Internet and intranet access

An internet and intranet site are available through the MELP, Wildlife Branch, Identified Wildlife home page. The internet site will provide a list of approved WHAs by forest district. The intranet site will post the locations of proposed WHAs. Only proposed sites that are accepted at step 2 (see procedures) will be available on the intranet site.² For security purposes, all WHAs will be identified by WHA proposal number and not by species name. For further information about an approved or proposed WHA, contact the RES in MELP regional offices.

Modifying or varying general wildlife measures

Since general wildlife measures are legally established, modifying a measure is not permitted unless:

• the statutory decision makers (deputy minister of Environment, Lands and Parks and chief forester) modify a general wildlife measure as part of the WHA decision process
• a variance is provided in the GWM and approved by the district manager and regional fish and wildlife manager.

Both the district manager and regional fish and wildlife manager must approve a variance as a decision has both operational and biological implications for the site. Unless a measure specifically provides for a variance, the measure cannot be varied by the district manager and regional fish and wildlife manager. However, the chief forester and deputy minister of Environment, Lands and Parks may modify any measure during the WHA approval process.

The process for approving a variance is as follows:

• Anyone can request a variance by contacting the district manager or regional fish and wildlife manager.
• The district manager or regional fish and wildlife manager should contact the Regional WHA Committee to inform them of the request and, if appropriate, solicit comments and concerns and they may also contact stakeholders for the same purpose.
• Proponent of the WHA will be notified of any approved variances by the Regional WHA Committee and notice of each variance will be posted to an internet site (see page 16).

The ability to modify a measure or approve a variance is important for those site-specific situations where:

• a GWM is not biologically appropriate
• roads or practices previously occurred in a WHA
• a WHA may cause unanticipated impacts on forest, range, mineral or petroleum interests.

For example, where forest health is an issue, and where retaining green attacked timber within a WHA may result in further damage to the WHA and adjacent stand, and where the integrity of the identified wildlife habitat is not put at risk, a variance may be approved allowing timber salvage operations. In some extreme cases it may be necessary to de-designate a WHA and relocate it to a more suitable site.

Guidelines for approval of variances

In order to provide guidance to proponents and decision makers around the issuance of variances, answers to the following biological and socio-economic questions should be considered.

Biological considerations

• How many known sites exist for the species?
• What is the risk to the local population of the species if variance is approved? To the general population?
• How does the species react to fragmentation, noise disturbance, removal of habitat?
• Can activities under the variance be conducted in such a way as to not cause significant erosion, habitat degradation, habitat loss?
• In the case of timing, has a critical period passed during which the disturbance would have had a deleterious effect?
• In the case of access, does this bridge or road have less overall environmental impact than other alternatives?
• In the case of harvesting, can the harvesting be done in such a way as to create "favourable" structure for the species?

Socio-economic considerations

• What is the cost of not implementing the variance?
• What is the cost of rehabilitating the site (i.e., road deactivation, restoration of stream, restoring vegetation) after development has concluded?
• Has mitigation for variance been considered?
• Have other alternatives been considered?
• What is the cost of restoring the population of the species, if the variance puts population more at risk?
• What is the risk to the remaining stand of not permitting timber salvage within WHA?

² Permission to use this site will be available to non-government agencies or individuals. Account and password will be provided upon request. Contact the Identified Wildlife project manager for assistance.