Texada Island forestry audit finds mixed results
VICTORIA - The Forest Practices Board encourages new forest licence holders to understand the risks and obligations associated with acquiring a new licence, following a forestry audit on Texada Island.
The board conducted a compliance audit of all the activities carried out by 1175401 B.C. Ltd. between June 1, 2021, and June 2, 2023. The audit determined the licensee generally complied with the requirements in this period. However, auditors found several instances of significant non-compliance relating to operational planning, road maintenance and riparian assessments.
"This audit is an example of what can happen when a forest licence is acquired without a full understanding of the obligations that come with it," said Keith Atkinson, chair, Forest Practices Board. "If a licensee is unaware of the scope of their responsibility, their forestry operations can put resources like local wildlife habitats, visual quality or streams at risk."
When a forest licence is awarded or transferred, the legal and financial obligations are transferred with it. Forest tenures can also have unique requirements specific to the areas they fall within.
Auditors from the board found that 1175401 B.C. Ltd. was unaware of the unique road maintenance obligations associated with its tenure. As a result, the licensee had no proactive plan in place to ensure the safety of its roads and structures.
"We are beginning to see an increase in small forest tenures being issued and it is important the new licence holders are supported to succeed," Atkinson said. "We would like to see new tenure holders collaborate more closely with government to understand roles and responsibilities, and actively engage with forest professionals to ensure resources are managed according to law."
Texada Island is located within the Sunshine Coast Natural Resource District in the Strait of Georgia. The island is part of the territory of the shíshálh, Tla'amin and the Snaw'naw'as First Nations.
Contact:
Tanner Senko, Communications Manager
Forest Practices Board
tanner.senko@bcfpb.ca
Phone: 250-889-8211 / 1 800 994-5899
