Board to audit BCTS operations in Kootenay Lake Timber Supply Area

VICTORIA– Forest Practices Board auditors will audit British Columbia Timber Sales (BCTS) operations in the Kootenay Lake Timber Supply Area (TSA) for approximately one week starting June 25, 2007. BCTS is an independent organization, within the Ministry of Forests and Range, created to develop Crown timber for auction.

Auditors will examine operational planning; timber harvesting; construction, maintenance and deactivation of roads; silviculture; and fire protection activities carried out between June 1, 2006, and June 29, 2007, to assess compliance with the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act.

The four-member team will examine BCTS operations located throughout the TSA, which extends predominantly north and south of Nelson.

The board conducts periodic independent audits to see if government and forest companies are complying with the province’s forest practices legislation. The board randomly carries out periodic independent audits to see if government and forest companies are complying with the province’s forest practices legislation. The audit area was chosen randomly, and not on the basis of location or level of performance.

Once the fieldwork is complete, 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 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 lands;.
• audits appropriateness of government enforcement;
• investigates public complaints;
• undertakes special investigations of current forestry issues;
• participates in administrative appeals; and
• makes recommendations for improvement to practices and legislation.

-30-