Range Use Near Midway, BC

The complainant has operated a woodlot on his land near Midway, 60 kilometres east of Osoyoos, for 30 years. For the last 15 years, the woodlot has included 600 hectares of Crown land. The complainant is a professional forester and professional agrologist and is proud of managing the private and Crown land of the woodlot in what he considers to be an environmentally sensitive way. On and around the Crown land portion of his woodlot, neighbouring ranchers hold grazing licences, with livestock use regulated under range use plans.

In 1998 and 1999, the Ministry of Forests staff took short-term enforcement actions against the complainant for administrative matters related to his woodlot. In response, the complainant filed a complaint with the Board asserting poor government management of range resources. In this report, the Board considers the adequacy of range use plans near the woodlot to manage and conserve forest and range resources.