WHEREAS the majority of Vancouver Island communities draw drinking water from an active working forested watershed; AND WHEREAS logging companies are not required to submit a long range forestry plan: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Province of British Columbia enact legislation that requires all land and tenure holders logging in a local government watershed to have in place a one hundred year cut rotation plan; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that all logging companies have environmental policies in place that protect the integrity of local governments drinking water.
Ministry of Forests, Lands Natural Resource Operations Before beginning harvesting operations, forestry companies must prepare Forest Stewardship Plans describing how they will meet government objectives for the protection of forest and range values, including water quality. These plans are reviewed by government to ensure that they meet content requirements prior to approval. Requiring one-hundred-year cut rotation plans would be infeasible, and no evidence suggests that it would improve on water quality regulations already in place. Under current practices, Ministry of Forest, Lands and Natural Resource Operations staff monitor forestry activities to ensure compliance with rules and regulations. They conduct more than 8,000 inspections each year to ensure protection of water and other natural resources. The provincial government takes water quality very seriously as reflected in the Forest and Range Practices Act, the Drinking Water Protection Act and other statutes. Regional Health Authorities also employ drinking water officers who liaise with the resource ministries to help manage source water protection.