kaye
Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250 356-1586 / 1 800 994-5899
VICTORIA –The BCIT Forest Society incorrectly classified fish streams in a Maple Ridge woodlot, which contravened the Forest Practices Code, the Forest Practices Board reported today. The board notes that, upon realizing its mistake, the society came forward to report the violation, and took appropriate corrective action to mitigate any potential damage to fish habitat.
The board also found the Ministry of Forests did not enforce government legislation appropriately in this case.
The board investigated a July 2004 complaint by the Blue Mountain-Kanaka Creek Conservation Group, who believed that the BCIT Forest Society (the licensee) was harming domestic water supplies and scenic views in the area. The board investigated the complaint, and government enforcement of road building on the woodlot.
“The key finding is that the licensee incorrectly classified several fish streams prior to building a road near the streams. This put water values and fish habitat at risk, although no actual damage could be confirmed.” said board chair Bruce Fraser. “To its credit, the licensee took prompt remedial action when it realized its mistake. Apart from the road-building problem, the licensee’s forest practices adequately protected water resources and scenic views.”
The board also found that the Ministry of Forests did not appropriately enforce road-building practices on the woodlot. “After the licensee reported the problem, ministry investigators considered the wrong regulations, and incorrectly concluded that the licensee had complied with the code,” said Fraser. “The ministry has assured the board that it has since corrected the enforcement problems.”
The Forest Practices Board is an independent public watchdog that reports to the public about compliance with the Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA) and the achievement of its intent. The board’s main roles under FRPA are:
-30-
Erik Kaye
Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250-356-1586 or 1-800-994-5899
VICTORIA – Timber harvesting in the Winlaw Creek watershed was appropriate and there is no evidence that it damaged the watershed, the Forest Practices Board reported today.
An August 2004 complaint by the Winlaw Watershed Committee alleged the BC Timber Sales program (BCTS) broke a commitment to consult with the complainant before logging in the watershed. The board also investigated whether BCTS’s logging plans included adequate precautionary measures, and whether the logging had a negative effect on water sources.
“The board found BCTS in full compliance with legal requirements and water resources were not damaged by forest practices,” said board chair Bruce Fraser. “There was no evidence of a past or present commitment to consult the complainant before beginning logging activities on the cutblock.”
The investigation determined that BCTS used a 1999 watershed assessment to guide its replanting and regeneration strategy, in order to limit the impact of logging activities. Following a site visit, board staff found no evidence of any sediment or oil-based material in the stream, and no indication of negative impacts from burning waste lumber near the watershed.
“The complainant has legitimate concerns with preserving water quality in its local watershed. To address these concerns, a high level of two-way communication between licensees operating near watersheds and local user groups is required,” said Fraser. “In this case, while there had been good initial communication between BCTS and the complainant on the general management plan for the watershed, the process broke down due to shifting priorities and program changes.
“The board hopes that BCTS and the watershed committee can re-establish an effective public consultation process, and urges all parties to communicate proactively when activities are planned for their watersheds”.
BCTS is an independent organization within the B.C. Ministry of Forests, created to develop Crown timber for auction, establish market price, and capture the value of the asset for the public. BCTS replaced the former Small Business Forest Enterprise Program as of April 1, 2003.
The Forest Practices Board is an independent public watchdog that reports to the public about compliance with the Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA) and the achievement of its intent. The board’s main roles under FRPA are:
-30-
Erik Kaye
Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250-356-1586 or 1-800-994-5899
VICTORIA – An audit in the Campbell River Forest District has found good performance by forest companies in limiting the visual impact of logging activities, the Forest Practices Board reported today.
The audit examined logging activities in a sample of scenic areas in the northeast portion of the district, covering the period from January 2002 to August 2004. The audit area includes major tourism viewscapes such as the cruise ship route through Johnstone Straight, part of the Inside Passage, and the highway corridor linking Campbell River and Port Hardy.
This was a pilot to test a new approach to auditing. It was designed to measure whether forest companies are meeting government objectives to limit the visual impact of logging on scenic landscapes. It also assessed whether forest practices are effective in maintaining the visual appearance of viewscapes in key recreation and tourism corridors.
“We found that forest companies have been diligent in reducing the visual impacts of logging activities to important scenic areas.” said board chair Bruce Fraser. “Government ministries and forest companies provided full co-operation in this pilot visuals audit, and the results will help us refine our approach for future board audits of visual resources.”
The board is recommending that the Ministry of Forests complete its visual planning framework for roadside landscapes, and that the Campbell River Forest District complete and implement a comprehensive visual resource management strategy along the Highway 19 corridor in the district.
The forest companies audited were: International Forest Products Ltd. (Interfor), TFL Forest Ltd. (Timberwest), Weyerhaeuser Ltd. and Canadian Forest Products Ltd. (Canfor). The BC Timber Sales program was also audited.
The Forest Practices Board is an independent public watchdog that reports to the public about compliance with the Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA) and the achievement of its intent. The board’s main roles under FRPA are:
-30-
Erik Kaye
Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250-356-1586 or 1-800-994-5899
VICTORIA –Ministry approval of logging in Elk Creek, east of Chilliwack, was reasonable under the circumstances and the forest company exceeded the requirements of forest practices legislation for protecting rare species, the Forest Practices Board reported today.
The board investigated a November 2003 complaint by the Chilliwack Field Naturalists about proposed logging by Cattermole Timber Company (the licensee) on Elk-Thurston Mountain.
The complainant alleged that the Ministry of Forests did not adequately consider the impact of the logging proposal on rare species and old-growth ecosystems. The complainant also claimed that required information on the location of helicopter drop areas was missing from the proposal.
“Logging activities can impact species at risk,” said board vice-chair Geoff Battersby. “In this case, the investigation determined that both the ministry and the licensee went beyond legal requirements, and adopted voluntary measures to limit the impact of logging on rare species in the area.”
All parties recognize there are rare species in the logging area, such as Pacific giant salamander and mountain beaver, which are sensitive to forest practices. However, the provincial government did not designate any wildlife habitat areas to protect these species, so the licensee was not legally required to modify its logging plans to accommodate them.
“In the absence of wildlife habitat areas designated by government in the relevant cutblocks, and given the voluntary measures taken, we found that the approval of the logging proposal was a reasonable decision,” said Battersby.
The investigation also concluded that the helicopter drop areas were on private land and not located on water, so the licensee was not required to identify them in its logging plan.
The Forest Practices Board is an independent public watchdog that reports to the public about compliance with the Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA) and the achievement of its intent. The board’s main roles under FRPA are:
-30-
Erik Kaye
Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250-356-1586 or 1-800-994-5899
VICTORIA – A new special investigation gives good marks to the Ministry of Forests in maintaining bridges on forest service roads, the Forest Practices Board reported today.
The investigation examined 268 bridges in six forest districts across the province. Board investigators assessed each bridge against legal requirements for inspections and maintenance during the period from 1995 to 2004.
“The board is pleased to see good performance by the ministry in this important aspect of forest management,” said board chair Bruce Fraser. “We found high levels of compliance with bridge maintenance standards, even during periods of organizational change within the ministry.”
The investigation found the Ministry of Forests conducted inspections on time in more than 75 per cent of cases surveyed. The other cases were considered low safety risks as many of those bridges were in isolated locations and not accessible to the public. In over 96 per cent of cases surveyed, structural deficiencies such as bridge rot were addressed appropriately to minimize risk to the public and industrial users.
The investigation identified 10 bridges with structural deficiencies that presented actual or potential safety risks. Since the investigation was concluded, the ministry has addressed five of those cases and five others remain outstanding.
“Under new forestry legislation, there are fewer procedural requirements for bridge maintenance,” said Fraser. “The board wants to see this good performance continue in the future and has made recommendations to this effect.”
The report recommends that the Ministry of Forests address the remaining five bridges with structural deficiencies, by July 31, 2005. Further, the board has asked the ministry to indicate how it will ensure it can deliver the results required for bridge maintenance under the Forest and Range Practices Act, by Dec. 31, 2005.
The Forest Practices Board is an independent public watchdog that reports to the public about compliance with the Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA) and the achievement of its intent. The board’s main roles under FRPA are:
-30-
Erik Kaye
Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250-356-1586 or 1-800-994-5899
VICTORIA – The Forest Practices Board will audit the forest planning and practices of Northern Nlaka’pamux Forestry Resources Ltd. in non-replaceable forest licence A73168 . The licence is located near Lytton, around Cornwall Mountain and southwest of Cache Creek.
The board will audit operational planning; harvesting; road construction, maintenance and deactivation; silviculture and fire protection to assess compliance with forest practices legislation.
“The board anticipates that there will be a growing number of First Nations licensees in the province,” said board chair Bruce Fraser. “We are committed to working collaboratively with these new licensees as they develop their forest practices, which may be audited by the board.”
Under the Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA) , the Forest Practices Board is required to carry out periodic independent audits to see if government and forest companies are complying with forest practices legislation. Northern Nlaka’pamux Forestry Resources was selected randomly.
The three-member audit team will be in the licence area for approximately one week, to do office and field examinations of the licensee’s forestry activities.
Once the field work is done, the audit team will report its findings to the members of the Forest Practices Board. Any party that may be adversely affected by the audit findings will be given a chance to respond before the board prepares its final report and recommendations for release to the public and government.
The Forest Practices Board is an independent public watchdog that reports to the public about compliance with the FRPA and the achievement of its intent. The board’s main roles under FRPA are:
-30-
Erik Kaye
Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250-356-1586 or 1-800-994-5899
