VICTORIA - The Forest Practices Board will conduct a limited-scope audit focusing on stand-level biodiversity and the management of block reserves in the Coast Mountains Natural Resource District, starting on July 7, 2025.
The audit will examine the practices of the licensees with the highest levels of harvesting activity over the past two years: BC Timber Sales (Skeena Business Area), Terrace Community Forest and Coast Tsimshian Resources Ltd.
The audit will assess whether practices related to stand-level biodiversity and block reserve management carried out between July 1, 2023, and July 11, 2025, comply with legal requirements under the Forest and Range Practices Act. This includes evaluating Wildlife Tree Retention Areas, which are key tools for conserving biodiversity, protecting riparian zones, managing cultural values and maintaining visual quality.
The Coast Mountains district is located in a transitional zone between coastal and interior ecosystems. Forests in the district include a variety of species, such as western hemlock, Amabilis fir, Sitka spruce, western red cedar, lodgepole pine and cottonwood. Stand-level retention in the district is guided by the legal objectives of the Kalum Strategic Resource Management Plan, the Forest Planning and Practices Regulation and licensees' forest stewardship plans.
The audit area extends from the Kitlope River in the south to the lower Nass River in the north, covering the western portion of the Skeena Region where the Skeena River meets the Pacific Ocean. The communities of Terrace and Kitimat are central to this region, which lies within the territory of the Tsimshian First Nations, one of the largest First Nations in the Pacific Northwest.
Once the audit is complete, a report will be prepared. Any party that may be adversely affected by the audit findings will have a chance to respond. The board's final report and any recommendations will be released to the public and provincial 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. Auditees are selected using a modified random sampling method without considering past performance or public complaints. The board audits forest and range practices on public lands and the appropriateness of government enforcement. It can also make recommendations for improvement to practices and legislation.
Contact:
Tanner Senko
Communications Manager
Forest Practices Board
tanner.senko@bcfpb.ca
250 889-8211 / 1 800 994-5899
