Comments on other government processes and initiatives are summarized here to indicate perspectives on issues that may influence timber supply in the future.
Forest Practices Code
The Discussion Paper states that information on new practices implemented to meet the requirements of the Forest Practices Code will be provided to the chief forester for consideration in this allowable annual cut determination. Further experience will be required to fully assess all the timber supply impacts of the Code.
A forest industry submission expresses satisfied with this commitment. It believes the total impact will be less than the provincial maximum, due to the diversity and expanse of the forest resource and the low resident population in this timber supply area.
The interest group submission states it is critical to include an estimation of all timber supply impacts of the Code in this determination, even if the impacts are not precisely known.
Another industry respondent raises a concern over the assumption in the timber supply analysis of a two- or three-pass harvest system in coniferous forests. This is historically correct, but means the analysis didn’t account for an anticipated increase in the number of harvest entries due to the Forest Practices Code, riparian and biodiversity guidelines, etc.
Land and Resource Management Plan
A forest industry submission expresses confidence that completion of the plan will clarify management objectives and improve operational planning. It anticipates the plan will result in a reduction of less than 10 per cent in the timber harvest, compared to the base case.
The interest group contends that since approval-in-principle has been given for the plan, it is possible to estimate its effects now and that this must be done for this allowable annual cut determination.
size of the timber supply area
A forest industry respondent asks that the portion of the Fort Nelson Timber Supply Area that was transferred to the Fort St. John Timber Supply Area in the late 1970s be returned to Fort Nelson. The company believes the reason for this transfer was to avoid an anticipated wood shortage in Fort St. John. However, that shortage has not materialized; instead, the current analysis indicates a possible 95 per cent increase in the harvest level. At the same time, the allowable annual cut in the Fort Nelson Timber Supply Area has been reduced as a result of the Timber Supply Review, causing hardship to the company.
