Follow-up Report on Wildlife and Cattle Grazing in the East Kootenay
The Rocky Mountain Trench is rich in ecological diversity. It is the low-elevation grassland and open forest ecosystems that support the greatest biological diversity and the greatest concentration of forage use, and human settlement and development. Maintaining a healthy grassland ecosystem in the Rocky Mountain Trench is important, but challenging.
In 2008, the Board published the complaint investigation report Wildlife and Cattle Grazing in the East Kootenay. The report addressed concerns that: forest in-growth on grasslands had caused forage supply to decline; elk and deer numbers had been allowed to increase causing forage to be overgrazed; and individual ranchers had to reduce the number and duration of cattle grazing on Crown lands. The report recommended that the Ministry of Forests and Range and the Ministry of Environment direct reductions of forage use to achieve a positive and continuing trend in grassland ecosystem condition.
Government responded in March 2011 and outlined actions they had taken to address the recommendations from the 2008 report. This report examines progress by government to implement those actions.
Follow-up Report on Wildlife and Cattle Grazing in the East Kootenay
Summary of 2013 and 2014 Audit Reports
A summary of findings of the 23 audits published in 2013 and 2014 that draws attention to the number of failures to follow Wildfire Act requirements. This trend is concerning to the Board, especially as we enter into a summer following historic low snow packs in many areas of the province, and are seeing an early start to the wildfire season.
Of the 23 audit reports, 11 had no concerns noted, and 12 had a total of 24 concerns reported. Of particular concern to the Board is that one third of the findings relate to the Wildfire Act. The Board encourages all licensees, big and small, to pay particular attention to fire protection activities this coming season.
Summary of 2013 and 2014 Audit Reports
Access Management and Resource Roads: 2015 Update
In 2005, the Board reported on the state of access management in BC. The Board identified issues that reduced government’s ability to provide positive benefits and prevent negative effects of resource roads. While there has been some progress in the intervening decade, many of the issues remain.
This special report provides an update to the 2005 report. The Board undertook this report in the interests of advancing the state of access management in British Columbia. Given the continuing and emerging issues with resource roads, it is time to review what has happened in the intervening years since the Board’s 2005 report was published and to summarize the current situation.
Access Management and Resource Roads: 2015 Update
Administrative Appeals: 2009-2014
The Forest Practices Board participates in appeals to the Forest Appeals Commission under the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act. These appeals concern administrative penalties (which are issued by government officials, rather than by the courts), remediation orders and government decisions concerning approval or rejection of forest stewardship plans, range stewardship plans, or range use plans. This report summarizes the work of the Forest Practices Board in administrative appeals from April 1, 2009, to December 31, 2014. Previous reports have summarized the periods from 1995 to 2001 and 2002 to 2009.
Administrative Appeals: 2009-2014
A Summary of Complaints to the BC Forest Practices Board (1995-2013)
The Board is BC’s forest and range practices watchdog, independent from government, industry and special interests. A key mission of the Board is to encourage continuous improvement—and thus encourage public confidence—in forest and range practices and BC’s forest, range and wildfire legislation. To that end, the Board works to resolve concerns and complaints and to strengthen resource stewardship rather than simply investigate and report. Over the years, the majority of Board recommendations made in complaint investigations have been implemented.
This report reviews the results of 19 years of Forest Practices Board investigations of complaints from the public. Since 1995, the Board has responded to over 1000 public concerns and has formally investigated several hundred complaints.
