In August 2010, the Board received a complaint about logging by Tamihi Logging Co. Ltd. in the Deroche Community Watershed, approximately 15 kilometres east of Mission, BC. The complainant was concerned about the impact Tamihi’s operations were having on water quality in the area and also that the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations (MFLNRO)1 was not adequately overseeing the operation.
The complainant contacted the Chilliwack Forest District office with his concerns in May, at which point the district manager arranged for a field trip so compliance and enforcement staff, along with both the complainant and the licensee, could discuss operations in the area. However, remaining concerned—and wanting improvement in the quality of practices in the watershed—the complainant then contacted the Board.
Two organizations, Friends of Bute Inlet and the Sierra Club of BC, complained to the Forest Practices Board about the impact of a hydroelectric project on forest resources. The “run-of-river” Toba River and Montrose Creek Hydroelectric Project, located about 100 kilometres north of Powell River, is owned by Toba Montrose General Partnership (the proponent). It underwent an environmental assessment, was approved by both the provincial and federal governments in 2007, and began operating in August 2010.
The complainants asked the Board to assess:
This is the board’s first investigation into a complaint about the impact a run-of-river hydroelectric project might have on forest resources. Understanding how forest resources were managed required consideration of the overall regulatory framework, including regulations and policies that fell outside of the Board’s authority. This “big picture” approach was made possible through the cooperation and support of various government agencies and the project proponent. The resulting report provides a learning opportunity to promote sound forest management for future run-of-river projects.
In June 2010, the Board conducted a full-scope compliance audit of forest planning and practices of International Forest Products Limited’s (Interfor) Forest Licence (FL) A18969. FL A18969 is managed by Interfor’s Grand Forks Woods Division in the town of Grand Forks.
The audit assessed operational planning 30 harvest blocks, over 300 kilometres of roads and 14 bridges, more than 100 silviculture blocks, and over 30 blocks for fire protection activities. The audit identified a significant concern with the construction of one bridge, as well as concerns with winter road construction and a lack of formal road and bridge maintenance inspections.
The Forest Practices Board was asked to perform an assessment of the Oil and Gas Commission's (OGC) compliance and enforcement (C&E) framework, comprising the structures, processes, systems and documentation used to deliver and support the OGC‘s work in ensuring industry compliance with legal and permit requirements.
In the fall of 2009, the Forest Practices Board conducted a special investigation into how well forest companies are meeting their obligations to maintain roads and bridges under the Forest and Range Practices Act. The investigation took place in the Campbell River, South Island and Squamish forest districts in the Coast Forest Region.
The Board looked at how road maintenance obligations were being met by 8 licensees holding road permit tenures associated with 11 forest licences. The licensees were Aat’uu Forestry Limited Partnership and TimberWest Forest Corporation in the Campbell River Forest District; Coulson Forest Products Ltd. and Teal-Jones Group in the South Island Forest District; and C.R.B. Logging Co. Ltd., Northwest Squamish Forestry Ltd., Squamish Mills Ltd. and Halray Logging Ltd. in the Squamish Forest District.
As part of the Forest Practices Board's 2010 compliance audit program, the Board randomly selected the Fort Nelson Forest District as the location for a full-scope compliance audit. Within the district, the Board chose to examine activities involving two oil and gas licensees—Apache Canada Ltd. (Apache) and Devon Canada Corporation (Devon).
The Board’s audit fieldwork took place on October 4 and 5, 2010, for Apache, and October 6 and 7, 2010, for Devon.
As part of the Forest Practices Board's 2010 compliance audit program, the Board randomly selected the Chilcotin Forest District as the location for a full-scope compliance audit. Within the district, the Board selected non-renewable forest licence (NRFL) A81390, held by Klatassine Resources Ltd., for audit. All harvesting, roads, silviculture, protection activities and associated planning, carried out between September 1, 2008, and September 21, 2010, were assessed for compliance with FRPA, the Wildfire Act and related regulations
The primary operating area for NRFL A81390 is in the Palmer Lake area, which is about 30 kilometres north of Alexis Creek, within the Williams Lake Timber Supply Area, in the Tl’etinqox-t’in’s traditional territory.
The Forest Practices Board has had growing concerns about the cumulative effects of resource use on the British Columbia (BC) land base for a number of years. In our work examining forest and range practices, it was often apparent that other activities were impacting the land and water; activities that were not regulated under the Forest and Range Practices Act.
The Board decided to undertake a cumulative effect assessment case study in the Kiskatinaw River watershed near Dawson Creek, looking specifically at effects of resource development on drinking water, soil and caribou habitat. The Board also reviewed current literature relevant to the subject of cumulative effects assessment. At the same time, the Board reviewed a project-specific cumulative effects assessment as part of the investigation of a public complaint about an independent power project. This summary report is about the learning gained from these separate but related processes.
Related Videos
Cumulative Effects Web Presentations
by Marvin Eng, FPB
The Forest Practices Board (the Board) has been involved in many cases where domestic water users are concerned about forestry activities in their watershed. While forest licensees generally carry out their practices in a manner that minimizes negative impacts to water, unintended consequences can, and sometimes do, happen.
This report was prepared following the release of a government discussion paper on modernization of the Water Act. Since that discussion paper was drafted, government has released its policy proposal for a new Water Sustainability Act for BC. The policy document addresses some key issues, and includes proposals to integrate planning and management of the water resource, develop provincial water objectives, consider those objectives in land use decisions and expand compliance and enforcement.
In October 2010, the Board conducted a full-scope compliance audit of forest planning and practices of Forest Licence (FL) A15385, held by Conifex Mackenzie Forest Products Inc. (Conifex). FL A15385 is located in the Mackenzie Forest District, on the west side of the northern half of the Williston reservoir, and the east side of the southern half of the reservoir. In August 2010, Conifex took over FL A15385 from Abitibi-Bowater (Abitibi), who was in bankruptcy protection and had not actively harvested in the licence area for approximately three years. The audit found Conifex in compliance with the legislated requirements of the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act.
