Conservation of Species at Risk under the Forest and Range Practices Act: Marbled Murrelets on the Sunshine Coast

In July 2006, the district manager of the Sunshine Coast Forest District approved a FSP submitted by International Forest Products Limited (the licensee), that covered much of the Sunshine Coast Timber Supply Area and included a strategy for conservation of marbled murrelet habitat. With that strategy approved, the Board investigated how FRPA was being applied.

The initial objectives of the special investigation were:

• to assess government’s objectives by comparing them with the objectives of a draft federal marbled murrelet recovery strategy;
• to compare the anticipated results of the licensee’s forest stewardship plan with what is likely to be recommended for recovery of marbled murrelet populations in the plan area;
• to assess the reliance on, and effectiveness of, resource professionals in the licensee’s planning processes around conservation of marbled murrelet nesting habitat; and
• to assess the effectiveness of forest stewardship and sustainable forest management planning processes for informing the public of, and involving the public in, implementing conservation measures for marbled murrelet habitat.