Message from the Chair
I would like to welcome you to the website of the Forest Practices Board. In 2005, the Board celebrated its tenth anniversary as BC’s independent forestry watchdog.
The Board was created to assess how well the forestry community was implementing the 1995 Forest Practices Code, and report its findings directly to the public. A globally unique agency, the Board plays a distinct role in promoting improved forest practices, auditing for compliance with and enforcement of forestry legislation, and responding to complaints from the public.
The Board is adapting its practices during the ongoing transition from the Code to the Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA). We are shifting from assessing whether or not forest practices were compliant with the detailed prescriptions of the Code, to assessing their effectiveness in meeting standards and objectives for resource values set by government.
In addition to the regular work of audits and complaint investigations, the Board continues to address major public issues of continuing concern. The unprecedented mountain pine beetle epidemic is one such concern, as are the rehabilitation of forest fire fighting impacts on forest lands and protection of community water supplies from the effects of forest practices. Public concern with threatened species has been reflected in Board reports on mountain caribou, marbled murrelets, and mountain goats.
In the face of all these constantly changing conditions and emerging issues, the Board’s ultimate challenge remains the same. Our task is to provide the public with an objective and independent assessment of the state of forest practices in the province, and to contribute to the ongoing improvement and sustainability of those practices.
On our website, you will find information about our audits, investigations, and special projects program areas, as well as information about our Board Members and the latest Board news releases.
I hope you find useful information on our site about the Forest Practices Board and sustainable forest management in British Columbia. Please contact me if you have questions or suggestions for future Board projects. I look forward to hearing from you.
Bruce Fraser, Ph.D
Chair, Forest Practices Board