Whereas local governments have actively advocated for a larger role in the review of forest management plans in the province and are now increasingly being asked to provide input into the forest management plans proposed by the forest industry and BC Timber Sales, but without a clearly defined mandate, framework, or best practices within which to consider such plans; And whereas the authority for managing and regulating the Provinces forest resources rests with the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resources Operations and Rural Development; Therefore be it resolved that UBCM urge the Province of BC, through the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resources Operations and Rural Development to work with local governments and the forest industry to develop guidance documents intended to better define the role of local government in the review process and best practices for forest management plan referrals from the forest industry and Provincial agencies.
Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development Government is working on changes to the Forest and Range Practices Act FRPA to: - Engage with communities during the planning processes; - Clarify governments objectives for forest and range resources; - Hold industries more accountable for achieving desired outcomes; and, - Collaborate with Indigenous communities early in the planning process. Initial improvements to the Act were passed May 2019 in, The Forest and Range Practices Amendment Act, 2019, or Bill 21. These changes are intended to: - Create more frequent and reliable opportunities for public review and comment on land use operational plans such as forest stewardship plans and woodlot licence plans; - Improve information sharing in forest planning by requiring forest licencees to share and solicit public review and comment on proposed cutblocks and roads; - Strengthen the Governments ability to manage forest and range activities, for example, by creating enforceable regulations for protecting visual quality, avoiding the spread of invasive plants and maintaining natural barriers to cattle movement; - Enhance the management and conservation stewardship of resource values, particularly at-risk ecological plant communities; and, - Improve and streamline range use planning.