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.
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.
As part of the Forest Practices Boardʹs 2010 compliance audit program, the Board randomly selected the Rocky Mountain Forest District as the location for a full‐scope compliance audit. Within the district, the Board selected FL A19040, held by Tembec Industries Inc., for audit.
The primary operating areas are scattered throughout the Cranbrook Timber Supply Area, around the cities of Cranbrook, Kimberley and Fernie, and the communities of Sparwood and Elkford.
The Board's audit fieldwork took place from July 5 to 9, 2010.
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.
The Forest Practices Board has audited the appropriateness of government’s enforcement of the provisions of the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act, in the Columbia Forest District in southeastern British Columbia.
The Board commends the Ministry of Forests and Range staff in the district for their good compliance and enforcement (C&E) practices during the audit period. They completed a large number of inspections, demonstrating that they were out on the ground, extensively monitoring forest activities. They also conducted numerous investigations and took appropriate enforcement actions when problems were identified. When interviewed, licensees in the district reported that compliance monitoring and enforcement practices were conducted fairly during the two-year audit period. Overall, the investigation found no C&E weaknesses of concern in the district.
