VICTORIA – Bruce Fraser, chair of the Forest Practices Board, issued the following statement upon the cabinet appointment of three new board members announced by Forests and Range Minister Pat Bell today:
“On behalf of board members and staff at the Forest Practices Board, we are pleased to welcome Andrea Lyall, Michael Nash and David Patterson to our organization. This trio brings an extensive knowledge of forestry-related issues to the table, and will make a significant contribution to our work.
“Ms. Lyall has had coastal forestry experience and brings a First Nations perspective to the board, Mr. Nash has community interests including wildland conservation and recreation in northern B.C. and Mr. Patterson has experience in B.C.’s interior working with certification and the transition from the Forest Practices Code to the Forest and Range Practices Act.
“It is with gratitude and good wishes that we bid goodbye to our outgoing board members. Their contributions to the board have been outstanding, and cumulatively they have provided a wealth of knowledge and insight during their terms.
“Geoff Battersby has been my vice-chair for the past four years, and has capably handled the responsibility. He has been an excellent advisor on community matters, especially as they relate to the growing interest in community forests in the interior of the province. His kindness and good humour made him an excellent part of our team, and we wish him the best in his future pursuits.
“Dave Mannix has brought practicality and humour to our meetings, providing insight into First Nations issues, and the knowledge of a man who has worked hands-on in forestry for the better part of his career. His no-nonsense approach to board meetings has kept us on topic and on task, and he will be missed.
“Mark Haddock has always brought thoughtful discussion and a legal perspective to board work. His knowledge of environmental law and his dedication to complex environmental issues have been of great value to clarifying board positions and responsibilities in our role as watchdog for forest and range practices in the province.”
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:
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VICTORIA – A Forest Practices Board audit of two community forests in the Kootenay Lake Forest District has determined that their operations are compliant with the law, according to a report released today.
The Harrop-Procter Community Forest and the Kaslo and District Community Forest Society (KDCFS) were audited in June 2008. In the Harrop-Proctor Community Forest, 800 residents take their water from streams in the community forest, so the primary concern is protecting domestic water sources. In the KDCFS operating area there are six community watersheds and 14 domestic watersheds, so water protection, along with protection of visual resources, is also of great concern.
These two community forests face significant challenges, given their proximity to communities and the public’s reliance on water sources within the community forests, said board chair Bruce Fraser. “Both of these operations demonstrated good practices, and are notable for putting concerns of local residents in the forefront when planning operations.”
The audit examined operational planning; timber harvesting; road construction and maintenance; silviculture; and fire-protection practices carried out between June 1, 2007, and June 12, 2008. The Board’s audit fieldwork took place from June 11-12, 2008.
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:
VICTORIA – The Forest Practices Board will audit the forestry and range practices of several forest companies, oil and gas companies and range tenure holders operating in the Kiskatinaw River watershed near Dawson Creek. Initial fieldwork will commence the week of Oct. 6.
The board carries out periodic independent audits to see if government, range tenure holders and forest tenure holders are complying with provincial forest practices legislation.
The three-member audit team will have a water quality specialist on call as they investigate whether operations in the Kiskatinaw River watershed are in compliance with the province’s Forest and Range Practices Act, and how well they are addressing water, soil and caribou values.
The Kiskatinaw River Planning Unit supplies drinking water for the city of Dawson Creek. The Kiskatinaw River originates in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains near Tumbler Ridge and flows approximately 200 kilometres north before joining the Peace River at the Alberta border in Northeast British Columbia.
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:
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VICTORIA – The Forest Practices Board will audit British Columbia Timber Sales’ (BCTS) operations in the Strait of Georgia Business Area, located in the Sunshine Coast Forest District, during the week of Sept. 15, 2008.
The board carries out periodic independent audits to see if government and forest companies are complying with provincial forest practices legislation.
The audit will examine harvesting, roads and associated planning conducted by BCTS and timber sale licensees between Sept. 1, 2007 and Sept. 19, 2008, to assess compliance with the Forest and Range Practices Act.
The four-member audit team will examine BCTS operations in the Powell River portion of the Strait of Georgia Business Area.
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:
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VICTORIA – A pilot audit has found that forest practices were effective at conserving forest soils in the Golden Timber Supply Area of the Columbia Forest District, according to a Forest Practices Board report released today.
The audit, which started in July 2006, examined three operators – Wood River Forest Inc. (now called Downie Timber Ltd.), Louisiana-Pacific Canada Ltd., and the Okanagan-Columbia business area of the British Columbia Timber Sales Program (BCTS), and found that all operations were effective at managing soil conservation, with the exception of one of eight BCTS timber sale licence holders.
“The board is pleased with the licensees’ efforts to not only comply with legal requirements, but to also be effective in their management of forest soils,” said board chair Bruce Fraser. “For the one issue of non-compliance, we noted that substantial reclamation work has since been completed to reduce any future impacts to soils.”
The audit looked at practices conducted between July 1, 2004, and July 31, 2006 that were most likely to impact soils. These included timber harvesting, road and bridge construction and maintenance, road deactivation, and site-level planning specifically associated with these activities. In total, the board examined 67 cutblocks, approximately 270 kilometres of road work or obligations, and operational planning specific to harvesting and roads.
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:
VICTORIA – Management of recreation sites and trails within the Central Cariboo Forest District will be audited by the Forest Practices Board during the week of Aug. 11, 2008. The board carries out periodic independent audits to see if government and forest companies are complying with provincial forest practices legislation.
In January 2006, the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts took over responsibility of these sites from the Ministry of Forests and Range. This is the first time the board has audited MTCA.
The audit will examine recreation resource management, recreation use management and government enforcement.
The four-member audit team will look at sites and trails in and around the communities of Williams Lake, Horsefly and Likely. Once the analysis is complete, an audit 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:
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VICTORIA – The Forest Practices Board will audit forest practices of the BC Timber Sales program in the Quesnel Forest District during the week of July 28, 2008.
The board carries out periodic independent audits to see if government and forest companies are complying with provincial forest practices legislation.
The audit will look at forestry operations conducted by timber sale licensees, as well as government’s BCTS program.
Operational planning; timber harvesting; road and bridge construction and maintenance; silviculture; and fire protection activities carried out between July 1, 2007, and Aug. 4, 2008 will be assessed for compliance with the Forest and Range Practices Act, the Forest Practices Code of British Columbia Act and the Wildfire Act.
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:
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VICTORIA – The Forest Practices Board will audit the forest service roads (FSRs) maintained by the Skeena-Stikine Forest District, during the week of July 21, 2008.
The board carries out periodic independent audits to see if government and forest companies are complying with provincial forest practices legislation.
The limited scope compliance audit will focus on the district manager’s obligations on FSRs in the Bulkley, Kispiox and Cranberry Timber Supply Areas. The audit will include an assessment of fish passage where these FSRs cross fish-bearing streams.
The four-member audit team will examine activities undertaken between July 1, 2006 and July 25, 2008. Once the analysis is complete, an audit 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:
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VICTORIA – Forest planning and practices of two forest companies and one utility company in the Mission Creek and Penticton Creek community watersheds will be audited during the week of July 7, 2008. The Forest Practices Board carries out periodic independent audits to see if government and forest companies are complying with provincial forest practices legislation.
The audit will focus on harvesting, roads, silviculture, protection activities and associated planning by Tolko Industries Ltd. and Fortis BC Ltd. in the Mission Creek community watershed. The audit will also look at Weyerhaeuser Company’s operations on the Penticton Creek community watershed.
The three-member audit team will examine activities undertaken between July 1, 2005 and July 11, 2008. Once the analysis is complete, an audit 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:
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VICTORIA – A Forest Practices Board compliance audit of Burns Lake Community Forest Ltd. in the Nadina Forest District has determined that the operation meets all legislative requirements, according to a report released today.
The audit found generally good practices on the ground. However, it identified four cutblocks with excessive soil disturbance, and the organization has since committed to addressing this issue.
“The Burns Lake Community Forest has been in operation since July 2000,” said board chair Bruce Fraser. “ The board is impressed with its community focus; not only does it successfully generate revenue, but it also establishes and maintains recreational trails for use by the public.”
The Burns Lake Community Forest, one of the first community forest pilot agreements awarded in the province, encompasses 84,886 hectares of Crown land surrounding Burns Lake.
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:
