The Forest Practices Code of British Columbia Act was passed in the Legislature in July, 1994. This law requires better forest practices throughout the province and establishes heavy penalties for violators. When the Code is fully implemented, forest management practices will be changed to meet its requirements. These new practices may influence both short- and long-term timber supply.
Since the information was prepared for the Timber Supply Review, some practices have been implemented in the Strathcona Timber Supply Area based on current understanding of the intentions of the Code. Information about these practices will be provided to the chief forester for consideration in this allowable annual cut determination. In most cases however, further implementation and experience with the Code will be required before the timber supply effects of new practices can be properly assessed, making it necessary to incorporate these factors in future allowable annual cut determinations.
The Forest Act requires the chief forester to reassess the allowable annual cut for each timber supply area and tree farm licence area at least every five years after this review is completed to incorporate new information, new practices and new government policies. Where major government initiatives prompt changes in land-use designations or forest management practices which significantly impact the timber supply, the chief forester may decide to determine the allowable annual cut more frequently than every five years. It is anticipated that it will be necessary to assess the timber supply impacts of the Vancouver Island Land-Use Plan in the Strathcona Timber Supply Area well before five years.
