Meadow Creek Cedar Ltd. – Forest Practices and Government Enforcement
In May 2011, a resident of Meadow Creek, BC filed a complaint with the Forest Practices Board regarding the forestry practices of Meadow Creek Cedar Ltd. (MCC). The Board investigated and found that some of MCC’s roads, harvesting and silviculture activities did not comply with legislation.
In addition, some silviculture, protection and road construction practices were considered unsound. MCC did not implement recommendations provided in professional reports, including silviculture prescriptions and road engineering reports. This created unacceptable environmental and management risks, which, in the Board’s view, undermine public confidence in the industry and the professionals who work in it. MCC ’s allowable annual cut accounts for just 0.1 percent of the total provincial cut, therefore,the findings of this investigation should not be considered indicative of the forest industry.
In its ongoing audits and investigations the Board rarely finds licensees who do not strive to comply with the law and when it does, the licensee nearly always brings its forest practices into compliance.
J.H. Huscroft in the Kootenay Lake TSA
J.H. Huscroft in the Kootenay Lake TSA: Audit of Forest Planning and Practices
As part of the Forest Practices Board’s 2011 compliance audit program, the Board randomly selected the Selkirk District as the location for a full scope compliance audit. Within the district,the Board selected Forest Licence A20213, which operates in the Kootenay Lake Timber Supply Area. This licence is held by J.H. Huscroft Ltd., a family owned and operated company established in Creston in 1927.
Interfor, Grand Forks Woods Division – FL A18969
Audit of Forest Planning and Practices: International Forest Products Limited, Grand Forks Woods Division – FL A18969
In June 2010, the Board conducted a full-scope compliance audit of forest planning and practices of International Forest Products Limited’s (Interfor) Forest Licence (FL) A18969. FL A18969 is managed by Interfor’s Grand Forks Woods Division in the town of Grand Forks.
The audit assessed operational planning 30 harvest blocks, over 300 kilometres of roads and 14 bridges, more than 100 silviculture blocks, and over 30 blocks for fire protection activities. The audit identified a significant concern with the construction of one bridge, as well as concerns with winter road construction and a lack of formal road and bridge maintenance inspections.
Fire Preparedness
Fire Preparedness
This investigation identifies fire preparedness issues facing those subject to the Wildfire Act; determines if there are differences in fire preparedness between various groups (e.g., small versus large forest licensees, certified versus non-certified); and highlights fire preparedness practices in the interest of contributing to fire prevention.
Wood Waste in Bigmouth Creek
In September 2009, the Board received a complaint about large pieces of wood (i.e., logs) being left on a cutblock at the head of the Bigmouth Creek watershed, in the interior cedar hemlock (ICH) biogeoclimatic zone north of Revelstoke. While working in the area, the complainant observed large amounts of sound wood, including cedar, hemlock and spruce, in waste piles in cutblock A60881. He also saw that at least one large spruce taken was from outside the block boundary. The complainant was concerned that merchantable timber was being left, rather than being removed to a mill. The complainant was also concerned about the impact that the harvesting in an old cedar ecosystem would have on threatened species, such as wolverine and caribou.
