In spring 2008, the Forest Practices Board conducted a limited scope compliance audit of Western Forest Products Inc. (WFP) Tree Farm Licence (TFL) 39/Block 6 in the Haida Gwaii Forest District (formerly Queen Charlotte Islands), with a focus on fish streams and crossings.
The audit assessed more than 140 cutblocks, 1,800 kilometres of road activities and obligations, and 450 bridges, as well as associated operational planning. The audit found that harvesting, road activities and associated planning undertaken by WFP between May 1, 2006, and May 30, 2008, complied with legislative requirements in all significant respects.
Haida Gwaii contains a large number of high-value fish streams and the Board commends WFP on the various measures it has taken to protect fish and fish habitat on TFL 39/Block 6. By minimizing the potential input of sediment into fish streams, ensuring fish passage at stream crossings and maintaining large riparian management areas, WFP is actively engaging in minimizing impacts to fish and fish habitat while conducting its forestry operations.
The audit examined both BCTS’ and TSL holders’ obligations and activities. BCTS is responsible for operational planning, including preparing forest stewardship plans (FSP) and site plans, silviculture, and most road construction, maintenance and deactivation outside of cutblocks. Timber sale licensees are responsible for timber harvesting, fire protection, and most road construction, maintenance and deactivation within cutblocks.
These activities were assessed for compliance with the Forest and Range Practices Act, the Wildfire Act and related regulations, as well as certain transitional elements of the Forest Practices Code of British Columbia Act. All activities, planning and obligations for the period July 1, 2007, to July 31, 2008, were included in the scope of the audit.
As part of its 2008 compliance audit program, the Forest Practices Board randomly selected the Skeena Stikine Forest District as the location of a limited scope compliance audit. The Board chose to conduct an audit with a focus on forest service roads (FSRs) that are solely the responsibility of the Ministry of Forest and Range’s (MFR’s) district manager, as well as riparian area management and fish passage at fish stream crossings along these FSRs. After initiating the audit, it was determined that the district manager was solely responsible for only wilderness FSRs within the audit area.
An FSR is a road, including bridges and major culverts, built and/or maintained by the MFR. The FSRs that are solely the responsibility of the district manager are not normally assessed in Board audits of forest companies or of British Columbia Timber Sales.
In summer 2008, the Forest Practices Board conducted a compliance audit of forest planning and practices of the Creston Valley Forest Corporation (CVFC) in the Kootenay Lake Forest District.
The audit examined planning, field activities and obligations in the areas of: operational planning (including forest stewardship plans and site plans, where applicable); timber harvesting; road construction and maintenance; silviculture; and fire protection.
These activities were assessed for compliance with the Forest and Range Practices Act, the Wildfire Act and related regulations, as well as certain transitional elements of the Forest Practices Code of British Columbia Act. All activities, planning and obligations for the period June 1, 2007, to June 10, 2008, were included in the scope of the audit.
As part of its 2008 compliance audit program, the Forest Practices Board randomly selected the Kootenay Lake Forest District as the location for a full scope compliance audit, with a focus on community tenures. Within the district, the Board selected the Harrop‐Procter Community Forest and the Kaslo and District Community Forest Society for audit.
Information about the Board’s compliance audit process is provided in Appendix 1.
