Tag Archives: Ministry of Forests

Forests

BC Auditor General flags flaws in forest carbon accounting

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

British Columbia’s carbon-accounting process to help make forestry decisions isn’t consistent or transparent, a new report by the province’s auditor general indicates. 

The BC Forests Ministry uses carbon projections to help determine how management decisions could affect the amount of planet-warming carbon emissions the province’s forests store and release into the atmosphere. 

The audit focused on the ministry’s methods for carbon projections between April 2022 and December 2024 in three areas: the forest investments program, the ministry’s allowable annual cut and forest landscape planning.

The forest ministry failed to establish open and consistent methods to make carbon projections involving the province’s annual allowable cut (AAC) and the Forest Investment Program (FIP), the report found.  

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Food Security, Indigenous Nations, Politics

What B.C. Premier Eby’s mandate letters mean for Indigenous peoples

By Bhagyashree Chatterjee, The Squamish Chief, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

What do Premier David Eby’s latest mandate letters for ministers mean for Indigenous peoples? 

These letters, all dated Jan. 16, shape the government’s priorities, and this term, they focus on “reconciliation, economic growth, and community well-being.”

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Forests

Political maneuvers? SRD proposal to meet with province about the allowable cut and other forestry matters

It has been 85 years since the Truck Loggers Association was founded to give independent loggers a collective voice in society and the forest industry. Now they would like the Strathcona Regional District (SRD) to intervene on their behalf with BC’s Minister of Forests, Minister of State for Workforce Development and Chief Forester. This was disclosed during the discussion of a motion from the SRD’s Natural Resources Committee at the Wednesday December 11 Board Meeting. 

Regional Director Robyn Mawhinney said she is not a member of the Natural Resources Committee, but the issue is a concern to her. The Forest Practises Board recently released a report that stated there was a deficit of old growth on Quadra Island and only about 1% of the trees were greater than 250 years old. Three companies were found to be out of compliance with some aspect of forest legislation. The reported added that “the bigger issue  is that no one is responsible for monitoring or ensuring that Quadra Island’s old forests are conserved, or that enough mature forests are protected from logging so that they can develop into old forest in the future.” 

Mawhinney had brought this matter to the SRD Board asking that “that the board write a letter to the Minister of Forests, the Minister of Water, Lands and Natural Resources, and BC’s Chief Forester, highlighting concerns with old forest management on Quadra Island.” 

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Forests

Concerns About Old Growth Management On Quadra Island Referred to SRD Committees

The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) referred concerns with old forest management on Quadra Island to the Natural Resources and First Nations Relations Committees for recommendation.

In August, the Forest Practices Board released a report stating that three Forestry companies were out of compliance with ‘some aspect of forestry legislation.’ ‘TimberWest does not employ a strategy to ensure that the appropriate amount of mature forests will become old (p 16).’ Okisollo Resources Ltd ‘did not follow its wildlife tree retention strategy when it harvested cutblocks 19-01 and 19-02’ (p 22). Younger Brothers Holdings ‘harvested trees from an area where its Woodlot License Plan said harvesting was to be avoided (p 23). 

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Politics

Area C Director’s Report: UBCM, advocacy, island forestry, & well questionnaire

From the desk of Regional Director Robyn Mawhinney

Hello, The last week was jam-packed, a blur of learning, meetings, and networking as I attended the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) annual convention in Vancouver. UBCM is an opportunity to meet with provincial Ministers and Ministry staff and advocate for local and regional priorities & concerns, as well as learning & listening at workshops, forums & town hall-style events.

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