2005-2008 FREP sample locations FREP Background
British Columbia’s Forest and Range Evaluation Program (FREP) is led by the Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations (MFLNR) in partnership with the Ministry of Environment (MOE). The Forest and Range Practices Act and Regulations provide for a results-based, forest and range management framework in British Columbia that includes professional reliance as a foundational principal. Under the results-based model, government evaluates compliance with the law (C&E) and evaluates the effectiveness of forest and range practices in achieving management objectives, including sustainable resource management (FREP). For the purposes of FREP, sustainable resource management means:
• Managing forest resources to meet present needs without compromising the needs of future generations
• Providing stewardship of forest and rangelands based on an ethic of respect for the land.
• Conserving the resource values identified under FRPA and its regulations, namely: biodiversity, cultural heritage, soil, water, fish, forage and associated plant communities, timber, recreation, resource features, visual quality, and wildlife.
MFML Vision: A prosperous forest and range sector based on sustainably managed resources that provides benefits now and for generations to come.
FREP Mission: To be a world leader in resource stewardship monitoring and effectiveness evaluations; communicating science-based information to enhance the knowledge of resource professionals and inform balanced decision making and continuous improvement of British Columbia’s forest and range practices, policies and legislation.
The FREP Objective
FREP is a long-term commitment by government to:
- Assess the effectiveness of forest and range legislation in achieving stewardship objectives
- Determine whether forest and range practices are achieving government’s objectives, with a focus on biological function and social values (visual quality and cultural heritage)
- Identify forest and range resource value status and trends, and
- Identify opportunities for continued improvement of British Columbia’s forest and range practices, policies and legislation.
More information about FREP and an overview of how the program is structured and how all the FREP components fit together can be found in the publication "FREP Monitoring and Evaluation Strategy", available from this site's publication library.
The FREP Cycle
The Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA) is intended to maintain high environmental standards, and promote innovation and cost-effective forest resource management. It is the mandate of the Ministry of Forests, Mines and Lands, Forest Practices and Investment Branch to ensure that scientifically based and peer-reviewed protocols are developed through collaborative efforts with existing scientifically based evaluation initiatives and stakeholder involvement. The intent is to determine if government-stated objectives for FRPA resource values are being achieved.
