Range Audit: Thompson Rivers Natural Resource District – Range Agreements for Grazing RAN077532 and RAN077579
Audit of Range Planning and Practices: Thompson Rivers Natural Resource District – Range Agreements for Grazing RAN077532 and RAN077579
In September 2016, the Forest Practices Board audited range planning and practices on five agreements for grazing in the Thompson Rivers Natural Resource District. This is the audit report for two of those agreements, RAN077532 located north of Barriere and RAN077579 located north of Kamloops. Results for the other three range agreements are reported separately. The audit involved assessing compliance with the Forest and Range Practices Act, including the required content of range use plans and whether agreement holders met practice requirements such as protection of riparian areas, upland areas, licensed waterworks and maintenance of range developments.
Both range agreement holders passed the audit with one having an area for improvement regarding documenting changes to the grazing schedule and the other had two areas for improvement related to grazing schedules and riparian areas.
Audit of Forest Planning and Practices: Canada Resurgence Developments Ltd. – FL A16884
As part of its 2016 compliance audit program, the Board randomly selected the Coast Mountain Resource District for the location of a full scope compliance audit. Within the district, the Board selected Forest Licence (FL) A16884, held by Canada Resurgence Developments Ltd. (CRD) for audit.
CRD’s operations under FL A16884 are near Bowser Lake and north in the Bell Irving watershed. Most of the operations are adjacent to Highway 37N (the Stewart–Cassiar Highway) and the Bell-Irving River north of Meziadin Junction. Operations are primarily on gentle ground. FL A16884 has an allowable annual cut of 291 712 cubic metres and harvested approximately 142 930 cubic metres during the two-year audit period.
The audit identified two significant non-compliances related to structure installation and silviculture obligations. CRD constructed two structures over seven metres in length instead of two, four metre long log culverts. Consequently, the structures are considered log stringer bridges which are subject to various requirements of the Forest Planning and Practices Regulation (FPPR). Because CRD was planning to install a log culvert, they did not comply with the FPPR. In addition, CRD did not update the forest cover information and could not confirm that free growing was achieved on five cutblocks.
CRD has stated that it will remove the structures in 2017 and will inspect all new wooden box culvert installation. CRD also stated that it will complete free-growing surveys and update forest cover information for the five cutblocks in 2017.
Canada Resurgence Developments Ltd. – FL A16884
Norbord Inc. – NRFLs A81942 and A84592
Audit of Forest Planning and Practices: Norbord Inc. – NRFLs A81942 and A84592
In October 2016 the Forest Practices Board audited non-replaceable forest licences (NRFL) A81942 and A84952, held by Norbord Inc. in the 100 Mile House Natural Resource District. The 100 Mile House Natural Resource District is located in south-central BC and includes the communities of 100 Mile House and Clinton.
Norbord’s operational planning, timber harvesting, road construction and maintenance, silviculture, and fire protection activities complied in all significant respects with the requirements of the Forest and Range Practices Act, the Wildfire Act and related regulations. The audit noted an area for improvement with Norbord’s fire hazard assessment procedures.
Husby Forest Products Ltd. – FL A16869
Audit of Forest Planning and Practices: Husby Forest Products Ltd. – FL A16869
In August 2016 the Forest Practices Board audited the activities of Husby ‘s Forest Licence A16869 in the Haida Gwaii Natural Resource District. Husby is part of the Husby Group, a privately held forest products company with operations mainly located on Haida Gwaii. The licence permits it to harvest 192,044 cubic metres of timber each year within the district.
Husby passed the audit with operational planning, timber harvesting, road construction and maintenance, silviculture, and fire protection activities complying in all significant respects with the requirements of the Forest and Range Practices Act, the Wildfire Act and related regulations. However, because Husby did not complete fire hazard assessments on time, the audit found an area requiring improvement for fire hazard assessments.
Forestry Audit: BCTS and TSL Holders: Okanagan-Columbia Business Area – Okanagan Shuswap Natural Resource District
As part of its 2016 compliance audit program, the Forest Practices Board randomly selected the Okanagan-Shuswap Natural Resources District portion of BC Timber Sales’ (BCTS) Okanagan–Columbia Business Area for a full scope compliance audit. The district stretches from the United States border in the south, to the Seymour River/Shuswap Lake in the north and presents many challenges for forestry managers. Notable features include the cities of Salmon Arm, Vernon, Kelowna and Penticton, and Adams, Shuswap, Mabel and Okanagan Lakes, and the Upper Seymour, Eagle and Similkameen Rivers. BCTS operates in 52 operating areas throughout the district.
The audit identified one area requiring improvement with respect to TSL holders not completing fire hazard assessments, and one significant non-compliance related to minor silviculture reporting errors on almost 20 percent of the cutblocks reviewed. However, BCTS is addressing these issues. It has altered its internal procedures to require that the timber sales licensees assesses, records and submits their fire hazard assessment forms to BCTS. BCTS is also implementing a monthly review of its silviculture data to compare and correct any deficiencies between its internal database and the government database.
