STILLWATER PILOT PROJECT REGULATION

B.C. Reg. 96/01, Deposited April 5, 2001
O.C. 0427/01, effective April 5, 2001
consolidated to August 5, 2003

PART 2 - BALANCING COMPETING VALUES AND INTERESTS

Resource value goals

9. For purposes of Part 7 the following are the resource value goals for the Stillwater area:

(a) to minimize impacts on the water resource from forestry operations with the goal of maintaining or improving water quality and quantity including maintenance of natural stream flow rates and patterns;

(b) to maintain and improve physical access for domestic, fisheries, recreational, wildlife and industrial water users in the course of planning forestry operations;

(c) to minimize impacts on the soil resource by managing soil disturbance from forestry operations with the goals of conserving and protecting the soil and maintaining soil quality, quantity and function;

(d) to conserve, protect and restore biological diversity of forest and aquatic ecosystems and plant and animal species by planning and managing forest practices;

(e) to protect, maintain and improve the forest's natural ability to grow timber;

(f) to practise sustainable and economic utilization of the timber resource profile;

(g) to protect forest productivity by minimizing losses to fire, flood, insects, disease, windthrow, erosion, and other damaging agents, keeping levels within socially and economically acceptable thresholds;

(h) in cooperation with appropriate interest groups, federal and provincial agencies, to identify, manage and protect wildlife habitat, especially with regard to rare and endangered species;

(i) to identify and protect existing recreation features;

(j) to develop and manage for recreational opportunities in cooperation with government and local citizens;

(k) to manage the visual impact of harvesting and road construction activities at the landscape and the stand level;

(l) to identify and manage cultural heritage resources;

(m) to manage for the access needs of industry, recreation groups, the general public, government and first nations while managing productive land base losses to roads and trails;

(n) to minimize aquatic resource impacts from forestry operations with the goal of conserving, protecting and maintaining the biological productivity of all anadromous and resident fish waters;

(o) to manage wetlands, streams and lakeshore areas to minimize harmful impacts from forestry operations with the goal of protecting water quality, stream bank stability, fish habitat and wildlife habitat, and to provide for biological diversity;

(p) to carry out forest planning so that it will identify known tourism opportunities, incorporate protection measures that minimize harmful forestry impacts, and enhance access concurrent with harvesting development;

(q) to support energy and mineral exploration while taking into account development impacts on the forest land base;

(r) to carry out forest planning so that, for botanical forest products, it will minimize harmful forestry impacts, and manage for sustainable use;

(s) to promote sustainable development of natural resources on the land base that result in multiple benefits to the community;

(t) to invite, encourage and provide a forum for public participation in the planning process for the Stillwater area;

(u) to make it a priority to develop a system to ensures that a sustainable log supply from the licensee's production of appropriate grade timber is available in a timely manner, at fair market price, and for purchase by local small businesses;

(v) to strive to develop or find practical alternatives of brush control other than herbicides;

(w) to promote opportunities to educate and learn from the public, government agencies and first nations.

Timber zones

10. Within the timber zones, the following apply:

(a) the management focus is commercial timber production;

(b) in general, the desired future forest condition resulting from timber harvesting is a matrix of even-aged stands with retained older forest patches and attributes;

(c) for any cutblock, 10% of the basal area must be retained unless dispersed retention is employed in which case 5% of the basal area must be retained.

Habitat zones

11. Within the habitat zones, the following apply:

(a) the management focus within existing stands of old growth timber is conservation of biological diversity and wildlife habitat, with lower intensity harvesting and, in particular, the provision of habitat for forest organisms whose requirements are not met in the timber zone or old growth zone;

(b) in general, the desired future forest condition resulting from timber harvesting within stands comprised of old growth timber is a matrix of even-aged stands and uneven aged stands with retained older forest patches and attributes;

(c) in general, the desired future forest condition resulting from timber harvesting within stands comprised of second growth timber is a matrix of even-aged stands with retained older forest patches and attributes;

(d) for any cutblock, 15% of the basal area is retained, except

(i) in the Dianne Lake habitat zone, 25% of the basal area is retained, and

(ii) for the Upper Lois habitat zone, 20% of the basal area is retained.

Old growth zones

12. (1) Within the old growth zones, the following apply:

(a) the management focus is to conserve existing old growth timber, and restore old growth timber attributes on previously harvested areas;

(b) except in the old growth zones referred to in subsection (2), 66% of the productive land base must remain in reserve zones;

(c) timber harvesting in old growth stands will employ a mix of irregular shelterwood and group selection silvicultural systems;

(d) timber harvesting in second growth stands will employ treatments to restore late successional stand attributes;

(e) in general, the desired future forest condition is uneven-aged forest;

(f) for any cutblock, 20% of the basal area is retained, in addition to the requirement in paragraph (b) to leave 66% of the land base in reserve zones.

(2) Within each of the following old growth zones, 100% of the old growth zone must be a reserve zone:

(a) Heather;

(b) Elephant Lake;

(c) Goat Island;

(d) Daniels Lake.

(3) Timber harvesting within the High Falls Lake old growth zone must be confined to one of the two drainage basins in the zone.

Recreation and tourism zones

13. Within the recreation and tourism zones the following apply:

(a) forest management practices must be compatible with recreation features and opportunities within each zone;

(b) for any cutblock, 20% of the basal area must be retained.