VICTORIA – An audit of the Okanagan Shuswap District portion of the BC Timber Sales (BCTS) Okanagan–Columbia Business Area has found compliance with most requirements of the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act, according to a report released today.

“BCTS and timber sale licence holders complied with most requirements of the legislation,” said Tim Ryan, board chair. “Auditors did find that BCTS had errors in its reporting of silviculture activities in the government database. These were mainly data entry errors and late submissions. While the errors are administrative in nature, they were numerous and so the auditors considered this non-compliance significant.”

“The audit also found that timber sale licence holders did not conduct required fire hazard assessments after logging,” said Ryan. “However, they removed all slash that could pose a fire hazard as a standard operating practice and so this issue is considered an area of improvement for the future.”

“Since the audit work was done, BCTS has advised us that it has taken steps to correct these deficiencies.” Ryan added. “BCTS is demonstrating continuous improvement, which is one of the benefits of board audits.”

The audit area stretches from the United States border in the south, to the Seymour River/Shuswap Lake in the north, and includes the cities of Salmon Arm, Vernon, Kelowna and Penticton. During the audit period of June 2015 to June 2016, BCTS harvested approximately 625,000 cubic metres of timber from 117 cutblocks.

The Forest Practices Board is B.C.’s independent watchdog for sound forest and range practices, reporting its findings and recommendations directly to the public and government. The board audits forest and range practices on public lands and appropriateness of government enforcement. It can also make recommendations for improvement to practices and legislation.

Contact:

Darlene Oman, Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250 213-4705 / 1 800 994-5899

VICTORIA – Audits of the Tumbler Ridge and Little Prairie community forests, in the Peace Resource District, found compliance with B.C.’s forestry legislation, according to the audit reports released today.

“We are pleased to see that both of these community forests carried out good forest practices and fully met the requirements of the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act,” said Tim Ryan, board chair. “Both community forests carried out extensive timber harvesting to recover trees killed by the mountain pine beetle epidemic and both did a good job on behalf of their communities.”

Community Forest Agreement (CFA) K2O is held by the Tumbler Ridge Community Forest Corp. (TRCF). TRCF operates on 19,850 hectares over two operating areas around the community of Tumbler Ridge. Between September 2014 and September 2016, the period audited, TRCF harvested 160,000 cubic metres of timber.

CFA K2N is held by the Little Prairie Community Forest Inc. (LPCF). The LPCF is a co-operative venture between the District of Chetwynd, the Saulteau First Nations and West Moberly First Nations. LPCF had an agreement with Chetwynd Forest Industries, a division of West Fraser Mills Ltd., to carry out forestry activities on its behalf. The 12,579-hectare community forest is located north of Chetwynd and south of Moberly Lake. During the period audited, just under 500,000 cubic metres of timber was harvested under CFA K2N.

The Forest Practices Board is B.C.’s independent watchdog for sound forest and range practices, reporting its findings and recommendations directly to the public and government. The board audits forest and range practices on public lands and appropriateness of government enforcement. It can also make recommendations for improvement to practices and legislation.

More information can be obtained by contacting:

Kairry Nguyen
Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250 213-4707 / 1 800 994-5899

VICTORIA – Cabinet has made a number of appointments to the Forest Practices Board. Tim Ryan will be staying on as chair of the board for a second term. Ryan has issued the following statements upon the appointment of Ken Higginbotham to the board, and the re-appointment of current members Marlene Machmer and Norma Wilson:

“I am very pleased to have Ken Higginbotham join us at the board. Ken is best known in B.C. for his role as vice-president of forestry with Canfor Corporation. Before that he was an assistant deputy minister and a research branch director with the Alberta government’s forestry department and a forestry professor at the University of Alberta. Since 2015, Ken has chaired the BC Forest Safety Council and will continue in that role.”

“I am also very pleased that Marlene Machmer and Norma Wilson have been re-appointed to the board for another term. Both Marlene and Norma bring valuable insight to the board from their respective backgrounds in ecology and geology.”

“On behalf of everyone at the board and the public, I would like to thank Bill Dumont for giving six years to the board, and Angeline Nyce for her contributions over her two years with the board. Both of them brought their experience, common sense, and invaluable insight on First Nations interests in forests to the board’s work.”

The Forest Practices Board is B.C.’s independent watchdog for sound forest and range practices, reporting its findings and recommendations directly to the public and government. The board audits forest and range practices and appropriateness of government enforcement on public lands, investigates public complaints and current forestry issues, participates in administrative appeals and makes recommendations for improvement to practices and legislation.

More information can be obtained by contacting:

Darlene Oman
Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250 213-4705 / 1 800 994-5899

VICTORIA – An audit of BC Timber Sales (BCTS) and timber sale licence holders (TSL holders) in the Stuart Nechako business area in the Vanderhoof Natural Resource District found compliance with B.C.’s forestry legislation, according to a report released today.

“BCTS and TSL holders fully complied with requirements of the Forest and Range Practices Act and complied with almost all requirements of the Wildfire Act,” said Tim Ryan, board chair. “Auditors did find that the TSL holders did not conduct required fire hazard assessments after logging. However, they removed all slash that could pose a fire hazard as a standard operating practice and so the finding is not considered significant. This is an area of improvement for the future.”

“Lack of fire hazard assessments has been a recurring issue in our audits and we have published an information bulletin to help explain the requirements,” said Ryan. “That information is available on our website for all forest licensees.”

The board examined forestry activities carried out between June 2015 and June 2016. During this period, BCTS built 3.7 kilometres of road and had maintenance obligations for 326 kilometres of road, 15 bridges and 3 major culverts. TSL holders constructed 59 kilometres of road and 2 bridges, maintained 24 kilometres and deactivated 90 kilometres of road and 5 bridges, and harvested 3896 hectares of timber. Planting and stand tending activities were also examined.

BCTS is responsible for operational planning, silviculture, and most road and bridge construction, maintenance and deactivation outside cutblocks. TSL holders are responsible for harvesting, fire protection, and most road and bridge construction, maintenance and deactivation within cutblocks.

The Forest Practices Board is B.C.’s independent watchdog for sound forest and range practices, reporting its findings and recommendations directly to the public and government. The board audits forest and range practices on public lands and appropriateness of government enforcement. It can also make recommendations for improvement to practices and legislation.

More information can be obtained by contacting:

Darlene Oman
Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250 213-4705 / 1 800 994-5899

VICTORIA – This special report examines the actions implemented by government and others to improve rangeland in the East Kootenays and finds progress is being made.

While there is progress, the Forest Practices Board investigation identified a number of issues that threaten this progress and the sustainability of rangelands over the longer term. These threats include:

• forest ingrowth into previously restored rangelands;
• spread of invasive plants, which displaces plants suitable for grazing; and
• site disturbance from industrial activities and off-road recreational vehicles.

“This report highlights challenges that are complex and difficult — challenges that will require time, financial commitments and long-term co-operation by government, forestry and ranching industries, hunters and recreational users of these lands,” said board chair Tim Ryan. “In some cases, the solutions may require compromises in land use.”

“At the same time, we are pleased to see that government is demonstrating leadership in its management of East Kootenay rangelands,” Ryan said. “Government staff are actively working to address rangeland issues in collaboration with a dedicated group of stakeholders, and the board encourages continued support for their efforts.”

Actions implemented by government and stakeholders in recent years include reducing the number of cattle permitted to graze on public rangeland, reducing the elk population through hunting, and removing forest in-growth to restore the original grasslands in the Rocky Mountain Trench.

The Forest Practices Board is B.C.’s independent watchdog for sound forest and range practices, reporting its findings and recommendations directly to the public and government. The board can investigate and report on current forestry and range issues and make recommendations for improvement to practices and legislation.

More information can be obtained by contacting:

Darlene Oman
Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250 213-4705 / 1 800 994-5899

VICTORIA – An investigation of a public complaint about road maintenance on the Cooke Creek Forest Service Road near Enderby in the Okanagan Shuswap Resource District has found issues with road maintenance, culvert design and government’s response to public concerns.

“The board is concerned that the district and BC Timber Sales did not comply with legislation or their own risk management policies, procedures and systems,” said board chair Tim Ryan. “Improvements are also needed in training, management, record keeping and the way in which public concerns and complaints are recorded and acted upon.”

The complaint was filed with the board after two culverts at the mouth of Dale Lake failed and sections of the road were washed out in a debris flood in May 2014. The complainant said that he raised concerns with district staff about the condition of the culverts, but they were not heeded.

“The investigation found that the district cleaned out a culvert in response to one concern, but did not respond to the complainant’s concerns on two other occasions,” said Ryan. “This lack of response was not adequate.”

BCTS did not inspect or maintain the road between 2006 and 2014. Ministry policy required annual inspections during that period. In 2007, the district installed a culvert that was too small to withstand a 100-year flood, which is a requirement of the Forest and Range Practices Act.

“The board is recommending that BCTS and the district advise within 30 days of how it will avoid similar road design and maintenance issues in the future,” Ryan said.

The Forest Practices Board is B.C.’s independent watchdog for sound forest and range practices, reporting its findings and recommendations directly to the public and government. The board investigates public complaints about forest and range practices on public lands and appropriateness of government enforcement. It can also make recommendations for improvement to practices and legislation.

More information can be obtained by contacting:

Darlene Oman
Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250 213-4705 / 1 800 994-5899

VICTORIA – An audit of Canfor’s Tree Farm Licence (TFL) 14, south of Golden, found compliance with British Columbia’s forestry legislation, according to a report released today.

“Canfor complied with requirements of the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act,” said Tim Ryan, board chair. “Auditors did find that Canfor had not completed fire-hazard assessments for all cutblocks, but had treated all fire hazards by piling and burning slash. Canfor was in the midst of developing procedures for fire-hazard assessments when the audit took place, but they had not yet been fully implemented.”

The audit covered all forestry activities carried out in the TFL between July 2014 and July 2016. Canfor harvested 50 cutblocks, built 60 kilometres of road and four bridges, and had road maintenance obligations for 1,191 kilometres of road and 50 bridges. Canfor also planted 78 cutblocks with new trees.

The board examined these activities, as well as silviculture treatments to assist planted cutblocks to reach free-growing – such as manually removing competing brush and vegetation – and fire-protection activities.

The Forest Practices Board is B.C.’s independent watchdog for sound forest and range practices, reporting its findings and recommendations directly to the public and government. The board audits forest and range practices on public lands and appropriateness of government enforcement. It can also make recommendations for improvement to practices and legislation.

More information can be obtained by contacting:

Darlene Oman
Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250 213-4705 / 1 800 994-5899

VICTORIA – The Forest Practices Board will examine the forestry activities of Norbord on non‑replaceable forest licences A81492 and A84592 in the 100 Mile House Resource District, during the week of Oct. 17, 2016.

Auditors will examine operational planning, harvesting, roads, silviculture and wildfire protection practices for compliance with the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act.

The audit includes all forestry activities carried out from Oct. 1, 2014, to Oct. 21, 2016, by Norbord, in the 100 Mile House timber supply area (TSA). Norbord’s operations are located throughout the TSA, which includes the communities of 100 Mile House and Clinton. It is bounded on the west by the Fraser River and on the east by the Cariboo Mountains and Wells Gray Provincial Park.

This audit is part of the Board’s annual audit program and is not based on past performance of the auditee. Once the audit work is completed, a report will be 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 then will be released to the public and government.

The Forest Practices Board is B.C.’s independent watchdog for sound forest and range practices, reporting its findings and recommendations directly to the public and government.

The board audits forest and range practices on public land, as well as appropriateness of government enforcement.

More information can be obtained by contacting:

Kairry Nguyen
Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250 213-4707 / 1 800 994-5899

VICTORIA – The Forest Practices Board will examine the activities of Chu Cho Industries LP on non-replaceable forest licence A62375, during the week of Oct. 3, 2016. Chu Cho Industries operates under the Economic Development Corporation of the Tsay Keh Dene Nation.

The auditors will examine operational planning, harvesting, roads, bridges, silviculture, and wildfire protection practices for compliance with the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act. The forestry licence expired in August 2015 and harvesting operations have been completed. The audit includes all activities carried out between October 2014 and October 2016.

The forestry operations included in the audit are located in the Philip Lake area southwest of Mackenzie, the Mugaha Creek area immediately north of the Mackenzie town site and an area near the north end of Williston Lake, towards Fort Ware.

Once the audit work is completed, a report will be 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 then will be released to the public and government.

The Forest Practices Board is B.C.’s independent watchdog for sound forest and range practices, reporting its findings and recommendations directly to the public and government. The board audits forest and range practices on public land, as well as appropriateness of government enforcement.

More information can be obtained by contacting:

Darlene Oman
Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250 213-4705 / 1 800 994-5899