On September 11, 1996 the Forest Practices Board requested an administrative review of the forest development plan for the Brooks Bay development area of MacMillan Bloedel’s Port McNeill Division on northwestern Vancouver Island. The development plan includes logging operations and associated roads in five cutblocks scheduled for 1996 and 1997. Three of the cutblocks are in the Klaskish River watershed. The plan was approved by the Ministry of Forests District Manager on May 31, 1996.

In requesting an administrative review of the approval of this plan, the Board is undertaking one of the roles established for the Board in the Forest Practices Code. The Board is the only organization with the authority, under the Code, to request reviews of decisions to approve forest development plans. This is the first such request made since the Code came into effect on June 15, 1995.

In making the decision to request a review of this plan, the Board is performing its role to act independently on behalf of the public in requesting reviews of government decisions under the Code. This request for review reflects the Board’s interest in ensuring that forest development plans comply with the applicable requirements of the Code. In making the decision the Board considered whether a review would meet several criteria established by the Board. These include improving forest management, improving public confidence in the administation of the Code, and whether the review will provide clarification or interpretation of important sections of the Code.

The Board’s decision is based on its own independent evaluation of the approved plan. In requesting the review, the Board is reflecting its own evaluation and criteria, and is representing what it considers to be the broad public interest in sound forest management decisions.

The reasons for the Board’s request are provided in its letter of September 11, which is attached.

The request for review is addressed to the Regional Review Official in the Ministry of Forests Regional Office in Nanaimo. As provided by the Code, the official may set a date for the review hearing and name a Review Panel. The Code requires that requests for review must be decided within 60 days.

The Board will make no further public statements beyond the text of the request for review while the matter is before the Review Panel.