Forest Practices Board releases audit results for five woodlots near Campbell River
CAMPBELL RIVER – An audit of forest practices on five woodlots in the Campbell River Natural Resource District found mixed results in licensees' compliance with legal requirements, according to a series of reports recently published by the Forest Practices Board.
The board audited woodlot licences W0085, W2001, W2004, W2044 and W2046 as part of its 2022 compliance audit program. Auditors examined whether timber harvesting, road construction and maintenance, silviculture, fire protection and associated planning carried out from Oct. 1, 2020, through Oct. 20, 2022, met the requirements of the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act, as well as the Woodlot Licence Planning and Practices Regulation (WLPPR).
Two of the woodlot licensees were found to have generally complied with B.C.’s forestry legislation. Auditors found that W0085 licensee Kevco Timber Ltd. had only one area requiring improvement related to annual reporting deficiencies. W2004 licensee, North Island Excavating Ltd., was also deficient in reporting silviculture activities on time and had an additional area requiring improvement related to a lack of fire hazard assessments.
The board found significant issues of non-compliance in multiple areas of operations or planning for the other three licenses.
W2001 licensee Sage Mountain Resources Ltd. (SMR) was found to have significant non-compliances related to bridge construction, bridge maintenance, and unabated fire hazards.
SMR did not take the required steps to ensure two bridges it constructed were structurally sound and safe, and an existing bridge was found to have deficient guardrails. SMR also failed to abate slash piles on two cutblocks within the required timeline, and these cutblocks were in areas of high ignition risk near Highway 19, Camp Bob, and the Roberts Lake Resort. The report states that SMR took steps to resolve these issues following the audit.
“SMR took, or is taking, all reasonable and appropriate actions to address the non-compliances found by our auditors,” said Keith Atkinson, chair of the Forest Practices Board.
Licensee Matchlee General Partner Ltd. (MGP) had significant non-compliances for not meeting a Visual Quality Objective (VQO) and not following its Woodlot Licence Plan for W2044. MGP failed to comply with a commitment in its Woodlot Licence Plan and a requirement in the WLPPR to achieve the VQO that applied to a portion of the woodlot. MGP's timber harvesting and road building in this area exceeded the allowable scale and was unnatural in appearance.
MGP also had significant non-compliances related to not establishing a free-growing stand on W2046 by the required date.
“It is important for licensees to uphold their timber and forest resource commitments by meeting their free-growing obligations,” Atkinson said.
Following the audit, MGP submitted a regeneration plan to the Ministry of Forests, which extended the free-growing due date to 2027.
The audited woodlots are located within a 100-kilometre radius of Campbell River and within the territories of the Kwakwaka'wakw, Coast Salish, and Mowachaht/ Muchalaht Peoples.
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 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
250 213-47351 800 994-5899
