Section 2 - p.9 [Previous Section] [Next Section] [Table of Contents]

2.0 General Findings and Recommendations

The rules, procedures, and guidelines for the management of public forest lands are set down in a large number of documents issued by the provincial government-mainly through the British Columbia Ministry of Forests-under legislated authority. We refer to these rules, procedures and guidelines as "current standards." The Panel has closely examined the current standards for Clayoquot Sound as presented in the documents listed in Appendix III.

2.1 Scope of Review of Current Standards

The Panel reviewed over 50 documents that currently apply to Clayoquot Sound and classified them according to the type or level of planning to which they apply. (See tables 1 through 4 in Appendix III.) These documents are also identified as draft, emerging, interim, or established, in increasing order of force. The recent dates of most documents and the many draft, interim, and emerging standards reflect rapid changes in forest practices.

The Panel also reviewed two documents with specific reference to Clayoquot Sound: Clayoquot Sound Forest Practices Standards (June 1993) and the Clayoquot Sound Land Use Decision (April 1993).

The Panel's review of standards focused on documents pertaining to the subregional level, that were in place January 31, 1994. More recent versions of these documents will be addressed (if possible) in the Panel's final report.

2.2 General Findings

Section 2 - p.11

2.3 General Recommendations

Based on the Panel's findings regarding current standards (Section 2.2), its Guiding Principles (Appendix I), and the belief that forest practices in Clayoquot Sound must be scientifically sound, operationally achievable, measurable, enforceable, and safe, the Panel makes the following general recommendations:

1. Manage the forests and waters of Clayoquot Sound to:
   • maintain the productive capacity of the interlinked land, freshwater, estuarine, and marine ecosystems;
   • maintain biodiversity of land and water ecosystems;
   • include First Nations' spiritual and other values;
   • maintain heritage, recreation and scenic values; and
   • sustain levels of commercial resource use consistent with the preceding goals.
   These goals define a strategy known as "sustainable ecosystem management"8 which is based on our understanding of ecosystem function, and on principles of resource sustainability and intergenerational equity (our obligation to leave undamaged forests and water for future generations). Sustainable ecosystem management requires the participation of multidisciplinary teams representing First Nations, industry, governments, and the public.
2. Determine the levels of goods and services to be produced from Clayoquot Sound (e.g., cubic metres of wood, visitor days) through a comprehensive ecosystem assessment and planning process. Define outputs that are sustainable within limits that maintaln the integrity of ecosystems.
3. Collect resource information that supports sustainable ecosystem management. Expand inventories to include the status, abundance, and distribution of resources and values in addition to the critical factors that restrict timber harvesting and other resource extracting operations.
4. Develop a strategy to protect the full pattern of drainage through the landscape. Modification or disruption of subsurface drainage channels or small, non-fish-bearing streams can increase soil erosion and adversely affect fish or other components of biodiversity.

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   Section 2 - p.12

5. Increase the level of riparian protection by increasing streamside buffer widths, including headwater and intermittent streams, identifying and protecting unstable land areas. Water is critical to riparian areas-which are central to temperate rainforests-and protecting riparian zones underlies sustainable ecosystem management in Clayoquot Sound.
6. Broaden the silvicultural systems used in Clayoquot Sound, beyond clearcutting. Select appropriate silvicultural systems to maintain natural landscape patterns and stand structures, and to meet a variety of management objectives other than timber production.
7. Select harvesting methods to meet the requirements of silvicultural systems, minimize environmental impacts, and meet worker safety standards.
8. Practice adaptive management9 so that forest practices improve as knowledge and experience are gained. Undertake formal adaptive management in carefully selected areas to assess the effectiveness of new forest practices.
9. Plan and manage forests to prevent ecosystem degradation. Restore ecosystems where damage occurs.
10. Provide education and training programs to upgrade the knowledge and skills of the current workforce and to increase the number of qualified workers on the ground. Sustainable ecosystem management is complex and requires a workforce informed of the principles involved.
11. Develop procedures for company or worker prequalification and disqualification. Even the best forestry practices can pose considerable risk to the environment if not carried out to their intended standards.
12. Consider worker safety when defining acceptable practices. Involve safety personnel when developing standards and new forest practices (e.g., Wildlife Tree Committee).
13. Use consistent terminology, definitions, and inventory requirements in defining standards and practices at different levels of the planning hierarchy.
14. Establish appropriate phase-in periods for standards requiring major changes to current practices. This will allow stakeholders time to adjust and will help to ensure compliance.

Section 2 - p.13

Recommendations on four specific issues which flow from these general recommendations are presented in Section 5:

• inclusion of First Nations;
• forest planning;
• undeveloped watersheds; and
• Special Management Area boundaries

Stephen Samuel (samuel@bcgreen.com)

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