J.-,1 "

: i,,,iLrl i'- I',. i'-!'"t\iBRITISH

COTUUBIAReference: 214602

JUN 0 1 2015His'Worship Mayor Mark McKeeCity of RevelstokeP.O. Box 170Revelstoke, British ColumbiaVOE 2SO

Dear Mayor McKee:

Thank you for your letter of April 15,2015, requesting increased public consultation withrespect to forestry planning and management of the Mount Macphersonarea near Revelstoke.I appreciate the continued engagement and support from the City of Revelstoke on thisimportant matter.

The Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations (FLNR), BC Timber Sales(BCTS) and the forest industry are govemed by standards for forest management that includespublic consultation as required under the Forest and Range Practices Act. ln addition, BCTSand forest licensees are bound by an approved Forest Stewardship Plan and these plansrequire a public consultation process. Proposed harvesting plans are also referred to affectedparties such as local government, other licenced resource users, recreation groups, landownersand First Nations. Qualified professionals who are governed by professional licencing bodiesmust also complete harvsting plans and assessments.

Public consultation is important to ensure communication and understanding of the importantrole that British Columbia's forests play in the economy while also providing critical valuessuch as water, wildlife, recreation and other beneflrts that we all depend upon.

I appreciate that the City of Revelstoke has been, and continues to be, a strong supporter andadvocate for the forest sector and that local forest licensees, BCTS and the woodlot ownerhave been managing the area well. I am very pleased with the excellent recreationopportunities that have been developed in the Mount Macpherson area, and I recognize theimportance of recreation and tourism to the community. The Mount Macpherson area is anexcellent example of how BCTS has successfully demonstrated that timber harvesting canoccur in sensitive and high public use areas and that other important values, includingrecreation, can mutually co-exist on the forest land base.

The Revelstoke area has successfully completed an extensive land-use planning process,which has resulted in an approved consensus based, land-use plan (Revelstoke Higher LevelPlan Order) that specifies govemment objectives for forest resource values. Part of this plan

Page I of3Telephone:Ministry of Forests, Lands and

Natual Resource OperationsMailing Address:PO BOX 9049 Stn Prov GovtVictoria, BC V8W 9E2

Qso) 387-6240Qso) 387-1040

www.gov.bc.ca/forFax

Office of the Ministe

Website:

His Worship Mayor Mark McKee

included FLNR approval to form the Revelstoke Minister's Advisory Committee (RMAC) toassist with developing strategies and recommendations for the land-use plan. Local citizenswere selected to serve on the RMAC by Revelstoke City Council and the Columbia ShuswapRegional District (CSRD) Regional Directors for Areas B and E. FNLR accepted the work ofthe RMAC, including recommendations on resource values, including timber harvesting andrecreation. Some elements of the plan became legal objectives in 2005. BCTS and otherforest licence operations must be consistent with the approved higher-level plan.

This ministry, through the CSRD office, BCTS and the Recreation Sites and Trails BCprogram have had a long history of managing the Mount Macpherson area for both timberharvesting and recreation dating back to the 1970's. FLNR has been an integral part ofdeveloping and funding the recreation trail network, including much of the associatedinfrastructure. At the same time, by working together, BCTS has also been successful inconducting timber-harvesting operations while maintaining and enhancing recreationaiopporhrnities. The most recent BCTS timber harvest in the Mornt Macpherson trail networkwas successfully completed in 2008. I also acknowledge the community volunteers thatdedicate their time and effort on the trail network, and I am very pleased that so many peopleenjoy the recreation trails.

As part of the planning process, BCTS has been actively meeting with the Revelstoke CyclingAssociation;the Revelstoke Nordic Ski Club; the City of Revelstoke; CSRD and others.BCTS provided a community presentation at the Revelstoke Community Center onJanuary 13,2015, and a two-day open house on March l1 and 12,2015, at the local FLNRoffice. BCTS has included a representative from the City of Revelstoke in stakeholdermeetings to ensure the community and non-tenured parties are an integral part of the planningprocess. BCTS remains committed to preparing harvest plans that continue to incorporate theimportant values and concems they have heard from the community and other stakeholders. Iam confident that BCTS will continue to demonstrate that timber harvesting, recreation andother values can be successfully integrated in the working forest for the benefTt of all BritishColumbians.

BCTS will continue the important dialogue with the community and stakeholders in preparingand adapting harvest plans for the Mount Macpherson area. When the proposed plan isrevised, BCTS staff will arrange a meeting with the City of Revelstoke to review the plan andreceive further input and comment. I am confident that by working together we can continuethe success at Mount Macpherson.

Please contact Jeff Fukumoto, Timber Sales Manager, Okanagan-Columbia Business Area,BC Timber Sales, by phone at250 558-1706 or by email at Jeff.Fukumoto@gov.bc.ca, if youwish to further discuss this important matter.

Sincerely,

t

Steve ThomsonMinister

Page2 of 3

His Worship Mayor Mark McKee

Mike Falkiner, Executive Director, BC Timber SalesJeff Fukumoto, Timber Sales Manager, Okanagan-Columbia Business Area

pc

Page 3 of3