Forest Practices Code of BC Act
(Pre-January 31, 2004)

Contents

PREAMBLE

PART 1 - DEFINITIONS

• 1. Definitions
• 1.1 Nisga'a Final Agreement

PART 2 - STRATEGIC PLANNING, OBJECTIVES AND STANDARDS

• 2. Provincial forest and a wilderness area
• 3. Resource management zones and objectives
• 4. Landscape units and objectives
• 5. Sensitive areas and objectives
• 6. Interpretive forest sites, recreation sites and recreation trails
• 7. Maintenance of interpretive forest sites, recreation sites and recreation trails
• 8. Standards for operational plans and forest practices
• 9. Management plans and inventories
• 9.1 Higher level plan transition required

PART 3 - OPERATIONAL PLANNING REQUIREMENTS FOR GOVERNMENT AND FOR FOREST AND RANGE TENURE AGREEMENTS

• Division 1 - Content of Operational Plans
  • 10. Forest development plans: content
  • 11. Logging plans: content
  • 11.1 Site plans: content
  • 12. Silviculture prescriptions: content
  • 13. Stand management prescriptions: content [repealed]
  • 14. 5 year silviculture plans: content [repealed]
  • 15. Access management plans: content [repealed]
  • 16. Range use plans: content
• Division 2 - Operational Planning Requirements
  • 17. General planning requirements
  • 18. Forest development plans for small business forest enterprise program
  • 19. Forest development plans for major licence or woodlot licence
  • 20. Logging plans for small business forest enterprise program [repealed]
  • 21. Logging plans: generally
  • 21.1 Site plans
  • 22. Silviculture prescriptions [repealed]
  • 22.1 Existing silviculture prescriptions continued
  • 23. Silviculture prescriptions: backlog areas
  • 24. Stand management prescriptions [repealed]
  • 24.1 Existing stand management prescriptions continued [repealed]
  • 25. 5 year silviculture plans [repealed]
  • 26. Access management plans {repealed]
  • 27. Range use plans
• Division 3 - Exemption from Operational Planning Requirements
  • 28. Exemption for forest development plans
  • 29. Exemption for logging plans [repealed]
  • 29.1 Exemption for site plan
  • 30. Exemption for silviculture prescriptions
  • 30.1 Exemption for a silviculture prescription continued
  • 31. Exemption for silviculture prescriptions for backlog areas [repealed]
  • 32. Exemption for stand management prescriptions [repealed]
  • 33. Limitation on exemptions
• Division 4 - Amendment and Replacement of Operational Plans
  • 34. Voluntary amendments
  • 35. Amendment or replacement of operational plan if it is unlikely to succeed
  • 36. Amendment to a silviculture prescription if desired result impossible
  • 37. Holder of an outdated prescription
  • 38. Outdated government prescription
• Division 5 - Notice and Evaluation of Operational Plans
  • 39. Review and comment
  • 40. Giving effect to operational plans prepared by district manager
  • 41. Approval of plans by district manager or designated environment official
  • 42. Approval in emergency cases
  • 42.1 Operational plans -- minor changes not requiring approval
  • 43. Approval of minor changes to operational plans
  • 44. Approval of range use plans for temporary grazing permits

PART 4 - FOREST PRACTICES SPECIFIC TO FOREST AND RANGE TENURE AGREEMENTS AND THE GOVERNMENT

• Division 1 - General
  • 45. Protection of the environment
  • 46. Soil conservation: permanent access
  • 47. Soil conservation: net area to be reforested
  • 48. Ensuring soil rehabilitation
  • 48.1 Limitations on remedial measures that may be required
  • 49. Exemption from rehabilitation
  • 50. Use of planned fire
  • 51. Previously unidentified resource features
  • 52. Noxious weeds
• Division 2 - Road Design, Construction, Maintenance, Use and Deactivation
  • 53. Application
  • 54. Use of roads on Crown land for timber harvesting or other industrial purposes
  • 55. Non-industrial use of road constructed, modified or maintained under road permit
  • 56. No payment for use of road except as provided
  • 57. Non-industrial use of a forest service road
  • 58. Authority required to construct or modify a road on Crown land
  • 59. Road construction or modification by minister
  • 60. Road layout and design
  • 60.1 Road layout and design approval not required for construction [repealed]
  • 60.2 Road layout and design approval not required for modification [repealed]
  • 61. Road construction surveys [repealed]
  • 62. Road construction and modification must comply with Act and plans
  • 63. Road maintenance
  • 64. Road deactivation
  • 65. Consent to connect
  • 66. Not a public highway
• Division 3 - Timber Harvesting
  • 67. General
  • 68. Excavated or bladed trails
  • 69. Natural range barriers
• Division 4 - Silviculture
  • 69.1 Reforestation for areas under a site plan
  • 70. Silviculture prescriptions
  • 71. Silviculture prescriptions for non-replaceable licences
  • 72. Silviculture treatments on free growing stands [repealed]
  • 73. Action by government if agreement terminates
• Division 5 - Range
  • 74. Range developments and brands

PART 5 - PROTECTION OF FOREST RESOURCES: GENERAL

• Division 1 - Definitions
  • 75. Definitions
• Division 2 - Fire Use and Prevention
  • 76. Use of open fires
  • 77. Issuing burning permit [repealed]
  • 78. Notice or order respecting restriction, prohibition or extinguishment of an open fire
  • 79. Fire hazard assessment
  • 80. Responsibility for abatement and removal of fire hazard
  • 81. Burning permit to abate or remove a fire hazard [repealed]
  • 82. Order to abate or remove a fire hazard
• Division 3 - Fire Contrrol and Suppression
  • 83. Definitions
  • 84. Restricted area
  • 85. Order to leave area
  • 86. General duty to report a fire
  • 87. Prohibition
  • 88. Obligation of person starting fire
  • 89. Government may fight fire to protect forest
  • 90. Access across private land
  • 91. Fire preparedness responsibilities of a person engaged in an industrial activity
  • 92. Fire suppression responsibilities of a person engaged in an industrial activity
  • 93. Temporary employees
  • 94. Requisition of facilities, equipment and personnel
  • 95. Compensation for fire control or suppression operations
• Division 4 - Unauthorized Timber Harvesting and Trespass
  • 96. Unauthorized timber harvest operations
  • 97. Private land adjacent to Crown land
  • 98. Trespassing livestock
  • 99. Unauthorized construction and occupation
  • 100. Unauthorized cutting, removal, damage or destruction of hay
  • 101. Unauthorized hay storage or range development
  • 102. Unauthorized trail or recreation facility construction
  • 103. Tree spiking prohibited
• Division 5 - Botanical Forest Products
  • 104. Buying of botanical forest products
• Division 6 - Recreation
  • 105. Protection of recreation resources on Crown land
• Division 7 - Control of Destructive Agents
  • 106. Control of insects, disease, etc.

PART 6 - COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT

• Division 1 - Inspecting, Stopping and Seizing
  • 107. Entry and inspection
  • 108. Inspection of vehicle or vessel carrying forest products
  • 109. Stopping vehicle or vessel for contravention
  • 110. Production of records
  • 111. Obligation of an official
  • 112. Obligation of person inspected
  • 113. Warrant to search and seize evidence
  • 114. Peace officers may accompany
• Division 2 - Forfeiture
  • 115. Forfeiture of timber, chattels, hay, livestock, etc.
  • 116. No interference with notice
• Division 3 - Administrative Remedies
  • 117. Penalties
  • 117.2 Penalty revenue to be paid into special account
  • 118. Remediation orders
  • 119. Penalties for unauthorized timber harvesting
  • 119.1 Defences in relation to administrative proceedings
  • 120. Notice of determination that a person contributed to fire
  • 121. Extension of notice of determination
  • 122. Policies and procedures established by the minister
  • 123. Stopwork order
  • 124. Suspension or cancellation of burning permit [repealed]
  • 125. Consistency with other Acts
• Division 4 - Administrative Review and Appeals
  • 125.1 Definitions
  • 126. Determination not effective until proceedings concluded
  • 127. Person affected by a determination may have it reviewed
  • 128. Forest Practices Board may have determination reviewed
  • 129. Review
  • 130. Determinations that may be appealed
  • 131. Appeal
  • 131.1 Referral of questions of law
  • 132. Order for written submissions
  • 133. Interim orders
  • 134. Open hearings
  • 135. Winesses
  • 136. Contempt
  • 137. Evidence
  • 138. Powers of commission
  • 139. Decision of commission
  • 140. Order for compliance
  • 141. Appeal to court
• Division 5 - Offences and Court Orders
  • 142. Limitation period
  • 143. Fines
  • 144. Timber spiking offence
  • 145. Offence of irreparable damage
  • 146. Remedies preserved
  • 147. Order for compliance
  • 148. Court order to comply
  • 149. Restitution
  • 150. Continuing offence
  • 151. Prosecution for unauthorized timber cutting
  • 152. Prosecution for unauthorized cutting or storage of hay
  • 153. Prosecution for unauthorized trail or recreational facility construction
  • 154. Interference, non-compliance and misleading
  • 155. Court orders
  • 156. Penalty for monetary benefit
  • 157. Employer liability
  • 157.1 Defences to a prosecution
  • 158. Offence by directors and officers
  • 159. Section 5 Offence Act

PART 7 - GENERAL

• Division 1 - Liability and Privilege
  • 160. Liability of government
  • 161. Protection against libel and slander
  • 162. Liability of persons to government
  • 162.1 Limitation on liability of persons to government
  • 162.2 When government may fund significant extra expense or waive obligation
• Division 2 - Miscellaneous
  • 163. Confidentiality and disclosure to government
  • 164. How notice may be given
  • 165. Extension of time
  • 166. Evidence of designation or delegation
  • 167. Powers cumulative
  • 168. Amendment or remedial action does not affect offences or penalties
  • 169. Right of proceeding
  • 170. Power to enter into agreements
  • 171. Appropriation for fire fighting
  • 172. Property in trees
  • 173. Whistle-blower protection
  • 174. Cost of performing obligations

PART 8 - FOREST PRACTICES BOARD

• Division 1 - Definition
  • 175. Definition of "party"
• Division 2 - Complaints and Audits
  • 176. Audits and special investigations
  • 177. Complaints from public
  • 178. Powers of investigation
  • 179. Power to obtain information
  • 180. Power to obtain information limited
  • 181. Board must notify and consult party
  • 182. Opportunity to make representations
  • 183. Evidence not admissible
  • 184. Person may be reimbursed for expenses
• Division 3 - Remedies
  • 185. Report and recommendations
  • 186. Party to notify board of steps taken
  • 187. Report of board if no suitable action taken
  • 188. Complainant to be informed
  • 189. Annual and special reports
• Division 4 - General
  • 190. Establishment of the Forest Practices Board
  • 190.1 Panels of the Board
  • 191. Board staff
  • 192. No hearing as of right
  • 193. Delegation of powers

PART 9 - FOREST APPEALS COMMISSION

• 194. Establishment of a Forest Appeals Commission
• 195. Organization of the commission
• 196. Application of other sections
• 197. Mandate of the commission

PART 10 - REGULATIONS

• 198. Power to make regulations
• 199. Forms and information
• 200. Fees
• 201. Security
• 202. Recovery of money
• 203. Exemption
• 204. Criteria for exercise of discretionary powers
• 205. Provincial forest
• 206. Interpretive forest sites, recreation sites and recreation trails
• 207. Authorizing chief forester to establish standards
• 208. Operational plans
• 209. Review and comment
• 209.1 Silviculture stocking and soil conservation performance standards
• 210. Silvicultural systems and silviculture treatments
• 211. Timber harvesting methods
• 211.1 Forest resources
• 212. Cutblocks
• 212.1 Phased approval of cutblocks for purposes of operational plan approval
• 213. Roads and rights of way
• 214. Use of Crown range and range developments
• 215. Fire use, prevention, control and suppression
• 216. Botanical forest products
• 217. Private land
• 217.1 Forest practices and planning applicable to community forest agreements and woodlot licences
• 218. Administrative remedies
• 219. Forest practices board
• 220. Reviews, appeals and the commission
• 221. Forest Practices Advisory Council

PART 10.1 - PILOT PROJECTS TO IMPROVE THE REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR FOREST PRACTICES

• 221.1 Pilot projects
• 221.2 Annual reports
• 221.3 Penalty revenue to be paid in accorance with section 117.2

PART 11 - TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS

• Division 1 - Application of this Act
  • 222. Immediate application
  • 223. Enactment overrides agreement
• Division 2 - Grandparented Plans
  • 224. Grandparented plans
  • 225. Review of cutblocks by holder of a major licence or woodlot licence
  • 226. Review of cutblocks by government
  • 227. Policies and procedures established by the minister
  • 228. Amendments to grandparented plans
• Division 3 - Operational Plans During Transitional Period
  • 229. Operational plans prevail [repealed]
  • 230. Forest development plans
  • 231. Logging plans
  • 232. Silviculture prescriptions
  • 233. Silviculture prescriptions: backlog areas [Repealed]
  • 234. Stand management prescriptions [Repealed]
  • 235. 5 year silviculture plans [repealed]
  • 236. Access management plans [repealed]
  • 237. Range use plans
• Division 4 - Grandparenting Permits and Permits During the Transitional Period
  • 238. Road permits and road use permits
  • 239. Cutting permits [repealed]
  • 240. Special use permits
• Division 5 - Timber Sale Licences, Licences to Cut and Free Use Permits
  • 241. Timber sale licences that do not provide for cutting permits
  • 242. Licences to cut and free use permits
• Division 6 - Implementation Regulations
  • 243. Implementation - regulations
• Division 7 - Incorporation of Access Management Plans into Forest Development Plans
  • 244. Access management plans continued
  • 245. Forest development plans
• Division 8 - Logging Plans and Silviculture Prescriptions
  • 246. Logging plans continued
  • 247. Silviculture prescriptions continued [repealed]
• Division 9 - Riparian and Terrain Stability Requirements On and After June 15, 1997
  • 248. Compliance by operational plans
  • 249. Compliance by cutting permits
  • 250. Compliance by timber sale licences without cutting permits
  • 251. Meaning of "fish stream"
  • 252. Amendment of plans, cutting permits and timber sale licences

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Preamble

WHEREAS British Columbians desire sustainable use of the forests they hold in trust for future generations;

AND WHEREAS sustainable use includes

• (a) managing forests to meet present needs without compromising the needs of future generations,
• (b) providing stewardship of forests based on an ethic of respect for the land,
•  (c) balancing economic, productive, spiritual, ecological and recreational values of forests to meet the economic, social and cultural needs of peoples and communities, including First Nations,
• (d) conserving biological diversity, soil, water, fish, wildlife, scenic diversity and other forest resources, and
• (e) restoring damaged ecologies;

THEREFORE HER MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of British Columbia, enacts as follows:

PART 1 - DEFINITIONS

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