As summer winds down, I’m pleased to welcome you to this special edition of the Forest Practices Board’s newsletter. This season marks a significant milestone for us—our 30th anniversary. For three decades, the Board has worked diligently to provide independent oversight of forest and range practices in British Columbia, helping to ensure that our natural resources are managed sustainably and in the public interest.
As our forests face increasing climate related pressures from wildfire, drought and pests, it is clear that the old paradigms are no longer enough. We must plan and act across entire landscapes—across watersheds, tenure boundaries and jurisdictions—if we are to maintain the ecological, economic and cultural values we all depend on.
This issue highlights some of the conversations, initiatives, audits, investigations and special reports the Board is involved in as we embark on this anniversary year.
We are proud of the legacy we’ve built over the past 30 years, and are equally committed to contributing to a resilient and sustainable future for BC’s forests. Thank you for continuing this journey with us. Enjoy the newsletter, and enjoy the rest of the season.
Keith Atkinson Chair
The Board
FPB Board field tour — Cranbrook, June 2025. Left to right: Rick Monchak, Gail Wallin, Gerry Grant, Keith Atkinson, Natasha Caverly, Phil Burton.
In June, board members embarked on a three-day field tour to Cranbrook, meeting on the lands of the Ktunaxa Nations (ʔakisq̓nuk, Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡiʾit, ʔaq̓am, and Yaqan Nuʔkiy). This tour underscored how community members, First Nations, provincial staff, industry and conservation groups are working shoulder-to-shoulder to restore landscapes and reduce wildfire risk.
On the first day, the Board met with district staff from the Ministry of Forests to introduce itself and its work to the district. District staff then took Board members to see results of the Peckham’s Ecosystem Restoration and Seeding Refurbishment Project. This project uses invasive plant management, seeding techniques and grazing efforts to restore degraded and damaged sites in the range unit. The Board then travelled to the Cultus Lake Wetland Project to see ongoing efforts to restore severely impacted wetlands. Wildlife-friendly fencing and point access watering sites for cattle are being employed to reduce impacts and restore functionality.
The next day, Marc Trudeau of the Rocky Mountain Trench Natural Resources Society toured the Board through an ecosystem restoration zone. Here, thinning and prescribed fire create strategic fire breaks that help restore open forests, grasslands and—ultimately—biodiversity in the region. Then, the Board met with Canfor and ministry staff who presented on local wildfire risk reduction planning. Board members saw how shaded fuel breaks and on-site chipping are reducing wildfire risk near local communities. The day ended with a visit to a prescribed burn area, where ministry staff shared the planning, processes and techniques used to conduct the burn.
On the final day of the trip, Canfor presented its Indigenous relations strategy to the Board. Discussions centred around community engagement, forest stewardship and mutually beneficial economic partnerships. The field trip finished with a tour of the Ktunaxa Interpretive Centre, St. Eugene Mission building and nearby church with residential school survivor Isaac Birdstone.
The lessons learned from this tour will strengthen the Board’s ability to evaluate stewardship with independence, fairness and respect. By witnessing restoration work, walking through risk reduction treatments and listening to Indigenous histories, members left with a clearer picture of what’s working in this corner of British Columbia.
Audit Program Update
This summer, our auditors were out in the field auditing:
Interfor Corporation – Tree Farm Licence 3
Tree Farm Licence 3 is located about 40 kilometres north of Castlegar, near Slocan, and is managed by Interfor’s Castlegar division. The 78 000-hectare area lies just south of Valhalla Park and features diverse forest types across several biogeoclimatic zones. It is situated within the territories of 14 First Nations bands and two First Nations councils.
Stand-level Biodiversity in the Coast Mountains Natural Resource District
BC Timber Sales, Terrace Community Forest, and Coast Tsimshian Resources Ltd. manage stand-level biodiversity and block reserves near Terrace, in the Coast Mountains Natural Resource District. This audit will assess compliance with legal requirements between July 2023 and July 2025, focusing on Wildlife Tree Retention Areas and other measures that protect biodiversity, cultural values, and visual quality.
BCTS and Timber Sale Licence Holders in the Cascades Natural Resource District
BC Timber Sales and Timber Sale Licence holders near Merritt, in the Cascades Natural Resource District, reviewing harvesting, roads, silviculture and related planning. The audit covers operations from south of Princeton to north of Lillooet.
Four audit reports have been published this year
BCTS and Timber Sale Licence Holders – Haida Gwaii Natural Resource District
The audit found that BCTS and Timber Sale Licence holders met most requirements under the Forest and Range Practices Act and Wildfire Act, except for two issues: BCTS failed to adequately inspect about 90 kilometres of forest service roads on Moresby Island, and two licence holders did not complete or submit fire hazard assessments on time. While fire hazards were abated as required, the road inspection lapse was deemed a significant non-compliance, and the fire assessment issue an area for improvement.
Canfor met most requirements under the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act, but did not assess fire hazards on time for 14 of 41 cutblocks, or abate hazards on time for 2 of 21 cutblocks, including one near Kimberley where fire risk is high. Canfor has since addressed these issues, and earned commendation for effectively managing over 4600 kilometres of roads and 100 structures, and for its innovative use of a predictive pine rust tool to support climate-resilient reforestation.
Tahltan Nation Development Corporation – First Nations Woodland Licence N3E
The Tahltan Nation Development Corporation complied with the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act in all significant respects, with positive practices such as winter logging to protect habitat, stable and well-drained roads, and complete fire hazard assessments. Areas for improvement included exceeding grizzly bear habitat opening-width limits on three cutblocks, missing site plans for some new roads, operating without certain road-use permits, and late submission of some fire hazard assessments—all considered low-risk but needing correction.
Metlakatla Forestry Corp. – First Nations Woodland Licence N3B
Metlakatla Forestry Corporation complied with the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act as of August 2024, meeting requirements under the Great Bear Rainforest Land Use Order and managing riparian areas and wildlife tree patches in accordance with its forest stewardship plan. The company also met fire hazard assessment standards, safely located slash piles away from standing timber, and properly deactivated and secured access roads.
Six investigation reports have been published this year
Range Practices and Government Enforcement on the Overton-Moody Range Unit
The investigation found that range agreement holders failed to follow grazing schedules and maintain a fence, and that government enforcement was not appropriate, as it did not achieve compliance with legislation. The Board raised concerns about the lack of inspection records and follow-up on corrective actions, urging government to address these issues to protect and steward public range resources.
Managing Whitebark Pine in BC’s High-elevation Forests
The investigation found that Interfor complied with legislative requirements, taking measures to protect whitebark pine before, during, and after logging. Interfor also avoided causing environmental damage during site preparation via mounding. The Board highlighted use of a recovery guide and encouraged other licensees to follow provincial whitebark pine retention guidelines issued in 2023.
Range Practices and Government Enforcement in the Halfway River Watershed
Two range use plans were approved for longer terms than allowed under the Forest and Range Practices Act, and one agreement holder was improperly exempted from holding a range use plan. The Board suggested two improvements to strengthen FRPA. First, by ensuring that actions to protect resources specified in range use plans are enforceable. Second, by requiring range use plans to identify and protect cultural resources and consider how they include engagement with First Nations.
Range Practices and Government Enforcement in the Ingram-Boundary Range Unit
Two range agreement holders met Forest and Range Practices Act requirements during the 2023 grazing season, and government enforcement in response to concerns was appropriate. Some riparian and upland areas are at risk of becoming non-functional without better cattle movement control and invasive species management. The Board again emphasized how important it is that government ensure actions outlined in range use plans are measurable and enforceable.
Planned Ignitions on the 2023 Downton Lake Wildfire
BC Wildfire Service complied with Wildfire Act requirements during a planned ignition near the complainants’ properties on August 1, 2023. The decision to conduct the planned ignition was reasonable and intended to prevent the wildfire from spreading to most of the southwestern shores of the Lajoie and Gun lakes, and toward the community of Gold Bridge.
Forest Practices, Water, and Public Engagement in Lemieux and Gardner Creek Watersheds
BC Timber Sales and Kyah Development Corporation met legal requirements for water management and public consultation, while the holder of woodlot licence W0104 failed to maintain natural drainage patterns and could not show its roads were not affecting forest resources. The Board emphasized the importance of a more holistic approach to watershed management, noting that logging, private land use and climate change will continue to stress local water resources.
One special investigation report has been published this year
Help or Hinder? Aligning Forestry Practices with Wildfire Risk Reduction
This special investigation shows that regulated forestry activities are not reaching their full potential to reduce wildfire risk in the interface. While progress is evident, the imbalance between helpful practices and regulatory barriers continues to hinder forestry’s full potential as a wildfire mitigation tool.
Aligning harvesting with fire risk reduction priorities, requiring faster debris cleanup, expanding the use of fire-resilient regeneration, and improving WRR implementation can help ensure that forestry activities increase wildfire resilience in the interface.
The Board made five recommendations to the provincial government that aim to:
Encourage forest operators to actively reduce wildfire risk.
Update legal definitions so municipalities are included in the interface.
Improve coordination between government, industry and communities.
Modernize hazard assessment guidelines.
Incentivize faster cleanup of logging debris.
The Board has requested the Province respond to its recommendations by November 30, 2025.
The Wildfire Act and Wildfire Regulation enable rehabilitation from damage associated with wildfire suppression. This special investigation is examining how well government is meeting its legal obligations for post-wildfire rehabilitation under the Wildfire Act and Wildfire Regulation. Triggered by the scale of recent fire seasons and growing impacts of suppression activities, like 5,177 km of fireguards built in 2023 alone, the investigation focuses on compliance and effectiveness of rehabilitation plans in the Thompson River and Stuart Nechako natural resource districts. The investigation assesses how wildfire rehabilitation has addressed erosion control on disturbance created during suppression activities, regenerated sites, restored or mitigated damage to other Crown resources, and abated risk to public safety.
This special investigation will examine how licensees meet their legal obligations to regenerate stands in areas affected by wildfire. As severe wildfires increasingly impact young forests, the investigation focuses on whether and how licensees assess damage, implement silviculture treatments, and use the available legal pathways under the Forest and Range Practices Act—such as adapting stocking standards or applying for relief. Covering wildfires between 2017 and 2023, the investigation will assess reforestation efforts across three heavily burned natural resource districts to evaluate whether post-wildfire forest management supports long-term ecological resilience.
This special project will assess how Indigenous values, including Cultural Heritage Resources (CHRs), are integrated into planning and practices under the Forest and Range Practices Act. Developed in collaboration with First Nations, the report will examine the effectiveness of current approaches, identify systemic issues and highlight emerging best practices that support respectful stewardship of CHRs across BC’s public forests.
This special report will outline opportunities to strengthen monitoring and adaptive management under the Forest and Range Practices Act, especially as BC transitions to Forest Landscape Planning. The report will highlight the need to embed adaptive management—learning from outcomes and adjusting practices—into planning processes, emphasizing climate resilience, managing cumulative effects, and collaboration with First Nations. Drawing on past Board findings, expert input and case studies, the report will examine a coordinated, outcomes-based system that supports continuous improvement in forest management.
Appeals Program Update
The Board has not initiated or joined an appeal in 2025. However, the Board is currently still participating in two appeals:
Suspension and cancellation of Range Act grazing licence
The Board joined an appeal in which the appellant challenges the suspension and cancellation of its Range Act grazing licence. The Board intends to focus its participation in the appeal on the interpretation of the grounds for suspending and cancelling a grazing licence in the Range Act, which includes conduct that is causing or imminently cause serious damage to the environment.
Category 2 open burning
The Board joined an appeal involving a lessee and their contractor being found in contravention of the Wildfire Act for failing to comply with category 2 open burning requirements. The Board is likely to focus its participation in the appeal on the diligence required, to establish a defence of due diligence, of a person who hires another to conduct burning. The Board may also participate on the issue of apportioning fire control costs and damages among multiple persons.
Out in the Community
The Board is committed to fostering dialogue and sharing our expertise with the forestry and natural resource community. This spring, Board staff connected with students at UBC and UVic to discuss our role, share recent projects and explore the challenges and opportunities shaping forest and range practices in BC. These sessions strengthen relationships, inspire future professionals and keep us engaged with the next generation of forest stewards.
Engaging Future Forest Professionals at UBC
In March, the Board was pleased to connect with students in the Master of Sustainable Forest Management program at the University of British Columbia. Ken Byrne invited a Board representative to deliver an hour-long presentation introducing the class to the Forest Practices Board—our mandate, program areas, reporting processes, and our role in promoting continuous improvement in forest practices across the province.
The session extended well beyond the scheduled hour, with nearly two hours of presentation and discussion. The class, consisting of approximately 22 future Registered Professional Foresters, was highly engaged. Students brought diverse perspectives, with backgrounds from across British Columbia, the United States (Wisconsin and California), Ontario, China, and Ghana.
The presentation highlighted several recent initiatives, including the audit program, the special investigation on reforestation challenges in Interior Douglas-fir subzones, and the five-year audit summary led by Nick Reynolds. These examples provided context for the Board’s work and sparked insightful questions from students, particularly around compliance monitoring and how responsibilities are shared with other agencies, such as district-level operations and the Natural Resource Officer Service.
Broader discussions covered career pathways, the value of mentorship and professional development, scope of practice, and the principle of professional reliance. The students’ thoughtful engagement reflected their strong interest in the practical and policy dimensions of forest management in BC.
Ken Byrne expressed appreciation for the Board’s participation and its contribution to broadening the students’ understanding of forest governance. It was a rewarding and enjoyable session—and one that Board staff are encouraged to take part in when future opportunities arise.
UVIC Natural Resources Law Class
In April, our Acting Director of Investigations, Matthias Splittgerber, and General Counsel, Nathan Murray, presented to students in the Natural Resources Law class at the University of Victoria’s Faculty of Law. The invitation followed Professor Estair Van Wagner’s presentation to the Board at our February staff meeting.
Using three recent Board projects—the Whitebark Pine complaint investigation, the special investigation into Wildfire Act determinations, and the Holland appeal—as case studies, Matthias and Nathan discussed a range of topics, including the Board’s jurisdiction, forest stewardship and forest landscape plan frameworks, and the role of legal counsel within the Forest Practices Board.
The students were highly engaged, posing thoughtful questions and offering unique perspectives on their interest in natural resource law. To conclude the session, Professor Van Wagner emphasized the collaborative nature of the Board’s work, which integrates both legal and natural resource expertise. It was a rewarding exchange that highlighted the value of cross-disciplinary dialogue in this field.
People
Kit Burke joined the Board in August 2025 as a Manager of Audits and Investigations. Kit is a Registered Professional Forester and has spent over 14 years working with West Fraser Timber where he led the development and implementation of alternative harvesting practices focused on protecting wildlife and water values.
Farewells
After 27 years with the Forest Practices Board, Chris Oman, Director of Investigations, retired in February 2025. Chris played a central role in shaping the Board’s investigations work and leaves behind a strong legacy of integrity and excellence. We thank him for his many contributions to the Board and wish him all the best in retirement.
The Board conducts its work throughout British Columbia, and we respectfully acknowledge the territories of the many Indigenous Peoples who have lived on these lands since time immemorial.
