ForestPractices

CodeTransition

Protection of Environmental Values

Rod DavisManager, Ecosystem Planning

and Standards Ministry of Water, Land and Air

Protection

Protection of Environmental Values

How are environmental values currently protected by the Code? Wildlife, biodiversity, fish and water are

currently managed and conserved through several Code provisions including: ungulate winter range wildlife habitat areas for identified wildlife wildlife habitat features (nests, dens and other

sites) old growth management areas wildlife tree retention riparian management areas timing windows & measures temperature-sensitive streams, and community watersheds and water quality

objectives

Protection of Environmental Values

What has changed for transition? We still have the same

environmental provisions for wildlife, biodiversity, fish and water.

What has changed is the decision-making authority – MOF, MWLAP and MSRM have authority in accordance with:their ministry mandates for resource

management or planning, and government policy direction

Protection of Environmental Values

What is MWLAP's responsibility? Within government’s policy limits, it is the

Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection’s responsibility now to establish or identify:ungulate winter range – within the existing

budget for timber supply impactswildlife habitat areas for identified wildlifewildlife habitat featurestiming windows & measures to conserve

fishtemperature-sensitive streams, andwater quality objectives

Protection of Environmental Values

MOF & MSRM authority related to environmental provisions

MOF District Manager is now the sole decision-maker on various regulations:making things known – to inform

licensees preparing forest development plans

authorizing any harvesting in old growth management areas

authorizing road locations in community watersheds

MSRM is responsible for establishing old growth management areas

Protection of Environmental Values

Earlier changes – Summer 2002 Some changes that eliminated joint-ministry

authorities were already in place (since July 2002):No joint-approvals for forest development

plan – Ministry of Forests onlyNo need for MWLAP Designated

Environment Official agreement for forest development plan-related assessments

No Designated Environment Official agreement needed to approve a variance of riparian zone width

Protection of Environmental Values

What has changed – site plans Site plans replace silviculture

prescriptionsno government approval requiredneeded to maintain protection for

key values Wildlife tree retention (WTR)

Default performance standards Riparian

Maintain trees in riparian management zones

Protection of Environmental Values

Why the change for Transition? Government direction to:

streamline – eliminate joint-ministry decisions, and

move toward results-based approach MWLAP’s role:

mandate to establish objectives and clear direction for wildlife, fish and water

focus on:setting objectivesdeveloping guidelinesmonitoring and enforcement

Protection of Environmental Values

End of WLAP Presentation on

Protection of Environmental Values

withRod Davis