VICTORIA - Riverside Forest Products’ Armstrong Division is complying with the Forest Practices Code, according to a Forest Practices Board audit released today.

"Riverside’s practices complied with the Code in all significant respects. The Board acknowledges the care and attention taken by Riverside to achieve this high level of compliance," said Board chair, Keith Moore.

The audit examined timber harvesting, construction, maintenance and deactivation of roads, and the associated planning, carried out between August 1997 and August 1998 on Riverside’s Forest Licence A18689. The licence was selected for audit randomly, not on the basis of location or level of performance. Riverside’s operating areas are located southwest of Salmon Arm and northwest of Vernon.

The Board has undertaken nine compliance audits in 1998. The report on an audit of Tolko Industries’ forest licence near Quesnel was also released today, and was also a clean audit. Two other 1998 audits were released last month and were also clean audits. "These results support the Board’s observations that compliance with the Code has improved each year since it came into effect," said Moore.

Created in 1995, the Board is BC’s independent watchdog for sound forest practices. The Board reports to the public and government about compliance with the Forest Practices Code and the achievement of its intent. The Board’s main roles are: auditing forest practices, undertaking investigations in response to public complaints, undertaking special investigations of any Code related forestry issues, participating in administrative reviews and appeals and providing reports on Board activities, findings and recommendations.

Forest Practices Board
Phone: (250) 387-7964
1-800-994-5899