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The Board received a complaint that Interfor Corporation (Interfor) failed to protect whitebark pine—a species of special concern—when it harvested cutblock 508-9, north of Grand Forks. The complainant asserted that:
Investigators considered whether Interfor complied with Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA) requirements on how to manage whitebark pine and if site preparation met the FRPA definition of “damage to the environment.”
The Board found Interfor complied with sections 20.22(1) and 46(1) of FRPA. The company planned and took measures to manage whitebark pine before, during and after logging. Additionally, Interfor did not damage the environment when it prepared the site for planting via mounding.
The forest professional preparing the site plan developed specific measures to protect whitebark pine by consulting a recovery guide. This helped inform objectives around retaining whitebark pine trees, avoiding scarring them and protecting the natural seed bank in the soil around them.
In 2023, the Ministry of Forests issued whitebark pine retention guidelines for harvest practitioners. The Board encourages licensees to use this resource when preparing and implementing their plans in areas where the tree grows.
The general location of cutting permit 508-9.
