Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations
Regulations - Forest Practices Code of BC Act

WOODLOT LICENCE FOREST MANAGEMENT REGULATION

Contents

B.C. Reg. 325/98 Deposited September 23, 1998
O.C. 1202/98 Effective November 30, 1998 (Consolidated to December 12, 2003)

 

PART 1 Definitions and Interpretation
PART 2 Operational Plans
PART 3 General Forest Practices
PART 4 Roads
PART 5 Harvesting Practices
PART 6 Silviculture
PART 7 Riparian Widths
PART 7.1 Ungulate Winter Range and Identified Wildlife
PART 8 Offences
PART 9

SCHEDULE A – Stocking Standards

 

 

PART 7 - RIPARIAN WIDTHS

Division 1 – General









Determining the applicable riparian widths
  90 (1) The district manager may
  (a) vary the width of a riparian reserve zone or riparian management zone established under this Part,
  (b) require a riparian reserve zone or riparian management zone and specify the width of that zone, if a riparian reserve zone or riparian management zone is not established under this Part, and
  (c) notify the holder of the woodlot licence of any specification or variance under paragraph (a) or (b).
  (2) If the holder of a woodlot licence receives a notice under subsection (1), then for any identified stream, wetland or lake, the specifications or variances contained in the notice apply to the riparian reserve zone or riparian management zone associated with the identified stream, wetland or lake.
  (3) If the holder of a woodlot licence does not receive a notice under subsection (1), then the riparian reserve zone or riparian management zone widths specified in this Part apply to the woodlot licence area.









Measuring riparian widths
  91 (1) Riparian reserve zones are the area of a width specified in this Part that is measured from
  (a) the edge of a stream channel bank,
  (b) the edge of a wetland, and
  (c) the edge of
  (i) the natural boundary of a lake, or
  (ii) a wetland that is contiguous to a lake, if the wetland is up to 5 ha in size.
  (2) Riparian management zones are the area of a width specified in this Part that is measured from
  (a) for streams,
  (i) the outer edge of the riparian reserve zone, or
  (ii) if there is no riparian reserve zone, the edge of the stream channel bank, to the widest of
  (A) the top of the inner gorge of the stream,
  (B) the width specified under section 90 (1) or in 93 (1), or
  (C) the outer edge of any
  (I) active flood plain, or
  (II) wetland that is less than 1 ha in size and is within the width of the riparian management zone,
  (b) for wetlands or lakes,
  (i) the outer edge of the riparian reserve zone, or
  (ii) if there is no riparian reserve zone, the edge of the wetland or lake.

Division 2 – Streams









Riparian classes of streams
  92 (1) Streams in community watersheds and fish streams have the following riparian classes:

Stream Width (m) Riparian Class
> 20 S1
> 5 < 20 S2
1.5 < 5 S3
< 1.5 S4

  (2) Streams outside of community watersheds that are not fish streams have the following riparian classes:

Stream Width (m) Riparian Class
> 3 S5
< 3 S6










Minimum widths of riparian reserve zones
and riparian management zones
  93 (1) For each riparian class referred to in section 92, the minimum riparian reserve zone width and riparian management zone width on each side of the stream are as follows:

Riparian Class Riparian Reserve Zone (m) Riparian Management Zone (m)
S1 50 20
S2 30 20
S3 20 20
S4 0 30
S5 0 30
S6 0 20

  (2) Despite subsection (1), if a stream has, on average, over a 1 km length,
  (a) a channel width of 100 m or greater, and
  (b) an active flood plain width of 100 m or greater
    then the stream has no riparian reserve zone, but does have a riparian management zone of 100 m or the width of the active flood plain, whichever is greater.

Division 3 – Wetlands









Riparian classes of wetlands
  94   A wetland has a riparian class of
  (a) W1 if the wetland is greater than 5 ha in size,
  (b) W2 if the wetland is between 1 and 5 ha in size and is in the following biogeoclimatic zones and subzones:
  (i) Ponderosa Pine;
  (ii) Bunch Grass;
  (iii) Interior Douglas-fir, very dry hot, very dry warm or very dry mild;
  (iv) Coastal Douglas-fir;
  (v) Coastal Western Hemlock very dry maritime, dry maritime or dry submaritime,
  (c) W3 if the wetland is between 1 ha and 5 ha in size and is in a biogeoclimatic zone or subzone other than those referred to in paragraph (b),
  (d) W4 if the wetland is
  (i) between 0.25 and 1 ha in size and is in a biogeoclimatic zone or subzone referred to in paragraph (b) (i), (ii) or (iii), or
  (ii) between 0.5 ha and 1 ha in size and is in a biogeoclimatic zone or subzone referred to in paragraph (b) (iv) or (v), or
  (e) W5 if the area consists of 2 or more individual wetlands with overlapping riparian management zones and the combined size of the wetlands is 5 ha or larger.









Minimum widths of riparian reserve zones and
riparian management zones for wetlands
  95 (1) For each riparian class referred to in section 94, the minimum reserve zone and riparian management zone width is the following:

Riparian Class Riparian Reserve Zone (m) Riparian Management Zone (m)
W1 10 40
W2 10 20
W3 0 30
W4 0 30
W5 10 40

  (2) Despite subsection (1), upland terrain within a bog dominated or muskeg dominated wetland larger than 1 000 ha in boreal, sub-boreal or hyper maritime climates has no riparian reserve zone or riparian management zone.

Division 4 – Lakes









Riparian classes of lakes
  96   A lake has a riparian class of
  (a) L1 if the lake is
  (i) greater than 5 ha in size, or
  (ii) designated by the district manager,
  (b) L2 if the lake is between 1 ha and 5 ha in size and is in the following biogeoclimatic zones and subzones:
  (i) Ponderosa Pine;
  (ii) Bunch Grass;
  (iii) Interior Douglas-fir, very dry hot, very dry warm or very dry mild;
  (iv) Coastal Douglas-fir;
  (v) Coastal Western Hemlock very dry maritime, dry maritime or dry submaritime,
  (c) L3 if the lake is between 1 ha and 5 ha in size and is in a biogeoclimatic zone or subzone other than those referred to in paragraph (b), or
  (d) L4 if the lake is
  (i) between 0.25 and 1 ha in size and is in a biogeoclimatic zone or subzone referred to in paragraph (b) (i), (ii) or (iii), or
  (ii) between 0.5 and 1 ha in size and is in a biogeoclimatic zone or subzone referred to in paragraph (b) (iv) or (v).









Minimum widths of riparian reserve zones
and riparian management zones for lakes
  97 (1) A lake with a riparian class of L1 has a riparian reserve zone width of 10 m, unless otherwise specified by the district manager, and a riparian management zone of a width established by the district manager.
  (2) A lake with a riparian class other than L1 has the following minimum riparian reserve zone and riparian management zone widths:

Riparian Class Riparian Reserve Zone (m) Riparian Management Zone (m)
L2 10 20
L3 0 30
L4 0 30

  (3) Despite subsections (1) and (2), a lake greater than 1 000 ha has no riparian reserve zone.

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