Scaling

Scaling is a revenue function. For ministry purposes it is the measurement and grading of timber for determining the volume of timber harvested and the stumpage due to the Crown. The actual scaling is performed by industry scalers. The Ministry of Forests and Range staff regulates and monitors the scalers and the scale sites to ensure that all the timber is scaled and the data submitted to the Harvest Database System.

"Timber" means trees, whether standing, fallen, living, dead, limbed, bucked or peeled and includes special forest products. All timber cut from private land, crown land or salvaged from water or foreshore must be scaled at a site approved by the Ministry of Forests and Range.

Before unscaled timber can be transported, there are these requirements:

• a timber mark must be issued for the timber

• transport to a scale site must be approved by the ministry

• each truckload must be marked appropriately and accompanied by a load slip.

A timber mark for timber harvested from crown land is issued when a license or cutting permit is signed by the ministry authority. These types of marks are associated with stumpage rates.

Application for a Private Timber Mark

Generally, stumpage is not charged for timber harvested from private property and the timber marks are issued free of charge. An Application for Private Timber Mark is available at this web site:

• http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/isb/forms/lib/fs361.pdf

The application is also available from our district office. It must be completed in full and signed by each owner of the property. As well, the application must be submitted with a State of Title Certificate or the most recent property assessment notice to:

Ministry of Forests and Range

PO Box 39
Queen Charlotte, British Columbia
V0T 1S0

Other revenue responsibilities of the ministry are monitoring: Cruising, for an initial assessment of the volume and value of standing trees, Appraisals, for assessing stumpage rates based on timber values and logging costs and Residue and Waste, for assessing timber volumes left in the setting after harvest.