Special Investigation – SIR/20
2008 - revised January 2009
RECOMMENDATIONS
- The current regulations and policies do not provide strategic direction to help determine when silvicultural systems and/or harvest approaches with high amounts of retention should be used. The Ministry of Forests and Range should provide strategic direction to guide licensees on appropriate approaches for high amounts of retention, based on clear strategic objectives for the full range of values over time, including timber species/values.
- In addition, the Association of BC Forest Professionals (ABCFP) should provide guidance to members to ensure they are using appropriate professional diligence in the design of high retention silvicultural prescriptions on the coast.
- The Ministry of Forests and Range should require clear, achievable and measurable up-front targets for post-harvest retention levels. Stocking standards should require the use of residual basal area ranges with compliance limits at both the lower and upper end. Some characterization of vigour and economic viability should be used to allow trees to contribute to stocking. Ultimately, retention stocking standards must be designed so they can be audited for compliance, and monitored for effectiveness.
- The Ministry of Forests and Range should develop policy about ‘opportunity cuts’ with no expectations of future yield (and therefore no silvicultural system) which should be considered, for example, in areas constrained from harvest due to other objectives, such as slope stability concerns.
Response to Recommendations - Government
Response to Recommendation - ABCFP
