LAKEHEAD FOREST. Status Report

Transcription

1 LAKEHEAD FOREST 2014 INDEPENDENT FOREST AUDIT MANAGEMENT UNIT ACTION PLAN Status Report 1

2 Table of Contents Status Report Signature Page... 3 Introduction... 4 Recommendations... 4 Principle 1: Commitment... 4 Recommendation #1:... 4 Principle 3: Forest Management Planning... 5 Recommendation #2:... 5 Recommendation #3:... 5 Recommendation #4:... 6 Recommendation #5:... 6 Recommendation #6:... 7 Principle 4: Plan Assessment and Implementation... 8 Recommendation #7:... 8 Recommendation #8:... 9 Recommendation #9:... 9 Principle 6: Monitoring Recommendation #10: Recommendation #11: Recommendation #12: Recommendation #13: Principle 8: Contractual Obligations Recommendation #14: Recommendation #15: Recommendation #16:

3 Status Report Signature Page Prepared by: Joseph Ladouceur R.P.F. General Manager Greenmantle Forest Inc. Date originally signed: March 8, 2017 Neil Graham R.P.F. A/ Regional Planning Forester MNRF Northwest Region Date originally signed: March 10, 2017 Vishnu Kowlessar R.P.F. Management Forester MNRF Thunder Bay District Date originally signed: March 8, 2017 Reviewed by: Joseph Ladouceur R.P.F. General Manager Greenmantle Forest Inc. Date originally signed: March 8, 2017 Submitted by: Rik Aikman District Manager MNRF Thunder Bay District Date originally signed: March 13, 2017 Approved by: Amanda Holmes Regional Director, MNRF Northwest Region Date originally signed: March 16,

4 Introduction In August 2014, an Independent Forest Audit (IFA) was conducted on the Lakehead Forest for the period April 1st, 2009 to March 31st, The final audit report was received January 6th, The Action Plan was approved March 13, 2015, and subsequently revised in May 2015 with changes made by MNRF for recommendation #15 only. This status report is required to be submitted by March 12, The status report includes the original approved actions for recommendations from the Management Unit Action Plan. The progress to date is listed below the actions required. Future tracking is shown for any actions not yet completed. The audit included recommendations under the headings of 5 of the 8 IFA Principles (Principles 1, 3, 4, 6, and 8). Therefore the other 3 IFA Principle headings (2, 5, and 7) have not been included in this status report. The licence extension recommendation will be addressed in the separate 2014 Provincial Status Report. Recommendations Principle 1: Commitment Recommendation #1: GFI shall ensure that: operations minimize oil leaks from equipment and improvements are made to practices for the handling of lubricants and clean-up of spills. 1. GFI will provide to operators and their key personnel conducting Crown forest operations (harvest, road construction, renewal) under the approved forest management plan with mandatory Environmental Awareness and Best Management Practices training regarding: a. the detection / minimization of lubricant / oil leaks; b. the handling, containment, clean-up and disposal of lubricants resulting from routine maintenance activities and from unforeseen spills. GFI will continue to provide training on this issue as needed for operators prior to the commencement of their respective forest operations. 2. GFI will heighten its monitoring for equipment leaks and for the proper handling of lubricants during its forest operations compliance inspections and/or internal GFI environmental inspections. Commencing April 1, 2015, a minimum of one of 4

5 these two aforementioned inspections types, per fiscal year per operator, will report on the monitoring for leaks, the handling of lubricants, and spill clean-up procedures. 1. Complete. Training workshop for most forest operators and key personnel occurred on December 5, Training is ongoing as needed for new operators. 2. Complete. GFI has conducted 22 environmental inspection reports between July 2015 and January 2017 that monitor for equipment leaks and for the proper handling of lubricants. Monitoring is ongoing annually. Principle 3: Forest Management Planning Recommendation #2: Where second pass harvest operations are planned, GFI shall ensure the forest management plan includes appropriate guidance, particularly concerning limiting the duration between cuts. 1. GFI will submit an amendment the current Phase II Forest Management Plan (FMP) to provide direction as to: a. the time interval between the first pass and second pass; b. the review process of market conditions and options for harvest area completion for second pass volume and/or for the initiation of regeneration treatments. 1. Not Complete. The two-pass harvest system is no longer employed by harvest licensees on the Lakehead Forest during Phase II of the FMP; nor is it permitted in the approved Lakehead Forest Contingency Plan. The harvest of an area must be completed within two years of commencement, otherwise it becomes an Operational Issue to be remedied through the Forest Operation Inspection and Reporting Program. Future tracking requirements: 1. Not applicable. Recommendation #3: Nipigon and Thunder Bay District shall each develop an Annual Compliance Operating Plan that has clear reporting measures and targets. The districts shall ensure adequate background data is available to implement the plan. Summaries of the ACOP shall be produced in a timely manner. 5

6 1. Thunder Bay and Nipigon districts will each develop Annual Compliance Operating Plans (ACOPs) that outline timing and frequency of monitoring activities and sampling intensities (related to compliance inspections) based on the SFL s proposed operations described in the Annual Work Schedule. The Forest Compliance Handbook, Forest Management Directives and Procedures FOR and FOR and the MNRF Regional Operations Division Compliance Delivery Strategy provide direction which will be utilized when developing ACOP content. Summaries of the ACOP are not required. The approved Annual District Forest Compliance Plans will be filed appropriately on each District s respective server. 1. Complete. Per the cross district protocol between the Nipigon and Thunder Bay Districts, Thunder Bay District, developed and approved ACOPs for the Lakehead Forest for the and operating years, prior to March 31 st of the applicable year. An ACOP for operating year is expected to be completed and approved by March 31, Nipigon District supports the implementation of these ACOPs. Recommendation #4: GFI shall ensure that a summary of forecasted seed volume is included in the next forest management plan. 1. GFI will include a summary of forecasted seed volume in the FMP, in accordance with the requirements of the Forest Management Planning Manual of Ontario s Crown Forests in effect at the time of plan preparation. 1. Ongoing. The deadline date for this action extends beyond that of the status report. Future tracking requirements: 1. Draft FMP submission to the MNRF as recorded by the MNRF Forest Information Portal. Responsibility: GFI Planning Forester (Lead); Silviculture Manager. Deadline date: July 15, Recommendation #5: 6

7 If careful logging around advanced growth is planned, GFI shall ensure that it is clearly defined in the silviculture ground rules included in the next forest management plan. 1. GFI will review the MNRF s silvicultural guidelines and determine the appropriate site types and forest conditions for the implementation of the careful logging around advanced growth treatment on the Lakehead Forest. The silvicultural ground rules (SGRs) (Table FMP-4) in the current FMP will be amended accordingly. 2. GFI will use the current FMP as the basis for the preparation of the silvicultural ground rules for the next FMP. 1. Complete. GFI reviewed MNRF s silvicultural guidelines and the site types and forest conditions that may be appropriate for the implementation of careful logging around advanced growth. As opposed to amending the FMP, changes were made to the Table FMP-4 SGRs in the Lakehead Forest Contingency Plan, which was approved by the MNRF on November 21, Ongoing. The deadline date for this action extends beyond that of the status report. GFI will use the amended silvicultural ground rules (SGRs) from the Lakehead Forest Contingency Plan as the basis for the preparation of the silvicultural ground rules for the next FMP. Future tracking requirements: 2. MNRF Regional Director s endorsement of the Preliminary Long-Term Management Direction for the FMP (which includes the SGRs). Responsibility: GFI Planning Forester. Deadline date: September 15, Recommendation #6: MNRF and GFI shall complete a review of the regeneration standards in the Phase 2 Forest Management Plan to determine if they are viable and how they are to be assessed. The Forest Management Plan shall be amended accordingly. 1. MNRF and GFI will meet and jointly review the regeneration standards in the Phase II FMP to determine if they are viable, and/or if they require revision/clarification in the text and/or tables through an FMP amendment. 2. MNRF and GFI will meet and jointly review the silviculture effectiveness monitoring methodologies in the Phase II FMP to determine if they are viable, and/or if they require revision/clarification in the text through an FMP amendment. 7

8 1. Complete. During preparation of the Lakehead Forest Contingency Plan, all Silviculture Ground Rules (SGRs) in Table FMP-4 and the associated regeneration standards were reviewed by GFI and the MNRF. Stocking was replaced with minimum density for all Extensive silviculture intensity SGR treatments. Stocking was replaced with minimum and maximum density for all Intensive silviculture intensity SGR treatments. Years to Free-to-Grow was also reviewed and updated for some SGRs to reflect more realistic timelines for regeneration establishment. The Lakehead Forest Contingency Plan was approved by the MNRF on November 21, Complete. During the development of the Contingency Plan, GFI staff met with MNRF staff to review silviculture effectiveness monitoring methodologies. Minor modifications were made to the methodologies to address the changes made through Action #1 above. The modified monitoring methodologies were incorporated into the Lakehead Forest Contingency Plan, which was approved by the MNRF on November 21, Principle 4: Plan Assessment and Implementation Recommendation #7: GFI shall reinforce with operations through training, the wildlife tree retention requirements and carry out increased monitoring on operations where standards are not being met. 1. GFI will provide its overlapping licensees and key personnel with mandatory Awareness and Best Management Practices training regarding the wildlife tree retention requirements in accordance with the approved FMP. GFI will continue to provide training as needed for operators prior to the commencement of their respective forest management operations. 2. GFI will heighten its monitoring of overlapping licensees and their wildlife tree retention practices during the course of its forest operations compliance inspections and/or internal GFI environmental inspections. Using a risk-based approach, there will be focus on overlapping licensees where there have been challenges or operational issues related to wildlife tree retention. 1. Complete. Training workshop for most forest operators and key personnel occurred on December 5, Training is ongoing as needed for new operators. 2. Complete. Forest operation compliance inspection reports are maintained by the MNRF. Internal GFI environmental inspections reports are maintained by GFI. 8

9 Recommendation #8: GFI and MNRF shall develop and implement a stream-lined process to identify and successfully license and regenerate low volume stands on the Lakehead Forest. 1. GFI and MNRF will meet and jointly review the current process to identify and licence and regenerate low-volume stands on the Lakehead Forest. Efficiencies in the process, such as the removal of the requirements for ground-based volume estimation surveys and the reduction of residual wildlife tree requirements for low volume stands will be examined. Opportunities for process streamlining will be identified, if any. If feasible, a stream-lined process will be jointly formulated. 2. If a stream-lined process is formulated, GFI and MNRF will present it to the MNRF Thunder Bay District Manager for approval. 3. GFI and MNRF will implement the stream-lined process approved in Action #2, as needed. 1. Complete. GFI and MNRF reviewed options regarding the reduction of residual wildlife tree requirements for sites where pre-harvest tree densities are low. Based on the review, there are no options within existing provincial policy and guidelines to authorize a reduction in the post-harvest wildlife tree maintenance requirements on these sites. Opportunities do exist through the Forestry Futures Trust Fund (FFTF) to obtain harvesting subsidies to encourage the harvest and regeneration of low volume/degraded forest stands. However ground-based volume estimations are generally required to support applications to the Trust. 2. Not Complete. No stream-lined process could be formulated as a result of Action #1. 3. Not Complete. No stream-lined process could be formulated as a result of Action #1 and therefore there was no approved stream-lined process as a result of Action #2. However, GFI did obtain FFTF funding as a harvest subsidy for a low volume harvest area in 2015 and will look to obtain similar support from the FFTF as future low volume harvest areas are encountered. Recommendation #9: GFI shall implement improvements to water crossing decommissioning practices on erodible soils, and ensure that the deficiencies with water crossings observed during the audit are addressed in a manner that minimizes their chance of re-occurrence. Such practices may include measures to discourage the use of decommissioned water crossings by public traffic. 9

10 1. GFI will review and determine the causes of the types of water crossing deficiencies observed during the audit and ascertain what the training requirements are for operators installing / removing water crossings. A brief written report will be presented to the General Manager. 2. GFI will develop and deliver mandatory training to operators and their key personnel that conduct water crossing installations / removals. This mandatory training must obtained prior to an operator conducting any future water crossing installations/removals, effective June 15, GFI will implement a checklist program to be completed by operators to aid with water crossing installations / removals being in accordance with approved practices and site plans. 4. GFI will continue to implement, with MNRF approval, techniques for the stabilization of erodible soils at decommissioned water crossings. 5. GFI will investigate and implement with MNRF approval, practices to discourage the use of decommissioned crossings by public traffic. 1. Complete. A review of the general type of deficiencies and concerns observed during the audit was made and a summary was provided to the General Manager. 2. Complete. GFI prepared and delivered water crossing training to operators and key personnel. This training is provided on an ongoing basis as needed for new operators. A Lakehead Forest Water Crossing Procedures Handbook was also prepared as a supplement to the training. 3. Complete. GFI implemented a water crossing checklist system. 4. Complete. Water crossing decommissioning activities are conducted using MNRF approved techniques. 5. Complete. Water crossing decommissioning activities are conducted using MNRF approved techniques. Principle 6: Monitoring Recommendation #10: Thunder Bay and Nipigon District MNRF shall determine compliance targets appropriate to the complexity, history and level of risk involved with operations on the Lakehead Forest. MNRF shall meet these targets annually. 10

11 1. Thunder Bay and Nipigon districts will each develop Annual Compliance Operating Plans (ACOPs) as per the Actions presented to address IFA Recommendation #3. ACOPs will outline timing and frequency of monitoring activities and the sampling intensities (related to compliance inspections) based on the SFL s proposed operations described in the Annual Work Schedule. The Forest Compliance Handbook, and Forest Management Directives and Procedures FOR and FOR , and the MNRF Regional Operations Division Compliance Delivery Strategy provide direction which will be utilized when developing targets in the Annual District Forest Compliance Plans. Each District will implement the ACOP and achieve established targets annually and report through the Forest Operations Inspection Program. 1. Complete. Per the cross district protocol between the Nipigon and Thunder Bay Districts, the Thunder Bay District, developed and approved ACOPs for the Lakehead Forest for the and operating years, prior to March 31 st of the applicable year. An ACOP for operating year is expected to be completed and approved by March 31, Nipigon District supports the implementation of these ACOPs. In Forest Compliance Inspections were completed and reports filed as planned with 100% of the ACOP target being met. In the operating year only 57% of the ACOP target was met as there was no certified Resource Technician on staff for six months. The MNRF was able to implement a forest compliance monitoring plan as of October of 2016 to address compliance concerns on the Lakehead forest. The ACOP will continue to include the FOIP targets for the upcoming year. Recommendation #11: GFI shall review all of the two-pass harvest blocks and ensure sites are compliant and compliance reporting is completed (closed). 1. GFI will review the status of two pass harvest history and prepare a summary of areas where compliance reporting has not yet been completed. 2. GFI will complete forest operation compliance site inspection report(s) for any two-pass harvest areas identified through Action #1. 1. Complete. GFI reviewed the status of two-pass harvest history. A summary of areas where compliance reporting was not completed (6 harvest blocks) was prepared on June 1,

12 2. Complete. GFI has completed the forest operation compliance site inspection reports (FOIP# s ; ; ; ; & ). Recommendation #12: GFI shall implement the debris management monitoring system so that results may be included in the Annual Report. Monitoring should include all blocks harvested since April 1, GFI will implement the monitoring component of its roadside debris management system as presented in the approved FMP. Roadside debris monitoring will include all harvest blocks since April 1, GFI will include the roadside debris management monitoring results in the Annual Report and in future annual reports. 1. Complete. GFI implemented the monitoring component of its roadside debris management system for the annual reporting period. 2. Complete. GFI included a Debris Management Monitoring section in the and Annual Reports which summarized the debris management activities that took place during the reporting period. Recommendation #13: GFI shall ensure that each annual report is submitted, revised and re-submitted according to the timelines outlined in the FMPM. 1. The GFI General Manager will internally coordinate the staff involved the preparation of annual reports. An annual report preparation schedule will be established with target dates for the initiation of activities, and the achievement of the major milestones for the annual report preparation and submission process. 2. GFI will address MNRF review comments (if any) and re-submit the revised annual report within 60 days of receipt comments. 1. Complete. A standardized Annual Report preparation schedule was created by GFI. The Annual Report was submitted to the MNRF prior to the November 15, 2015 deadline. The Annual Report was submitted to the MNRF two days past the November 15, 2016 deadline. 2. Complete. The Annual Report final re-submission was made within 60 days of receiving comments from the MNRF. The Annual Report 12

13 final re-submission was made within 60 days of receiving comments from the MNRF. Principle 8: Contractual Obligations Recommendation #14: GFI and MNRF shall deliver the Action Plan for the 2014 IFA within the required timelines. 1. GFI and MNRF will develop and agree to a Communication Protocol and a detailed Preparation, Review and Approval Schedule for the 2014 IFA Action Plan. 2. GFI and MNRF will implement the schedule as developed and agreed to in Action #1 to facilitate the completion and submission of the Action Plan by the required due date. 2. Complete. The Action Plan was completed, submitted (March 11, 2015) and approved (March 13, 2015) prior to the due date of April 7, Recommendation #15: Nipigon District MNRF shall ensure that the draft summary report dated May 12, 2014 associated with recommendation #18 of the Lakehead Forest IFA fully addresses the requirements of the recommendation, including involvement of other stakeholders, and is finalized without delay and presented to the Lakehead Forest LCC. 1. The draft summary report noted in this audit recommendation is a monitoring plan summary, of the Black Bay Peninsula Monitoring Plan, as referred to in R#18 action 4 of the 2009 Lakehead IFA Action Plan. The draft monitoring plan summary has been prepared by the monitoring team that included MNR Nipigon and Thunder Bay and Greenmantle Forest Inc. As noted in the 2009 action plan, the summary report will be presented to the LCC for information and comment prior to finalization. The final report will be considered in development of the next Forest Management Plan for the Lakehead Forest as per action 5 of R#18 of the 2009 IFA. 1. Ongoing. The deadline date for some of this action extends beyond that of the status report. The final report of the Black Bay Peninsula Monitoring Plan will be 13

14 considered in development of the Forest Management Plan for the Lakehead Forest. Future tracking requirements: 1. Documentation regarding the consideration of the final report during development of the FMP in the approved plan. Responsibility: Regional Planning Forester. Deadline date: April 1, Lakehead FMP approved Terms of Reference: Terms of Reference will document any outstanding concerns associated with the final report that may impact key planning production timelines and deliverables. 3. Approved Forest Management Plan. Recommendation #16: Thunder Bay/Nipigon MNRF, in consultation with GFI, shall re-evaluate solutions to the wood theft issue on the Lakehead Forest as per Recommendation #22 in the 2009 IFA of the Lakehead Forest. 1. Meeting with MNR Thunder Bay, MNR Nipigon, and GFI to discuss viable options to address the issue of theft of harvested timber. 2. Determine actions and solutions to address the issue if any. 3. Implement any actions identified. 1. Complete. The wood theft issue and practical options for its prevention or mitigation were discussed by the MNRF, GFI and the SNLI membership at the annual ACOP and Forest Compliance meetings on July 16, 2014 and March 10, It was determined that since the Lakehead Forest is a high population and high traffic forest, restricting access could not be supported from an enforcement perspective. An ACOP and Forest Compliance meeting is scheduled for March 10, Complete. MNRF asked for all theft to be reported to the Conservation Officers and Ontario Provincial Police for follow up. To date, no reports have been filed. 3. Complete. All occurrences of theft are to be reported to the Conservation Officers and the Ontario Provincial Police. To date, no reports have been made. 14