British Columbia Forest Plan Overturned
12/9/99
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Title: B.COLUMBIA Forest Plan Overturned
Source: Environment News Service, http://www.ens.lycos.com/
Status: Copyright 1999, contact source for permission to reprint
Date: December 9, 1999
VICTORIA, British Columbia, Canada, December 9, 1999 (ENS) -
The recent decision by a forests ministry review panel to partly
overturn a forest operational plan shows that the Forest Practices
Code is meeting the test of public accountability, said British
Columbia Forests Minister David Zirnhelt.
The panel partly rescinded the North Coast district manager's June 21
approval of a five-year forest development plan in the Scotia Creek
area east of Prince Rupert.
Of the 263 cutblocks included in the plan proposed by International
Forest Products (Interfor), the panel withdrew approval for 51 blocks
because Interfor's plan map labeling did not meet code requirements.
The mislabeling resulted from a change in the plan that was corrected
only in the written text.
The district manager felt the corrections were sufficient, but the
panel disagreed.
The review was brought to the panel by the Forest Practices Board,
which was established in 1995 as an independent monitor to ensure
compliance with the Forest Practices Code. Only the Forest Practices
Board may request a review of a district manager's approval of a
forest development plan.
"This ruling may cause the Ministry of Forests to re-examine some
policies," Zirnhelt said. "But that is the point of having a process
to review the statutory decisions made by district managers under the
code. The fact that a panel of ministry officials has overturned the
approval of a forest development plan means our process is real,
transparent, and accountable. It works," he said.
"My staff will consider this decision and recommend changes to policy
or procedures where necessary," Zirnhelt said.
Interfor has up to three weeks to file an appeal with the Forest
Appeals Commission, whose members are independent of the ministry and
have expert knowledge on forest management issues.