2003/04 Annual Service Plan Report -- Ministry of Forests

Objective 1.1: Prevent and manage unwanted wildfire, pests and disease to ensure that forest and range resources are protected.

Strategy	Performance Measure	2001/02 Actual	2002/03 Actual	2003/04 Target	2003/04 Actual	2003/04 Variance	Achievement
Ensure fire preparedness and rapid effective initial attack	Per cent of unwanted wildfire contained at less than four hectares	91%	93%	92%	91.8%	0.2%	Achieved

This is a measure of the ministry's success rate of initial attack on wildfire that is unplanned or accidental, and has the potential to cause damage to or loss of timber, range or public resources. If containment is kept to under four hectares, damage and costs for fire suppression are kept to a minimum. Data are from the ministry's Historical Fire Statistics Database.

Abnormally hot, dry weather during the summer of 2003 resulted in over 2,500 wildfire starts over the province, mostly in the Interior. While forest fires occur in British Columbia every year, there were over 100 fires that threatened communities in 2003, of which 22 became very significant.

Strategy	Performance Measure	2001/02 Actual	2002/03 Actual	2003/04 Target	2003/04 Actual	2003/04 Variance	Achievement
Early detection and treatment of insect infestations	Per cent of Crown forest aerial surveyed for insect infestations	100%	100%	100%	100%	0%	Achieved

Annual province-wide aerial surveys are used to monitor forest disturbances caused by insects, diseases, animal, and abiotic factors. The findings of these surveys are posted on the ministry website for access by licensees and ministry staff. The data are used to track damage trends, estimate impacts on forest resources, plan management activities strategically, and direct more detailed surveys.

Strategy	Performance Measure	2003/04 Target	2003/04 Actual	Variance	Achievement
Early detection and treatment of insect infestations	Per cent of high priority bark beetle infestation sites treated by MOF	Baseline to be established	88%	N/A	Achieved
Early detection and treatment of insect infestations	Per cent of high priority areas treated to manage defoliator outbreaks	Baseline to be established	Gypsy Moth N/A All Others 99%	N/A	Achieved

High priority bark beetle sites present an opportunity to stop or reduce the rate of spread by conducting detailed aerial and ground surveys, treating small infestations using felling and burning, setting up pheromone trap trees, or other methods. By agreement with the Ministries of Water, Land and Air Protection, and the Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management, MOF is responsible for treatments in parks and protected areas.

The 2003 provincial overview survey identified 4.1 million hectares as infested by mountain pine beetle (red attack areas, prior to the beetle flight). The total infested volume, cumulative over three years was 173.5 million cubic meters (data provided by the Council of Forest Industries). Despite the exponential expansion of the bark beetle infestation in 2003/04, the per cent of sites that could be treated by MOF was relatively high due to increased funding from the Forest Investment Account, and a drop in the number of sites that presented an opportunity to stop or reduce the rate of spread. The expansion is expected to continue into 2004/05.

In 2003/04, gypsy moth related activities were limited only to monitoring, and no treatments were required. MOF assists the Federal Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in monitoring for new introductions of gypsy moth throughout British Columbia. No evidence of breeding gypsy moth populations were located in 2002 thus no treatments were necessary. In the summer of 2003, positive trap catches followed by the discovery of egg masses in the fall resulted in treatments planned by MOF for April and May 2004.

Treatment at the 99 per cent level for other defoliators equates to treatment of all high priority areas, with non-treated areas within allowable tolerances. Defoliators included western spruce budworm and western hemlock looper, which remained active throughout the Interior and Coastal regions. Western spruce budworm continued to expand in 2003 to cover 522,236 hectares of Douglas fir forest from Williams Lake south to Princeton in the Southern Interior Region and Pemberton in the Coastal Region. A total of 21,840 hectares of budworm were treated with Bacillus thuringiemsis var. kurstaki (B.t.k.). The western hemlock looper continued to defoliate old growth western hemlock and Interior Douglas fir stands for the third year of its projected 4-year outbreak cycle. Approximately 10,015 hectares of high priority forest (e.g., caribou habitat) being defoliated by the looper were treated with B.t.k.

Objective 2.1: Monitor the health of forests and grassland ecosystems in the province.

Strategy	Performance Measure	2003/04 Target	2003/04 Actual	Variance	Achievement
Regularly evaluate and publish information on the state of the forests in BC	Status of the State of the Forest (SOF) Report	SOF Report with 6 indicators	90% complete	10%	Substantially achieved

The State of the Forest report will provide a periodic assessment of the state of British Columbia forests, aligning with national criteria and indicators of sustainable forest management. The report is expected to be released on the Ministry of Forests' website in the summer of 2004. The six indicators are in three categories:

Objective 2.2: Ensure performance standards for managing timber, forage, bio-diversity, water, soil, forest habitat, and scenic resources are established and evaluated.

Strategy	Performance Measure	2001/02 Actual	2002/03 Actual	2003/04 Target	2003/04 Actual	2003/04 Variance	Achievement
Implement and regularly review results-based legislation that encourages exemplary management of all forest resources by licensees	Number of completed effectiveness evaluations of the legislation	3	3	3	3	0	Achieved

Effectiveness evaluations are field reviews of the Forest Practices Code of BC and Forest and Range Practices Acts. They are used to determine whether policies, plans or practices are resulting in the desired objectives being met; that is, if they are effective. These reviews are necessary to achieve ongoing improvement to the ministry's policy and legislation framework.

In addition to the individual evaluations, work was undertaken to implement an efficient and scientifically valid effectiveness evaluation program for the long-term. Effectiveness evaluation indicators, and definitions of attributes that are measured to determine the sustainability or state of a specific resource value, were developed for soils, visual quality, timber, forage, water, riparian, wildlife, biodiversity and one resource feature (Karst).

Strategy	Performance Measure	2001/02 Actual	2002/03 Actual	2003/04 Target	2003/04 Actual	2003/04 Variance	Achievement
Reduce forestry regulation by one-third without compromising environmental standards	Per cent of forestry deregulation achieved (cumulative from 2001/02 baseline)	N/A	3%	23%	50%	+27%	Over-achieved

Deregulation is cumulative from the level of regulation in 2001/02 (the "baseline"). The target of reducing regulation by one-third over three years (by 2004/05) was part of the government's commitment to streamlining government. The Ministry of Forests cumulative deregulation target for 2003/04 was a 23 per cent reduction in regulatory requirements. The ministry achieved this deregulation target on January 31, 2004 by bringing into force the Forest and Range Practices Act and its regulations. This brought the ministry's overall regulatory count to 50 per cent of the 2001/02 baseline, exceeding the target for 2003/04 and 2004/05.

Strategy	Performance Measure	2001/02 Actual	2002/03 Actual	2003/04 Target	2003/04 Actual	2003/04 Variance	Achievement
Target applied research activities to support scientifically based standards of forest practices on Crown lands.	Client satisfaction with applied research completed by the ministry	N/A	70%	>70%	Not measured in 2003/04	N/A	N/A

The client satisfaction rating is determined by a survey of clients every three years. The results of the 2002/03 Client satisfaction survey are published at: www.for.gov.bc.ca/forsci/.

The next client satisfaction survey will take place in 2005/06 through BC Stats.

In addition to ongoing research, the Forest Science Program provided direct technical support for the wildlife tree and cutblock size effectiveness evaluations. The Forest Science Program also collaborated with the Forest Practices Branch in the design of the effectiveness evaluation program and produced indicators and methodologies for riparian and soil effectiveness evaluations. Both sets of indicators were field tested by the Forest Practices Board at the audit (or routine) level.

Objective 2.3: Ensure that forest and range resources are managed and improved on a sustainable basis.

Strategy	Performance Measure	2001/02 Actual	2002/03 Actual	2003/04 Target	2003/04 Actual	2003/04 Variance	Achievement
Implement a defined forest area management model for volume-based licenses	Per cent of timber supply areas under defined forest area management	11%*	11%*	25%	Measure discontinued during 2003/04	N/A	N/A

Defined forest area management (DFAM) is where licensees collaborate on an area based forest management plan for the whole of a timber supply area (TSA). Until DFAM legislation is brought into force to make certain aspects of forest health and timber supply analysis an obligation, licensees are under no obligation to collaborate at the management unit level. Licensees in many TSAs have co-operated on a number of activities and initiatives such as the Forest Investment Account and bark beetle management; however, these aspects by themselves are not enough to be considered a good measure of long-term area based forest management. This measure will therefore be removed from the Service Plan, until the DFAM legislation is brought into force and a new measure is developed that better represents this policy direction.

Strategy	Performance Measure	2001/02 Actual	2002/03 Actual	2003/04 Target	2003/04 Actual	2003/04 Variance	Achievement
Work co-operatively with forest companies and other stakeholders to implement timber supply analysis within the defined forest area management model	Per cent of timber supply allowable annual cut determinations achieved by their scheduled deadline	83%	80%	75%	83%	+8%	Over-achieved

The Allowable Annual Cut (AAC) for each TSA and TFL is reviewed and determined by the Chief Forester on a periodic basis, normally every five years. This is a measure of the ministry's success at achieving the AAC determination schedule. In 2003/04, the performance target was over-achieved and exceeded.

The chief forester reviewed AACs for four TSAs (Soo, Cranbrook, Kamloops and Kalum TSAs) and six TFLs (TFLs 30, 35, 41, 43, 44, 53). The impacts of catastrophic forest fires and bark beetle infestations on timber supply were a major focus in 2003/04. Four of the determinations resulted in AAC increases aimed at facilitating management and salvage of bark beetle infested stands and fire damaged timber.

2003/04 was the first year of the timber supply review under the defined forest area management (DFAM) process. Under DFAM, licensees have the opportunity to collaboratively complete timber supply analyses for TSAs in support of the chief foresters' legislated mandate to determine AACs. Work on six management units (Arrow, Cranbrook, Invermere, Robson Valley, Fort Nelson and North Coast TSAs) was successfully initiated under the voluntary DFAM model during the year. Full transition to the new DFAM model will be key to improving future performance. In addition to DFAM, the ministry is also investigating alternative approaches to determining AACs (e.g., area-based methods) and encouraging new modelling technologies and analysis tools.

Strategy	Performance Measure	2001/02 Actual	2002/03 Actual	2003/04 Target	2003/04 Actual	2003/04 Variance	Achievement
Reforestation through the Forest Stand Management Fund	Volume gain (cubic metres per year) of timber available for harvest in 65 years	322,000	285,563	317,000	288,161	–28,839	Substantially achieved

Volume gain is calculated from the hectares brushed or planted and an average of cubic metre per hectare from Growth and Yield tables. Only activities funded by the Forest Stand Management Fund are included.

In 2003/04, fewer areas than planned were brushed due to the loss of 30 hectares to wildfire. Funding was redirected into purchasing seedlings, and planting part of the burned area originally intended to be brushed. A shortage of seedlings from nurseries and a need to plant at a higher density of seedlings per hectare reduced the total area that could be planted from the expected 1,655 hectares to 1,511 hectares. These shortfalls resulted in the slightly reduced potential volume gain in 65 years.

Strategy	Performance Measure	2003/04 Target	2003/04 Actual	Variance	Achievement
Ensure that forage is available to range users through licences or permits	Per cent of available crown range forage under a form of tenure	90%	95%	+5%	Over-achieved

This is a measure of the effectiveness of the ministry's administration of range available for grazing or haycutting. Data on the range forage under tenure are from current records at forest district offices. The total available crown forage is based on historical use and estimates of the potential Animal Unit Months (AUMs) that may be available in a district. Total available crown forage may be overestimated due to forest ingrowth and encroachment, or underestimated where logging may have opened new areas to grazing.

It is generally estimated that the overall level of available forage decreased in 2003/04. This drop is due in part to recent droughts and therefore increased pressure from wildlife grazing.

Of the forage available to be tenured, there was a slight increase in non-replaceable grazing permits (i.e., temporary grazing permits) and several new grazing tenures that contributed to the slightly higher than expected percentage of forage being under tenure.

Strategy	Performance Measure	2001/02 Actual	2002/03 Actual	2003/04 Target	2003/04 Actual	2003/04 Variance	Achievement
Manage Forest Service recreation sites and trails through partnership agreements or as user-maintained	Number of Forest Service recreation sites and trails managed under partnership agreements	N/A	N/A	390 sites 165 trails	451 sites 103 trails	+61 sites –62 trails	Substantially achieved overall

This measure identifies the number of sites and trails managed under partnership agreements with the ministry by First Nations, forest companies, local government, outdoor recreation groups and other parties. Sites include campgrounds, day-use areas, cabins, and other recreation facilities.

Forest Service recreation sites and trails not under partnership agreements are available for public use as user-maintained. The ministry district offices keep detailed statistics of sites and trails by category, i.e. managed under agreement (with or without user fees) and user-maintained.

The increase in recreation sites under agreement, over the target figure, was a result of the province providing third-party liability insurance to agreement holders. In the first round of advertising for recreation site agreement holders, there was limited interest by potential agreement holders. Once insurance was provided, there were more parties interested in entering into a partnership agreement to manage recreation sites.

The target figure for the number of trails managed under agreements was not achieved because processing and negotiating agreements has taken more time and resources than anticipated.

In 2001/02 and 2002/03, the total number of recreation sites and trails managed by the ministry was tracked. The 2003/04 measure represents the transition to a new model of delivery using partnership agreements. In 2004/05, the measure changes again to the total number of recreation sites and trails available for public use, independent of how they are managed.

Objective 3a.1: Promote compliance and ensure statutory obligations are enforced.

Strategy	Performance Measures	2003/04 Target	2003/04 Actual	Variance	Achievement
Implement a new compliance and enforcement regime for the Forest and Range Practices Act	Per cent of high and very high priority sites inspected for forest and range practices compliance	91%	82.6%	–8.4%	Substantially achieved
	Per cent of alleged compliance contraventions successfully concluded	80%	84.3%	+4.3%	Over-achieved
	Per cent of alleged enforcement contraventions successfully concluded	80%	56.6%	–23.4%	Partially achieved

Inspections, or site visits are targeted to very high and high priority sites where environmental, social and/or economic values have been identified as being at high risk. Data for compliance are from the Compliance Information Management System. Data for enforcement actions are from the Enforcement, Administrative Review and Appeal Tracking System.

The 82.6 per cent achievement for inspecting high and very high priority sites for forest and range compliance is considered very satisfactory in a year when five different vintages of forest practices legislation have been active on the same landbase. These were: Forest Act, Forest Practices Code of British Columbia Act, Forests Statutes Amendment Act (No. 2), 2002 (Bill 75), Forest and Range Practices Act (Bill 74), and the code pilot projects established by regulation under Part 10.1 of the Forest Practices Code of British Columbia Act. The temporary increase in complexity has been a challenge that will continue during the transition to the Forest and Range Practices Act, which ends on December 31, 2005.

Alleged compliance contraventions were successfully concluded as expected during the year. While there are generally less alleged enforcement contraventions, these are often escalated to a level that requires substantial work to conclude successfully.

In 2003/04, the requirement for compliance and enforcement staff to provide fire-fighting support delayed work on some investigations and concluding some alleged enforcement contraventions. Moreover, contraventions introduced late in the year can not be expected to be concluded by year-end. The ministry will be re-examining the measure and the target for future changes that more adequately communicate performance of this strategy.

Objective 4a.1: Ensure that forest investments contribute to sustainable forest management at the Management Unit level.

2003-04 Forest Investment Account (FIA) program highlights and key accomplishments are provided in Appendix 2.

Strategy	Performance Measure	2003/04 Target	2003/04 Actual	Variance	Achievement
Actively foster sustainable forest management through strategic planning and information gathering	Percentage increase in provincial resource inventory information	Baseline to be established	Measure discontinued during 2003/04	N/A	N/A

Provincial resource inventories eligible for FIA funding include ten different inventory types. Licensees collect this information. Establishment of a baseline was not achieved and will not be pursued. Since licensees are free to establish local priorities from among the full array of eligible landbase activities, including inventories, it is not possible to generate a meaningful target for this measure. Additionally, an annual funding cycle and unexpected reductions to FIA Land-Base Investment Program funding, as was experienced in 2003/04, constrains licensees' abilities to plan and implement priorities on a consistent basis. This results in activities being postponed or modified to reflect the amount of funding available.

The amount of newly acquired resource information that ultimately will lead towards improved land use planning and decision-making on Crown land will still be reported on an annual basis. This is reported in Appendix 2 for 2003/04.

Strategy	Performance Measure	2003/04 Target	2003/04 Actual	Variance	Achievement
Improve the public forest asset base through landbase and tree improvement activities	Volume gain (cubic metres per year) of timber available for harvest in 65 years	Baseline to be established	Measure discontinued during 2003/04	N/A	N/A

This measure combines the volume gain from land-based activities under the FIA Land-Base Investment Program and tree improvement activities funded jointly by MOF and FIA.

A baseline for volume gain from land-based activities was not established in 2003/04 and will not be pursued. Since licensees are free to establish local priorities from among the full array of eligible landbase activities, it is not possible to generate a meaningful target for this component of the measure. Additionally unexpected reductions to FIA LBIP funding, as was experienced in 2003/04, constrains licensees' abilities to plan and implement priorities on a consistent basis. This results in activities being postponed or modified annually to reflect the amount of funding available.

Accomplishments for land-based activities funded by FIA that contribute to growing higher quality second growth stands faster on Crown lands available for timber production will still be reported annually. This information is provided in Appendix 2 for 2003/04.

Volume gain from tree improvement activities will continue to be tracked as a separate measure starting in 2004/05. This measure is based on the quantity and quality (genetic worth) of select seed used in planting. The baseline projected volume gain was 1.67 million cubic metres in 2002/03. In 2003/04, projected volume gain from tree improvement activities was 1.85 million cubic metres, exceeding the level planned for the year of 1.7 million cubic meters.

Goal 1: Sustainable Forest Resources