In February 2012, a member of the public who regularly hikes on the Sunshine Coast Trail near Powell River complained to the Board that Western Forest Products Inc. (WFP, or “the licensee” unless otherwise indicated) is not maintaining the integrity of the trail when harvesting close to it. The complainant asserted that buffers were not protecting visual quality or preventing trees from blowing down onto the trail.

The complainant has shared his concerns with the licensee on numerous occasions and the licensee has responded. The licensee assured the complainant that it is committed to sustainable forest management and local community values including the Sunshine Coast Trail. The complainant continues to feel that the licensee does not seriously consider his concerns.

This report is about a complaint from three residents of the Chilliwack River Valley who were concerned about logging near their subdivision close to Post Creek. One concern was about potential impacts of logging to the sensitive wildlife values in the area.

The area around Post Creek presents challenges for timber harvesting for several reasons: it is adjacent to a rural/residential community, it is close to a provincial park, it is down-slope from designated mountain goat winter range and it is within a designated habitat area for one of Canada’s most endangered species, the spotted owl. The licensee was aware of these challenges and knew the logging would cause public concerns.

Forest licensees in BC are not legally required to consult with the public for every cutblock they plan to harvest, but there are legal requirements for public consultation, which the Board considers to be a minimum. In this case, those legal minimums were actually exceeded; however, the Board has previously expressed the view that licensees should exercise judgment and provide meaningful public involvement tailored to local needs to maintain and build confidence in the management of BC’s forest resources. In the Board’s opinion, Post Creek was a situation that warranted more communication than was provided.

This audit examined the activities of 606546 B.C. Ltd. on forest licence A19202 in the Chilliwack Forest District. 606546 B.C. Ltd. purchased this forest licence in 2008, and it also holds other forest licences in the district. Dorman Timber Ltd. owns 606546 B.C. Ltd.

The audit results show that harvesting and wildfire protection activities were satisfactory, but the overall performance of 606546 B.C. Ltd. was not up to the standard required by legislation and expected by the public. The Board found three cases of significant non-compliance:

1. Two bridges were installed without the required plans or drawings.
2. Road construction equipment was moved across a bridge requiring repairs, despite the district manager's direction not to use the bridge.
3. Three sections of new road were not structurally sound or safe for use and were failing at the time of the audit.

Also See: Road and Bridge Practices - Board Audit Findings 2005 - 2011
(special report released concurrently)

As part of the Forest Practices Board's 2011 compliance audit program, the Board randomly selected the South Island District as the location for a full scope compliance audit. Within the district, the Board selected Tree Farm Licence (TFL) 54 for audit. Since March 2007, this licence has been held by MaMook Natural Resources Limited (MaMook), owned by a partnership of the Ahousaht, Hesquiaht, Tla-o-qui-aht, Toquaht and Ucluthaht First Nations called the MaMook Development Corporation.

TFL 54 is an area-based licence located on the west side of Vancouver Island in the Clayoquot Sound region near Tofino and Ucluelet, as well as near the First Nations communities of Ahousaht, Esowista, Opitsaht, Hot Springs Cove, and Itatsoo. MaMook works in a complex planning environment and must address the Land Use Objectives for Clayoquot Sound, in addition to the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act.

Coast Mountain Expeditions (CME) submitted a complaint to the Forest Practices Board in September 2011 asserting that a recently approved log dump in Toba Inlet will impact its business.

Although the log dump will be operated as a forestry operation, the application was approved under the Lands Act. The Board does not have jurisdiction to consider Land Act issues and, as a result, cannot consider this complaint. However, the Board believes it worth highlighting the circumstances of this issue as an example of the problems that can arise when two tenure holders rely on the same resource for different purposes.