VICTORIA - The Forest Practices Board will examine the activities of the BC Timber Sales (BCTS) program and timber-sale licence holders in the Boundary Timber Supply Area (TSA) portion of the Kootenay Business Area.
The Boundary TSA covers approximately 659,000 hectares and is administered by the Selkirk Natural Resource District. It includes the communities of Grand Forks, Christina Lake, Greenwood, Midway, Rock Creek, Bridesville and Beaverdell. First Nations territories overlapping the Boundary TSA include the Okanagan Nation Alliance, Lower Similkameen Indian Band, Penticton Indian Band, Adams Lake Indian Band, Okanagan Indian Band, Osoyoos Indian Band, Shuswap Indian Band, Splats’in, and Westbank First Nation. The TSA has numerous lakes, streams and diverse forests that support a variety of fish and wildlife species.
Auditors will examine whether timber harvesting, roads, bridges, silviculture, fire protection activities and associated planning carried out between June 2022 and June 2023 met the requirements of the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act. The audit will take place during the week of June 26, 2023.
Once the audit work is complete, a report will be prepared. 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 BC’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 and the appropriateness of government enforcement. It can also make recommendations for improvement to practices and legislation.
Contact:
Shannon West, Communications
Forest Practices Board
shannon.west@bcfpb.ca
Phone: 250 213-4735 / 1 800 994-5899
