Prince George, BC – Even before an audit by the Forest Practises Board was complete, the Ministry of Forest’s compliance and enforcement branch began an investigation into operations at the McBride Community Forest…

Results of the Board’s two-year audit, which wrapped up last September, were released yesterday, finding the McBride Community Forest Corporation, which is owned by the Village of McBride, in significant non-compliance with provincial forestry legislation in four areas and one area that needed improvement.

FPB Chair, Al Gorley, said yesterday, that the community forest is not up to the standard required by legislation, nor is it reflective of the generally good management of community forests the board has noted in audits around the province.  He said the audit findings raise serious concerns about the MCFC’s ‘diligence and attention to detail.’

Spokesperson, Brennan Clarke, says the Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations shares the concerns expressed by the Board with regard to the audit findings.

"Even before the audit was completed in September 2012, the ministry’s compliance and enforcement branch staff were working with the McBride Community Forest Corporation to address concerns outlined in the Forest Practises Board report," says Clarke.

The corporation was fined $800 and issued a remediation order to provide government with updated silviculture and cutblock information, which, Clarke says, has now been completed.  But he says the investigation into operations at the community forest is continuing.

For its part, the MCFC has accepted full responsibility for the audit findings, but General Manager, Marc von der Gonna, points out that 4 of the 5 findings are administrative in nature.

In emailed responses to 250News’ questions, von der Gonna says many of the steps the corporation has taken to address areas of concern began well before the audit took place.   The two-year audit began in September 1, 2010 and concluded September 28, 2012.

He says an access road that went in near a fish stream was built in the winter of 2011/2012.  von der Gonna writes, "MCFC worked with DFO in June/July 2012 to develop and implement a rehabilitation plan (deactivate the road, remove a crossing, cross a ditch and grass seed).  DFO inspected the site again once the rehabilitation plan had been implemented and signed off on the works."

von der Gonna, a registered professional forester, says MCFC is ‘very disappointed with the tone and conclusions’ made by Forest Practises Board Chair, Al Gorley, in releasing yesterday’s audit, as well as his commentary contained in the full report.  The MCFC General Manager says the comments seem contrary to the overall audit opinion expressed by Director of Audits, Chris Mosher, who wrote that, with the four exceptions, the forest’s operations complied ‘in all significant respects’ with the requirements of provincial legislation as of last September.

The McBride Community Forest became operational 10-years ago.  It was just after the community’s mill was shuttered and Mayor Mike Frazier credits the operation with saving the local forestry sector, saying it has supported dozens of jobs and generated more than $30-million dollars in economic activity.