HIGHER LEVEL PLANS:
POLICY AND PROCEDURES

Important! The Higher Level Plans Policies and Procedures Guide is under revision.
Please consult the legislation for the latest requirements.

Official printed copies of this document are available at:

Ministry of Forests
Public Affairs Branch
300 - 1675 Douglas Street
Victoria, BC, Canada V8W 3E7
Phone: (250) 387-5255
Fax: (250) 387-8485

June 1996

(Ch. 5, December 1996)

Authority:

Forest Practices Code of British Columbia Act

Operational Planning Regulation

Silviculture Practices Regulation

Strategic Planning Regulation

Forest Recreation Regulation

Ministry of Forests Act

Forest Act

Contents

Preface

1.0 Introduction

2.0 Planning and the Forest Practices Code: An Overview

2.1 The Provincial Context
2.2Higher Level Plans Defined
2.3A Hierarchy of Higher Level Plans
2.4The Emerging Roles of Higher Level Plans
2.5The Links Between Operational Plans and Higher Level Plans
2.6Other Specific Roles of Higher Level Plans Identified in the Operational Planning Regulation and Other Regulations
2.7Operational Plans in Areas Without Higher Level Plans
2.8Interagency Cooperation

3.0 Plans Declared by Cabinet or the Ministers

3.1 Introduction
3.2 Legislative Reference
3.3 Links to Operational Plans
3.4 Relationship to Other Higher Level Plans
3.5 Higher Level Plan Declaration
3.6 Preparing Material for Higher Level Plan Declaration

4.0 Resource Management Zones and Objectives

4.1 Introduction
4.2 Legislative References
4.3 The Basis for Chief Forester Policy and Procedures
4.4 Characteristics of Resource Management Zones
4.5 Relationship to Other Higher Level Plans
4.6 Links to Operational Plans
4.7 Establishing Resource Management Zones and Objectives
4.8 Varying or Cancelling Resource Management Zones and Objectives
4.9 Assignment of Responsibility
4.10 Preparing the Order
4.11 Advertising for Public Review and Comment
4.12 Incorporating Comment and Filing the Order
4.13 Preparing and Publishing the Notice of Impending Order
4.14 Making Information Available to the Public

5.0 Landscape Units and Objectives

5.1 Introduction
5.2 Legislative References
5.3 Other References
5.4 The Basis for Chief Forester Direction
5.5 Landscape Units – Definition
5.6 Relationship to Other Higher Level Plans
5.7 Links to Operational Plans
5.8 Regional and District Coordination
5.9 Delineation of Landscape Unit Boundaries: Preliminary Location of Draft Landscape Units
5.10 Assignment of Biodiversity Emphasis Options
5.11 Iterative Review of Boundaries and Biodiversity Emphases to Finalize Them
5.12 Timetable for Establishment of Landscape Units and Objectives
5.13 Determining Land Act Interests
5.14 Establishing Landscape Unit Objectives
5.15 Varying or Cancelling Landscape Units or Objectives
5.16 Preparing and Referring the Order
5.17 Advertising for Public Review and Comment
5.18 Obtaining the Approval of the Designated Environment Official
5.19 Filing the Order
5.20 Preparing and Publishing the Notice of Impending Order
5.21 Making Information Available to the Public

6.0 Sensitive Areas and Objectives

6.1 Introduction
6.2 Legislative References
6.3 Basis for Chief Forester Direction
6.4 Relationship to Other Higher Level Plans
6.5 Links to Operational Plans
6.6 Establishment of a Sensitive Area – General
6.7 Boundaries and Affected Area
6.8 Determining Land Act Interests
6.9 Developing Sensitive Area Objectives
6.10 Documenting the Sensitive Area and Objectives
6.11 Varying or Cancelling Sensitive Areas or Objectives
6.12 Preparing and Referring the Order
6.13 Obtaining the Approval of the Designated Environment Official
6.14 Filing the Order
6.15 Preparing and Publishing the Notice of Impending Order
6.16 Making Information Available to the Public

7.0 Interpretive Forest Sites, Recreation Sites, Recreation Trails and Objectives

7.1 Introduction
7.2 Legislative Reference
7.3The Basis for Chief Forester Policy and Procedures
7.4 Planning for Sites or Trails
7.5 Links to Operational Plans
7.6 Establishing Sites and Trails
7.7 Establishing Objectives for Sites and Trails
7.8 Varying or Cancelling Sites, Trails or Objectives
7.9 Preparing and Advertising the Draft Order to Establish a Site, Trail or Objective
7.10 Preparing and Publishing the Notice of Impending Order
7.11 Making Information Available to the Public
7.12 Sites and Trails Formerly Managed Under the Forest Act

8.0 Plans Formulated Pursuant to Section 4(c) of the Ministry of Forests Act

8.1 Introduction
8.2Legislative References
8.3The Basis for Chief Forester Direction
8.4Appropriate Plans
8.5Options for Dealing with 4(c) Plans in the Forest Practices Code Planning Framework
8.6Relationship to Other Higher Level Plans
8.7Links to Operational Plans
8.8Content Criteria to Consider Before Designating as a Higher Level Plan
8.9Preparing and Referring the Order
8.10 Filing the Order
8.11 Varying or Cancelling the Designation of 4(c) Plans

9.0 Management Plans

9.1 Introduction
9.2 Legislative References
9.3 The Basis for Chief Forester Policy and Procedures
9.4 TFL Management Plans
9.5 Decision to Designate and Relationship to Other Higher Level Plans
9.6 Links to Operational Plans
9.7 Preparation and Approval of the Management Plan Designation
9.8 Varying or Cancelling the Designation of Management Plans

10.0 Filing of Orders

11.0 Glossary

Appendices

1. Chief Forester’s Statement of Direction
2. Delegated Authority Levels for Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks
3. Sample of a Minister’s Order Declaring an LRMP to be a Higher Level Plan
4. Sample of a District Manager’s Order to Establish a Sensitive Area
5. Sample Advertisement for Review and Comment on Proposed Landscape Unit and Objectives
6. Sample Advertisement for Review and Comment on Proposed Interpretive Forest Site, Recreation Site, Recreation Trail and Objectives for Publication in the Gazette and a Newspaper
7. Sample Notice of Impending Order for a Local Newspaper
8. A Proposed Framework for Developing Landscape Unit Objectives
9. Factors to Consider When Developing Landscape Unit Objectives
10. Procedures and Responsibilities for Establishing, (Varying or Cancelling) Recreation Map Notations/Reserves
11. Sample Format for Providing a Rationale for Landscape Unit Size and Boundary Location

Figures

1. Establishing, declaring and designating higher level plans under the Forest Practices Code
2. Hierarchy of higher level plans
3. Procedures to legally establish resource management zones and objectives
4. Procedures to legally establish landscape units and objectives
5. Procedures to legally establish sensitive areas and objectives
6. Preparing and publishing the notice of impending order to establish an interpretive forest site, recreation site, recreation trail or objective
7. Statusing and clearance of recreation map notation/reserve
8. Cancellation/amendment of recreation map notation reserve

Tables

1. Use of higher level plans enabled by Part 2 of the Act