Board to Audit West Fraser Mills Ltd.

VICTORIA – On June 2, the Forest Practices Board will begin an audit of West Fraser Mills Ltd.’s Chasm Sawmills Division, in the 100 Mile House Forest District, for compliance with the Forest Practices Code.

The audit will look at West Fraser’s planning and practices on forest licence A20002, southeast of Williams Lake. The licence area stretches northwest from Clinton to Lac La Hache and the Eagle Lake area. It is bounded on the east by Bonaparte Lake, Lac des Roches and Drewy Lake.

The Forest Practices Board carries out periodic independent audits to see if government and forest companies are complying with the Forest Practices Code. West Fraser Mill’s forest licence was chosen randomly and not on the basis of location or level of performance.

Board auditors will examine forest practices carried out between June 1, 2002, and June 9, 2003, including logging; road construction, maintenance and deactivation; forest protection; silviculture; and planning.

The four-member audit team, composed of a chartered accountant and professional foresters, will be in the licence area examining plans, cutblocks and roads during the week of June 2. Once the fieldwork is done, the audit team will report its findings to the board. 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, established in 1995, that publishes reports about compliance with the Forest Practices Code 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 the Code.
• Investigating public complaints.
• Undertaking special investigations of forestry issues.
• Participating in administrative reviews and appeals.
• Providing reports on board activities, findings and recommendations.

Jacqueline Waldorf
Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250 356-1586 / 1 800 994-5899