Whereas many local governments in rural BC are surrounded by significant amounts of forested private land; And whereas local governments are expected to manage the assets that support the value of their communities which include sight line, municipal infrastructure, slope stability of land, and watersheds: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM call upon the Province to implement regulations and standards that are equivalent to Crown forest land regulations and standards that address forest harvesting for commercial purposes on private lands.
Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development 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.