VICTORIA – An audit of the McBride Community Forest in the Robson Valley has found several instances of non-compliance with provincial forestry legislation, according to a report released today.
These findings include failing to show road locations on site plan maps, in one instance leading to a poorly constructed road that caused environmental harm. Five access roads also were upgraded and used without authorization. The status of cutblocks was not reported to government when required and accurate silviculture information was not maintained by the community forest.
“Each of these findings has potential implications for the overall sound management of forest resources, and collectively they raise serious questions about the community forest corporation’s diligence and attention to detail,” said board chair Al Gorley. “In our opinion, the management of the McBride Community Forest is not up to the standard required by provincial forestry legislation and expected by the public, nor is it reflective of the generally good management of other community forests we have audited in the past.”
This audit examined the activities of McBride Community Forest Corporation (MCFC) on community forest agreement K1H in the Prince George District from Sept. 1, 2010, to Sept. 28, 2012. The McBride community forest was randomly selected for audit, along with the Valemount Community Forest, which received a clean audit report last December.
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.
Helen Davies
Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250 213-4708 / 1 800 994-5899
VICTORIA – The Forest Practices Board will examine the forestry activities of Mackenzie Fibre Management Corporation, near the Town of Mackenzie, during the week of Sept. 23, 2013.
The audit will examine timber harvesting, road construction, maintenance, silviculture, fire protection and associated planning activities carried out since September 2011, for compliance with forest practices legislation.
Mackenzie Fibre Management’s operations are on the southwest side of Williston Lake. The forest licence to cut was not selected for audit on the basis of past performance, but as part of a random audit selection process.
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
VICTORIA – The Forest Practices Board will examine the forest activities of Ka-Bar Resources Ltd., along the Princeton-Summerland Road near Osprey Lake, on Sept. 16.
Auditors will examine planning, timber harvesting, road construction and maintenance, silviculture and fire prevention practices, carried out by Ka-Bar Resources Ltd. under six forest licences to cut, for compliance with the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act.
The harvesting work has mostly been to salvage beetle-killed pine, but was also aimed at protecting the community from wildfire by reducing forest fuel hazards created by the dead trees.
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 will then 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
VICTORIA – The Forest Practices Board will examine the activities of 639881 BC Ltd. on forest licence A72921 and Burnslake Specialty Wood Ltd. on non-replaceable forest licence A66762, during the week of Sept. 16.
The auditors will examine timber harvesting, road construction, maintenance, silviculture, fire prevention and associated planning activities carried out by the two companies for compliance with forest practices legislation.
The audit area lies within the Lakes timber supply area (TSA). The Lakes TSA is part of the Nadina District, which encompasses the communities of Burns Lake, Houston and Granisle, and extends from Tweedsmuir Park in the south to the Babine Mountains in the north, and from Hungry Hill in the west to the Endako River in the east.
Most of the harvest is of beetle-killed wood. The annual allowable cut for the district has steadily increased since the late 1990s, as a result of the beetle epidemic.
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 will then 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
VICTORIA – The Forest Practices Board will examine the activities of Ndzakhot’en Forest Management (Nazko Logging) in the Quesnel District during the week of Aug. 19.
The audit will examine timber harvesting, road construction, maintenance, silviculture, fire protection and associated planning activities carried out by Nazko for compliance with forest practices legislation.
Nazko’s operations are within the Quesnel timber supply area (TSA) near the village of Nazko, about 100 kilometres west of Quesnel. The TSA also includes the communities of Wells and Barkerville in the east and is home to several First Nations communities.
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:
Helen Davies, Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250 213-4708 / 1 800 994-5899
VICTORIA –The Forest Practices Board’s 2012-13 annual report was released today, and summarizes the Board’s work over the year, as published in 29 reports, as well as highlighting work currently underway.
“When the Forest and Range Practices Act was introduced in 2004, it was understood that improvements would be necessary as circumstances changed and we gained experience with the new regulatory approach,” said Al Gorley, board chair. “Now, nearly a decade later, there is clearly a need to take a look at how we are managing BC’s public forests.”
“We have started work on a series of reports that draw on our findings since 2004, preparing bulletins on key subjects like managing cumulative effects, professional reliance, and public involvement,” said Gorley. “We hope this work will help focus the public and decision makers on the right questions as improvements to BC’s forest and range management framework are contemplated.”
Topics reported on this year ranged in scope from the effectiveness of the province’s reforestation efforts, to its progress in establishing old-growth management areas. The Board completed 16 audits of forestry and range operations, 9 investigations of public complaints, and responded to 63 concerns from the public.
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.
• Audits appropriateness of government enforcement.
• Investigates public complaints.
• Undertakes special investigations of current forestry issues.
• Participates in administrative appeals.
• Makes recommendations for improvement to practices and legislation.
More information:
Helen Davies, Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250 213-4708 / 1 800 994-5899
VICTORIA – An investigation into government’s inspections of compliance with forest and range practice legislation found that the number of inspections is one-third of what it was a few years ago, according to a report released today.
"The Forest and Range Practices Act is intended to keep environmental standards high, with strong compliance and enforcement. Government needs to demonstrate that it is carrying out enough inspections to adequately monitor compliance with legislation, or public confidence will be diminished," said Al Gorley, board chair.
Inspections decreased for a variety of reasons, one of which was the 2010 consolidation of natural resource ministries that now sees fewer natural resource officers inspecting a much greater number and type of activities on Crown land. For example they now inspect dams, recreation activities, illegal structures like cabins and docks, litter, open burning, etc.
As a result of this investigation, the board recommends improvements to how the government records and reports industry compliance.
This would help to determine if the number of inspections is appropriate," said Gorley.
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.
Helen Davies, Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250 213-4708 / 1 800 994-5899
VICTORIA – The Forest Practices Board will examine the activities of Western Forest Products Inc. near Powell River the week of June 24.
The audit will examine timber harvesting, road construction and maintenance, silviculture, fire prevention and associated planning activities carried out by Western Forest Products on Block 1 of tree farm licence 39 over the past year.
Block 1 is located north of Malaspina Straight, south of Toba Inlet, east of Desolation Sound, and west of Jervis Inlet. The area includes a variety of recreation opportunities including canoeing, hiking, boating and camping.
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 will then 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:
Helen Davies, Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250 213-4708 / 1 800 994-5899
VICTORIA – The board will audit BC Hydro’s fire prevention practices on four licences to cut associated with the Columbia Valley Transmission Project, starting Tuesday, June 18.
The audit will examine fire hazard assessment and abatement practices along the transmission line expansion for compliance with the Wildfire Act and relevant regulations. Under the act, a person carrying out an industrial activity, such as land clearing, must take steps to protect forest and range resources from wildfire.
The transmission line extends 125 kilometres from Invermere to Golden through the Columbia Valley and is BC Hydro’s most significant investment in the upper Columbia Valley’s electrical system in almost 50 years.
The Columbia Valley is a popular recreation destination and is home to a variety of wildlife. This is the first time the board has looked at BC Hydro activities for compliance with the Province’s Wildfire Act.
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 will then 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:
Helen Davies, Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250 213-4708 / 1 800 994-5899
VICTORIA – Audits of forest licences held by Cassiar Forest Corporation and Coast Mountain Hydro Corporation found that forest practices complied with B.C.’s forestry legislation, according to a Forest Practices Board report released today.
“Cassiar followed the requirements of the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act, though some minor soil disturbance was noted,” said board chair Al Gorley.
“Coast Mountain Hydro met legislative requirements, but since the board's mandate covered only the transmission line clearings, we did not audit their roads.” Gorley added.
Both operations are near the community of Bob Quinn Lake, about 380 kilometres north of Terrace. Cassiar has a forest licence, while Coast Mountain Hydro’s licences are for a run-of-river hydroelectric project and a related transmission right-of-way.
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:
Helen Davies
Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250 213-4708 / 1 800 994-5899
