On October 31, 1994, the Commission on Resources and Environment (CORE) released its recommendations for land use in the East Kootenay area, including the Cranbrook Timber Supply Area. Working from these recommendations, the government is currently in the process of developing a Land Use Plan for the East Kootenays that will define protected areas, areas where special management practices are required, and areas dedicated to resource development.
Until this plan is fully implemented and practices are adjusted in the field, the actual timber supply impact of the Land Use Plan cannot be measured. This Timber Supply Review will be used as the foundation for determining the actual impacts of the Land Use Plan once it is implemented. The next Timber Supply Review will be based on experience with the Land Use Plan gained during the implementation period.
For this Timber Supply Review, the Land Use Plan will provide the chief forester with an expression of government’s commitment to achieve the Crown’s social and economic objectives for the region and the Cranbrook Timber Supply Area.
If, during the implementation of the Land Use Plan, it becomes apparent that the Plan has modified the timber supply to such an extent that the allowable annual cut is no longer consistent with the Plan, the chief forester is prepared to reassess the timber supply and to redetermine the allowable annual cut based on Section 7 of the Forest Act. The chief forester is also prepared to investigate the possibility of implementing other more expedient procedures under the Forest Act to adjust the allowable annual cut if necessary.
It may be possible to assess the timber supply impacts of the Land Use Plan in the Cranbrook Timber Supply Area before the five years required in the Forest Act.
