A Forest Practices Board audit of the BC Timber Sales Program (BCTS) and timber sale licensees in Fort St. James unearthed “significant issues” and “unsound practices.”
The board says the audit found one timber sales license (TSL) holder had built three bridges over fish streams without the proper paperwork.
“The Forest Planning and Practices Regulation is specific about the documentation required for bridge construction. This is to ensure bridges are installed soundly and streams adequately protected,” said Rick Monchak, a FPB board member. “In this case, the licensee did not provide the legally required documents, and as the bridges were removed prior to the field inspection, auditors could not determine whether they conformed to plans or were installed soundly.”
Another caused “avoidable rutting and soil compaction” when they did not harvest when the ground was frozen or covered in snow.
“Although the soil disturbance was within the limits for the cutblock as a whole, it potentially impacted soil productivity in a localized area, which is an unsound practice,” Monchak said.
It was also found that the BCTS “failed to identify potentially unstable terrain in its site plan. This potentially puts machine operators and fish habitats at undue risk.”
No safety or habitat related incidents occurred as a result of this.