VICTORIA – The Forest Practices Board will audit the forest planning and practices of Ainsworth Lumber Co. Ltd. and West Fraser Mills Ltd. in early July.

The audit will examine Ainsworth Lumber’s operations on pulpwood agreement #16 and West Fraser Mill’s operations on forest licence A20001. The companies’ operations are located throughout the 100 Mile House Forest District, and cover over one million hectares. The forest district is bounded on the west by the Fraser River and the east by the Cariboo Mountains and Wells Gray Park.

Auditors will examine forest roads (construction, maintenance and deactivation), timber harvesting, and related operational planning activities carried out between July 1, 2005 and July 14, 2006, to assess compliance with the Forest and Range Practices Act.

The board carries out periodic independent audits to see if government and forest companies are complying with the Province’s forest practices legislation. Ainsworth Lumber Co. Ltd. and West Fraser Mills Ltd. were selected randomly, and not on the basis of location or level of performance.

The three-member audit team will be in the area for approximately five days, beginning July 10, 2006. Once the fieldwork is done, the audit 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 an independent public watchdog that reports to the public about compliance with the FRPA and the achievement of its intent. The board’s main roles are:

• Auditing forest practices of government and licence holders on public lands.
• Auditing government enforcement of FRPA.
• Investigating public complaints.
• Undertaking special investigations of forestry issues.
• Participating in administrative appeals.
• Providing reports on board activities, findings and recommendations.

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