An audit of the provincial forest district manager’s obligations to maintain forest service roads (FSRs) in the Campbell River natural resource district has found that the FSRs and crossing structures were built, maintained and deactivated appropriately, as required by the Forest and Range Practices Act.
The provincial government, through the district manager, must maintain those FSRs that are not being maintained by forest companies or BC Timber Sales. In the Campbell River district, this consists of 83.5 kilometres of road, including about 60 kilometres of the road accessing Fair Harbour and the community of Zeballos on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Another eight kilometres of the maintained FSRs are part of the walking trails on the Beaver Lodge Lands in Campbell River.
“The FSRs the district manager is responsible for are very important to local communities and we are pleased to find the district is doing a good job of looking after them,” said Kevin Kriese, chair, Forest Practices Board.
Auditors examined maintenance of the roads and construction of one bridge crossing on the Fair Harbour FSR.
While there are nearly 1,500 kilometres of active FSRs in the Campbell River Natural Resource District, the district manager is responsible for just 83.5 kilometres. BC Timber Sales and forest licensees that have road use permits maintain the remainder of the roads.
The Forest Practices Board is B.C.’s independent watchdog for sound forest and range practices, reporting its findings and recommendations directly to the public and government. The board audits forest and range practices on public lands and appropriateness of government enforcement. It can also make recommendations for improvement to practices and legislation.
For more information:
Forest Practices Board website: www.bcfpb.ca
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BCForestPracticesBoard/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BC_FPBoard
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bcfpb
