VICTORIA – A pilot audit of two community watersheds in the Arrow Boundary Forest District has determined that forest practices are in compliance with legislated requirements in all significant respects, the Forest Practices Board reported today.

“The board determined that current forest practices are effective at minimizing impacts to water quality,” said acting board chair Geoff Battersby. “I am pleased to see that licensees are managing their forestry practices in ways that do not damage water supplies.”

The pilot audit examined forest practices carried out by four licensees during the course of operations in the Norns Creek community watershed near Castlegar and the Springer Creek community watershed near Slocan. The licensees audited were Atco Lumber Ltd., Kalesnikoff Lumber Co. Ltd., Pope & Talbot Ltd. and Springer Creek Forest Products Ltd.

The pilot audit assessed licensee performance using criteria and assessment methods developed by the board and the Ministry of Forests and Range. The criteria address water quality, quantity and timing of flow, as well as licensees’ planning, monitoring and risk management processes.

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:

• Auditing forest practices of government and licence holders on public lands.
• Auditing government enforcement of FRPA .
• Investigating public complaints.
• Undertaking special investigations of forestry issues.
• Participating in administrative appeals.
• Providing reports on board activities, findings and recommendations.

VICTORIA – Investigations of two woodlots in Maple Ridge for forest management practices, following complaints from the public, have now been completed, the Forest Practices Board reported today.

The investigation of the 276-hectare BCIT Forest Society woodlot near Kanaka Creek concluded that the woodlot’s streamside management, and erosion and sediment control activities are appropriate. The investigation of Blue Mountain Woodlot Limited’s 400-hectare woodlot on Blue Mountain concluded that a government-created recreation strategy should be finished to help resolve recreational use conflicts at the woodlot.

“Our investigation of the BCIT Forest Society woodlot determined that management meets, and sometimes exceeds, legal requirements for streamside protection. A public concern was whether woodlot activities would protect habitat for Pacific water shrew, a species at risk. The woodlot is not obliged to manage for Pacific water shrew, nonetheless, it currently comes close to what government could require,” said board vice-chair Geoff Battersby.

“At Blue Mountain, our investigation found that competing recreational uses and population growth around Maple Ridge are indeed stressing the land,” he said, “and while the woodlot manager has no authority to restrict recreational use on Crown land, the Ministry of Tourism, Sports and the Arts can and should work with recreational users to finalize and implement the recreational management plan that was initiated in 2003.”

Both woodlots are part of the 4,400-hectare Blue Mountain provincial forest, which has seen a substantial increase in recreational traffic as the population of the Fraser Valley has expanded.

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:

• Auditing forest practices of government and licence holders on public lands.
• Auditing government enforcement of FRPA.
• Investigating public complaints.
• Undertaking special investigations of forestry issues.
• Participating in administrative appeals.
• Providing reports on board activities, findings and recommendations.

VICTORIA – The Burns Lake Indian Band fully met the requirements of forest practices legislation while harvesting beetle-infested stands in the Nadina Forest District, the Forest Practices Board reported today.

“The board is pleased to see that the Band is focused on public awareness and is actively engaged with other forest users in the area, taking the extra step to ensure users have a voice in the Band’s harvest planning and practices,” said board chair Bruce Fraser. “Although the Band has completed its cut on this non-replaceable forest licence, the board encourages the Band to continue to operate in this diligent manner in the future, if it obtains an additional licence.”

The audit report covered forest operations carried out by the Burns Lake Indian Band on non-replaceable forest licence A72919, located southeast of Burns Lake, for the period from June 1, 2005 to June 1, 2006. Auditors examined operational planning, timber harvesting, forest road activities, silviculture, and fire protection obligations.

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:

• Auditing forest practices of government and licence holders on public lands.
• Auditing government enforcement of FRPA .
• Investigating public complaints.
• Undertaking special investigations of forestry issues.
• Participating in administrative appeals.
• Providing reports on board activities, findings and recommendations.

VICTORIA – The Forest Practices Board will conduct its second pilot audit on forest soil conservation in the Columbia Forest District, later this July.

In 2003, the Board conducted a pilot soil conservation audit, examining effectiveness of forest practices at protecting soil and site productivity. This second pilot audit will apply what was learned as the Board further refines its auditing of effectiveness of forest practices under the Forest and Range Practices Act.

The audit will examine all forestry activities relating to soil conservation including harvesting, roads, and silviculture (mechanical-site preparation), for the period between July 1, 2004 and July 31, 2006. The three operations that will be audited are: Louisiana-Pacific Canada Ltd.; Wood River Forest Inc.; and BC Timber Sales Okanagan-Columbia. All activities are located in the vicinity of Golden, including Kinbasket Lake to the north and operations south of Golden, in the Golden Timber Supply Area.

The four-member audit team will be in the area for about ten days, beginning July 24. Once the fieldwork is done, the 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 first soil conservation pilot audit took place in the MacKenzie Forest District—assessing the level of licensee compliance with the Forest Practices Code, and assessing the effectiveness of forest practices in conserving soil and site productivity. The audit found that the forest practices examined were generally successful at protecting soils from the effects of harvesting activities and at preserving fish habitat in streams.

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 are:

• Auditing forest practices of government and licence holders on public lands.
• Auditing government enforcement of FRPA.
• Investigating public complaints.
• Undertaking special investigations of forestry issues.
• Participating in administrative appeals.
• Providing reports on board activities, findings and recommendations.

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VICTORIA – The Forest Practices Board will audit the forest planning and practices of Ainsworth Lumber Co. Ltd. and West Fraser Mills Ltd. in early July.

The audit will examine Ainsworth Lumber’s operations on pulpwood agreement #16 and West Fraser Mill’s operations on forest licence A20001. The companies’ operations are located throughout the 100 Mile House Forest District, and cover over one million hectares. The forest district is bounded on the west by the Fraser River and the east by the Cariboo Mountains and Wells Gray Park.

Auditors will examine forest roads (construction, maintenance and deactivation), timber harvesting, and related operational planning activities carried out between July 1, 2005 and July 14, 2006, to assess compliance with the Forest and Range Practices Act.

The board carries out periodic independent audits to see if government and forest companies are complying with the Province’s forest practices legislation. Ainsworth Lumber Co. Ltd. and West Fraser Mills Ltd. were selected randomly, and not on the basis of location or level of performance.

The three-member audit team will be in the area for approximately five days, beginning July 10, 2006. Once the fieldwork is done, the 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 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 are:

• Auditing forest practices of government and licence holders on public lands.
• Auditing government enforcement of FRPA.
• Investigating public complaints.
• Undertaking special investigations of forestry issues.
• Participating in administrative appeals.
• Providing reports on board activities, findings and recommendations.

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VICTORIA – The Forest Practices Board will audit the forest practices of Chunzoolh Forest Products and Carrier Lumber Ltd., in the Prince George Forest District.

The audit will examine Chunzoolh’s operations on non-replaceable forest licence A72190 and Carrier Lumber’s operations on non-replaceable forest licence A70174. The companies’ operations are all within a 75 km radius of Prince George.

Auditors will examine forest roads (construction, maintenance and deactivation), timber harvesting, and related operational planning activities carried out between July 1, 2005 and July 14, 2006, to assess compliance with the Forest and Range Practices Act. All activities in this area are directed at salvaging beetle-infested timber.

The board carries out periodic independent audits to see if government and forest companies are complying with the Province’s forest practices legislation. Chunzoolh Forest Products and Carrier Lumber Ltd. were selected randomly, and not on the basis of location or level of performance.

The audit team, made up of three foresters and one professional engineer, will be in the area for a week, beginning July 10, 2006. Once the fieldwork is done, the 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 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 are:

• Auditing forest practices of government and licence holders on public lands.
• Auditing government enforcement of FRPA.
• Investigating public complaints.
• Undertaking special investigations of forestry issues.
• Participating in administrative appeals.
• Providing reports on board activities, findings and recommendations.

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VICTORIA – A Forest Practices Board audit of government’s enforcement on Nisga’a lands found, with some minor exceptions, that the Ministry of Forests and Range (MOFR) and Ministry of Environment are appropriately enforcing forestry legislation.

MOFR has primary enforcement responsibility on Nisga’a lands, which are located in and around the Nass Valley, about 100 kilometres northwest of Terrace, and cover about 2,000 square kilometres.

As required by the Nisga’a Final Agreement, the board audited the appropriateness of government’s enforcement of the Forest Practices Code of British Columbia Act and related regulations on Nisga’a lands for the period from July 19, 2003 to May 10, 2005.

The minor exceptions noted in the report relate to MOFR. These are:

data inaccuracies in the system that tracks reforestation obligations;
inconsistencies between the summary of compliance and enforcement activities on Nisga’a lands provided to the Nisga’a Lisims Government, and the content of MOFR inspection reports; and
insufficient actions taken to address safety concerns on one bridge crossing.

“The board is encouraged by the progress made by MOFR since the audit in working to update silviculture information and in installing a replacement bridge,” says board chair Bruce Fraser.

Government has an obligation under the Nisga’a Final Agreement to provide a summary of compliance and enforcement activities on Nisga’a lands to the Nisga’a Lisims government. However, the data provided was inconsistent with MOFR’s inspection records, inaccurately categorizing all inspections as finding compliance when six of the 27 inspection reports identified non-compliance.

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:

• Auditing forest practices of government and licence holders on public lands.
• Auditing government enforcement of FRPA .
• Investigating public complaints.
• Undertaking special investigations of forestry issues.
• Participating in administrative appeals.
• Providing reports on board activities, findings and recommendations.

VICTORIA – Forest fuel reduction needs to become a priority consideration in forest management policy and practices, especially in the Southern Interior of the province, according to a special report released today.

The Forest Practices Board commissioned a report on forest fuel management last summer and gathered comment on the report from forest management professionals, provincial and federal government agency staff, local governments and the forest industry. Today’s report provides the board’s conclusions and recommendations on this very complex issue.

Forest fuels are living and dead trees, branches, needles and vegetation that will burn in the event of a wildfire. A 60-year history of fire suppression, insect and tree disease epidemics, and logging practices are all contributing to a build-up of fuel. Meanwhile, the encroachment of urban development into forested areas increases the risk of catastrophic wildfires.

“This is a complex problem,” said board chair Bruce Fraser. “However, we must recognize that areas with excessively high fuels create a risk to the public and to important forest values, such as community watersheds and habitat for endangered species. We need to take action through our forest policy and practices to prevent further fuel build-up. We also need to begin reducing the fuel levels in those areas most at risk.”

“Where prescribed fire is an appropriate tool to reduce fuel levels, consideration must be given to addressing the risks of fire escape and liability, and to public health concerns about smoke.”

In response to the findings of this review, the board makes a number of recommendations, including:

• Clear targets for fuel reduction in important areas need to be established.
• A provincial system to accurately assess and map fuels is needed.
• Prescribed fire is the most practical means of reducing forest fuels in appropriate areas and this practice needs to be returned to the landscape.
• Fuel reduction practices that do not further add to the fuel problem need to be tested and implemented.
• The provincial government needs to continue to encourage and support fuel reduction activities in wildland-urban interface areas.

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:

• Auditing forest practices of government and licence holders on public lands.
• Auditing government enforcement of FRPA .
• Investigating public complaints.
• Undertaking special investigations of forestry issues.
• Participating in administrative appeals.
• Providing reports on board activities, findings and recommendations.

VICTORIA – The Forest Practices Board will audit the forest planning and practices of Stuwix Resources Ltd., in the Cascades Forest District.

The audit will examine Stuwix Resources’ operations on forest licence A65006, located mainly to the north, south, and east of Merritt, in the Merritt Timber Supply Area.

Auditors will examine operational planning; construction, maintenance and deactivation of roads; timber harvesting; silviculture; and fire protection activities carried out between June 1, 2005 and June 30, 2006, to assess compliance with the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act.

The board carries out periodic independent audits to see if government and forest companies are complying with the Province’s forest practices legislation. Stuwix Resources Ltd. was selected randomly, and not on the basis of location or level of performance.

The three-member audit team will be in the area from two to five days, beginning June 26, 2006. Once the fieldwork is done, the 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 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 are:

• Auditing forest practices of government and licence holders on public lands.
• Auditing government enforcement of FRPA.
• Investigating public complaints.
• Undertaking special investigations of forestry issues.
• Participating in administrative appeals.
• Providing reports on board activities, findings and recommendations.

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VICTORIA – McBride Forest Industries and the Headwaters Forest District should provide more detailed information in logging plans for the Rocky Mountain Trench, the Forest Practices Board reported today.

The board investigated a complaint by the Fraser Headwaters Alliance. The complainant was primarily concerned about the licensee’s ability to meet the visual quality objectives (VQOs) in the Robson Valley Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP). The complainant objected to the district’s approval of the licensee’s logging plan, which allowed an exemption from the VQO standards if the licensee believed it would be difficult to meet them when salvaging beetle-infested trees.

The board concluded that the actions of the licensee and the district, in trying to address the mountain pine beetle outbreak in the area, did not result in any damage to forest resources. The board found one amendment to the logging plan did not meet legal requirements, as it showed only large areas within which logging would take place, rather than specific cutblock boundaries as required by legislation. The board also found the district manager did not have the authority to approve the exemption from VQO standards in the plan, at the time the approval was granted.

“This logging occurred in the context of a severe mountain pine beetle infestation, and the licensee anticipated difficulties in maintaining required standards for forest practices under those conditions,” said board chair Bruce Fraser. “While the board recognizes the unique challenges posed by the beetle epidemic, we believe the Forest and Range Practices Act provides sufficient flexibility for licensees to meet those challenges within the law.”

The board recommends the licensee give the public an opportunity to review the large undefined logging zones when preparing its forest stewardship plan (FSP) for the area subject to complaint. This plan must be approved by December 31, 2006, under current timelines.

“In our recent special report, the board recommended that FSPs need to provide more details on specific logging locations within the area covered by the plan,” said Fraser. “In this case, we hope the licensee will provide sufficient geographic detail to allow for effective public review of the FSP in question.”

Other findings of the investigation include:

With a few exceptions, the licensee is meeting the VQOs set by the Robson Valley LRMP.
Logging in a recreation and conservation area complied with both the LRMP and provincial legislation.
Logging and road-building near a fish stream did not comply with legal requirements, but these minor contraventions had no significant impacts on forest resources.

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:

• Auditing forest practices of government and licence holders on public lands.
• Auditing government enforcement of FRPA .
• Investigating public complaints.
• Undertaking special investigations of forestry issues.
• Participating in administrative appeals.
• Providing reports on board activities, findings and recommendations.