As part of its 2018 compliance audit program, the Board randomly selected the Coast Mountains Natural Resource District as the location for a full scope compliance audit. Within the district, the Board selected tree farm licence (TFL) 41, forest licence (FL) A16882 and FL A16885, held by Skeena Sawmills Ltd. (Skeena), for audit. Skeena operates in two general locations; Operations for TFL 41 and FL A16885 are within 40 kilometres of Kitimat BC and operations for FL A16882 are just south of Meziadin Lake. During the two-year audit period Skeena harvested about 414,000 cubic metres using ground, cable and helicopter harvesting systems, constructed 51 kilometres of road and installed 4 major structures.

Skeena’s operational planning, timber harvesting, road construction, maintenance and deactivation, silviculture, and fire protection activities generally complied in all significant respects with the requirements of the Forest and Range Practices Act, the Wildfire Act and related regulations. However, the audit noted a significant non-compliance related to seed transfer guidelines and an area requiring improvement related to free-growing obligations.

In late July, the Forest Practices Board audited the forest activities of Western Forest Products Inc.  in Blocks 2 and 5 of tree farm licence 39. Block 2 is located near Sayward on Vancouver Island, and Block 5 is located on the mainland coast in the Phillips River watershed.

This was a full scope compliance audit and all activities carried out between July 1, 2017, and July 27, 2018, were eligible for audit. The Board found that Western complied with the requirements of the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act. This is the third audit of the TFL since 2008, and all have shown good results.

As part of its 2018 compliance audit program, the Board selected forest licence A19229 in the Sunshine Coast Natural Resource District as a location for a full scope compliance audit. A&A Trading Ltd. holds the licence, but some silviculture obligations are the responsibility of the previous licensee, Terminal Forest Products Ltd.

The activities audited are located in the Sunshine Coast Timber Supply Area, which is characterized by rugged mountains, lakes and numerous inlets, creating operational challenges for the licensees. The area is ecologically complex, supporting a rich and diverse array of wildlife and ecosystems and is subject to government orders for old growth management areas, recreation sites and trails and visual quality objectives and notices for species at risk, including the marbled murrelet, northern goshawk and coastal tailed frog habitat.

All activities complied with the requirements of the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act.

As part of its 2018 compliance audit program, the Board randomly selected the Mackenzie Natural Resource District as a location for a full scope compliance audit. The Board selected community forest agreement K2M for audit, held by McLeod Lake Mackenzie Community Forest Limited Partnership, operated jointly by the District of Mackenzie and the McLeod Lake Indian Band.

The activities audited are located in five operating areas, extending from the Parsnip River in the south, past Mackenzie and north to the Nation Arm of Williston Lake, including the Mugaha Marsh sensitive area. The terrain is gentle to rolling, containing mature forests, comprised of mixed stands of Engelmann spruce, white spruce, sub-alpine fir and lodgepole pine.

All activities complied with the requirements of the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act.

As part of the Forest Practices Board's 2017 compliance audit program, the Board randomly selected the Nadina Natural Resource District as the location for a full scope compliance audit. Within the district, the Board selected 11 woodlot licences near Burns Lake for audit: W0116, W0117, W0128, W0198, W0199, W1534, W1687, W1690, W1691, W2050 and W2065. This report explains what the Board audited and the findings for woodlots W0116 & W0199, W0117 & W0128, W1534 and W2065.

Burns Lake is surrounded by the Nechako Plateau’s low-rolling terrain and is forested with pine-dominated stands, where salvaging mountain pine beetle damaged timber has been a priority for several years. The government issued cut control exemptions or temporary cut uplifts to many of the woodlot licensees, providing them with the opportunity to salvage the damaged timber and regenerate young, thrifty stands.

The audit found that the licensees’ practices mostly complied with FRPA and the WA, but found significant non-compliance with annual reporting practices and silviculture obligations and also found fire hazard assessment practices require improvement.

As part of the Forest Practices Board's 2017 compliance audit program, the Board randomly selected the Nadina Natural Resource District as the location for a full scope compliance audit. Within the district, the Board selected 11 woodlot licences near Burns Lake for audit: W0116, W0117, W0128, W0198, W0199, W1534, W1687, W1690, W1691, W2050 and W2065. This report explains what the Board audited and the findings for woodlot W0198.

Burns Lake is surrounded by the Nechako Plateau’s low-rolling terrain and is forested with pine-dominated stands, where salvaging mountain pine beetle damaged timber has been a priority for several years. The government issued cut control exemptions or temporary cut uplifts to many of the woodlot licensees, providing them with the opportunity to salvage the damaged timber and regenerate young, thrifty stands.

The audit found that the licensee mostly complied with FRPA, but found a significant non-compliance with regeneration obligations. Also, the licensee did not comply with the Wildfire Act when it did not meet hazard assessment and abatement requirements.