The Forest Practices Board says Canadian Forest Products Ltd. (Canfor) passed an audit of its operations in the East Kootenay’s Rocky Mountain Natural Resource District.
Forest Practices Board officials say the report examined Canfor’s forestry activities in areas near Cranbrook, Kimberley, Sparwood, Wasa and Elkford.
The audit found general compliance with forestry legislation, and the company met its legal obligations for operational planning, timber harvesting, road construction, silviculture and most wildfire protection requirements.
Canfor’s operations included harvesting in 90 cutblocks and maintaining over 4,600 kilometres of forest roads.
“The way Canfor managed its forest operations was very well done, given its size and complexity,” said Gerry Grant, vice-chair of the board.
“We also saw a notable practice in this audit: Canfor’s use of a new predictive pine rust tool that can be used to model forest-health risks and support healthy, resilient forests.”
The Forest Practices Board says Canfor’s predictive pine rust tool uses silviculture survey data to predict future impacts of a forest disease known as rust.
“This forecasting method can help Canfor make more informed regeneration decisions regarding species selection, planting densities and silvicultural systems,” said the Forest Practices Board.
However, the company had some non-compliance issues with its fire-hazard assessments and abatement practices.
“Canfor did not complete fire-hazard assessments within the required time frames for 14 of the 41 cutblocks sampled, and did not meet abatement requirements on two cutblocks,” said the Forest Practices Board.
One of those cutblocks was near Kimberley, which presented a potential fire hazard.
“Leaving fire hazards unabated in areas close to communities can put public and private resources at significant risk,” Grant added.
“The board expects licensees to be diligent in managing wildfire risks, especially given the increasing severity of wildfires in B.C.”
Since the audit, Canfor has fulfilled outstanding abatement obligations and has committed to addressing the issues.
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