VICTORIA – The British Columbia Timber Sales (BCTS) program has received a clean audit for its operations in 100 Mile House Forest District, the Forest Practices Board reported today.
The compliance audit examined all activities, planning and obligations for the period June 1, 2003 to June 20, 2004, in the areas of operational planning; timber harvesting; road construction, maintenance and deactivation; silviculture; and fire protection. The audit found that BCTS complied in all significant respects with forest practices legislation in effect during the audit period.
“BCTS in 100 Mile House complied with all legal requirements and supported the objectives of the Cariboo-Chilcotin Land Use Plan,” said board chair Bruce Fraser. “The audit identified one area for improvement – better management practices to address the unprecedented pine beetle epidemic, which is the major focus of logging activity in this area.”
The audit found that approximately two-thirds of beetle-infested trees, baited to concentrate insect broods before logging, were not harvested before the 2004 beetle flights. While several factors beyond the control of BCTS contributed to the delay in harvesting, the board believes this is a forest practice that requires improvement and encourages BCTS to review its approach to beetle management in the district.
BCTS is an independent organization within the B.C. Ministry of Forests created to develop Crown timber for auction to establish market price and capture the value of the asset for the public. BCTS replaced the former Small Business Forest Enterprise Program (SBFEP) as of April 1, 2003.
The Forest Practices Board is an independent public watchdog that reports to the public about compliance with the Forest Practices Code and the achievement of its intent. The board’s mandate has been retained under the new Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA). The board’s main roles under FRPA are:
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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 Rocky Mountain Forest District.
The audit will examine BCTS’s operations located throughout the Cranbrook and Invermere timber supply areas, and including portions of the Rocky Mountain Trench, Purcell Mountains, and Rocky Mountains.
The audit will examine forest practices carried out over the past year (June 1, 2004 to June 12, 2005), including operational planning, harvesting, road construction, maintenance and deactivation, silviculture, and fire protection, to assess compliance with forest practices legislation.
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. The 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 is made up of three registered professional foresters, one professional engineer, and one chartered accountant. They will be in the area for between four and six days, beginning June 13, 2005. Once the fieldwork is done, the audit report is drafted, 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 (FRPA) and the achievement of its intent. The board’s main roles under FRPA are:
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Erik Kaye
Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250-356-1586 or 1-800-994-5899
VICTORIA – Prompt government action to define goat winter ranges is needed to protect mountain goat habitat in the Chilliwack Forest District and to balance forest harvesting with wildlife habitat conservation, the Forest Practices Board reported today.
The report is in response to a complaint by the Western Canada Wilderness Committee that a logging plan should not have been approved due to the potential impact on mountain goat habitat, and because an agreement was made between government agencies not to harvest the cutblock in question. The cutblock is located north of Stave Lake near Golden Ears Park, in the Fraser timber supply area (TSA) of the Chilliwack Forest District.
“While mountain goats are not an endangered species and logging this cutblock will not have a significant impact on their overall population levels, this is another example of a systemic problem with the pace of implementation of policies to protect wildlife habitat,” said board chair Bruce Fraser. “By moving quickly to establish legally designated habitat areas for forest species such as mountain goats, the province can set a clear direction for local decision-makers and better conserve mountain goat populations in the Chilliwack Forest District.”
Under the Forest and Range Practices Act, the Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection has the authority to establish ungulate winter ranges to help protect seasonal habitat for wildlife species such as deer and goats. In February 2002, ministry staff proposed such ranges for the Fraser TSA, including the cutblock in question, but their proposal has not received final government approval and was not in effect when the decision to approve logging was made.
The board recommends that government finalize ungulate winter ranges and general wildlife measures in the Fraser timber supply area, and report back on a timetable for implementation of this recommendation by March 31, 2005.
“We found that the decision to approve logging was reasonable given the absence of legally designated ungulate winter ranges,” said Fraser. “The Ministry of Forests district manager considered all available information, including conflicting opinions about the importance of this cutblock to the goats, when making his decision on the approval.
“While there was some discussion in 2002 between agency staff on not logging this cutblock, there are different views about whether that meant never logging the block, or not logging it until more information was gathered. We found no written agreement to clarify what was intended.”
The Forest Practices Board is an independent public watchdog that reports to the public about compliance with the Forest Practices Code and the achievement of its intent. The board’s mandate has been retained under the new Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA). 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:
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Erik Kaye
Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250-356-1586 or 1-800-994-5899
VICTORIA – The Forest Practices Board has found that there is a systemic failure in government policy to protect threatened species such as marbled murrelets on crown forest lands.
The findings were released as the close of a board investigation of a 1999 complaint concerning logging approvals in the Brand Valley on south-western Vancouver Island, an area which contains prime marbled murrelet habitat. The original complaint report was released in November 2001 and recommended that the provincial government act promptly to complete detailed land-use planning and establish wildlife habitat areas for threatened and endangered species.
“This is just one example of a recurring breakdown in the habitat conservation system, which begins with a lack of clear targets set by government for population levels of threatened species such as marbled murrelets,” said board chair Bruce Fraser. “Furthermore, ministries have limited resources for timely completion of land-use plans on the landscape level, which is needed to provide guidance to resource managers and forest companies for conservation objectives in their operating areas. Many companies are doing valuable work on habitat assessments but these efforts require a specific government objective for murrelet conservation to be truly effective.
“Government has imposed a one per cent timber supply constraint on the creation of wildlife habitat areas, which are key tools for preserving murrelet habitat . This leads agencies and forest companies to propose habitat areas which are driven by arbitrary policy targets, instead of relying on science-based assessments of wildlife habitat needs. It would be more logical to use science to determine the habitat needs of species first, and then government can decide what impact on other sectors it is willing to accept to protect wildlife habitat.”
In February 2005, after discussions with government officials, the board found the ministries of Water, Land and Air Protection and Sustainable Resource Management had not acted effectively to protect murrelet habitat. Planning remains incomplete in the Brand Valley; current planning efforts are being led by industry rather than government, and no wildlife habitat areas have been approved to date.
“The end result is that threatened species such as the marbled murrelet are falling through the cracks, with logging continuing in sensitive areas under plans approved by government agencies,” said Fraser. “This situation will continue unless government sets a clear objective for conservation of endangered and threatened species, provides sufficient funding to resource ministries for planning and enforcement, and reviews the one per cent timber supply cap on wildlife habitat areas.”
Marbled murrelets are small seabirds that live along the Pacific coast of North America which nest in old-growth forests within 50 kilometres of the ocean. The board has published several reports on marbled murrelets and other species at risk such as the mountain caribou, which raise similar concerns to those in the Brand Valley investigation. For more information, visit the board’s website at www.fpb.gov.bc.ca
The Forest Practices Board is an independent public watchdog that reports to the public about compliance with the Forest Practices Code and the achievement of its intent. The board’s mandate has been retained under the new Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA). The board’s main roles under FRPA are:
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Erik Kaye
Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250-356-1586 or 1-800-994-5899
VICTORIA – Government is effectively rehabilitating damage to forests caused by fire fighting, according to a Forest Practices Board special investigation report released today.
Today’s report examines the rehabilitation of 12 forest fires in the southern half of the province, all of which burned during 2003, the worst fire season on record in British Columbia. The investigation found legal rehabilitation requirements were generally met and rehabilitation treatments were effective in maintaining natural drainage patterns and minimizing soil erosion. The board commends all those involved with the rehabilitation of the fires.
The report is the second of two reports on fire rehabilitation planning. The investigation focuses on repairing damage resulting from fire suppression—not the fire itself—as current legislation only requires damage caused by fire fighting operations to be rehabilitated.
“Despite the unprecedented scale of the rehabilitation work required after the 2003 fires, we found that environmental values were managed appropriately on sites damaged by fire fighting,” said board chair Bruce Fraser. “As a result of our investigation, we are also recommending some improvements to fire rehabilitation practices in order to protect forest values and, where possible, avoid causing damage in the first place.”
The report makes a number of recommendations, including: enhanced training for fire fighters to minimize damage from fire suppression; proactive planning before fire season to better co-ordinate fire response and identify sensitive areas ahead of time; and a review of the arbitrary requirement for rehabilitation plans to be submitted within 10 days of the fire being declared out. The board requests that the Ministry of Forests respond to these recommendations by Dec. 31, 2005.
The Forest Practices Board is an independent public watchdog that reports to the public about compliance with the Forest Practices Code and the achievement of its intent. The board’s mandate has been retained under the new Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA). The board’s main roles under FRPA are:
Providing reports on board activities, findings and recommendations.
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Erik Kaye
Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250-356-1586 or 1-800-994-5899
VICTORIA – Forest companies should go beyond simple compliance and exercise increased diligence when logging near threatened species, according to a Forest Practices Board report released today.
In 2003, the Chilliwack Field Naturalists complained to the Board that Cattermole Timber had destroyed a population of tall bugbane, an extremely rare and nationally endangered plant, and damaged a stream during a logging operation near Chilliwack.
The board’s investigation found no evidence of destruction of tall bugbane, that the damage to the stream was not deliberate, that the licensee complied with forest practices legislation and that government enforcement was appropriate. However, the board also found that the licensee and government officials could have done more to reduce the risk to tall bugbane, including voluntarily searching for additional information and conducting field inspections to confirm that tall bugbane would not be impacted by the licensee’s activities.
“Simply obeying the law does not always guarantee sound forest practices,” said board chair Bruce Fraser. “In this case, which involved a rare species, the board believes the licensee should have used a publicly-available government database and done some additional field assessments to minimize the risk to that species.”
The Forest Practices Code regulated the operations of the licensee for the period under investigation. The code required that forest resources be adequately managed and conserved. Under the new Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA), there is no such standard; the test is simply whether the licensee’s results are consistent with broad objectives set by government.
“As we move towards implementation of the results-based FRPA, the board will expect licensees to focus on key FRPA values such as preserving biodiversity in our public forests,” said Fraser. “Clear communication among government officials and stakeholders and a willingness to work together will be essential to successful conservation of species at risk.”
The Forest Practices Board is an independent public watchdog that reports to the public about compliance with the Forest Practices Code and the achievement of its intent. The board’s mandate has been retained under FRPA. 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:
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Erik Kaye
Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250-356-1586 or 1-800-994-5899
VICTORIA – The provincial government needs to act promptly to ensure its forestry obligations under the Nisga’a treaty are fulfilled, the Forest Practices Board reported today in its fourth compliance audit of forestry operations on Nisga’a lands.
While all auditees were found to be in compliance with legislative and treaty requirements, the report raised a number of concerns with respect to the timely fulfillment of government’s treaty obligations for road and bridge maintenance, replanting, and logging on incomplete cutblocks.
“The audit identified a general deterioration in the state of the road network on Nisga’a lands and other concerns related to low levels of logging activity, ” said board chair Bruce Fraser. “The government has a treaty obligation to bring the forest lands on Nisga’a territory up to agreed standards. Environmental risks and remediation costs are likely to increase in the coming months unless government takes proactive steps to ensure its obligations are met.”
The board is recommending that a review of outstanding road and bridge maintenance obligations be conducted and an action plan be implemented by May 10, 2005, to upgrade, decommission or remove access to any structures that do not meet government standards. Further actions on logging and replanting obligations are recommended for completion by Aug. 31, 2005.
The report requests that the provincial government advise the board by Aug. 31, 2005, of the actions taken to address these recommendations. The fifth and final board audit of forest planning and practices and Forest Practices Code enforcement on Nisga’a lands will be conducted in September 2005. During the course of this audit, the board will also assess the actions taken by the provincial government to address the report’s recommendations.
The audit examined the activities and obligations of five auditees: New Skeena Forest Products Inc., formerly known as Skeena Cellulose Inc.; Sim Gan Forest Corporation; West Fraser Mills Ltd.; BC Timber Sales, Skeena Business Area; and the Kalum Forest District Manager, for the period of July 19, 2003, to July 9, 2004. The audit found that auditees complied in all significant aspects with the code and agreement requirements for this period.
The Forest Practices Board is an independent public watchdog that reports to the public about compliance with the Forest Practices Code and the achievement of its intent. The board’s mandate has been retained under the new Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA). 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 at www.fpb.gov.bc.ca or by contacting:
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Erik Kaye
Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250-356-1586 or 1-800-994-5899
VICTORIA – A review of government policy on protecting wildlife habitat and more collaboration between government and industry are needed to protect the threatened marbled murrelet, the Forest Practices Board reported today.
The report investigated a complaint by Carmanah Forestry Society that approval of logging near Jordan River, Vancouver Island, would reduce or eliminate murrelet habitat. The logging was approved in an amendment to a forest development plan prepared by Western Forest Products for its Jordan River operations.
In this specific case, the board found the district manager reasonably concluded the approval would adequately manage and conserve murrelet. It also praised the licensee’s proactive approach to identifying potential habitat areas, but urged the licensee to work in closer collaboration with the Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection, the agency responsible for murrelet conservation.
However, the investigation reaffirmed general concerns noted in earlier board reports with respect to government policy imposing a one per cent timber supply constraint on the creation of wildlife habitat areas, which are key tools for preserving murrelet habitat.
“This report demonstrates that licensees and government agencies are finding it challenging to provide sufficient protection for murrelets, given an arbitrary limit unrelated to scientific data on the species,” said board chair Bruce Fraser. “The board urges government to follow through on its commitment to review the impact of the one per cent timber supply cap for wildlife habitat areas, and make adjustments if the policy proves to be limiting an effective recovery response to threatened species such as the marbled murrelet.”
In 2003, the board found B.C.’s marbled murrelet population was threatened by loss of nesting habitat due to forest practices. A follow-up report in 2004 noted some positive industry-led measures to identify and protect key murrelet habitat, but stressed the lack of specific government objectives for murrelet conservation. The 2004 report recommended clear government objectives for protecting murrelet habitat and requested that government follow through on a previous commitment to review the one per cent timber supply cap.
The Forest Practices Board is an independent public watchdog that reports to the public about compliance with the Code and the achievement of its intent. The board’s mandate has been retained under the new Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA). The board’s main roles under FRPA are:
Auditing forest practices of government and licence holders on public lands.
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Erik Kaye
Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250-356-1586 or 1-800-994-5899
VICTORIA – The Okanagan Indian Band’s salvage of fire-damaged timber complied with forest practices legislation in all significant respects, the Forest Practices Board reported today.
The Okanagan Indian Band was awarded a non-replaceable forest licence to harvest fire-damaged timber from the Okanagan Mountain Park fire near Kelowna and the Cedar Hill Fire near Falkland. The fires burned in the summer and fall of 2003.
“Despite the need for prompt harvesting to avoid the deterioration of quality in fire-damaged timber, the Okanagan Indian Band and their contractors were able to achieve full compliance with legislative requirements for planning and forest practices,” said board vice-chair Geoff Battersby. “Government agencies also helped expedite the process by providing timely direction and guidance for the fire salvage.”
The board conducted a full-scope audit of the Okanagan Indian Band’s licence, including planning; timber harvesting; road construction, maintenance and deactivation; silviculture; and fire protection activities. The audit examined all activities that took place between December 4, 2003, and July 25, 2004.
The Forest Practices Board is an independent public watchdog that reports to the public about compliance with the Forest Practices Code and the achievement of its intent. The board’s mandate has been retained under the new Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA). 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:
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Erik Kaye
Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250-356-1586 or 1-800-994-5899
VICTORIA – The Forest Practices Board has released two pilot audits on forest soil conservation and streamside (riparian) management , the first board audits to reflect the results-based approach of the new Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA).
“This is the board’s first step towards actually measuring whether forest practices are effectively preserving our forest and environmental values for future generations,“ said board chair Bruce Fraser. “While auditing compliance is still part of the board’s mandate, we are shifting our emphasis for future audits to evaluating achievement of results.”
The audits 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. With one exception, all licensees complied with the requirements of the Forest Practices Code, which was in effect during the period of the audit. FRPA is being phased in over a two-year period ending on Dec. 31, 2005.
“We found that forest companies and BC Timber Sales (BCTS) are doing a good job on the ground in protecting our soils and streams, but we also made recommendations to promote better performance on rehabilitating forest roads and reducing sediment deposits in streams,” said Fraser. “These pilot audits were a first opportunity to test science-based criteria and indicators to measure the effectiveness of forest practices in achieving objectives set by government.
“This is a work in progress and we will continue to improve our results-based auditing procedures through further pilot audits. We welcome feedback on our criteria and indicators, which are measuring tools to evaluate whether the desired results are being achieved. The board will be discussing the results of the pilot audits with forest professionals, industry, government and environmental organizations over the coming months.”
The pilot audit of forest soil conservation was conducted in the Mackenzie Forest District in the summer of 2003, while the stream riparian management pilot audit took place in the Chilliwack Forest District in the fall of 2003. The board is conducting further pilot results-based audits on biodiversity conservation, visual quality and stream riparian management.
The soil conservation audit found non-compliance with code requirements by BCTS, as its road construction practices exceeded prescribed limits and had a negative impact on the future productivity of the sites affected. The board requested that the Prince George BCTS manager review BCTS systems for ensuring compliance with legislated soil conservation requirements, and effect improvements as necessary.
The Forest Practices Board is an independent public watchdog that reports to the public about compliance with the Forest Practices Code and the achievement of its intent. The board’s mandate has been retained under FRPA. 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.
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Response from the Ministry of Forests and Range
Closing Letter from Chair
Erik Kaye
Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250 356-1586 / 1 800 994-5899
