On September 25, 2000, the Board received a complaint from an Oliver resident. The complainant lives on White Lake road, a paved rural road that passes through Crown range land in the Penticton Forest District. The complainant stated that a local rancher repeatedly allowed his cattle to graze on Crown land without authorization, and that due to a lack of fence maintenance, the cattle frequently escaped from the range onto White Lake road, posing a safety hazard to motorists. The complaint is not about the rancher, but rather the Ministry of Forests (MOF). The complainant considers that ministry enforcement efforts have been inappropriate because, despite the ministry’s actions, the cattle continue to graze on Crown range without authorization.
Number of Cutblocks in a Forest Development Plan on the North Coast of BC
On June 21, 1999, the Board received a complaint from the David Suzuki Foundation (the complainant) about the approval of a 1999-2003 forest development plan (FDP) prepared by International Forest Products (the licensee) for Forest Licence A16841 in the North Coast Forest District. The complainant asked the Board to undertake an administrative review of the forest development plan approval. The Board dealt with part of the complaint by undertaking an administrative review. The administrative review addressed the licensee changing category I cutblocks to proposed category A cutblocks without changing the designation on the FDP maps. However, three remaining issues were not handled in the administrative review and are the topic of this complaint investigation.
Closing Letter – Slocan Valley Watershed Assessments
Enforcing the Code on Range Land in Oliver, BC
Number of Cutblocks in a Forest Development Plan on the North Coast of BC
Adequacy of a Forest Development Plan for a Woodlot Licence
The Board received a complaint about whether a forest development plan for a neighbouring woodlot licence met the requirements of the Forest Practices Code of British Columbia Act and its regulations (the Code). Although the woodlot consists of three non-contiguous parcels of land in the Prince George Forest District, the complaint concerns only the parcel beside the complainant’s property, eight kilometres west of Prince George.
The Board does not have the authority to investigate many of the issues of concern to the complainant. In 1994, the Ministry of Forests (MOF) increased the maximum woodlot size from 400 to 600 hectares under the Forest Act. The complainant considered such expansion to be inappropriate, but the Board does not have the authority to investigate decisions made under the Forest Act.
Potential Effects of Logging on Drinking Water Quality at Scum Lake
The complainant operates a fishing camp at Scum Lake. Since the late 1980s he has expressed his concerns to the Ministry of Forests Chilcotin Forest District about contaminated water. He is concerned that his drinking water is being contaminated with fecal coliform runoff in nearby cutblocks. He filed a complaint with the Forest Practices Board in March 2000. He asserted that the proposed harvesting would affect water quality because increased surface water running off the new cutblocks would transport fecal coliform into his drinking water supply.
Impact of a Logging Road and Helicopter Landing on Wildlife Habitat near Jones Lake
On September 27, 1999, the Forest Practices Board received a complaint from the Chilliwack Field Naturalists (the complainant). The complainant said that a logging road and a helicopter landing beside Jones Lake would affect mountain beaver and grizzly bear habitat. The Board decided to investigate whether it was reasonable for the Ministry of Forests district manager to approve the road and landing, considering the concerns about impacts on wildlife habitat.
