Board to audit community forest near Whistler

WHISTLER – The Forest Practices Board will audit forest planning and practices on the Cheakamus Community Forest during the week of Aug. 3, 2021.

Auditors will examine whether timber harvesting, roads and bridges, silviculture, fire protection and associated planning carried out between Aug. 1, 2019, and Aug. 6, 2021, met the requirements of the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act.

Community Forest Agreement K3V is a forest tenure held by Cheakamus Community Forest Limited Partnership. It is a defined area of approximately 33,000 hectares surrounding the Resort Municipality of Whistler to the north, south and west, and has areas on either side of Highway 99.

The community forest is within the Sea to Sky Natural Resource District, which extends from Howe Sound to Birkenhead Lake Provincial Park and includes most of Garibaldi Provincial Park. Major rivers in the district include the Squamish, Pemberton, Soo, Elaho and Lillooet rivers, and Lillooet Lake, all of which support significant fish populations.

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 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 land, as well as appropriateness of government enforcement.

Contact:

Kairry Nguyen
Communications
Forest Practices Board
250 213-4707 / 1 800 994-5899