2003/04 Annual Service Plan Report -- Forest Practices Board

Level of public satisfaction with the audit, investigation and appeal performance, based on measures of public feedback. Reports are relevant and address issues of concern to the public. A survey, canvassing a segment of the public that is informed on forestry issues, is conducted every third year. The latest survey was conducted in 2002/03. The Board considers the results to remain relatively static between surveys. The results were received too late to be reported for 2002/03, and are used as results for 2003/04.

Performance Measures	2003/04 Target	2003/04 Actual	Variance
Public believes Board reports contribute to sound forest management in BC.	To be determined through a public survey.	51%	N/A
Public believes Board reports are accurate and impartial.	To be determined through a public survey.	67%	N/A

A redesigned Board role in the context of the Forest and Range Practices Act, greater reliance on professionals and industry self-regulation.

Rather than issuing a one-time report explaining the role of the Board under the new Forest and Range Practices Act, and in effort to continuously inform the public on its role as the public watchdog for sound forest practices, the Board issued a series of brochures outlining its role in administrative appeals, audits, complaints investigations, and special investigations/reports.

The Board issued an audit report that incorporated independent certification audit work done for ISO and SFI certifications. A benefit of this approach was the opportunity to examine and report on the licensee's management controls related to the protection of key environmental values.

Performance Measures	2003/04 Target	2003/04 Actual	Variance
A report on the redesigned role of the Board.	1	1	N/A
A report on audit procedures that recognizes and complements industry forest practices audits.	1	1	N/A

Independent audits of industry and government's performance to reinforce the application of sound forest practices throughout the Province.

The Board had planned to undertake four compliance audits, three area-based audits, and one audit of Nisga'a lands. All were undertaken and the Board also added two additional compliance audits to the mix. At the end of the fiscal year, field work for ten audits was completed, but due to the complexity of the audit findings, only three audit reports had been published. Of the remaining seven projects, three were intended to address issues of effectiveness for the first time. The Board has been cautious in the preparation of these new reports, engaging in discussions with licensees. All project reports are scheduled for publication early in fiscal 2004/05.

Performance Measure	2003/04 Target	2003/04 Actual	Variance
Number of quality-assured audit projects completed and published.	8	3	-5

A timely reporting process that fairly and objectively represents the general public interest.

Staff resources availability in the investigations section prevented the achievement of the expected target for timeliness in completing reports on complaint investigations. The Board remains committed to meeting, or exceeding, this target in the future, as it did in 2002/03.

Performance Measures	2003/04 Target	2003/04 Actual	Variance
Quantitative reporting on numbers of requests for administrative appeals, investigations, response times, etc.	To be reported in the Board's Annual Report.	Reported in the Board's 2003 Annual Report.	N/A
Published audit, investigation, and appeal manuals that inform the public about the new way the Board conducts its business.	3	3	N/A
Timeliness: Percentage of audits conducted and published within the fiscal year.	100%	30%	-70%
Timeliness: Report on an investigation.	80% will be completed in 7 months.	50% were completed within 7 months.	-30%
Timeliness: Percentage of decisions made by the Board within 45 days on forest development plan reviews requested by the public.	100%	100%	N/A

Goal 2

A fair and effective means to deal with public concerns about forest practices.

Level of public satisfaction with the investigation and appeal performance, based on measures of public feedback. A survey, canvassing a segment of the public that is informed on forestry issues, is conducted every third year. The latest survey was conducted in 2002/03. The Board considers the results to remain relatively static between surveys. The results were received too late to be reported for 2002/03, and are used as results for 2003/04.

Performance Measures	2003/04 Target	2003/04 Actual	Variance
Level of satisfaction with the investigation performance, based on measures of public feedback.	To be determined through a public survey.	52%	N/A
Level of public satisfaction with the appeal performance, based on measures of public feedback.	To be determined through a public survey.	47%	N/A

An efficient and respectful investigation process that responds to public concerns about forest practices, validates sound forest practices, and recommends improvements where needed.

A survey, canvassing a segment of the public that is informed on forestry issues, is conducted every third year. The latest survey was conducted in 2002/03. The Board considers the results to remain relatively static between surveys. The results were received too late to be reported for 2002/03, and are used as results for 2003/04.

Performance Measure	2003/04 Target	2003/04 Actual	Variance
Percentage of participants who believe that complaint investigations contributed to the resolution of issues.	50%	38%	-12%

A review and appeal program that is responsive to concerns raised by members of the public and that fosters the implementation of the Code that is consistent with its intents.

Performance Measure	2003/04 Target	2003/04 Actual	Variance
Percentage of review and appeal participants who believe that the Board's actions in reviewing and appealing decisions further the public interest.	65%	60%	-5%

Goal 3

Forest practices that are widely recognized as sound and continually improving.

The list is becoming too long to incorporate in the Annual Report. The Board is in the process of posting responses to all its recommendations on its website.

Performance Measure	2003/04 Target	2003/04 Actual	Variance
Degree to which Board work promotes sustainable and continually improving forest practices, as evidenced, for example, by the implementation of Board recommendations. The implementation of the recommendations is not under the Board's control. The Board reports on the responses to all of its recommendations in its Annual Report.	To be reported in the Annual Report.	See the note above.	N/A

Forest practices audits, investigations and reports; complaint investigations, administrative reviews and appeals.

Assessment of the efficacy of the Forest Practices Code, and the new Forest and Range Practices Act, in achieving desired results on the ground.

Performance Measure	2003/04 Target	2003/04 Actual	Variance
Result-oriented and area-based reports on topics of public concerns.	3	3	N/A

Performance Measures	2003/04 Target	2003/04 Actual	Variance
Number of contributions at forums.	6	11	5
Contributions to the field of forest practices auditing and investigating. The Board's work can be used to implement certain aspects of the Board's role in other jurisdictions. Such use is not under the Board's control, but may contribute to improvements in forest practices outside B.C., and recognizes the province's leadership and expertise in sound forest management monitoring.	To be determined.	Unknown.	N/A
Board reports referenced by others as credible sources of information about forest practices.	To be determined. Requires reviewing how many times the Board's reports are referenced as credible sources in other publications.	6	N/A

Deregulation

The Board is not responsible for developing, maintaining, and enhancing legislation. Its recommendations may trigger changes to legislation, but the responsibility rests with enforcing ministries.