8.3.4 Forest Inventory

Program

• current statistics, through periodic reinventory and regular depletion updates

• digital files with georeferenced inventory data

• an updated area-volume digital database for use in timber supply analysis, to assist in determining AACs

• growth and yield models developed and calibrated for estimating and projecting forest stands, for inventory reporting and for resource analysis.

Major Achievements Since 1984 FRRA

• initiated the periodic update of the forest cover database

• introduced the updating of forest cover disturbances through satellite imagery

• rejuvenated the reinventory initiative and volume depletion program

• completed the provincial timber supply area digital database

• increased growth and yield permanent sample plots from 300 to 1200

• updated forest cover maps on a two-year cycle

• implemented online database reporting programs, such as Forest Inventory Reporting

• initiated audits of TFL and TSA inventories

• designed and developed a new provincial vegetation inventory.

8.3.5 Silviculture

Program

Provincial Silviculture Programs

Reforestation regenerates lands under ministry jurisdiction that have been harvested, burned by wildfire or damaged by insects or disease. These areas include:

• good and medium sites harvested prior to 1982 (pre-82 backlog)

• areas harvested under the Small Business Forest Enterprise Program (SBFEP) prior to January 1, 1988 (ministry outstanding)

• areas harvested by major licensees between January 1982 and October 1, 1987 (industry outstanding)

• areas burned by wildfire or damaged by pests (current reforestation).

Nursery and Seed Operations to supply seed and seedlings for planting activities under both the provincial silviculture programs and the SBFEP. Activities include seed orchard management and cone collection; seed extraction, testing and storage; seedling production at the ministry’s three nurseries; and administering seedling contracts with private nurseries and for transportation and cold storage.

Stand Tending works to improve the health, productivity and value of immature forest stands through incremental silviculture and community forestry programs .

Forest Health works to control and prevent damage caused by disease, insects and other organisms and to monitor the use of pesticides by the ministry.

Training and Support develops and delivers courses for silviculture staff, forest workers and First Nations silviculture contractors. This program also maintains a resource centre for extension materials.

The Canada-B.C. Partnership Agreement On Forest Resource Development (FRDA II)

Major Achievements Since 1984 FRRA

• Provincial and federal governments signed the first Forest Resource Development Agreement (FRDA I) which emphasized the regeneration of 738 000 hectares of good and medium sites of accessible forest land denuded prior to 1982 (1985).

• The B.C. government changed legislation to shift the responsibility for establishing a free-growing crop of trees to those who harvest the timber (1987).

• The Forest Act was amended to require an approved Pre-Harvest Silviculture Prescription (PHSP) prior to harvesting and to require and enforce basic silviculture.

• The Provincial Government introduced Bill 70 which amended the Forest Act to require major licensees, woodlot licensees and the Crown to prepare a PHSP and carry out basic silviculture at their own cost on Crown land (1987).

• The ministry introduced a silviculture regulation which outlined the contents for a PHSP and the requirements to meet basic silviculture obligations (1988).

• The ministry initiated the Silvicultural System Program to investigate alternatives to conventional clearcutting and to identify their ecological, operational and socioeconomic implications and opportunities (1990).

• Provincial and federal governments signed the four-year, $200 million FRDA II (1990).

• The area of backlog NSR land decreased from 738 000 hectares in 1984-85 to 292 000 hectares in 1992-93.

• The cumulative total of seedlings planted on Crown and private lands passed one billion in 1981, two billion in 1989 and three billion in 1993.

• The ministry replaced the Silviculture Regulation with the Silviculture Practices Regulation, which established requirements for administrative penalties, improved soil conservation and maximum densities for all conifer species (1994).

• In cooperation with Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks and the Workers’ Compensation Board, the ministry established a Wildlife Tree Committee to ensure conservation and management of habitat (during forestry operations) for species dependent on wildlife trees.

• The ministry presented Silviculture Branch results from research and operational treatments to groups participating in the Silviculture Institute of B.C. and the B.C. Forestry Continuing Studies Network.

8.3.6 Fire Suppression

Program

Direct Fire Fighting provides funds and personnel to fight and extinguish forest, range and urban-interface wildfires and to minimize the damage from wildfires. Goals include limiting the area burned and amount of timber lost, and containing as high a percentage of wildfires as possible within 24 hours of discovery.

Fire Preparedness is responsible for all aspects of wildfire suppression and fire management. The main goal is to maintain ministry firefighting resources (firefighters, equipment, aircraft and computer systems) in a state of readiness.

Fire management activities include wildfire prevention, smoke management and using prescribed fire in ecosystem management. Forest, ranching and wildlife industries cooperate with the Ministry of Forests and Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks to conduct prescribed burning to:

• support silviculture site treatments, encouraging the growth of healthy forests
• create better habitat for wildlife and domestic animals
• reduce the likelihood of wildfire damage by removing surface fuels in mature forests and around forested homes.

Major Achievements Since 1984 FRRA

• established the first unit crew of highly trained, physically fit “professional” firefighters to fight large wildfires (1988). By 1993, established 25 unit crews including 20 Native Unit Crews

• implemented more stringent burning guidelines to significantly reduce the amount of particulate released from prescribed burns. Emissions in 1994 were 30% of the levels recorded in 1990

• initiated an equipment development section to implement product and training ideas submitted by field staff (1990). These ideas are developed under contract, field-tested and copyrighted and finally sold under licence

• participated in a joint study with the University of Victoria that established occupational fitness tests and standards for wild land firefighters (1992)

• introduced new forest fire prevention regulations (consolidating four previous regulations) that clearly defined responsibility for providing fire equipment, setting necessary fire precautions for industry operators and identifying high- and low-risk activities (1992)

• granted forest officers the authority to issue tickets to individuals or companies who violate provisions of the Forest Act and other B.C. regulations (1992)

• developed and delivered a 16-week training course on fire prevention, wild land–urban interface and risk assessments; trained and posted 12 aboriginal fire prevention technicians to full-time positions in various district offices (1993)

8.3.7 Small Business Forest Enterprise Program

Program

On March 31, 1993, the program had 2 164 registrants, comprising market loggers (84%) and the operators of small sawmills or remanufacturing plants (16%). The program also provides employment opportunities for private sector contractors, who construct roads, reforest land, measure and protect the timber resource and assist in planning forest management activities.

The ministry assumes responsibility for SBFEP forest lands, including:

• the construction of main forest roads and bridges in SBFEP areas
• reforestation and silviculture in SBFEP areas
• other forest management requirements in SBFEP areas that are incidental to operations which yield small business revenue.

The program is managed on a self-financing basis. The Small Business Forest Enterprise Account receives all program-generated revenues and is the source of funding for all program expenditures.

Major Achievements Since 1984 FRRA

• introduced the Small Business Forest Enterprise Account (Forest Act, Section 87.1) (1988). Since then, the program has returned $485.8 million as dividends (revenues above program expenditures and reforestation costs) to the province’s consolidated revenue fund.

• introduced bid proposal sales (Forest Act, Section 16.1) to encourage and promote lumber remanufacturing and specialty wood products (1988). By February 8, 1994, 173 bid proposal sales had been awarded, of which 12 were subsequently cancelled or withdrawn. Applicants for bid proposal sales have proposed investments of over $93 million on new plants and plant expansions to maintain over 3 700 jobs and create over 2 100 new jobs.

• introduced the Special Project on Harvesting Timber and Marketing Logs to increase the use of non-clearcutting silvicultural systems, test alternative ways of marketing logs, and examine the practicality and financial viability of each (1993). The project is conducted in Vernon, Duncan and Port Alberni forest districts and will expand to include Prince George Forest District.