FRPA Resource Evaluation Program

FRPA Resource Evaluation Program (Evaluation Program) is a long-term commitment by government to:

• Assess the effectiveness of the Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA) in achieving stewardship of the resource values identified under FRPA;
• Identify issues regarding the implementation of forest policies, practices and legislation as they affect the resource values identified under FRPA; and
• Implement continuous improvement of forest management.

Partnering with Ministry of Forests’ Research and Resource Tenures & Engineering Branches, Field Services Division, as well as agencies such as the Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection (MWLAP) and the Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management (MSRM), Forest Practices Branch will coordinate ongoing evaluations and the continuous improvement of effective forest practices. The results of this work will be presented in regular and comprehensive reports to government officials, the public and other stakeholders.

Background

The Forest and Range Practices Act is intended to maintain high environmental standards, and promote innovation and cost-effective forest resource management. It is the mandate of the Ministry of Forests’ Forest Practices Branch to ensure that scientifically based and peer-reviewed protocols are developed through collaborative efforts with existing scientifically based evaluation initiatives and stakeholder involvement. The intent is to determine if government-stated objectives for FRPA’s resource values are being achieved.

Partnering with Ministry of Forests’ Research Branch and Field Services Division, as well as agencies such as the Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection (MWLAP) and the Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management (MSRM), Forest Practices Branch will coordinate ongoing evaluations and the continuous improvement of effective forest practices. The results of this work will be presented in regular and comprehensive reports to government officials, the public and other stakeholders.

Objective

The objective of the Evaluation Program is to determine if forest and range policies and practices in British Columbia are achieving government’s objectives for FRPA resource values, with a priority on environmental parameters and consideration for social and economic parameters, where appropriate. This will be accomplished by:

• Evaluating the status or trends of resource and ecosystem values and determining causal factors;
• Determining whether resource values are being managed in a sustainable manner through proven or alternative forest practices; and
• Recommending options for changes to forest and range policies, practices and legislation, where required.