Whereas urban-rural fringe areas are transition zones where industrial land uses such as logging or other resource extraction, may conflict with local values or impact private water sources or contribute to property damage related to storm water management and erosion; And whereas local government and private property owners have limited ability to influence resource extraction decisions: Therefore be it resolved that the provincial government establish buffer zones adjacent to residential properties that reduce conflict and ensure that property owners are protected from the adverse effects of resource extraction.
Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development Logging Crown land in the urban interface: The Province is making changes to how things are done in the woods and on the range to strengthen oversight of the forest sector and to restore trust in how forests and range lands are managed. Licensees logging Crown land in the urban interface are subject to the Forest Act, the Forest and Range Practices Act, the Forest Planning and Practices Regulation, as well as other applicable legislation, forest stewardship plans and higher-level plan orders for the Crown land in their tenures to ensure their operations align with government objectives. In 2019, legislative amendments were made to create more frequent and reliable opportunities for public input, strengthen governments oversight of the forest sector and to improve information-sharing in forest planning, and public engagement took place on possible future legislative changes, including improving public trust and reconciliation with Indigenous communities. Additionally, the Forest and Range Practices Act requires public review and comment on forest stewardship plans prior to being approved by delegated decision-makers, and, as part of being good neighbours, we encourage forest licensees to share site plans with stakeholders and local residents who may be impacted by logging operations. Forest harvesting activities in the interface can be effective to reduce the risk of wildfire. Logging private land in the urban interface: All private landowners, regardless of property class are subject to the Water Sustainability Act, Drinking Water Protection Act, Environmental Management Act, Wildlife Act, Wildfire Act, Assessment Act, Heritage Conservation Act, and federal acts such as the Fisheries Act, Migratory Birds Convention Act and Species at Risk Act. However, in exchange for their commitment to long-term, sustainable management practices and agreeing to be regulated for additional public environmental values, including soil conservation, critical wildlife habitat, fish habitat, drinking water quality and reforestation, property owners that commit to the voluntary Private Managed Forest Land program receive assessed values for land that are generally lower than residential, which can result in lower property taxes. They are exempt from local government bylaws and permits that would directly or indirectly restrict a forest management activity. That said, local governments have the power to adopt bylaws that place restrictions on forest management activities on private unmanaged land within regional or municipal boundaries, including aligning their bylaws with requirements equivalent to Crown forest land regulations. Public feedback from a review of the private managed forest land program is currently being analysed and a summary report of the review will be ready in spring 2020. Early analysis has indicated that the regulatory framework for the program could be strengthened to better reflect community values, including eligibility into the private managed forest land program, and consideration to interface areas between private managed forest land and private unmanaged land.