WHEREAS BC communities rely on forests to support their economic, social and environmental well-being; AND WHEREAS there is widespread and growing public concern about the current and future health of BCs forests; AND WHEREAS over the past decade the provincial government has made deep cuts to the public agencies engaged in protecting, managing and enhancing BCs forests, seriously eroding their capacity to effectively manage our publicly-owned forest resources and provide adequate public oversight in the woods: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that UBCM urge the provincial government to reinvest in forest stewardship, including: - immediately increasing funding for forest inventories; - restoring the Ministry of Forests research branch, and enhancing funding for forest research; - increasing funding to mitigate the risk of forest fires in BC communities; - making a significant, long term investment in expanded reforestation of public forest lands; and - increasing funding and restoring staff levels in the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Resource Operations to pre-2001 levels.
Ministry of Forests, Lands Natural Resource Operations The government conducts and maintains inventories of a wide range of forest resources e.g., timber, water, visual resources and ecology. Several ministries and work units within FLNR allocate funds and staff to conduct and maintain these inventories. For example, GeoBC and the Information Management Branch provide the information technology services that house and make forest resource inventories publicly available. Government directs funding for the vegetation inventory sometimes called the timber inventory, the forest cover inventory, or the forest inventory through the Land-Based Investment Program. Funding for inventory remains a ministry priority. As of August 25, 2011, the planned Land Base Investment allocation to inventory in 201112 is 6.36 million with the following breakdown: - 0.15 million for visual resources inventory - 0.5 million for ecosystem mapping inventory - 5.71 million for vegetation inventory The government remains committed to long-term research, and an integrated research program will provide credible, science-based evidence for natural resource sector decision making. The Ministries of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations and Environment are currently working collaboratively on a natural resource sector approach to research. The current fiscal climate has been challenging for funding in many areas, including forest research. The broader funding issues are discussed as a part of the natural resource sector approach to research. In the short term, the 201112 budget maintains the ministrys research funding at the same level as last fiscal year. Reducing the risks that wildfires pose to communities remains a priority of government through the work of the Wildfire Management Branch. Since 2004, the Province has provided 62 million to local governments in partnership with the federal government to assist with the mitigation of interface wildfires and preparation of community wildfire protection plans. Forests For Tomorrow FFT was introduced by the Provincial government in 2005 as a long-term investment to expand reforestation on public forest lands. FFT funds reforestation needs on wildfire and mountain pine beetle MPB impacted areas outside of harvested areas which have legal reforestation obligations. Since inception, FFT has planted over 54 million seedlings on more than 45,000 ha, invested nearly 200 million in reforestation activities, and ground-surveyed 400 000 ha impacted by wildfire and MPB. FFT is investing 34.5M in reforestation related activities in 201112 ,which include planning nearly 14 million seedlings, sowing over 20 million seedlings, surveying nearly 300,000 ha, and writing prescriptions for nearly 14,000 ha. Government intends to continue to fund FFT as a component of the Land Based Investment Strategy. While government maintains a policy of prudent fiscal management to return to a balanced budget, the ministry continues to explore efficiencies and collaborate with its partners in order to meet its goals and fulfil its mandate.