VICTORIA – The Forest Practices Board will examine forest practices on ten woodlots located on the southern part of Vancouver Island, from May 21 to June 15.

The audit will examine planning, timber harvesting, road construction and maintenance, silviculture and fire prevention practices carried out by the woodlot licence holders under the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act.

The woodlots are located near the communities of Sooke, Ladysmith, Chemainus, Nanaimo, Port Alberni and Ucluelet. Several are located in community or domestic watersheds or contain threatened coastal Douglas-fir plant communities.

The South Island district was randomly selected for audit. The board then selected the 10 woodlots with the largest amounts of harvesting, each harvesting more than 5,000 cubic metres in the past two years.

Once the audit work is completed, a report will be prepared, and any party that may be adversely affected by the audit findings will have a chance to respond. The board’s final report and recommendations will then be released to the public and government.

The Forest Practices Board is B.C.’s independent watchdog for sound forest and range practices, reporting its findings and recommendations directly to the public and government.

The board audits forest and range practices on public land, as well as appropriateness of government enforcement.

More information can be obtained by contacting:

Helen Davies, Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250 213-4708 / 1 800 994-5899