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BC Timber Sales program near Revelstoke passes audit

The Forest Practices Board randomly audits two programs each year
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BC Timber Sales near Revelstoke was one of two programs randomly audited this year. (Liam Harrap/Revelstoke Review)

Forestry activities carried out by BC Timber Sales (BCTS) and timber sale licence (TSL) holders near Revelstoke met the requirements of the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act according to a recent audit.

The BCTS program in the Columbia Field Unit portion of the Okanagan-Columbia Business Area was selected randomly for audit by an independent forestry watchdog.

The audit examined the forest stewardship plan, harvesting of 89 cutblocks, construction of seven kilometres of road and one bridge, maintenance of 885 kilometres of road and 73 bridges and major culverts, as well as silviculture and wildfire protection activities between June 2019 and June 2021.

“The board is pleased to see that BCTS and TSL holders complied with all legal requirements for the audited activities,” said Kevin Kriese, chair of the Forest Practices Board, in a press release.

According to Kriese, the audit did find that BCTS had issues during the construction of two road sections in difficult terrain which created risks and required additional work, but that there were no impacts on forest resources at these sites.

The audit area extends along Upper Arrow Lake to the northeastern end of Shuswap Lake, over to the east side of Kinbasket Lake and south to Kootenay National Park including the communities of Revelstoke, Golden and Sicamous, and the territories of the Neskonlith Indian Band, Ktunaxa Nation Council Society, Shuswap Indian Band, Adams Lake Indian Band, Little Shuswap Lake Band, Simpcw First Nation, Okanagan Indian Band, Splatsin First Nation, Penticton Indian Band, Lower Similkameen Indian Band and Upper Nicola Band.

BCTS manages approximately 20 per cent of the province’s allowable annual cut, a number which dictates how much timber can be harvested each year in B.C.

The Forest Practices Board reports its findings and recommendations directly to the public and government for improvement to practices and legislation.

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READ MORE: Revelstoke area BC Timber Sales to be randomly audited


@RevelstokeRevue
editor@revelstoketimesreview.com

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