2003/04 – 2005/06 SERVICE PLAN Ministry of Forests

Appendix 1 — Legislation

The main statutes for which the Forest Service has responsibility, and the expected changes in the Service Plan period, are as follows:

Forest and Range Practices Act and Forest Practices Code Act of BC

In November 2002, the Forest and Range Practices Act was introduced. By 2005, this act will completely replace the Forest Practices Code Act of British Columbia. A series of regulations will provide for the transition between the two statutes. The new Act is intended to be less process oriented and more results specific.

Both Acts enable the Forest Service to:

• establish stewardship standards for forest and range practices,
• ensure that the legislated requirements for sustainable forest practices are followed,
• meet the requirements for higher-level plan objectives established through strategic planning, and
• carry out compliance and enforcement activities to ensure stewardship standards are met.

Forest Act

The Forest Act provides the Forest Service with the authority to:

• Determine an allowable annual cut for Crown land in each timber supply area and for each tree farm licence, woodlot licence and community forest agreement area.
• Enter into and administer agreements that authorise:

— timber harvesting, generating revenue to the government, and
— road construction, maintenance or use.

The major changes in the strategic direction of the Forest Service being incorporated into the Forest Act during the three-year Service Plan period, are:

• Move to defined forest area management;
• Implement a market-based pricing system to generate appropriate revenues to the government;
• Make the BC Timber Sales Program more effective and put it on a commercial footing.

Ministry of Forests Act

The Ministry of Forests Act is continued with minor amendments. This Act continues the Forest Service and provides it with a broad and general mandate to:

1. encourage maximum resource productivity,
2. manage resources responsibly to achieve the greatest short- and long-term social benefits,
3. practise planned, integrated resource management and use,
4. encourage a globally competitive forest industry, and
5. assert the financial interest of the government.

Range Act

The Range Act authorizes the Forest Service to allocate and administer the use of range resources by the livestock industry through grazing and hay-cutting agreements that provide revenue to the government.

The Range Act is continued with minor amendments.

Wildland Fire Act

By January 2004 a new Wildland Fire Act will replace the protection provisions currently in the Forest Practices Code of BC. The new Act and regulations will be more results-based while providing greater regulatory freedom for the forest industry. The new Act will still ensure that government retains the authority to fight any fire that threatens forest resources and to restrict access, limit operations and requisition equipment and personnel in the event of significant fire activity.