2002/03 Annual Service Plan Report Ministry of Forests

Year-at-a-Glance Highlights

This section summarizes the significant events and performance achievements in the ministry during 2002/03. The events and achievements categorized below by ministry goal indicate how well the ministry has achieved the key aspects of its mandate.

Ministry Operating Context

Implementation of new government forest policy direction resulting from the core service review objectives was a major focus for the Ministry in 2002/03. This included the new Forest and Range Practices Act and the creation of the BC Timber Sales organization.

The softwood lumber dispute and U.S. market access continued to be a major issue during 2002/03. In May, 2002, the U.S. Department of Commerce put into effect a 27.22 per cent US tariff and Canadian lumber exporters had to pay cash deposits on their U.S. softwood exports. Discussions between the two countries continued throughout 2002/03 on resolving the dispute.

In 2002, B.C. forest product exports totalled $14.4 billion and accounted for 49.8 per cent of total provincial exports.

B.C. harvest levels, as measured by timber scale billed, increased by a modest 2% in 2002, to 73.4 million cubic metres. Overall forest sector employment declined in 2002 by 4.0 per cent or slightly more than 3,000 positions.

The unprecedented epidemic of mountain pine beetle is causing significant damage to the Interior forest resource.

During 2002/03, ministry staffing levels declined by 14.5 per cent and the Ministry's budget was reduced by 15.5 per cent.

Goal 1: Sustainable Forest Resources

The ministry substantially achieved, achieved or over-achieved most of its performance targets under its first goal during 2002/03. Performance highlights include:

• containing 93 per cent of all unwanted fires at less than 4 hectares (ha), and keeping the area burned by unwanted wildfires to 20,471 ha, below the published target of <45,000 hectares,
• areial-surveying of 100 per cent of Crown forest for insect infestations, and treating 89 per cent of high-priority bark beetle infestation sites,
• 93 per cent compliance of forest operators with statutory forest practices obligations,
• 80 per cent of allowable annual cuts (AACs) for all timber supply areas (TSAs) and tree farm licences (TFLs) determined within their five-year deadline, and
• completing legislation for the new Forest and Range Practices Act.

Goal 2: Sustainable Forest Benefits

The ministry substantially achieved, achieved or over-achieved most of its performance targets under its second goal during 2002/03. Performance highlights include:

• 17.6 per cent share of softwood lumber consumption in the U.S. by B.C. exporters — a slight increase, despite the softwood lumber negotiations — and 43 per cent of softwood lumber imports into Japan,
• Crown forest revenue of $1.296 billion for the year,
• 97 per cent of TSA allowable annual cut volume under a form of tenure (excluding Small Business Forest Enterprise Program tenures), and 90 per cent of animal unit months of forage allocated,
• $143 million net revenue generated from the Timber Sales Program (formerly the Small Business Forest Enterprise Program),
• volume gain of 286,000 cubic metres (m³) of timber per year expected to be available for harvest in approximately 65 years from all ministry reforestation activities, and
• volume gain of greater than 1,671,000 cubic metres (m³) of timber per year expected to be available for harvest in approximately 65 years from all ministry tree improvement activities.

Goal 3: Effective Sustainable Forest Manager

The ministry substantially achieved or achieved all of its performance targets under its third goal during 2002/03. Performance highlights include:

• a public survey indicates 60% of British Columbians trust the Forest Service to manage and protect the public forests and 73% think the Forest Service is an effective organization,
• achievement of all key legislation milestones to implement forest policy change and refocused ministry mandate,
• continued integration of a performance management framework, with 86 per cent of corporate performance measure targets in the ministry substantially achieved or achieved, and
• increased number of major client services provided electronically.