Regulating Forest Practices
British Columbia's Forest and Range Practices Act applies to any forest or
range activities on public land, maintaining the province's high level of
environmental protection in an efficient and effective manner. It specifies requirements
to conserve soils, to reforest logged areas, and to protect riparian areas, fish
and fish habitat, watersheds, biodiversity and wildlife. It also specifies requirements
for the construction, maintenance and deactivation of forest roads.
Under the Act, forest companies must develop forest stewardship plans that outline
how they will meet objectives set by government for soils, timber, wildlife, water,
fish, biodiversity and cultural heritage resources, and they are held accountable
for their on-the-ground performance. Public views and forest values must be considered
before forest companies can harvest timber, build roads or undertake other forest
activities on public forest land.
Government also requires special management for areas of local concern, such as
recreation trails, wildlife habitat areas, winter range for animals such as deer
and mountain goats, lakeshore management zones, community watersheds, fisheries-sensitive
watersheds and scenic vistas. All activities must be consistent with existing land
use plans.
Soon after public land is logged, it must be reforested with native species suited
to local ecological conditions to maintain natural diversity. Each year, about 200
million seedlings are planted in British Columbia to reforest areas after logging,
wildfire or insect infestations. Forest companies are responsible for a harvested
area until there is a well-established healthy young forest.
British Columbia's forestry laws are backed by a comprehensive compliance
and enforcement regime involving various provincial and federal agencies. In addition,
the independent Forest Practices Board watches over all forestry activities on behalf
of the public.
An independent study comparing international forest practice regulations in 38 jurisdictions
found that British Columbia has some of the most stringent forest sustainability
requirements in the world. The study, "Global Environmental Forest Policies:
Canada as a Constant Case Comparison of Select Forest Practice Regulations," was conducted by Dr. Benjamin Cashore, a professor at Yale University, at the request
of Forestry Innovation Investment and the Forest Products Association of Canada.
The 450-page report can be viewed here, or the summary report here.
Sources
British Columbia Ministry of Forests and Range: www.for.gov.bc.ca
Forest Practices Board www.fpb.gov.bc.ca/
Natural Resources Canada: www.nrcan.gc.ca/com