NEW TIMBER POLICY WILL FURTHER IMPROVE SUPPLY
B.C. Government legislation is welcomed by companies

By Paul Harris*

Experts developing new harvesting plans for some of British Columbia's biggest timber companies have predicted how changes starting this month to forestry practices will improve further the supply of species shipped to Japan.

With B.C. ideally placed to serve the Far Eastern market, key legislation has just been introduced by the provincial government to help ensure timber can be harvested even more efficiently while meeting strict environmental standards. The rules will govern timber harvesting in the Coastal and Interior regions.

Major timber companies have given their full backing to the changes, contained in B.C.'s new Forest and Range Practices Act. The Act will have a dramatic affect upon all of B.C.'s timber regions -- none more so than on the Coast, where a significant volume of timber is harvested and where costs are usually greater. The new legislation will offer foresters the freedom to create renewable, flexible five-year plans so they spend less time filing paperwork and more time implementing their ideas.

Working in one of the most biologically diverse regions on earth, B.C.'s foresters are uniquely placed to balance the environment with the demand for timber. "The new system allows foresters to do a lot more long-term planning and, if the market gets hot for a particular product, they can switch gears," said Dwight Yochim, Manager of Forestry and Communications for the Association of BC Professional Foresters, in an interview for the Japan Lumber Journal. "The Act offers much more flexibility on the ground, which is critical. That is a big step forward as it gives some freedom to foresters within clear guidelines."

Larry Pedersen, B.C.'s Chief Forester, confirmed: "It is a much more efficient way of approaching timber harvesting. It promotes a competitive forest sector that is not at the expense of environmental values. We still have lots of checks and balances in the system even though it is a less regulated approach."

One of the Act's major components will be that all harvesting companies create their own Forest Stewardship Plans. For the past year, Canfor, West Fraser and Western Forest Products have been developing pilot plans. Within them, companies outline how they can best achieve objectives set by government for soils, timber, wildlife, water, fish, biodiversity and cultural heritage, and are accountable for their on-the-ground performance.

Bill Waugh, Operations Forester for Weyerhaeuser's B.C. Coastal Group, said: "The Act gives us greater flexibility in our planning. We can work with the market more closely. If the market for cedar, for example, rises we can focus harvesting on cedar within the limitations set for overall harvesting volumes."

The new Act replaces the old Forest Practices Code and will apply to any forest activities on public land, which makes up 95 per cent of B.C.'s land base. The previous code had been criticized primarily because it generated too much bureaucracy. Training is currently taking place to ensure harvesters have their stewardship plans ready ahead of the December 31, 2005 deadline. It is anticipated that, while companies may operate under the old Forest Practices Code until that date, most will ensure their operations are in line with the Act's new requirements well in advance of that date.

Peter Baird, Chief Forester for Canfor, added: "There is no doubt in my mind that the Act has strengthened the protection of the environment. We are not saving costs at the expense of the environment." Depending on the offence, non-compliance with the Act could result in a maximum penalty of CDN$500,000 (approximately 40 million Yen) -- five times more than the highest maximum under the previous code.

* The author is an independent forestry writer based in Vancouver, British Columbia