An audit of Amabilis Contracting Limited’s forest operations around Williams Lake found the company met the requirements of the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act, according to a report released by the Forests Practices Board Wednesday.
“The majority of harvesting by Amabilis was of lodgepole pine stands containing beetle-infested wood, and was well-managed,” said FPB chair Al Gorley. “Amabilis was not in compliance with the requirement for a road-tracking system, but has since put one in place. However, this was not a significant concern because of the low-risk terrain in which they operate.”
Amabilis’ non-replaceable forest licence A79575 lies within the Williams Lake timber supply area in the Cariboo-Chilcotin District, and nearby communities include Williams Lake, Horsefly and Likely. The area is subject to the 1994 Cariboo Chilcotin Land Use Plan.
In its report, the Forests Practices Board said the audit field work took place from June 18 to 22, 2012, looking at work done between June 1, 2010 and June 22, 2012. In that two-year period, Amablis harvested 143,000 cubic metres of timber from 45 cut blocks, covering an area of 1,024 hectares.
The audit sampled 41 of the cutblocks or a 980-hectare area.
The Forest Practices Board audits forest and range practices on public lands and appropriateness of government enforcement. It can also make recommendations for improvement to practices and legislation.