Tree Farm Licence 52 Proposed Management Plan #5

Transcription

1 Tree Farm Licence 52 Proposed Management Plan #5 Presented To: West Fraser Mills Ltd. Dated: September 2018 Ecora File No.: KE

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3 Presented To: West Fraser Mills Ltd Brownmiller Road Quesnel, BC V2J 6PS Prepared by: Jerry Miehm, RPF Senior Resource Analyst Ecora Engineering and Resource Group Ltd. Date Reviewed by: Mike Sakakibara, RPF Planning Superintendent West Fraser Date Version Control and Revision History Version Date Prepared By Reviewed By Notes/Revisions Draft 20 Aug 2018 Miehm Sakakibara A 9 Sept 2018 Miehm MFLNRO For content, prior to advertising B 20 Sept 2018 Miehm Sakakibara For advertising, review and feedback Kelowna Penticton Prince George Vancouver Victoria Chilliwack Fort St. John

4 Kelowna Penticton Prince George Vancouver Victoria Chilliwack Fort St. John

5 Kelowna Penticton Prince George Vancouver Victoria Chilliwack Fort St. John

6 Table of Contents 1. Introduction Description of TFL History of TFL Block A Block B Consolidations and Subdivisions Major Boundary Changes AAC History Planning Documents TFL 52 Licence Documents Higher Level Plans Cariboo-Chilcotin Land Use Plan... Error! Bookmark not defined Quesnel Sustainable Resource Management Plan Management Plans Forest Stewardship Plans Miscellaneous Planning Documents Environmental Certification Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) Chain of Custody Timber Supply Analysis Public Review and First Nations Consultation First Nations Consultation Documentation of Comments Received List of Tables in Text Table 3.1 TFL 52 Agreement History... 4 Table 3.2 TFL 5 Agreement History... 5 Table 3.3 Forestry Revitalization Act Take-Back Areas... 5 Kelowna Penticton Prince George Vancouver Victoria Chilliwack Fort St. John i

7 List of Figures in Text Figure 2.1 Tree Farm Licence 52 Location... 2 Appendices Appendix A Appendix B Appendix C Appendix D Appendix E Appendix F Public Review Strategy and Approval Timber Supply Analysis Information Package Timber Supply Analysis Technical Report Summary of First Nations Feedback Summary of First Public Feedback AAC Determination Kelowna Penticton Prince George Vancouver Victoria Chilliwack Fort St. John ii

8 Acronyms and Abbreviations AAC BCS CCLUP CoC EMS FRA FSP GAR LUO MP PEFC SFI TFL Allowable Annual Cut Biodiversity Conservation Strategy Cariboo-Chilcotin Land Use Plan Chain of Custody Environmental Management System Forestry Revitalization Act Forest Stewardship Plan Government Action Regulation Land Use Order Management Plan Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Sustainable Forestry Initiative Tree Farm Licence Kelowna Penticton Prince George Vancouver Victoria Chilliwack Fort St. John iii

9 1. Introduction Section 35.2 of the Forest Act enabled the Tree Farm Licence Management Plan Regulation (last updated November 27, 2009) which describes the approval process, term, timing, content requirements and public review process for a Tree Farm Licence (TFL) Management Plan (MP). The following sections present the required content for West Fraser s TFL 52 MP#5 in accordance with the Regulation. When approved by the Province s Chief Forester, the Management Plan, along with other pertinent information and input, will be used in the Chief Forester s determination of the allowable annual cut (AAC) from Tree Farm Licence (TFL) 52. The AAC determination will be appended to this document once it is completed. Management objectives and strategies that pertain to operations on the TFL are specified in the Forest Stewardship Plan in accordance with the Forest and Range Practices Act and are taken into account in the timber supply analysis that is included in this Management Plan. 2. Description of TFL 52 TFL 52 is composed of two blocks. Block A is located to the east of Quesnel. Once a contiguous parcel, it has been split into two separate parcels as a result of Instrument 6 deleting 31,752 hectares from TFL 52 for the Cascadia TSA. TFL 52 Block B is northwest of the city. Figure 2.1 shows the location of the TFL and its surroundings. West Fraser was granted Block A of the TFL 52 licence in January The land base is typified by rolling plateaus in the west and the Cariboo Mountains in the east. Many lakes and rivers are found within the Licence area. Block A contains the headwaters of the Cottonwood, Bowron and Willow Rivers, which all flow directly into the Fraser River. Highway 26 between Quesnel and Bowron Lake Provincial Park provides primary access to Block A. This highway bisects the License into north and south components. Most forest roads into Block A originate from Highway 26 which provides excellent year-round access for both forest management and recreational activities. Block B of TFL 52 is located northwest of Quesnel along the Fraser River. Similar to Block A the land base is typified by rolling plateaus but includes steep banks leading down to the Fraser River. Western Plywood Ltd. (which later became Weldwood of Canada) was granted the former TFL 5 licence in May Primary access to Block B is provided by Highway 97 between Quesnel and Hixon for the eastern component. The western side of Block B can be accessed by either Blackwater Road or Tako Road. Due to the long history of forestry activities on Block B (more than 60 years), there is excellent year-round access for both forest management and recreational activities. The forests of TFL 52 are dominated by interior spruce, lodgepole pine, and Douglas-fir. Other species include subalpine fir, trembling aspen, and cottonwood. Birch, western hemlock, and western redcedar are found in localized areas. Two biogeoclimatic ecological classification (BEC) zones dominate the land base of TFL 52: Sub-boreal spruce (SBS), generally below 1200 metres with cool, snowy winters and warm summers; and Engelmann spruce-subalpine fir (ESSF), generally above 1200 metres with long, cold winters and short, cool summers. The interior cedar-hemlock (ICH) BEC zone is found in a very small area near the eastern boundary of the TFL. Kelowna Penticton Prince George Vancouver Victoria Chilliwack Fort St. John 1

10 A number of communities are associated with TFL 52. These include Quesnel, Wells, Barkerville, Bowron Lake and Cottonwood. Both Wells and Barkerville are located within the License area. Two popular recreational areas, Bowron Lake Provincial Park and Troll Mountain Ski Resort, share a common boundary with TFL 52. Figure 2.1 Tree Farm Licence 52 Location Kelowna Penticton Prince George Vancouver Victoria Chilliwack Fort St. John 2

11 3. History of TFL Block A West Fraser originated in 1955 when three brothers, Henry H. Ketcham Jr., William P. Ketcham and Samuel K. Ketcham, acquired a small lumber planing mill in Quesnel. From 1955 to 1979 the business expanded through the acquisition of a number of sawmills and related timber quotas throughout the interior of BC. The Company has continually grown since that time to become one of the largest integrated forest products companies in Canada, producing lumber, medium density fibreboard, plywood, pulp, linerboard, kraft paper, and newsprint. Much of the area east of Quesnel has a long history of natural resource development. Mining boomed in the late 1800 s and again in the 1930 s. Today, mining is common throughout the TFL but on a smaller scale than earlier years. The level of activity fluctuates greatly with the market value of gold. Logging and accompanying milling operations which provided for local consumption began in the late 1800 s. By the 1930 s and 1950 s, larger milling facilities were providing forest products for consumers outside the Cariboo. As a consequence of these past activities, the licence area has been extensively modified by human activity and has a well-developed transportation network. West Fraser and its predecessor companies have a history of forestry activities in the forests east of Quesnel dating back to the early 1950 s. During the period from , quotas were established for operators in the Cottonwood, Big Valley, Bowron and Naver Public Sustained Yield Units (PSYU s). These quotas, originally held as Timber Sales, have been continually maintained in various forms of tenure to the present. In the early 1970 s, West Fraser embarked on a major program of purchasing small forest companies and consolidating forest tenures. This was combined with the construction of an efficient sawmill in Quesnel designed to optimize recovery from the wood profile in the PSYU s where West Fraser s cutting rights were located. West Fraser and its predecessors have maintained continuous operations in the Cottonwood PSYU since 1950, Naver PSYU since 1952, Big Valley PSYU since 1953, and Bowron and Narcosli PSYU s and Prince George Special Sale Area since In 1980, West Fraser applied for a Tree Farm Licence as the Company believed it to be the most effective form of tenure for providing a secure log supply. During the subsequent ten years, West Fraser and the Ministry of Forests, with considerable public involvement, negotiated the licence agreement. TFL 52 was issued in January 1991 with West Fraser having to give up its licence holdings in the Prince George Forest Region and a portion of its forest licence in the Quesnel Forest District. The original allowable annual cut was established at 518,952 m 3 in Management Plan 1. This was subsequently raised to 549,000 m 3 in 1996 and to 579,000 m 3 in 2001, primarily because of a new forest inventory and updated growth and yield predictions. Between 1991 and 2005, 35,239 m 3 to 43,739 m 3 of the AAC was allocated to the Small Business Forest Enterprise Program (now the BC Timber Sales Program (BCTS)). During West Fraser arrived at an agreement with the government on areas within TFL 52 that would be subject to the take-back provisions of legislation designed to reallocate timber volume held by major licencees to First Nations, Community Forests, Woodlots, and BC Timber Sales. Kelowna Penticton Prince George Vancouver Victoria Chilliwack Fort St. John 3

12 Table 3.1 TFL 52 Agreement History Event Date Description TFL Agreement 1991 January 1 West Fraser Mills Limited. Term: 25 years. Replacement 2001 January 1 West Fraser Mills Limited. Term: 25 years. Instrument April 25 Deletes 3.35 ha of Schedule B Lands for commercial, light industrial and residential use Instrument March 19 Deletes ha of Schedule B Lands for commercial, light industrial and residential use FRA Order 3(2) December 21 In accordance with the Forestry Revitalization Act, 36,485 m 3 /year of AAC was reserved in TFL 5 amending Section 2.01 of the TFL 5 Agreement. (Instrument 4 consolidated TFL 5 and 52 in 2006) FRA Order 3(2) December 21 In accordance with the Forestry Revitalization Act, 40,000 m 3 /year of AAC was reserved in TFL 52 amending Section 2.01 of the TFL 52 Agreement Change of Control 2005 January 1 West Fraser acquired Weldwood of Canada Ltd. Weldwood will be amalgamated with West Frasers principal operating subsidiary West Fraser Mills Ltd. The amalgamated co. will continue as West Fraser Mills Ltd. Instrument December 28 TFL 5 was consolidated into TFL 52. (refer to TFL 5 Instrument 12) Instrument March 18 Amends paragraph 1.09 of the January 1, 2001 TFL Agreement. Instrument September 14 Deletes 31,732 ha from Schedule B Lands and reduces the FRA AAC Reservation of 41,293 m 3 /year as defined in FRA 3(2) 26-1 and FRA 3(2) 25-1 and the BCTS AAC Reservation of 40,693 m 3 /year both to Block B Forest Management Licence 5 was originally granted to Western Plywood Ltd. in 1950 to provide a supply of logs for the first venture into plywood manufacturing in the BC interior. Production from a new mill started in In 1964, the licence was redesignated as Tree Farm Licence 5 (Mackenzie-Cariboo Tree Farm Licence) and was transferred to Weldwood of Canada Ltd. The original Allowable Annual Cut (AAC) was 42,475 m 3 ; in 1956 the AAC was increased to 70,792 m 3 as a result of an improved inventory and a reduction in rotation age from 150 to 130 years. In 1970 the AAC was increased again to 124,594 m 3 to reflect the improved utilization due to smaller tops, lower stumps and smaller trees. In 1980, the AAC peaked at 134,788 m 3. The AAC subsequently decreased in three periods to 110,000 m 3 in In 1998, the AAC was increased to 122,800 m 3, with an allocation of 5,454 m 3 (increased to 6,747 in 2006) to the Small Business Forest Enterprise Program. In 2003, the AAC was dramatically increased to 300,000 m 3 to address an epidemic of mountain pine beetle. In the early years of TFL 5, forest development was concentrated on road building in the southern portion of the block east of the Fraser. Logs were hauled to the Fraser River, skylined across the river at Cottonwood Canyon, and then hauled by truck to Quesnel; here they were then skylined back across the Fraser to the plywood plant. By 1956, this log delivery process was replaced with a log drive down the Fraser River to the mill, first in log booms, then by free-floating logs. The last log drive ended in 1988 with all timber being hauled by truck to the mill sites in subsequent years. A sawmill was established adjacent to the plywood mill in 1962 to utilize logs that were not suitable for the plywood plant. This mill ran with a number of major upgrades until 1997 when it was dismantled. A new sawmill, specializing in cutting Douglas-fir, was constructed in a new location adjacent to the Cariboo Pulp and Paper Co. mill. In 2006 the new mill was converted to cutting pine and spruce as part of West Fraser s effort to increase utilization of beetle-attacked wood. Kelowna Penticton Prince George Vancouver Victoria Chilliwack Fort St. John 4

13 Table 3.2 TFL 5 Agreement History Event Date Description FML Agreement 1950 May15 Forest Management Licence was issued to Western Plywood Ltd. Assignment 1964 March 31 Western Plywood Ltd. assigned TFL 5 to Weldwood of Canada Ltd. Replacement 1980 January 1 Weldwood of Canada Ltd. was granted a replaceable TFL. Replacement 1995 March 1 Weldwood of Canada Ltd. was granted a replaceable TFL. Replacement 2000 March 1 Weldwood of Canada Ltd. was granted a replaceable TFL. Change of Control 2000 June 15 From Champion International Corporation to International Paper Company. Licensee name unchanged. Change of Control 2005 January 1 Weldwood of Canada Ltd. was acquired from International Paper Company by West Fraser. Weldwood is amalgamated with West Frasers principal operating subsidiary West Fraser Mills Ltd. The amalgamated company continues as West Fraser Mills Ltd. Consolidation 2006 December 28 Was consolidated into TFL 52. TFL5 ceased existence as a separate entity after Dec 28/ Consolidations and Subdivisions TFL 5 was added to TFL 52 in December 2006, becoming Block B of the TFL. The original portion of TFL 52 is designated as Block A. The area of TFL 52 reported in the previous Management Plan (2009) was 293,495 hectares. The current area of the TFL according to the spatial version of the boundary provided for this analysis is 261,468 hectares a reduction of 32,027 hectares. Most of this difference is can be accounted for by the Forestry Revitalization Act (FRA) take-back. Four blocks, summarized in Table 3.3 below, were removed by Instrument #6 in September Table 3.3 Forestry Revitalization Act Take-Back Areas Deletion Block Area (ha) Ahbau 4,208 Little Swift 3,662 Marvin Creek 2,015 Big Valley 21,847 Total 31,732 The location of the areas removed from the TFL is shown in Figure 3.1. Kelowna Penticton Prince George Vancouver Victoria Chilliwack Fort St. John 5

14 Marvin Creek TFL 52 Block B Ahbau Big Valley TFL 52 Block A BOWRON LAKE PARK Little Swift Current TFL 52 Boundary Deletions Since MP#4 Figure 3.1 Forestry Revitalization Agreement Take-Back Areas 3.4 Major Boundary Changes A correction was made to the northeast boundary of the TFL in This accounts for the remaining difference in the TFL area between MP#4 and the current boundary. 3.5 AAC History The Chief Forester of B.C. is responsible for determining an annual allowable cut (AAC) for each TFL in the Province. This is typically done soon after each new Management Plan is submitted, or if the area of the TFL changes for any reason. The chart in Figure 3.2 shows how the AAC for TFL 52 (and the former TFL 5) have varied over time. The AAC for TFL 5 varied between 42,475 m 3 /year when the license was issued to 122,800 m 3 /year just prior to the uplift for MPB salvage. In 2003, the AAC was increased to 300,000 m 3 /year to allow for the salvage of dead and deteriorating lodgepole pine. The AAC for TFL 52 was set at 518,952 m 3 /year when the licence was issued in There were only small changes in the AAC over the next 15 years, but it increased significantly to 870,000 m 3 /year when TFL 5 was absorbed in 2006, and further increased to 1,000,000 m 3 /year with an MPB salvage uplift that was granted in Kelowna Penticton Prince George Vancouver Victoria Chilliwack Fort St. John 6

15 Figure 3.2 Allowable Annual Cut History for TFL 52 and TFL 5 4. Planning Documents TFL 52 is located within the Cariboo-Chilcotin Land Use Plan (CCLUP) and is managed in accordance with the associated Land Use Order (LUO). This analysis will be consistent with the May 2011 LUO for the CCLUP area for Old Growth Management Areas (OGMAs) and wildlife tree retention targets as holders of an FSP must amend their plans within two years of declaration of the land use order. TFL 52 is also covered by a Government Action Regulation (GAR) Order for Mountain Caribou Quesnel Highlands Planning Unit that has changed the area to be managed for caribou from the last analysis (new coverage dated December 12, 2009). 4.1 TFL 52 Licence Documents The TFL 52 Licence document (Bowron Cottonwood Tree Farm Licence January 1, 2011) sets out rules for timber disposition, merchantability and waste assessment, cutting authority, access, contracting and reporting. In addition, it lists in detail the requirements for the preparation of a management plan and supporting timber supply analysis, and the sets that must be taken to solicit public feedback during the planning process. The previous Kelowna Penticton Prince George Vancouver Victoria Chilliwack Fort St. John 7

16 management plan documents (for MP#4) were prepared in accordance with the TFL licence document that was in force at the time that they were compiled. These documents are: Tree Farm License 52 Management Plan No. 4 (November 2007) Timber Supply Analysis Appendix I of MP No. 4 (September 2007) The timber supply Analysis report was reviewed by the Chief Forester and was considered, along with other sources of information when he established the AAC for the TFL. His findings and the AAC determination are documented in: Tree Farm License 52 Rationale for Allowable Annual Cut (AAC) Determination (April 2009) These documents will guide planning on the TFL until MP#5 is approved and a new AAC determination is made. 4.2 Higher Level Plans A hierarchy of plans exists with each level influencing the development of operational plans. The Cariboo- Chilcotin Land Use Plan has been undergoing implementation in stages since its inception in 1994 with significant success in the management of caribou and mule deer habitat, old growth, biodiversity, and visual landscapes Cariboo-Chilcotin Land Use Plan TFL 52 is located within the Cariboo-Chilcotin Land Use Plan (CCLUP) area. On January 23, 1996, the CCLUP was designated by the Government as a higher level plan under the previous Forest Practices Code Act of BC 1. A Ninety-Day Implementation Process Final Report, produced in February 1995, identifies resource targets for each resource development zone that overall meet the intent of balancing social, economic and environmental goals across the region. The components of the declared CCLUP are:. Cariboo-Chilcotin Land-Use Plan, October 1994 Cariboo-Chilcotin Land-Use Plan 90 Day Implementation Process Final Report, February 1995 Addendum to the Cariboo-Chilcotin Land-Use Plan 90 Day Implementation Process Final Report, April 20, 1995 Memorandum Outlining Governments Intent Regarding the Implementation of the Cariboo- Chilcotin Land-Use Plan, January 23, :250,000 map of the plan area dated January Quesnel Sustainable Resource Management Plan A key part of implementing the CCLUP was the completion of seven sustainable resource management plans (SRMPs) covering the entire Cariboo-Chilcotin region. These plans were completed in 2007 and addressed specific CCLUP strategies and targets on an area-specific basis through detailed objectives and strategies. 1 Kelowna Penticton Prince George Vancouver Victoria Chilliwack Fort St. John 8

17 These detailed objectives and strategies provide for the management of key natural resources and the maintenance of environmental values 2. The Quesnel Sustainable Resource Management Plan (SRMP) was endorsed by government and resource stakeholders in 2007, approved in 2008, and remains as non-legal guidance. This SRMP covers the area of TFL Land Use Order Using the SRMPs as a foundation, a Land Use Order (LUO) 3 was declared under the Land Use Objectives Regulation under the Land Act in 2010, which sets legal direction for forestry activities under FRPA concerning key resource values. The order contains specific objectives and maps for biodiversity, wildlife trees, old growth forest, critical habitat for fish, community areas of special concern, lakes, riparian areas, mature birch retention, grasslands, scenic areas, recreation trails, high value wetlands for moose, and grizzly bear. The LUO was amended on May 24, Regional Biodiversity Conservation Strategy The Biodiversity Conservation Strategy 4 (BCS) was completed in July 1996 as part of the CCLUP Implementation process which identified the need for a regional conservation strategy to maintain ecosystem function and species diversity. The BCS established landscape units, biodiversity emphasis categories, and forest seral targets across the region. Updates to the strategy explain key aspects of biodiversity as well as address how to maintain biodiversity objectives when faced with epidemic beetle populations and fire. The basic concepts of the CCLUP Biodiversity Conservation Strategy are built upon the foundation of the earlier Forest Practices Code. The establishment of landscape units, biodiversity emphasis categories, patch size distribution targets, and forest seral targets can have a large influence on a timber supply review AAC and were given a heavy weighting in this TSR. The BCS comes in two parts - the Strategy itself and Update Notes: Strategy Biodiversity Conservation Strategy Report (PDF, 1.4MB) Biodiversity Strategy Report Appendices (PDF) Biodiversity Conservation Strategy Table 2 Landscape Unit Sizes (PDF) Update Notes Update Note #1: Key Assumptions & Recommendations For Use of the Inventory Adjustment Factor Update Note #2: Amalgamation of Small NDT-BEC Units in Relation to Assessment of Seral Objectives and Old Growth Management Area Planning Kelowna Penticton Prince George Vancouver Victoria Chilliwack Fort St. John 9

18 Update Note #3: Definition of the Fir Group and Pine Group for Purposes of Seral Stage Assessments within NDT4 Update Note #4: An Approach for Patch Size Assessments Update Note #5: An Integrated Mountain Pine-Biodiversity Conservation Management Strategy Update Note #6: Procedures for Implementation of the Mountain Pine Beetle-Biodiversity Strategy to Address Current Attack During the Outbreak Phase Update Note #7b: An Integrated Strategy for Management of Biodiversity and Bark Beetles in Douglas-fir and Spruce Stands Update Note #8: Strategy for Management of Mature Seral Forest and Salvage of Mountain Pine Beetle-Killed Timber (PDF) Update Note #9: Strategy for Management of Mature Seral Forest and Salvage of Mountain Pine Beetle-Killed Timber Within TFLs (PDF) Update Note #10: Salvage Harvesting of Transition Old Growth Management Areas Heavily Attacked by Mountain Pine Beetle or Spruce Beetle (PDF) Update Note #11: New Options for Old Growth Management Pine Beetle or Spruce Beetle (PDF) Update Note #12: Stand-Level Retention for Biodiversity (PDF) Update Note #14: The Function and Management of Old Growth Management Areas in the Cariboo-Chilcotin (PDF) Update Note #15: M+O Seral Management in Wildfire Areas (PDF) 4.3 Management Plans The lands currently within the boundaries of TFL 52 have been managed by West Fraser and its predecessor companies for many years. When land is held under an area-based licence, the licencee is responsible for periodically preparing a Management Plan for the tenure. The term of these plans has varied between five and ten years. For Block B the first of these MP s was written in 1950; the first Block A plan was first prepared in The table below shows the time period covered by these and all subsequent MP s for all tenures now included in TFL 52. Kelowna Penticton Prince George Vancouver Victoria Chilliwack Fort St. John 10

19 Figure 4.1 Management Planning History for TFL 52 and TFL Forest Stewardship Plans A Forest Stewardship Plan (FSP) is a plan of potential forest development activities that are intended to take place on the area described in the plan, over a period of up to five or, if extended, up to 10 years. An FSP must be approved before cutting authority can be approved. Based on commitments made in the FSP, the government can hold agreement-holders accountable for their forest management practices. It also provides a vehicle for agreement-holders to solicit and consider the expectations of the public and other stakeholders (e.g., First Nations) for their use of Crown land and resources. West Fraser has an approved Forest Stewardship Plan for TFL 52 which is expected to be replaced with a new FSP in early Miscellaneous Planning Documents In addition to the documents described above, the following general documents inform forest management decisions on the TFL: Tree Farm Licence Management Plan Regulation (January 2013) Forest and Range Practices Act and the Forest Planning and Practices Regulation (January 2010) Kelowna Penticton Prince George Vancouver Victoria Chilliwack Fort St. John 11

20 CCLUP Land Use Order 5 (June 2011) GAR Order AMENDED ORDER #U-5-001, U-5-002, U _ Ungulate Winter Ranges Cariboo Chilcotin Land Use Plan, Shallow and Moderate Snowpack 6 (December 2004) GAR Order Wildlife Habitat Areas #5-088 to Mountain Caribou Quesnel Highlands Planning Unit 7 (December 2009) Pellet Transects and Deer Management on TFL 52 (Keystone Wildlife, 2008) CCLUP Regional Conservation Biodiversity Strategy - Update Note #4 - An Approach for Patch Size Assessments in the Cariboo Forest Region 8 (July 2001) CCLUP Regional Conservation Biodiversity Strategy - Update Note #12 - Stand-Level Retention for Biodiversity 9 (December 2005)) Integrated Land Management Plan For TFL 5 (Keystone Wildlife, 1995) 4.6 Environmental Certification West Fraser is fully committed to responsible stewardship of the environment and has always operated on the principles of sustainability. Certification of Environmental Management Systems (EMS) is an important foundation of West Fraser s woodlands stewardship. Being certified within one of the recognized Environmental Management Systems verifies that those aspects of operations that have the potential to have a negative effect on the environment have been assessed, that procedures to address them are in place and being followed, and that continual improvement is being pursued. EMS Certification provides assurance that West Fraser is living up to its environmental commitments West Fraser has achieved and continues to maintain environmental certification under Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and has continued to maintain a chain of custody program that was introduced in Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) The SFI Standard is based on principles and measures that promote sustainable forest management and consider all forest values in order to promote responsible management on all forest lands in North America. The SFI program is a rigorous system of environmental and conservation practices for wildlife and water quality protection, biodiversity conservation, sustainable harvesting practices and other forest management goals. It is based on the following five guiding principles: 1. Protection of wildlife 2. Protection of plants 3. Protection of soil 4. Protection of air quality 5. Protection of water quality Kelowna Penticton Prince George Vancouver Victoria Chilliwack Fort St. John 12

21 SFI was selected as the sustainable forest management certification scheme for Quesnel because of its flexibility for use on different forest tenures and because of its recognition in the North American marketplace. Annual performance audits are conducted to ensure that companies are complying with commitments that they have made in management plans and their EMS. The results of the SFI audit are available to the public Chain of Custody Some forest products buyers groups have asked West Fraser to provide verification that those products that they are purchasing originate from sustainably managed forests. As West Fraser sources wood from companies with various certifications and from uncertified sources such as private land or timber sales, verifying a chain of custody (CoC) is difficult. In 2006, West Fraser implemented a chain of custody process through the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) which is verified by third-party auditors. The PEFC Council is an independent non-profit, non-governmental organization founded in 1999 to promote sustainable forest management. West Fraser uses scale data and timber marks which are unique to each source of timber as the basis for the CoC tracking system. Conversion factors are used to convert the weight of raw logs to certified credits for products sold as originating from an EMS-certified source. As wood from certified sources is scaled, certified credits are produced; when a mill product (lumber, pulp, plywood) is sold as 100% certified, certified credits are depleted. If there are not enough certified credits available to fill an order, the product cannot be sold as certified. 5. Timber Supply Analysis As stated in the Tree Farm Licence Management Plan Regulation, the Management Plan must contain a timber supply analysis that analyzes the short term and long term availability of timber for harvesting in the tree farm licence area, including the impact of management practices on the availability of timber. The TFL 52 Timber Supply Analysis Report is attached in Appendix A. The Regulation also requires supporting documentation for the timber supply analysis including resource inventories, a description of the model and analytical methods used to formulate the timber supply and any other information relevant to timber supply on the TFL. The supporting documentation for the timber supply analysis is summarized in the TFL 52 Timber Supply Analysis Information Package attached in Appendix B. The Information Package was accepted as a foundation for the timber supply analysis by the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations on March 15, The following is a brief summary of the results from the base case analysis as documented in the attached timber supply analysis report. The base case presented shows that a harvest level of 570,000 m 3 /year is possible for the next twenty years. This is a net harvest level after the allowance for non-recoverable losses has been taken into account. A review of the THLB growing stock trend and future age class distribution of the THLB shows that the initial harvest level is justified. The growing stock at the end of planning horizon (32 million cubic metres total, with 22 million cubic metres above minimum harvest age) is sufficient to support continued operations at the sustainable long-term harvest level of 784,550 m 3 /year. Summary statistics of the harvest profile were compiled and presented in the body of this report. Briefly: Average harvest age falls sharply over the next thirty years and stabilizes in the long-term at an average of 69 years; Even in the long-term stands older than 100 years make up 10% of the harvest volume; Harvest volume per hectare averages 315 m 3 over the next fifty years. In the long-term this rises to 372 m 3 ; and Kelowna Penticton Prince George Vancouver Victoria Chilliwack Fort St. John 13

22 Pine volume is in short supply now but will recover; by the end of the planning horizon, 57% of the harvest comes from spruce-leading stands, and 24% comes from pine-leading stands. The harvest pattern found in this analysis is not surprising. The timber supply analysis for the previous management plan (MP#4) predicted that harvest levels would have to decline once the MPB salvage program ended. TFL 52 is now in the timber supply trough predicted by MP#4. The trough is only slightly deeper than expected, due in large part to the land base reduction related to the creation of the Cascadia TSA The sensitivity analysis runs that tested minimum harvest age assumptions emphasize the precarious nature of the current timber supply situation. Lowering MHA by 10% provides only a modest increase in short-term timber supply but increase MHA by 10% cuts short-term (i.e., the next 20 years) by almost 25%. The immediate harvest level is very closely tied to assumptions about when the oldest existing managed stands will first become merchantable. The current harvest level is also sensitive to disturbance constraints that protect visual quality and watersheds. If these are relaxed, short-term harvest levels can rise slightly by between 3% and 5%. More restrictive disturbance constraints reduce short-term timber supply by 1.5 to 3%. While these are not trivial harvest volumes, they clearly play a smaller role in the timber supply dynamics of the TFL than do assumptions about minimum harvest age. Only two of the factors examined in sensitivity analysis runs had a significant impact on long-term harvest levels: managed stand yield assumptions and early seral patch size management. West Fraser has a comprehensive Change monitoring inventory in place to deal with the former issue, and periodically reviews patch size distribution as part of their operational planning to address the latter issue. It should be noted that both of these matters also impact short term harvest levels. In light of the issues addressed in the sensitivity analyses mentioned above and recognizing the uncertainties associated with managed stand yields and patch size distribution modeling in particular the base case presented in this document is a good foundation upon which to base and AAC decision. A harvest level of 570,000 m3/year is the recommended AAC for TFL 52 for the term of MP#5. 6. Public Review and First Nations Consultation Adequate opportunity for public review and due consideration of the feedback received is central to effective management planning for public forest land. The Tree Farm Licence Management Plan Regulation requires (among other things) that: The tree farm licence holder must make the management plan available for public review and comment in accordance with the strategy approved by the minister [ ]. The steps taken to meet this public review requirement are summarized in this section. A public review strategy was submitted to the Acting Regional Executive Director (RED) on February 14, The strategy was subsequently approved by the RED February 20, That document described the measures that West Fraser will take to ensure adequate opportunity for public review and feedback. These include: Listing the documents that will be circulated Identifying advertising channels Designating primary agency contact persons Kelowna Penticton Prince George Vancouver Victoria Chilliwack Fort St. John 14

23 Identifying First Nations groups for information sharing and consultation Identifying other stakeholder groups Designating locations at which advertised documents will be made available to the public The document also includes a template for the proposed newspaper advertisement, and a commitment to consider feedback that the review process generates. A complete version of the review strategy document can be found in Appendix A, along with a copy of the approval letter from the Ministry. 6.1 First Nations Consultation The Ministry of Forest, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development is leading the information sharing and consultation efforts with local First Nations. These are: Nazko First Nation Lhtako Dene First Nation Tsilhqot in Engagement Zone A Williams Lake Indian Band Xats ull First Nation Lheidli Tenneh Band The goal will be to identify First Nations interests and concerns prior to submission of the plan to the MLNRORD. 6.2 Documentation of Comments Received A summary of all correspondence sent or received by West Fraser regarding the review of TFL 52 MP #5 is provided in Appendix D (First Nations) and Appendix E (General Public). Kelowna Penticton Prince George Vancouver Victoria Chilliwack Fort St. John 15

24 Kelowna Penticton Prince George Vancouver Victoria Chilliwack Fort St. John

25 Appendix A Public Review Strategy and Approval Kelowna Penticton Prince George Vancouver Victoria Chilliwack Fort St. John

26 Appendix B Timber Supply Analysis Information Package Kelowna Penticton Prince George Vancouver Victoria Chilliwack Fort St. John

27 Appendix C Timber Supply Analysis Technical Report Kelowna Penticton Prince George Vancouver Victoria Chilliwack Fort St. John

28 Appendix D Summary of First Nations Feedback [TO BE INCLUDED IN FINAL MANAGEMENT PLAN DOUCMENT] Kelowna Penticton Prince George Vancouver Victoria Chilliwack Fort St. John

29 Appendix E Summary of Public Feedback [TO BE INCLUDED IN FINAL MANAGEMENT PLAN DOUCMENT] Kelowna Penticton Prince George Vancouver Victoria Chilliwack Fort St. John

30 Kelowna Penticton Prince George Vancouver Victoria Chilliwack Fort St. John

31 Appendix F AAC Determination [TO BE INCLUDED IN FINAL MANAGEMENT PLAN DOUCMENT] Kelowna Penticton Prince George Vancouver Victoria Chilliwack Fort St. John

32 Kelowna Penticton Prince George Vancouver Victoria Chilliwack Fort St. John