the salmon river watershed - Learning Centre

guideline, Gordon Creek (62.3%), Moutell Creek (34.8%) and Palmer Creek (49.6%) were subject
to the Gleneden fire in the late 1970s. It is very likely that these burned areas are not considered to
be denuded. In the areas directly along the river and in the immediate uplands, 30 percent has
been cleared in the Yankee Flats area and almost 50 percent in the area below Mount Ida. Much of
these areas are private land that has been cleared. However, this study was not able to discern the
extent to which potential negative impacts on forests, soils, wildlife and fish in the Salmon River
watershed are the result of logging practices on private or crown lands or agricultural practices.
These practices could use further scrutiny as part of a watershed management plan.
Salvage/protection programs (fire, insects, disease, blowdown) account for 6% of the longterm
harvest level in the Okanagan TSA. If salvage could further minimize this loss, or if
additional protection measures could be taken, the short-term timber supply could be
increased.
Another important issue affecting sustainability of forestry in the watershed is mountain pine
beetle infestation. At present, the licensees in the watershed are required to harvest infested
areas first. Methods for actively fighting beetle attacks include fall and burn, tree baiting and
harvest, harvesting attacked trees only and returning the next year to do the same and finally,
possibly clearcutting if the attack is extensive.
The Forest Practices Code is a package of legislation, regulations, standards and field guides
designed to improve the stewardship of B.C.'s forest resources. The Code guides forest
management on public and some private lands. It protects a full range of forest values,
including fisheries, wildlife, biodiversity, cultural heritage, soils, timber and community
watersheds. The Code reduces the size of cutblocks and requires silvicultural systems to be
ecologically appropriate to each site. It restricts clearcutting on steep, unstable slopes, in
visually-sensitive areas, and in old growth areas vital to wildlife habitat protection. New
regulations establish a management zone - where logging is done in a way that protects fish
and wildlife habitat - beside all streams, and a no-harvest zone beside streams in community
watersheds and all but the smallest fish-bearing streams.
Established by law in April 1994, the Forest Renewal Plan represents a long-term commitment
to restore and protect the health of forests, safeguard thousands of forest-dependent jobs, and
increase economic benefits from each tree harvested. The plan will is to ensure that intensive
silvicultural projects rehabilitate forests, enhance the timber supply, and create employment.
Employment opportunities will also be created by training programs, value-added processing,
and economic diversification in forestry-dependent communities.
Forest Renewal BC, the agency charged with implementing the Forest Renewal Plan, has
allocated $6 million for enhanced forestry projects, watershed restoration, and other forestrelated
programs in the Kamloops Forest Region. There is currently one enhanced forestry
project and no watershed restoration projects proposed or funded in the watershed. There is a
great deal of potential for putting some of the Forest Renewal Plan funds to work in the
Salmon River watershed. Proposals to Forest Renewal BC from community organizations in
partnership with industry and government are welcomed to provide the basis for environmental
improvement, employment, community development, and productive forests.
BC Ministry of Forests participates in three national and international processes working
towards the development of criteria and indicators for the sustainability of forests. The
Montreal Process developed criteria and indicators which were agreed to by ten non-European
countries in March, 1995. The Helsinki Process has aggregated information at a Europeanwide
level, and are at a very initial stage of implementation. The Canadian Criteria and
41