A resident of the Fort Nelson area complained to the Forest Practices Board that the public did not have the opportunity to review and comment on the planned logging of a cutblock, and that this was contrary to theForest Practices Code of British Columbia Act and its regulations (the Code). The complaint concerns an amendment to a forest development plan (FDP) for Woodlot Licence 1717, located 70 kilometres northeast of Fort Nelson.
Bridge Design and Construction at Reiseter Creek near Smithers, B.C.
Approval of a Cutblock near Fort Nelson without Public Review
Closing Letter – Tindill Creek
Closing Letter – Quesnel Range
Closing Letter – Sechelt Boundary
Balancing Bark Beetle Harvesting with Other Resource Values at Babine Lake
The owner of a fishing lodge (the complainant) was concerned about logging that Canadian Forest Products Ltd. (the licensee) was conducting near the shore of Babine Lake, one of the largest lakes in northern British Columbia. The owner feels that logging to control a beetle infestation has damaged the scenic value of the area for lodge clients and for local people who fish on the lake.
Recreational Access to Mount Seaton in the Bulkley Valley
In December 2001, the Ministry of Forests (MOF) approved a silviculture prescription for cutblock CP 551-1 on Mount Seaton, about 40 kilometres north of Smithers in the Bulkley Valley. A local backcountry skier (the complainant) asserts that MOF approved the silviculture prescription without regard to concerns that the cutblock would allow snowmobile access to an alpine area with no history of snowmobile use. The complainant believes that skiers will have to abandon the alpine area if snowmobile use reduces its value for skiing.
Habitat and Access Management near Flat Lake Park
Boar Lake is an isolated lake with high fishing values, approximately 30 kilometres southwest of 100 Mile House. In the summer of 2001, a cabin owner on Boar Lake (the complainant) learned that Weldwood of Canada (the licensee) planned to harvest several cutblocks near the lake. He was concerned that planned upgrades of the road into the area would increase fishing pressure and that the cutblocks would reduce wildlife habitat in the area. He discussed his concerns with the licensee and government agencies. He was not satisfied with attempts to address his concerns and filed a complain with the Forest Practices Board in January 2002.
CLOSING LETTER: Tindill Creek
The Forest Practices Board received a complaint from a Robson Valley resident who has a grazing lease on Crown land near Tindill Creek, 50 kilometres southeast of McBride.
In March 2002, a contractor working for McBride Forest Industries (the licensee) began harvesting a 49-hectare cutblock on the grazing lease. On April 1, 2002, the complainant discovered what appeared to be an oil spill at a landing in the cutblock. Snow was melting and the oil flowed downhill with the melt water.
The complainant takes drinking water from Tindill Creek and his cattle and wildlife drink from a spring in the cutblock. He was concerned that the oil could contaminate the spring and Tindill Creek.
