Highlights include: drafting regulatory amendments to further protect drinking water and limit reforestation timelines; completing 3 investigations and 3 compliance determinations; conducting 46 managed forest inspections; and administering the managed forest program that includes 285 private managed forests encompassing 817,000 hectares.
As an independent agency established by the Provincial Government, each year the Managed Forest Council must submit an annual report to the Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development. Council has now submitted its 2018-19 Annual Report.
There are 285 private managed forests in British Columbia, encompassing 817,000 hectares. These properties are located primarily on Vancouver Island, the southern mainland Coast, and in the Kootenays and Okanagan- Shuswap.
In 2018, 5.2 million cubic metres of timber were harvested on managed forest land, representing approximately 10% of the total provincial timber harvest and generating approximately 4,500 jobs.
The Annual Report summarizes Council’s activities for the year, including how well it achieved its objective and performed its duties under the Private Managed Forest Land Act. The Report also includes a summary of statutory reporting requirements including information about the number of managed forests, area in the program, and number of inspections.
Some highlights of 2018-19:
- Drafted regulatory amendments to the Private Managed Forest Land Council Regulation that included strengthening drinking water protection and limiting the time periods that new owners have to reforest their lands.
- Completed a review of all current management commitments in the program to evaluate their compliance with policy and legislation. Possible recommendations for change will be considered over the next year.
- Conducted 46 inspections of Managed Forests in BC.
- Completed three investigations with respect to potential non-compliance with the Private Managed Forest Land Act or regulations, made three compliance determinations, and entered into three consent agreements with owners. $102,000 in penalties was collected from owners or contractors as a result of these compliance decisions.
The Annual Report includes:
- A summary of owner activity, including harvesting, road building, and reforestation, along with comparisons to previous years; and
- A summary of the Inspection Program, Investigations and Determinations.
You can read the 2018-2019 Annual Report here