NIPISSING FOREST RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Transcription

1 NIPISSING FOREST RESOURCE MANAGEMENT DESCRIPTION OF COMPANY The Nipissing Forest is administered and managed by Nipissing Forest Resource Management Inc. (NFRM) under the authority of Sustainable Forest Licence (SFL) No The company is owned by its shareholders: R. Fryer Forest Products Limited, Goulard Lumber (1971) Limited, Tembec Industries Inc., Hec. Clouthier and Sons Inc., and GP Northwoods LP. The SFL, under the Crown Forest Sustainability Act, is administered by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, North Bay district office. North Bay District reports administratively to the Regional Director of the Northeast Region, based in Timmins, Ontario. The Forest extends over 11,932 square kilometres and has a permanent population of approximately 86,000. Private land comprises 23 percent of the total area of the Nipissing Forest and is concentrated in the southern and central-western part of the area. Its contribution to the overall wood supply in the management unit is minimal. Maple, birch, spruce and pine are the key species groups being managed on the Crown Land portion of the Nipissing Forest. There are 39 protected areas either entirely or partly within the boundaries of the Nipissing Forest. Two First Nation Reserves, Dokis and Nipissing are situated in the western and central parts of the Forest respectively. Two other aboriginal communities, the Mattawa/North Bay Algonquins and the Antoine First Nation, are located in the Mattawa area, but do not have any reserve lands. BACKGROUND During the period of May 11 to May 15, 2015 NFRM underwent a 12 month surveillance audit to the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI ) Standard The registration cycle is over 3 years with surveillance audits conducted annually. This report summarizes the audit process and the results of the SAI Global evaluation. SCOPE OF CERTIFICATION Forest management activities planning, harvesting, transportation, road construction, road maintenance and silviculture on the Nipissing Forest in Ontario. Objectives 1-7 and Objective EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The SFI Program third-party initial audit was undertaken by SAI Global. SAI Global is an independent third party registrar that is accredited by the ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB) for registrations to SFIS This ensures the integrity and credibility of the audit process. The audit assessed active and completed harvest operations, renewal activities, road construction and maintenance through interviews with NFRM staff and contractors. The audit also assessed the SFIS and supporting EMS documentation and records at the NRFM office. The audit found general conformance to the requirements of SFIS with the exception of two minor non-conformances. NFRM is pursuing a process of addressing the non-conformances. As well, two positive observations were noted representing exemplary practices and four opportunities for improvement were suggested.

2 THE AUDITORS The SAI Global audit team who performed the audit consisted of Rod Seabrook. Mr. Seabrook holds the designation of Environmental Professional Environmental Management System Lead Auditor (EP(EMSLA)) and is an Associate Member of the Ontario Professional Foresters Association. AREAS OF NON-CONFORMANCE Type Performance Measure # Description Minor Field inspection found one mobile tank without an automatic shutoff nozzle and an aboveground fuel storage tank without collision protection. Minor Progress on achievement of all objectives of the SFI Standard were not covered during management review. CORRECTIVE ACTION PLANS NFRM has developed corrective action plans to address the root causes of the non-conformities identified during the audit. The root cause analysis and proposed corrective actions have been reviewed by SAI Global Lead auditor to ensure that they are appropriate, and fully address the identified deficiencies. At the next annual audit a follow-up on the implemented corrective actions will be done to confirm that the corrective actions were appropriate and effective in ensuring the non-conforming situation will not reoccur. SFIS Periodic Assessments Major non-conformances: 0 Minor non-conformances: 2 Opportunities for Improvement: 4 Positive Aspects: 2 Major Non-Conformances Pervasive or critical to the achievement of the SFI objectives. All major non-conformances require an action plan to be implemented by the auditee within 90 days of an initial audit and subsequently 60 days or registration cannot be achieved/maintained. Minor Non-Conformances Isolated incidents that are non-critical but must be addressed before the next surveillance audit to maintain compliance to the SFI standard. Opportunity for Improvement Are not non-conformances but are comments on specific areas where improvements can be made. Positive Aspects Areas that are deemed to be of best practices. OPPORTUNTIES FOR IMPROVEMENT Consider establishing site disturbance standards specific for NFRM operations and forest conditions Where practical, consider treating existing chipper pads where debris is too thick to permit successful regeneration Consider whether the list of applicable legal requirements contained in the NFRM policies is necessary Consider developing a policy for the use of qualified logging professionals on the Nipissing Forest COMPLAINTS No complaints have been received; therefore the complaint handling process could not be verified. ID: 6214 Issue Date: May 2015 SAI Global Limited Copyright ABN Page 2

3 POSITIVE ASPECTS Commercial thinning operations at Bk 92 and the Gurd plantations have resulted in virtually no damage to the residual standing trees Modified harvest prescriptions applied adjacent to small lakes Evidence Observed Environmental management system (EMS) Manual X Harvest inspection records X Written policies X Road and bridge inspection records X Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for best management practices X Pre-harvest inspection records X Training records (staff and contractors) X Pre-work discussions/meeting records X Health and safety manual and/or employee policy manual X Post-harvest inspection records X SFI/EMS training agenda Utilization records Monitoring records for non-timber values X Maps (pre-harvest, harvest, post-harvest, and silviculture) X Laws, legislation, regulations records X Timber supply review Annual management review records X Non-timber values impact assessments (riparian, visual, recreation, biodiversity, cultural heritage, other: ) X Education/community involvement records X Operational plans (annual, cutblock level) X Agreements and communications with Indigenous communities X Wet/adverse weather plans or guidelines X Logging agreements and/or contracts X Reforestation plans X Wood producer training programs X Pest management plan X SFI Annual Report X Fire preparedness plan X SFI and company websites X Spill prevention and response plan X SFI brochure X Silviculture surveys and reports X SFI Implementation committee (participation/support) X Standards for seed use X Research and discussion papers X Chemical use/spray records and applicator certification X Support for research and science X Free to grow records X External audit field inspections X Planting program records X External audit interviews (office and field) X CERTIFICATION DECISION SFI FOREST MANAGEMENT STANDARD Surveillance Audit Based on the results of this surveillance audit it has been determined that the management system of Nipissing Forest Resource Management is effectively implemented and meets the requirements relative to the scope of registration and audit criteria. The action plans related to the non-conformances were reviewed and considered acceptable. Implementation of action plans for the minor non-conformances will be reviewed at the next surveillance audit. Therefore, a recommendation to maintain the registration is made to SAI Global. ID: 6214 Issue Date: May 2015 SAI Global Limited Copyright ABN Page 3

4 Transition to the SFI Standard: NFRM s progress towards meeting the requirements of the new SFI Standard was evaluated. concern associated with the following five requirements were noted: NFRM was not aware of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (2001) Areas of A written statement of commitment to the SFI Forest Management Standard communicated throughout the organization, particularly to facility and woodland managers and field foresters has not been prepared Assignment and understanding of roles and responsibilities for achieving SFI Forest Management Standard objectives has not been done Written agreements for the use of qualified logging professionals or wood producers that have completed training programs and are recognized as qualified logging professionals have not been prepared There is no SIC-approved continuing education program for wood producers Harvested area adjacent to shoreline ID: 6214 Issue Date: May 2015 SAI Global Limited Copyright ABN Page 4

5 SAI Global forestry specialist group registers/certifies forest companies to ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001, CSA Z809 and CSA Z804 SFM, SFI Forest Management, SFI CoC, SFI Fiber Sourcing, SFI Certified Sourcing Label, PEFC CoC, FSC Forest Management, FSC CoC. The group, led by Sylvain Frappier, Technical Manager - Forestry, consists of a highly qualified team of professional foresters, technical and industry experts. Contact certification.americas@saiglobal.com for more information. Company Contact: Mr. Peter Street 128 Landsdowne Ave. East, Callander, ON, P0H 1H0 Tel: This report may only be reproduced by the intended client, with the express consent of SAI Global. Information in this issue is of a general nature with respect to audit findings and is not intended to be acted upon without appropriate professional advice. ID: 6214 Issue Date: May 2015 SAI Global Limited Copyright ABN Page 5