Forest Management Certification Assessment Report for - Rainforest ...

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FSC PrincipleP6: EnvironmentalImpactComments from InterestedParties• AAC calculations are completed onthe whole Cranbrook and KootenayLake TSAs (including Tembec andother tenure holders), not the areadefined as the management unit forthe purposes of certification. Theassumptions used in that calculationdo not necessarily reflect Tembec’spractices, and even if they did,Tembec’s portion of the AAC for theTSA is based on a percentage of thetotal, including whatever practicesthat may be occurring in otherlicensees’ operating areas (i.e. chartareas).• The assumptions used in theCranbrook and Kootenay Lake TSAsdo not adequately reflect thereliability and uncertainty associatedwith the data and assumptions (theSIBEC growth rates are the antithesisof a margin of safety).• There is no adequate managementplan for non-timber forest products.Improper harvesting may bedamaging mushroom mycelial mats.• A RONV description is in place butthere is not an environmentalbenchmark.• Habitat and access-sensitive speciesseem to be compromised in somecases to meet timber objectives (e.g.OG retention, mature/old on winterranges, riparian reserves, access), butTembec does not seem to be usingAssessment Team Response• The team agrees with this point. CAR12/06 addresses the need for a separateanalysis of timber supply informationand management assumptions forTembec’s operating area. This needs toreflect land base reductions andmanagement strategies and practices setout in Tembec’s SFMP.• The team found that the AACdeterminations do address uncertaintyand risk in the assumptions.• The BC Standard places responsibilityfor non-timber products on Tembeconly if Tembec “harvests or controls theharvest” of NTFPs. Tembec does notharvest or control the harvest, so thisconcern is not within the scope of theassessment and there is no nonconformance.• As part of the SFMP and C&Iframework, Tembec has prepared awritten description of the range ofnatural variability (RONV) associatedwith the natural disturbance regimes inthe BEC subzones found within all ofTembec’s operating areas in BC. Thisdescription includes references toecosystem conditions and ecosystemfunctioning consistent with the FSC-BCGuidance Material on RONV. The teamaccepted this as a benchmark.• Wildlife habitat assessments haveincluded consultations regardingaccess-sensitive species such as grizzlybears. Tembec’s consultations withgrizzly bear researchers have aidedmanagement planning.Page 26 of 89
FSC PrincipleP6: EnvironmentalImpactComments from InterestedPartiesrisk assessment regarding potentialenvironmental impacts.• Past compliance regarding theprotection of rare, threatened andendangered species has been poor.Harvesting by Tembec has directlycontributed to the decline in caribouand destruction of habitat for bulltrout. Tembec is not following the“best available information”regarding caribou management in theSouth Purcells.• No restoration areas defined – thereare significant areas (including someriparian areas and some clearcuts inESSF) that should be designated asrestoration areas (e.g., Kidd Creek,Skelly Creek, Bighorn Creek,extensive areas of fire-maintainedNDT 4 habitats in PP and IDF).Assessment Team Response• Tembec has developed acomprehensive management system thatprovides safeguards to protect rare,threatened and endangered species andtheir habitats. The habitat needs ofthese species are addressed throughboth species-specific and coarse filtermanagement strategies. Severalstrategies, including identification ofHCVF areas are being implemented toprotect the most controversial species,mountain caribou. The team recognizesthat the Caribou situation is veryserious. The team concluded thatTembec is taking steps that are withinits control to facilitate the survival andrecovery of mountain caribou in theabsence of a government endorsedrecovery plan. Other significant factorsexternal to Tembec’s operation will becritical to protection of cariboupopulations in future.• The Team investigated the potentialneed for the designation of restorationareas in several watersheds. Whilerestoration activities were required inthese watersheds, their designation as“restoration areas”, as defined inIndicator 6.3.1, is not necessary toaddress the issues that are identified thewatershed assessments. Restorationactivities in the Rocky MountainTrench are ongoing and part of aplanning process. However, morecoordination is needed with the TrenchRestoration Steering Committee and theMinistry of Forests and Range to planrestoration activities in priority areasand allow for the slashing and burningfollow-up that is required for properimplementation. Further coordinationis also required to prevent or mitigatethe negative impacts on the ecosystemassociated with cattle grazing. (e.g.,spread of noxious weeds and thedegradation of water courses). Allparties appear to be equally responsiblePage 27 of 89
Page 1 and 2: Certified by:SmartWood Headquarters
Page 3 and 4: MWLAP Ministry of Water, Land and A
Page 5 and 6: 1. Scope of the Certificate1.1. Sco
Page 7 and 8: 2. ASSESSMENT PROCESS2.1 Certificat
Page 9 and 10: December 1-Jan 31,2006June 9, 2006
Page 11 and 12: The First Nations assessor (TL) wro
Page 13 and 14: During the assessment period, the a
Page 15 and 16: 3. ASSESSMENT FINDINGS AND OBSERVAT
Page 17 and 18: FSC PrincipleP3 - IndigenousPeoples
Page 19 and 20: FSC PrincipleP4: CommunityRelations
Page 21 and 22: FSC PrincipleP4: CommunityRelations
Page 23 and 24: FSC PrincipleComments from Interest
Page 25: FSC PrincipleP5: Benefits fromthe F
Page 29 and 30: FSC PrincipleP6: EnvironmentalImpac
Page 31 and 32: FSC PrincipleP7: ManagementPlanP7:
Page 33 and 34: P10 - Plantations • Clearcut harv
Page 35 and 36: P5: Benefits fromthe Forestapproach
Page 37 and 38: P7: ManagementPlanP8: Monitoring& A
Page 39 and 40: Tembec shall complete a summary of
Page 41 and 42: CAR #: 6/06 Reference Standard #: 3
Page 43 and 44: CAR #: 11/06 Reference Standard #:
Page 45 and 46: CAR #: 17/06 Reference Standard #:
Page 47 and 48: c) Clearly describes how monitoring
Page 49 and 50: In cases where the non-conformance
Page 51 and 52: Note for Future Annual Audits (Note
Page 53 and 54: planning processes to resolve confl
Page 55 and 56: Sparwood and Creston - and a number
Page 57: APPENDIX I: FSC Reporting Form: Det
Page 60 and 61: Government determines AAC, followin
Page 62 and 63: to local communities’ traditional
Page 64 and 65: 3 A19040 Fairy TBD3 A19040 Fernie A
Page 66 and 67: system category.Shelterwood systems
Page 68 and 69: Environmental protection measures,
Page 70 and 71: Forest Licence A20212: Harvesting m
Page 72 and 73: 1. AUDIT PROCESS1.1 Auditors and qu
Page 74 and 75: Pre-condition #:1/06Non-conformance
Page 76 and 77:
annual audit.Status: Met and Closed
Page 78 and 79:
Status: Met and Closed.Follow-up Ac
Page 80 and 81:
Status: Met and Closed.Follow-up Ac
Page 82 and 83:
CAR #: 6/06 Reference Standard #: 3
Page 84 and 85:
Timeline for Conformance: By the en
Page 86 and 87:
minimum 7 m machine-free zone along
Page 88 and 89:
CAR #: 21/06 Reference Standard #:
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