1



This slide presentation is based on a comprehensive timeline covering the 100 year history of the BC Forest Service and the years preceding
It is expected that presenters will want to eliminate, combine or add information based on the audience they are presenting to and the time available
Thank you for helping to spread the message about the proud past of the BC Forest Service
The BC Forest Service Centenary Society
February 2012

The Evolution of the
BC Forest Service
2

3

First Nations

Traditional uses of the forests and rangelands

Early Explorers

1778 Captain Cook cuts ships spars

1788 Captain Meares exports spars to China

4


Early Settlers

1848 First sawmill near Victoria


1853 First regulations regarding cutting and milling
1865 First timber lease issued
Early Development and Expansion


1871 BC enters into confederation
1874 Bush Fire Act introduced


1884 Timber Act introduced
1888 First Provincial Timber Inspector

5

1888 Amendments to Land Act

Public ownership of forest lands

Timber resources to be used to build home industry

Major revenue to be collected when timber cut

1890 Timber Mark Act

1897 Inquiry into Crown timber disposition

1905 Province opens up licences to cut

1906 Timber Manufacturing Act

6



1909 Fulton Royal Commission established
1910 Commission recommended:





Complete timber cruise of all crown forests
Reserve on non-alienated timber land
Protection of forests from fire
Regulations to end waste, reduce fire risk and promote regeneration
Establish a Department of Forests
1911 Martin Grainger drafts 1 st Forest Act

7


February 27, 1912 – Forest Act proclaimed
Legislation addressed:







Trespass
Timber Tenures
Scaling
Charges
Timber Marking
Manufacturing
Forest Protection

8

1912 Department of Lands - BC Forest Branch created under Forest Act

H.R. MacMillan hired as Chief Forester

Inventory begins

Forest Reserves created

Fire fighting forces expanded

Fire detection lookouts delveloped

9

Headquarters – Chief Forester



Timber Management – Assistant Forester


18 Scalers
27 Forest Assistants and Cruisers
Records – Assistant Forester

43 Clerks and Stenographers
Operations – Assistant Forester

11 Forest Districts – District Forester

33 Ranger Districts – Forest Ranger


Fire Wardens
159 Forest Guards

10



1915 H.R. MacMillan appointed as Special Trade
Commissioner by Federal Government

To investigate world lumber markets
1916 World War I


Many Forest Branch staff enlisted served overseas
War saw staffing levels drop by 40% by 1918
1917 Sitka Spruce for airplanes

In support of Imperial Munitions Board, BC Government commandeers wood suitable for airplane construction

11




1918


Aircraft first used for fire detection
Gasoline fire pumps introduced
1919


Competitive exams for Ranger selection
Grazing administration added to Forest Branch
1920

Marconi develops radio system
1921

Instructions for Field Surveys Guide written

12

1923 Research began in Forest Branch

1924 Aleza Lake Experimental Station opened

1925 Aerial photography used for Inventory

1925 Forest Reserve Fund

Development and protection of forest reserves

Planting of denuded areas

Maintaining growth of continuous crops of timber

13



1927 Research Division created


1927 Shelbourne Street Experimental Nursery in
Victoria near North Dairy Street
1929 Cowichan Lake Experimental Station


1930 Green Timbers
1932 Reference Library created
1935 Young Men's Forestry Training Plan
1937 Mulholland Report on Forest Inventory

First use of Hollerith punch-card computer system


1939 Provincial Parks joins Forest Branch

Quinsam Nursery established to supply trees for the rehab of Bloedel Fire

1940 Radiophones

1941 - 1944 WWII curtails many activities

1943 Sloan Royal Commission established

1945 Forest Branch becomes Forest Service under a new Department of Lands and Forests
14

15

Recommendations:

Increase fire protection

Increase rate of planting

Regulation of logging methods

Management plans for regional working circles

Funds and facilities for research

A Faculty of Forestry at UBC

Statutory recognition of profession of forestry

16







1946 Forest Service Training School opens
1947 British Columbia Foresters Act
1948 First interior nursery established at Elko
1948 Forest Development Fund for building and financing of forest roads
1948 Farm Woodlot Licence
1950 First interior plantation
1951 Radiograms became means of communication

17





1955 Use of helicopters starts
1955 Second Sloan Royal Commission
1957 Report noted the rapid growth in the sector over the previous decade and identified the importance of a competitive forest industry to be successful in the international marketplace
1957 First forest inventory completed - 7-pound volume of data was referred to as the "door-stop"
1957 Parks and Recreation Division transferred to the newly-created Parks Branch

18

1958 Stronger provisions to control insect infestations

1958 Deputy Minister/Chief Forester position separated

1958 First use of air tankers for fire fighting

1960 Pulpwood Harvesting Area Agreements

1960 Nurseries expanded to include Red Rock,
Chilliwack, Campbell River

19






1962 Dept. of Lands, Forest and Water Resources created
1966 Implementation of close utilization policy
1966 Vancouver Forest District began using an IBM
1440 computer to compile provincial scaling returns and billing
1970 Land Use Committee established
1970 British Columbia Professional Foresters Act enabled R.P.F. designation
1970 Committee established for uniform methods of forest land classification

20



1971 Recreation Forester appointed to co-ordinate forest recreational uses within the multiple use concept
1974 Task Force on Crown Timber Disposal
1975 Pearse Royal Commission of Forest Resources


Protection of public interest in the legislation, policy, procedures and practices
Contribution of forest resources to the economic and social welfare of British Columbians


Recommendations:

No change in the policy of Crown ownership

Formalization of chart areas

Power to suspend cutting permits

Major licensees responsible for fire planning and stand-by crews

10-year grazing licenses with renewal opportunities

Ability to reduce the AAC by not more that 10% upon any five-year renewal
21

22
…continued

Recommendations:







Timber licensee contracts should enable the ability to regulate other users
Development of a harvest optimization model for establishing harvesting limits
Creation of a forest planning regime
Creation of an interagency consultation planning process
Creation of process for engaging the public in forest planning
A review of the Forest Service’s administrative and organization structure
Decentralization of decision-making authority

23

Forest Policy Advisory Committee appointed

New Systems Services Branch established

First computer terminal arrives at Cariboo District
Office

24










Allowable cut increases for intensive forest management activities
AAC decisions include social and economic as well as biological factors
Portion of the allowable cut to be set aside for small business enterprises
Reaffirms policy of multiple land use
Provides new appeal provisions
Provides for the designation of recreation sites and trails
Grants Ministry authority for coordinated management of all forest resources
Provides for consultation with other ministries and agencies
Provides for public hearings in certain situations
Decentralizes decision making

25

Grants Ministry full authority for the coordinated management of all range resources

Promotes multiple use management of rangelands to realize their full potential for forage production and other values

26



Outlines objectives, purposes and functions:

Encourage the attainment of maximum productivity




Manage for immediate and long term economic and social benefits
Plan the use of the forest and range resources so that other natural resource values are coordinated and integrated
Encourage a vigorous, efficient and world-competitive industry
Assert the financial interest in a systematic and equitable manner
Commits the Ministry to a 5-year forest and range programs as well as a thorough analysis of the province’s forest and range resources every 10 years
Specifies establishment of a Forest Research Council

27

1980 Forest Service reorganized from Forest
Districts and Ranger Districts to Forest Regions and Forest Districts

Deputy Minister

Divisons – Assist. Deputy Ministers, Chief Forester

Headquarter Branches - Directors

Forest Regions – Regional Manager

Forest Districts – District Manager

28





Protection implemented real-time electronic Lightning Location
System.
Automated weather stations were located across the province and could send their findings via radio or telephone to a central database
Most branches and regions, but not districts, had access to IBM
3270 terminals and printers to interact with BCSC mainframe systems, and Wang equipment
Victoria based branches got access to Wang based email and office tools by the early 80’s
By 1987 the radio stats were 2,000 mobiles, 3,000 portables, 300 base stations, and 212 repeaters in service

29

1987 Designation and management of wilderness areas, as recommended by the
Wilderness Advisory Committee

1988 Forest Amendment Act enabled increases in volume for competitive timber sales from 7 to
15% of provincial AAC. Goal was to make
Small Business Forest Enterprise Program a selffinancing, profitable program


Government established the Forest Resources
Commission, chaired by A.L. (Sandy) Peel, had the following mandated tasks:




To provide the Minister of Forests with a comprehensive view of what the forests of BC should represent, taking into account the full range of forest values
To inform the Minister on the effectiveness of Tree Farm
Licences as a form of tenure
To recommend ways to improve public participation in forest planning and management
To review and recommend ways of improving forest harvesting practices
30

31

Recommendations:





The introduction of comprehensive land use planning with full public engagement
The creation of a new agency responsible for the land use planning process
Movement to more area-based tenures to enable improved resource stewardship
Complete inventories for all renewable forest resource values
A single all-encompassing code of forest practice be established

32

PROFS, the electronic mail service was available to nearly 80% of ministry staff.

Email had become embedded into the ministry‘s way of doing business

Total growth from 1987 to 1991, just in Region and Districts, was almost 2,000 workstations

First Windows PCs (Windows 3.1) came into the ministry and introduced Microsoft Office

33

Forest Amendment Act required new AAC determinations for all TSAs and TFLs by 1995

Timber Supply Review initiated

Commissioner on Resources and Environment
Act moved responsibility for integrated planning from the Forest Service to an independent commission.

34


Develop a strategy for land use and related resource and environmental management
Facilitate the development and implementation of regional planning processes to establish:
 land use allocations


 community-based participatory processes a dispute resolution system effective and integrated management of the resources and environment of the province

35

1994 – BC Forest Renewal Act dedicated revenue from increased stumpage to Forest
Renewal BC

36







Comprehensive code of practice
Hierarchical pre-harvest operational planning system
Increased public participation
Clear legal foundation with explicit penalties for non-compliance
Made forest operators responsible for damage
Established administrative penalties to deal with non-compliance
Required Forest Development Plans have joint approval by
Ministry of Forests and the Ministry of Environment

37

Created with broad powers to:
 investigate public complaints
 to oversee a forest audit process
 to bring appeals of forest management decisions through the appeal process on behalf of the public
 to report to the public on the administration of the code

38




1996 Ministry starts up its world wide web site
1997 Publishing of electronic documents and forms underway
Dozens of computer applications had to be re-written before January 1, 2000 to get them ready for Y2K
2000 Ministry operated the largest government radio system in Canada. It included more than:



320 mountain top repeaters
500 base stations
7000 pieces of wireless and radio communications equipment

39




Created 29 new Class A parks and six new ecological reserves
Made additions to 13 existing Schedule A, Class A parks
Consolidated all parks and ecological reserves in a single statute
BC became the first Canadian jurisdiction to put more than 12% of its land base in parks, protected areas, recreation areas and ecological reserves.

40





Budget Measures Implementation Act repealed Forest Renewal
Act so that revenue that formerly flowed directly to FRBC now flowed into general revenue
Discussion paper proposing a results-based Forest Practices
Code released for comment
Forest Renewal BC terminated and replaced with the Forest
Investment Account
The federal government announced a $246-million softwood lumber aid package that included a five-year, $40-million investment to assist BC with the mountain pine beetle epidemic
Inventory function transferred to the new Ministry of
Sustainable Resource Management

41





Reduced the number of operational plans from 3 to 1
Defined 11 forest values to be protected
Required FSPs to define measurable, verifiable results or strategies to achieve objectives
Contained new powers of intervention to prevent environmental damage
Moved many previous Code provisions into the non-legal realm and relied on the judgment of resource professionals to achieve the required results/outcomes

42


2002 College of Applied Biology Act established applied biology as a self-regulating profession
2003 – Forest Statutes Amendment Act



Converted small business forest enterprise program to the
B.C. Timber Sales program
Enabled timber sale managers to issue timber sale licences and associated permits and suspend or cancel timber sales agreements or associated road permits
Ensured that revenues collected from the timber sales program flow into the timber sale account

43

Amended the Forest Act to deliver a new model of forest management where specified licensees and B.C. Timber Sales will assume a collective responsibility for timber supply analysis and specified forest health activities within their timber supply areas

44



Enabled a “take back” of 20 percent of the timber volume from renewable tenures


Reallocate 50% of the take back to new entrants, including first nations, woodlots and community forests
Other 50% to be reallocated to BC timber sales for competitive sales
Established a $2 Million fund to compensate companies whose harvesting rights were impacted
Established a $75 million fund to mitigate the effects on forest workers

45

Incorporated as a provincial Crown corporation with a goal to develop and diversify markets for
B.C. wood products around the world

46



The McLure fire burned 26 420 hectares, forcing the evacuation of 3800 residents and destroying 81 buildings, July through September.
The Okanagan Mountain Park fire burned 25 000 hectares south and east of Kelowna, forcing the evacuation of more than 27 000 people and destroying
239 homes, August and September.
The mountain pine beetle epidemic increased to cover
4.2 million hectares, double the area in 2002.

47

Removed minimum cut control requirements

Repealed appurtenancy and timber-processing requirements that forced licensees to process timber at specific sawmills

Repealed and replaced the requirement that licensees must have written consent from the
Minister of Forests before tenures can be subdivided or transferred

48



Strengthened professional accountability provisions
Redefined practice of professional forestry
Transferred forest technologists into the association

49






Consolidated existing provisions from other statutes
Outlined responsibilities of all forest users
Prescribed circumstances where open fires permitted
Maintained government’s right to carry out fire control operations to protect public safety and to act in the public interest
Addressed fire preparedness, fire hazard assessment and abatement issues
Provided the authority:
 to order people to leave specified areas

 to hire temporary employees for fire control operations to requisition facilities, equipment and personnel

50




Forest and Range Practices Act beginning the transition to a results-based forest practices code
The Firestorm 2003 Provincial Review report was submitted to the provincial cabinet
A market-based timber pricing system to set stumpage prices for coastal operations was implemented
Mountain pine beetle action plan updated and a twoyear Bark Beetle Task Force created to oversee its implementation

51

The mountain pine beetle infestation grew to 8.7 million hectares

Mountain Pine Beetle Emergency Response –
Canada-B.C. Implementation Strategy released

52





Expanded the damage to environment provisions to apply against any person doing any unauthorized activity that adversely harms an ecosystem
Build on government’s ability to recover costs and gain compensation from person-caused fires
Provided clarity to communities that want to take actions to reduce the risk of interface fires
Streamlined the process of awarding new licences to first nations once an enabling agreement has been met
Created new measures to facilitate the harvest of mountain pine beetle-killed timber

53



Expanded free use permits to include domestic use by first nations, a right upheld by the Supreme Court of
Canada
Enabled B.C. Timber Sales to develop a business relationship with a first nation or group to bring more wood to market
Updated rules around the forest stewardship plans and their approval, review and replacement

54

Allowed government to issue a forest licence directly to successful applicants responding to calls for power from BC Hydro

Created the Fibre Supply Licence to Cut to provide access to timber that is desirable for bioenergy or other purposes

Updated timber scaling requirements to facilitate the measurement of chips and other material

The BC Forest Service in not an box on an organizational chart




It is a culture of people working together
It embodies a ‘Can Do’ attitude
It has survived 100 years and will continue on
It is a family
55

56

The following slides provide examples of the changes we have experienced over the last century

They reinforce the ‘change management’ that the BC Forest Service has mastered

57
Department of Lands
Department of Lands and Forests
Department of Lands, Forests and Water Resources,
Ministry of Forests
Ministry of Forests and Lands
Ministry of Forests
Ministry of Forests and Range
Ministry of Forests, Mines and Lands
Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations

58
William R. Ross
Thomas D. Pattullo
Frederick Burden
Nelson S. Lougheed
Canon Joshua Hinchliffe
A. Wells Gray
John Hart
Edward T. Kenney
Robert E. Sommers
Ray Williston
Robert Williams
Tom Waterland
Don Phillips
Jack Heinrich
Jack Kempf
John Savage
David Parker
Claude Richmond
Dan Miller
Art Charbonneau
Dan Miller
Andrew Petter
Denis Striefel
David Zirnhelt
Jim Doyle
Gordon Wilson
Michael de Jong
Rich Coleman
Pat Bell
Steve Thomson

59
H. Cathcart
C.D. Orchard
R.G. McKee
F.S. McKinnon
J.S. Stokes
E.L. Young
Mike Apsey
R.W. Robbins
A.C. Macpherson
R. Flitton
R. Marr
Bob Plecas
Philip Halkett
Gerry Armstrong
John Allan
Lee Doney
Don Wright
John Dyble
Dana Hayden
Doug Konkin

60
H.R. MacMillan
M.A. Grainger
P.Z. Caverhill
E.C. Manning
C.D. Orchard
R.G. McKee
F.S. McKinnon
L.F. Swannell
I.T. Cameron
E.L. Young
W. Young
R. Robbins
J. Cuthbert
L. Pedersen
J. Snetsinger

1912 – Forest Act
1914 – Timber Royalty Act
1918 – Aeroplane Spruce-cutting Act
1919 – Grazing Act
1925 – Forest Reserve Fund
1937 – Amendment to Forest Act
1947 – Amendment to Forest Act
1947 – British Columbia Foresters Act
1924 – Royalty Act
1948 – Amendment to Forest Act
1957 – Amendment to Forest Act
1961 – Amendment to Forest Act
1965 – Amendment to Forest Act
1967 – Amendment to Forest Act
1968 – Amendment to Forest Act
1970 – British Columbia Professional Foresters Act
1970 – Amendment to Forest Act
1972 – Accelerated Reforestation Fund Act
1978 – Forest Act
1978 – Range Act
1978 – Ministry of Forests Act
1980 – Amendment to Forest Act
1980 – Forest and Range Resource Fund Act
1982 – Forest and Range Resource Fund
1985 – Forest Amendment Act
1985 – BC Professional Foresters Act
1986 – Forest Stand Management Fund Act
1987 – Forest Amendment Act (No 1)
1987 – Forest Amendment Act (No 2)
1988 – Forest Amendment Act
1989 – Forest Amendment Act
1990 – Forest Amendment Act (No 1)
1990 – Forest Amendment Act (No 2)
1990 – Forest Amendment Act (No 3)
1990 – Range Act Amendment
1991 – Forest Amendment Act
1991 – Range Amendment Act
1992 – Forest Amendment Act
1992 – Forest Amendment Act (No 2)
1992 – Forest Amendment Act (No 3)
1992 – Range Amendment Act
1992 – Commissioner on Resources and Environment Act
1993 – Foresters Amendment Act
1993 – Forest Amendment Act
1993 – Forest Amendment Act (No 3)
1994 – Forest Amendment Act
1994 – Forest Land Reserve Act
1994 – BC Forest Renewal Act
1994 – Forest Practices Code of British Columbia Act
1995 – Forest Practices Code of BC Amendment Act
1995 – Forest Amendment Act1995 – Grazing
Enhancement Special Account Act
1996 – Forest Statutes Amendment Act
1996 - Forest Act
1996 - Forest Practices Code Act
1996 – BC Forest Renewal Amendment Act
1997 – Forest Statutes Amendment Act
1998 – Forest Statutes Amendment Act
1999 – Forest Land Reserve Amendment Act
1999 – Forest Statutes Amendment Act
1999 – Range Amendment Act
2000 – Regulatory Streamlining Miscellaneous Statutes
Amendment Act
2000 – Protected Areas of British Columbia Act
2002 – Budget Measures Implementation Act
2002 – Forest Statutes Amendment Act
2002 – Forest (First Nations Development) Amendment Act
2002 – Forest and Range Practices Act
2002 – Forest Statutes Amendment Act (No 2)
2002 – Agricultural Land Commission Act
2002 – College of Applied Biology Act
2003 – Repeal and replacement of Agrologists Act
2002 – Protected Areas Forest Compensation Act
2003 – Forest Statutes Amendment Act
2003 – Forest Statutes Amendment Act (No 2)
2003 – Forest Revitalization Act
2003 – Forest (Revitalization) Amendment Act
2003 – Foresters Act
2003 – Federal Species at Risk Act
2004 – Range Act
2004 – Wildfire Act
2004 – Forests Statutes Amendment Act (No 2)
2006 – Forest and Range Statutes Amendment Act
2007 – Forest and Range Statutes Amendment Act
2008 – Forests and Range Statutes Amendment Act
2008 – Greenhouse Gas Reduction (Emissions Standards) Statutes Amendment
Act
2009 – Forest Amendment Act
2010 – Zero Net Deforestation Act
2010 – Forests and Range (First Nations Woodlot Licence) Statutes Amendment
Act
61