Advisory Committee
Terms of Reference

To prepare, for consideration of the Minister of Forests, written recommendations with respect to the following:

1. The key elements of one or more community forest licence models that are consistent with the guiding principles of the Minister of Forests as specified under Schedule 1 of this terms of reference, and with the range of objectives that communities may seek to attain through a community based tenure.
   
   The committee will include in its recommendations a definition of "community" for the purpose of the pilots. This definition will form the basis for describing which parties the government will enter into community forest licence agreements with. As such, the definition of a community must be one which enables a party to enter into a legal agreement.
   
2. Criteria for selecting which communities would be the most suitable for testing the pilot tenure. The criteria established by government in Schedule 2 of this terms of reference will be incorporated.
   
3. On the basis of criteria developed under part 2 above, and approval by the minister, the committee will make recommendations with regard to which communities would be suitable candidates for testing the tenure pilots.
   
4. A process and criteria for monitoring the progress of pilot communities and evaluating the achievement of pilot objectives.

The first tasks of the Committee will be to: 

• identify guiding principles in addition to those in Schedule 1 which reflect community objectives;
• identify the key information required to support development of the committee's recommendations; and
• recommend a format for inviting community applications for participation in the pilot project.

Recommendations respecting the above should be submitted to the Minister of Forests following the first meeting of the committee.

Membership

The committee membership is shown in Schedule 3 of this terms of reference.

Reporting deadlines

The committee will be required to report its recommendations to the minister in line with the following deadlines: 

• Initial recommendations regarding the framework of the tenure models to be developed: December 19, l997.
• Final recommendations regarding tenure structure and definition of "community": February 27, l998
• Recommendations regarding pilot selection criteria: February 27, l998
• Recommendations regarding suitable pilot test sites: May 30, l998
• Recommendations regarding monitoring and evaluation criteria: May 30, l998.

The committee's mandate will be considered complete upon making recommendations to the Minister of Forests on the items listed above.

Pilots site selection will be made by the Minister of Forests following passing of enabling legislation, in the Spring of 1998.

Committee Support, presentations

The committee shall be supported by government through the Jobs and Timber Accord secretariat.

As required, the committee may request that persons outside of the committee make presentations to the committee regarding various community based management options.

 Meetings

All meetings of the committee shall be attended only by members of the committee and any other participants invited by the working group and approved by the chair in advance.

It is expected that the committee will meet on a monthly basis.

Minutes

Meetings of the committee will be recorded in minutes which briefly summarize the matters discussed and any decision made. The minutes shall not attribute specific points of view to individual specific members of the committee.

Information

Each member of the committee may circulate to the committee any information or reports which that participant believes may be helpful in pursuing the mandate. No information or reports shall be characterized as being sanctioned by the committee until specifically agreed to by the committee.

Communications

The output of the committee shall be presented to the Minister of Forests. Decisions on how to present information to the public will be made by the minister.

Schedule 1

Guiding principles for development of Community Forest Tenures

In carrying out its mandate, the committee will give consideration to the following guiding principles:

 Community forests should: 

• seek to balance the various objectives for the continued use of Crown forest land; community forests are not intended to be used as vehicles solely for the purpose of forest preservation or as vehicles solely for timber extraction;
• contribute to the sustainability and enhancement of forest sector employment in the community;
• provide opportunities for enhanced management and use of forest resources;
• provide opportunities for partnerships among all sectors within the community and First Nations;
• promote public, stakeholder, and First Nations consultation and participation in the management and use of forest land within the licence;
• meet or exceed minimum provincial standards for resource management and use;
• be financially self-sustaining in the long term;
• address forest stewardship objectives specified in section 4 of
  the Ministry of Forests Act:

1. encourage maximum productivity of forest and range resources in the Province;
2. manage, protect and conserve the forest and range resources of the Crown, having regard to the immediate and long term economic and social benefits they may confer on the province;
3. plan the use of the forest and range resources of the Crown, so that the production of timber and forage, the harvesting of timber, the grazing of livestock and the realization of fisheries, wildlife, water, outdoor recreation and other natural resource values are coordinated and integrated in consultation and cooperation with other ministries and agencies of the Crown and with the private sector;
4. encourage a vigorous, efficient and world competitive timber processing industry in the province; and
5. assert the financial interest of the Crown in its forest and range resources in a systematic and equitable manner.

• provide a reasonable return to the province for use of forest resource assets; and
• possibly create opportunities for wealth creation for local communities.

Schedule 2

Government Criteria for pilot selection

• Proposed pilot sites will not impose on the rights of existing tenure holders, the Small Business Forest Enterprise Program, or private land owners, unless the tenure holders or land owners have indicated that they are prepared to enter into co-operative ventures with the community as part of the pilot.

• The Timber Supply area in which the pilot is proposed must be capable of supporting the pilot tenure in respect of unallocated allowable annual cut and unencumbered land base.

• The pilot "community" must be legally capable of entering into a contract with the government.

• Selection of pilots will be representative of the geographic areas and community structures and reflect a broad range of community and forest values.

• Applications for community forest pilots will be measured against the guiding principles established by the Advisory Committee.

Schedule 3

Membership of Advisory Committee

To Biographies of Members

Secretariat

Gary Williams, Chair

Gail Brewer R.P.F.,
Ministry of Forests,
Community Forest Pilot Project Coordinator

Ken Baker R.P.F.,
Senior Policy Advisor,
Ministry of Forests

Melissa Hadley,
Cortex Consultants Inc.

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