Audit of Forest Planning and Practices: South Island District Woodlot – Woodlot Licence W0033

This is the audit report for woodlot licence W0033, held by Penelakut First Nation (Penelakut). It is 800 hectares in area, all of which is Crown land. The licence is located west of Mount Prevost and south of the Chemainus River. It has an allowable annual cut of 4 200 cubic metres per year. During the two-year audit period, Penelakut harvested about 32 000 cubic metres of timber. Auditors were aware that the licence was in an overcut position and the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations is addressing this situation directly with the licensee.

The audit examined Penelakut’s planning, field activities and obligations related to:

• operational planning (including woodlot licence plans  and pre-harvest maps )
• timber harvesting
• road construction, maintenance and deactivation
• silviculture activities and obligations
• fire fuel hazard management
• fire prevention practices