Silviculture Operational Plan Submission and Approval Procedures

Effective Date: 05-Apr-95
Responsible Branch: Forest Practices Branch

Resource Management Volume Table of Contents | Amendment Log

General

Silviculture operational plans referred to in these procedures include Major Licences, Woodlot Licences, and Timber Sale Licences unless specified otherwise.

Preliminary Review

Since review by the ministry of draft licensee 5 year silviculture plans is discretionary, an informal process may be agreed to between the licensee and district staff. The intent of a preliminary review is to address obvious concerns at an early stage to expedite the approval process.

Submission: General

It is recommended that submission of licensee silviculture operational plans should be concurrent with the submission of the Forest Development Plan. Note that where a silviculture prescription is required, a logging plan cannot be approved without an approved silviculture prescription or exemption in place.

To facilitate district workloads, the District Manager may notify each licensee annually when silviculture operational plans will be processed and advise them of the requirements for submission.

Submission: 5 Year Silviculture Plans

The submission package for all 5 year silviculture plans should, as a minimum, contain the following documents:

1. The dated, originally advertised plan, signed and sealed by a Registered Professional Forester and licensee representative where appropriate.
2. A copy of the advertisement in the local newspaper and the British Columbia Gazette, with the date clearly visible.
3. Copies of any input received from other agencies and the public, and any responses.
4. A summary of all revisions made to the plan as a result of input, and issues not addressed in the revisions.
5. A copy of the revised plan.
6. Any other pertinent information the District Manager may require for evaluation purposes.

Initiation of Processing

Once a silviculture operational plan or exemption is received by the district office, the date of receipt is recorded in a district log file and a routing card and legislation checklist is attached to the review package. It is important to track the amount of time spent at each processing stage in order to complete the review in a timely manner. The maximum amount of time to process a prescription/exemption should be no more than 60 working days.

Review documentation

Prior to District Manager approval, designated district staff should provide in the review package:

1. A summary of all review comments and a final recommendation to accept or reject the silviculture operational plan or exemption.
2. The completed route card and legislation/regulation checklist.
3. A summary of pertinent comments and recommendations made at referral meetings, if any.
4. Any other information the District Manager may require prior to approval.

Approval

Once the District Manager has approved the silviculture operational plan or exemption, a written notice must be sent to the person indicating the date of approval and a copy of the approved silviculture operational plan/exemption. The district log should be updated to indicate the status of the silviculture operational plan/exemption, and dated. The corporate databases must be updated (see Information Management Procedures).

If the District Manager is unavailable, a designate can approve the silviculture operational plan or exemption. An appointment letter must be available to evidence the designation.

Disapproval

Where a silviculture operational plan or exemption has been disapproved, the reasons for disapproval should be recorded in the log and dated. The submission package with the original silviculture operational plan or exemption should be returned to the person, together with a notification letter explaining the grounds for disapproval. The District Manager may request an amendment to the silviculture operational plan/exemption before re-submission to the district. A copy of the notification letter and disapproved silviculture operational plan will be retained on the Opening file or Cutting Permit file where they exist, or the Timber Tenures file. No other documentation is required.

Retention of Original

For major licensees, the original approved silviculture operational plan, copies of the advertising for 5 year silviculture plans, route cards, and legislation checklist will be kept in safe storage with copies retained on the appropriate Opening file, or on the Timber Tenure file for Tree Farm Licences.

For SBFEP silviculture operational plans the original will be kept in safe storage under the appropriate ORCS file number (i.e., 18760), with a copy retained on the Opening file and or the Timber Tenure file (refer to Information Management Procedures).

Silviculture Operational Plan Amendment Procedures

Plan Amendments

Silviculture operational plans shall be amended in one of two ways:

1. For silviculture prescriptions or stand management prescriptions, the amendments may be submitted on an FS 395 - SP Amendment Form if the clarity of the original prescription will not be adversely affected. The amendment form shall be signed and sealed by a Registered Professional Forester, and signed by a representative of the licence holder.
2. For a 5-year silviculture plan, only that portion of the plan that requires amendment is required. A new silviculture operational plan may be submitted, which will replace the original upon approval. This is the preferred option where the District Manager feels that the clarity of the silviculture operational plan will be adversely affected if the amendment is submitted on an amendment form. A copy of the original silviculture operational plan will be retained on the opening file with a dated and initialed note completed by designated district staff that it has been superseded by a new silviculture operational plan.

Previous silviculture operational plans should be stamped "Replaced" on all pages once the amended plans are approved.

Advertising

Amended 5 year silviculture plans shall be advertised in accordance with section 39 of the Act unless the District Manager has determined that the amendment meets the requirements of section 43 of the Act. The requirements stated under the Submission section will apply.

Filing

All documentation of decisions regarding silviculture operational plan amendments shall be dated, with the original retained in safe storage, and a copy placed on the appropriate Opening file or Timber Tenure file for Tree Farm Licences.

Logging Plan Amendments

Approval of all amendments to logging plans will be conditional upon the approval of required amendments to the silviculture prescription(s).

Silviculture Operational Plan Exemption Procedures

Application for Exemption

Applications for relief from some or all of the requirements for a silviculture operational plan under sections 30, 31, or 32 of the Act shall be made in writing to the District Manager.

The application shall include justification for the exemption request.

Authority to Exempt

Where exemptions are granted, an exemption document must be prepared by district staff and shall specify the section and subsection of the Act authorizing the District Manager to grant the exemption.

Description of Area

An exemption shall not be processed unless a map indicating the location(s) of the exempted areas, and a written description sufficient to allow for the location of the area in the field with limited assistance, is attached to the exemption document.

Rationale for Exemption

The exemption document shall contain the rationale for the exemption or disapproval, supported by relevant data where appropriate, indicating that the District Manager exercised the authority while having regard for the purposes and functions of the ministry, as set out in section 4 of the Ministry of Forests Act.

Signatories

District Managers shall sign and date exemption or disapproval documents as evidence that they have exercised their discretion within the authority provided for by the Act.

Filing

Exemption or disapproval documentation shall be placed on the Timber Tenures file and ORCS file 18790-04 with an appropriate extension identifying the licence or type of exemption requested.

Information Management Procedures

Corporate Database

Updating of ISIS, MLSIS, & FTAS records shall occur within 30 days of prescription approval or receipt of MLSIS form submissions.

The district will conduct a records review semi-annually, comparing ISIS, MLSIS, and FTAS records against silviculture operational plan log book entries, shall occur semi-annually. Reconciliation of discrepancies shall be completed within one month of the records review.

Semi-active or Inactive Files

Copies of pertinent documents will be duplicated or removed from Timber Harvesting Files and retained on Silviculture Opening Files prior to sending files to semi-active storage or for final disposition. The following documents are recommended for retention: cutting permit document, initial harvest inspection and harvesting commencement date, final harvest report, documentation of planned and actual harvest area, report on any outstanding timber obligations that may affect commencement of silviculture activities (e.g., fire hazard abatement, etc.), and the final harvest map.

Return to policy 2.20, Silviculture Operational Plans Administration