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British Columbia. Ministry of Forests (1988-2005)
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Forest Service lookout photographs

  • GR-3263
  • Series
  • 1936-1983

The series consists of ca. 4300 negatives and ca. 5000 photographic prints taken from forest lookouts between 1936 and 1993. Falling under the function of forest protection, "lookout photography" or "panoramic lookout photography" was first initiated in B.C. in 1936. It involved taking a set of eight large-format film images at 263 fire lookout sites.

The negatives were used to create 20 x 32 cm (7½ x 12¾" black and white photo prints, and a grid was photographically superimposed on each print, indicating the compass bearing from 0 to 360 degrees and vertical angle from +10 to -15 degrees from the horizontal. These prints were bound into book form, and kept on hand in the lookout and at the Ranger Station to aid in communicating the details of fire locations using visual references. They were also used to orient the fire finder in the lookout - a rotatable sighting device mounted over a map located in the centre of the building. The books list the date of the images and the location. Some books also contain notations on the photos. The series also contains 2 boxes of photographic proofs which contain information about the date and time that the image was taken and the weather conditions at that time.

In the photographing process, bearings were established with the use of a surveyor's transit and level, and an interchangeable camera. With the transit, the photographer determined the precise known bearing of a distant reference object (usually a mountain peak or another lookout, sometimes a topographic survey cairn). By lifting the transit off the mount and replacing it with the camera, they could then take their eight photographs at 45-degree horizontal intervals. Photographs from the lookout were taken in this order: shot #1, North; shot #2, 45 degrees; shot #3, East; shot #4, 135 degrees; shot #5, South; shot #6, 225 degrees; shot #7, West; shot #8, 315 degrees. A suitable camera was initially borrowed from another agency until one specially built by the National Research Council in Ottawa was obtained in the summer of 1945. One report from the late 1940s states that the eight views each included a horizontal angle of 50 degrees, so that the full panorama was completed with an overlap of 5 degrees per photograph. Photos were taken on infrared film to maximize haze penetration, and a duplicate set of negatives were taken with panchromatic.

Most lookouts were photographed at least once; some were photographed two or three times. This “rephotography” was deemed necessary when there were appreciable changes, over time, in a view from a lookout. Changes in view were caused by various factors: elimination of vegetative cover due to wildfires or logging; the erecting, rebuilding or relocation of a tower; construction of dams; or the change in view caused by tree clearing at the mountain summit. Most lookouts were sites that had established structures; however, some were undeveloped sites.

The photography was sometimes carried out by a two-man crew consisting of UBC forestry students. In time, "visibility mapping" to evaluate potential new lookout sites was combined with lookout photography at existing sites; in some years a two-man crew would do both. Access to lookout sites by helicopter was used by 1960. The same crews sometimes also took photographs on behalf of the National Parks Service for parks lookouts located in B.C. For some years there was limited or no field work undertaken in either lookout photography or visibility mapping. The last photos were taken by professional surveyors on a contract basis as a pilot project.

The majority of the lookout structures were built by the B.C. Forest Service; however, several had been built by the federal government to fulfill their obligation to protect timber from wildfire within the Railway Belt. In 1930 the Railway Belt and its lookout structures were turned over to the Province of B.C.

The number of lookouts that were staffed declined in the late 1970s and early 1980s as other means of fire detection became more efficient, notably, aircraft patrols and public reporting. In addition, the electronic lightning location system that began in 1980 indicated where lightning activity had occurred, and computer models then predicted the likely location and number of new lighting-caused and people-caused fires. The decline in fire lookouts was due to technological changes, and cost-benefit analyses probably showed that some lookouts were no longer good investments. Lookout photography was given up as lookouts declined in value.

The photographs are a resource for studying landscape change. Old harvesting, regeneration, and the impacts of wildfire and urban expansion may be observed in many of the photograph sets.

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands

Freedom of information requests

  • GR-3461
  • Series
  • 1996-1997

Series consists of a freedom of information request received by the Williams Lake District Office of the Ministry of Forests in 1996. The l request was for copies of cutting permits and road permits for the years 1995-1996. Following a complaint, the Information and Privacy Commissioner’s Office acted as a mediator between the ministry and the applicant.

There are 21 files in the series. Files 1 and 21 consist of correspondence between staff and the applicant, correspondence between ministry staff, a copy of the original application to view records, and photocopies of the requested pages which have been severed. Files 2-20 consist of copies of the requested pages.

The series has been classified with a file number that includes the year followed by a sequential number. The file has also been assigned the number 292-30 in the Administrative Records Classification System (ARCS). Although the ministry’s centralized Information and Privacy Branch assigned these numbers to all requests, it was the responsibility of regional offices to respond to the applicant.

British Columbia. Ministry of Forests (1988-2005)

Tree nursery files

  • GR-3579
  • Series
  • 1995-2007

Series consists of nursery files by the Ministry of Forests’ Nursery Services unit between 1995 and 2007. These files document the administration of tree nurseries by the ministry in the southern interior region of British Columbia. These nurseries provide seedlings for the reforestation of Crown Lands.

There are two types of files in this series. The first type consist of policy and procedure documentation relating to the ordering of summer stock seedlings and the cold storage of seedlings.

The second type consists of pesticide application reports. These reports document the types of pesticides used at nurseries throughout the southern interior. Many of the nurseries in the province were managed by private contractors and many of the reports were created by the contractor. There are also copies of BC Government computer printouts taken from the Nursery and Shipping Administration System (NSA). These reports list the location of the nursery, the type of pesticide applied and the purpose of the pesticide.

British Columbia. Ministry of Forests (1988-2005)

Stumpage adjustment summary reports

  • GR-3686
  • Series
  • 1999-2005

The series consists of stumpage adjustment summary reports generated by the Revenue Branch of the Ministry of Forests. These are reports that have been printed from the Ministry of Forest computer system. They were used determine the fees to charge forest companies.

The files cover all areas of the Province and were created in accordance with the Forest Act (RSBC 1996, c. 157). The Province is divided into two appraisal regions for the purposes of stumpage. These regions are the Coast and Interior and each of these is documented in separate reports.

Most of the reports document the mean value index for timber and help forecast the revenue to the province. The reports have a wide range of information and include district summaries, rate calculations arranged by district, value of species, and mark volume.

The ministry ran reports from January, April, July and October. Each report is dated and named and there are also coloured sheets of paper at the front of each file that correspond with the month of the report. Blue sheets are from January, green sheets are from April, pink sheets are from July and yellow sheets are from October. The records arrived in the archives in no discernible order. The archives has arranged them by date and region.

These records are classified as 21710-30 in the Forest ORCS which states that the records are retained for seven years by the ministry and then transferred to the archives.

British Columbia. Ministry of Forests (1988-2005)

Forest licence cutting permits from the Dawson Creek Forest District

  • GR-3683
  • Series
  • 1971-1992

The series consists of cutting permits for forest licences and timber sale harvesting licences. The records were created by both the Chetwynd Field Office and the Dawson Creek Forest District. These offices were part of the Prince George Forest Region. Each office maintained their own files and, in most cases, both files have been retained.

The ministry created multiple files for administering the permit process. These include a central file as well as individual files for each cut block. Since this series also contains files from two offices, there are often duplicate central and block files for each permit. Both are numbered identically but they are differentiated by the acronyms CFO for the Chetwynd office and DDC for the Dawson Creek office.

All files contain a variety of correspondence, reports, maps, and forms. The central file is split into two parts. The first part contains a copy of the cutting permit, final harvesting reports, permit extension documentation, and stumpage fees. The second part contains preliminary inspections by Forest Service staff, appraisal analysis documentation and correspondence.

The ministries responsible for creating these records, and the years that they were responsible, are:

British Columbia. Ministry of Forests (1988-1992)
British Columbia. Ministry of Forests and Lands (1986-1988)
British Columbia. Ministry of Forests (1976-1986)
British Columbia. Dept. of Forests (1975-1976)
British Columbia. Dept. of Lands, Forests and Water Resources (1971-1975)

The records were classified as 19500-45 in the Forest Operational Classification System (ORCS).

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands, Forests and Water Resources

Forestry executive correspondence referrals replies

  • GR-3752
  • Series
  • 2000-2004

Series consists of correspondence between members of the public and the Ministry of Forests between the years 2000-2004. The majority of the correspondence consists of letters from the public sent to the Minister of Forests. The letters deal with multiple subjects including forestry policy, forestry companies, employment, the impact of forestry on the environment and other subjects. The original letters were mailed to the ministry from members of the public, forestry companies and other businesses and interest groups. There are also numerous form letters amongst the correspondence.

When the ministry received these letters, the Correspondence Branch registered a unique number to each letter in the ministry’s correspondence tracking database called Cliff. The branch would then research the issue, request information from ministry staff and draft a response. The draft responses were then forwarded to the minister’s office who would review the letter and either sign it or return it to the branch for further revisions.

The records cover the years 2000-2004, however, there are no records from 2003. The letters are arranged numerically by the registration number. There are large gaps in the records in terms of the correspondence numbers. The ministry placed documents in each box that show which individual letters were transferred. These are stored in the individual boxes.

The files contain the letter from the public, notes and registration forms by the ministry, draft replies and a copy of the final response. Some letters were accompanied with attachments such as reports, photographs, and videos. There are some letters, such as form letters, and information brochures, that the ministry did not reply to. These are stored in “FYI” files.

The records were classified by the ministry under 280-30 in the Administrative Records Classification System (ARCS).

British Columbia. Ministry of Forests (1988-2005)

Trust fund and project reports

  • GR-3804
  • Series
  • 1990-2005

The series contains the records of the Ministry of Forests relating to Land Resource Management Plans (LRMP) and projects, specifically those of the Muskwa-Kechika Management Area (MKMA). The Ministry of Forests (Fort Nelson and Fort St. John Forest Districts) was part of the working group formed by government to develop plans for the entire MKMA. Other members of the group consisted of representatives from the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks and the Ministry of Small Business, Tourism and Culture. First Nation groups were also added to the group, with representatives from Kaska Dena Council, Muskwa-Kechika Advisory Board, Fort Nelson First Nation, Prophet River First Nation. The working group was chaired by Ron Rutledge of the Fort St. John Forest District.
Land Resource Management Planning is the sub-regional component of integrated resource planning in British Columbia. LRMPs establish directions for land use and specify broad resource management objectives and strategies for areas. These plans provide a comprehensive management framework to guide resource development and more detailed planning.
The records consist primarily of final reports and plans regarding land resource management for the MKMA or surrounding areas. There are also copies of correspondence and memos from other agencies participating in the planning process.
The series also contains annual reports from the Muskwa-Kechika Trust Fund for which the Minister of Environment was the Fund Trustee. The Trust Fund supports wildlife and wilderness resources of the management area through research and integrated management of natural resource development. It also maintains the diversity and abundance of wildlife species and the ecosystems on which they depend throughout the management area. Annual reports provide general information about the management area, information on board members, activity highlights, fundraising financial contributions, expenditures and project descriptions.

British Columbia. Ministry of Forests (1988-2005)

Consultation case files

  • GR-3834
  • Series
  • 1991-2004

The series contains records relating to consultations conducted as part of the Land and Resource Management Planning process. These consultation case files include interactions with different agencies of the provincial government, local governments and the general public. Provincial government files mainly pertain to statements of interest from different ministries (in relation to natural resources and land use). Local government files include municipalities, regional boards and district representatives discussing their interests, concerns and how the land and resource management plans affect them (e.g. in relation to water systems, landfills, roads, park and rec programs, sewer, insect and weed control, zoning and drainage). Public consultation files consider the concerns of non-profit groups (e.g. wildlife protection groups), companies and local businesses as well as the general public.

The records include news releases and publications announcing the start of the planning process and calling for participants. The records include correspondence between public servants and others setting up meetings and open house dates. There are a number of refusal and agreement letters from prospective participants.

Throughout the files are various materials meant to inform discussions about land use and resource management. These include government reports for considerations as well as copies of legislation. There are also guideline books to help public servants with their duties and to explain the consultation process to all types of participants.

The records also include draft goals, presentations, meeting notes, status reports and reviews from those involved in the coordination of the consultation process. Finally, there are letters received from various activist groups, companies and members of the public explaining their interests in the land and resources of the region.

The records are arranged according to the Resource Management Operational Records Classification System (schedule 144100) using the following primary numbers:

17550: RMP – Land and Resource Management Plans
17730: RMP – Sustainable Resource Management Plans
And the secondary number -20 (consultation case files).

This series currently contains records from the Kamloops, Lillooet and the Okanagan-Shuswap, Cariboo Chilcotin and Kootenay tables. The records from the associated accession(s) cover all types of land use and resource planning, including landscape unit plans, sustainable resource management plans, land and resource management plans, local and regional resource use plans, and other land and/or resource use plans as they were all part of a greater land-use strategy.

British Columbia. Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management

Socio-economic and environmental assessment review case files

  • GR-3837
  • Series
  • 1994-2006

This series includes records relating to the review of socio-economic and environmental assessments (SEEA). The records cover the development of policy and procedures for assessments and assessment analysis. They also document the reviews that have been performed in support of Resource Management Plans.
Every resource management plan requires socio-economic and an environmental assessment to confirm the objectives and viability of the plan. Typically a consultant is hired during the creation of a plan to perform the analysis which is then examined and reviewed to verify its accuracy and objectives.

The records in this series include various ministries’ comments on plans and requests for conservation and environmental protection measures in relation to proposed plans. Government produced documents also include notices of pending environmental certificates from developers, as well as briefing notes, news releases and announcements. The series also contains the records of related working groups and committees who were involved in facilitating workshops on assessing projects, organizing the process and analyzing the assessments.

Other records include third party evaluations of proposed developments, such as resorts and landfills, and analysis and impact concerns on wildlife, water resources and the environment in addition to socio-economic impacts. Some environmental assessment certificate applications submitted by developers are also included and cover research conducted for the assessment as well as maps and graphs.

The records are arranged according to the Resource Management Operational Records Classification System (schedule 144100) using the following primary numbers:

17400: RMP – Resource Management Plans

And the secondary number -40 (SEEA review case files).

This series currently contains records from the Kamloops, Lillooet LRMP and the Okanagan-Shuswap LRMP tables. The records from the associated accession(s) cover all types of land use and resource planning, including landscape unit plans, sustainable resource management plans, land and resource management plans, local and regional resource use plans, and other land and/or resource use plans as they were all part of a greater land-use strategy.

British Columbia. Ministry of Agriculture and Lands

Land and resource management planning teams

  • GR-3810
  • Series
  • 1991-2009

The series contains records relating to the development, implementation, monitoring and amendment of land and resource management plans (LRMPs). LRMPs are sub-regional integrated resource management plans that are large scale and cover a number of resource sectors (tourism, forestry, mining, etc.). There may be one to a half dozen LRMPs for each region of the province. Regions are divided into smaller management areas called sub-regions.
The records were produced by Interagency Planning Teams whose aims were to initiate and implement the management plans. This included preparing terms of reference, conducting research and assessments, compiling and analyzing data, consulting with interested parties, writing plan drafts and making changes prior to their approval. Types of records included in this series include meeting minutes, glossaries of resource planning terms, interest statements, working group documents, draft plans and comments, regional studies, briefing notes, correspondence, training materials, presentations, reports and other accompanying documents.
Accession 95-6853 contains records related to the Northern Region’s land and resource management plans. They include documents from several sub-regions including Dawson Creek, Fort St. John, Fort Nelson, Prince George region and Peace region. These particular records were produced and accumulated by planning team members from the Ministry of Forest. Accession 96-7598 contains records from the Lillooet, Kamloops and Okanagan-Shuswap planning teams.

The records are arranged according to the Resource Management ORCS (Schedule 144100) and fall under the primary number 17550 : RMP – Land and Resource Management Plans and the secondary number -60 (planning teams).

These records are different to the series Land and Resource Management Committees (GR-3793) which are classified under ARCS Schedule 100001 and primarily deal with records relating to the overseeing and implementing Land and Resource Management Plans following approval from Cabinet.

British Columbia. Ministry of Forests (1988-2005)

Approved plans, studies, and terms of reference

  • GR-3839
  • Series
  • 1991-2008

This series contains approved plans, studies and terms of reference produced as part of land use planning in British Columbia, particularly Land and Resource Management Plans. The records document the initial scopes of the plan and provide the framework and ground rules to which all plans adhered. The records provide evidential and informational value in regard to scope and mandate of the plans, as well as planning teams’ participant roles, responsibilities and authority.

Types of records in this series include the actual approved plans and terms of reference from different planning regions, as well as publications of planning strategies. Records also cover specific topics such as biodiversity and timber impacts, completion studies, and project feasibility studies that would impact the planning process.

The records are arranged according to the Resource Management Operational Records Classification System (schedule 144100) using the following primary numbers:

17000: Resource Management – General
17550: RMP – Land and Resource Management Plans
17580: RMP – Landscape Unit Plans
17670: RMP – Regional Land Use Plans
17730: RMP – Sustainable Resource Management Plans
And the secondary numbers -01 (general), 02 (approved plans), 03 (terms of reference), 06 (resource management studies and information releases)

This series currently contains records from the Fort St. John, Kamloops, Lillooet and Okanagan-Shuswap LRMP tables. The records from the associated accession(s) cover all types of land use and resource planning, including landscape unit plans, sustainable resource management plans, land and resource management plans, local and regional resource use plans, and other land and/or resource use plans as they were all part of a greater land-use strategy.

British Columbia. Ministry of Agriculture and Lands

Implementation and monitoring case files

  • GR-3836
  • Series
  • 1995-2006

The series contains records pertaining to the implementation and monitoring of strategic land use plans, including the development of such procedures.

The records cover a range of activities, from advisory committees, public gatherings, monitoring tables, member appointments and invitations, as well as inventories on range, wildlife, old growth forests, habitats and archaeological sites among other topics. Records particularly pertain to feedback received on approved plans prior and during implementation in order to identify issues and suggest amendments. Many of these comments come from Open House sessions with the general public. The series also includes a copy of a Implementation and Monitoring Framework as well as Terms of Reference for monitoring table duties.

The series also includes Protected Area Orders for areas chosen and approved to be protected areas under the Park Act. These orders are accompanied by maps of the area in question.
The records are arranged according to the Resource Management Operational Records Classification System (schedule 144100) using the following primary numbers:

17550: RMP – Land and Resource Management Plans
17730: RMP – Sustainable Resource Management Plans
And the secondary numbers -40 (effectiveness monitoring case files) and -50 (implementation case files).

This series currently contains records from the Kamloops, Lillooet LRMP and the Okanagan-Shuswap LRMP tables. The records from the associated accession(s) cover all types of land use and resource planning, including landscape unit plans, sustainable resource management plans, land and resource management plans, local and regional resource use plans, and other land and/or resource use plans as they were all part of a greater land-use strategy.

British Columbia. Ministry of Agriculture and Lands

Development case files

  • GR-3835
  • Series
  • 1989-2008

The records in this series document the development of Land and Resource Management Plans and provide evidence of the nature and evolution of the planning process.

The records are mainly organized by topic and region. They cover discussions on specific areas and subjects of concern, such as wildlife, tourism, recreation and conservation. Many of the files include discussions about existing legislation to guide plan development. The records also include other reference material such as documents related to the Protected Areas Strategy with summaries of different forest districts, literature reviews, studies, reports (particularly those about the Protected Areas Designation Process) and interim management direction statements from BC Parks. Many files relate to the LRMP table discussing possibilities to designate new protected areas through land use planning. The records also include various working group plans and recommendations, framework plans for a coordinated approach to planning, as well as guidelines to help participants write these plans.
There are also several folders organized by Resource Management Zone (RMZ) with printouts of maps depicting the area, as well as separate files for interests submitted by the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks, Ministry of Forests, BC Assets and Land Corporation, and Ministry of Transportation and Highways.

The records are arranged according to the Resource Management Operational Records Classification System (schedule 144100) using the following primary numbers:

17550: RMP – Land and Resource Management Plans
17730: RMP – Sustainable Resource Management Plans
And the secondary number -30 (development case files).

This series currently contains records from the Kamloops, Lillooet LRMP and the Okanagan-Shuswap LRMP tables. The records from the associated accession(s) cover all types of land use and resource planning, including landscape unit plans, sustainable resource management plans, land and resource management plans, local and regional resource use plans, and other land and/or resource use plans as they were all part of a greater land-use strategy.

British Columbia. Ministry of Agriculture and Lands

Policy and procedures

  • GR-3838
  • Series
  • 1993-2007

This series assembles records related to the development of policies and procedures for all aspects of Land and Resource Management Plans. Currently the series contains the following policies and procedures:
-TSA (Timber Supply Area) landscape unit plans which outline policies to establish wildlife treepatch requirements in the Kamloops TSA as described by Forest Practices Code and LRMP.

-Provincial policy for consultation with First Nations including a FAQ section, definitions of terms, procedures for the consultation process and consultation guidelines.

-Management, tenure administration and disposition of Crown Land.
-Commercial recreation on Crown Land policy.
-Crown land use planning enhancement program.
-South Okanagan regional growth strategy.

The records are arranged according to the Resource Management Operational Records Classification System (schedule 144100) using the following primary numbers:

17020: Resource Management – Aboriginal relations
17400: RMP – Resource Management Plans
17430: RMP – Ad hoc plans
17580: RMP – Landscape Unit Plans
And the secondary number -00 (policy and procedures)

British Columbia. Ministry of Agriculture and Lands

Ministry correspondence and briefing notes

  • GR-3817
  • Series
  • 1999-2007

The series contains the executive services records of the Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management and its successor the Integrated Land Management Bureau (ILMB). Records include briefing notes for distribution (including information notes and decision notes) to executives of the Ministry regarding a variety of topics related to land use planning and implementation while ILMB records have a strong focus on First Nations issues as they relate to land use planning. Records also include executive correspondence and referral replies. Correspondence is between the Ministry and the public or organizations/associations and covers mostly the same topics as in the briefing notes.

The records are classified according to the Administrative Records Classification System (ARCS) schedule 100001. The records are arranged for the most part by year and then by topic.
The majority fall under ARCS primary number 280: Executive Services. The primary numbers -20 and -30 correspond to Executive Briefing Notes and Executive Correspondence Referrals respectively. There are however a very small number of documents from accession 95-9631 that were filed alongside executive services documents that are included in this series as misfiles. These records may also be closely related to the correspondence files and complement the detailed responses from the Ministry in regard to matters concerning LRMPs in the region. Records from accession 95-9631 relate to the monitoring process of the Skeena Region following the approval of its Land and Resource Management Plans (LRMP). The majority of the records come from the Regional Director’s office of the Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management in Smithers, B.C. Earlier records came from the Kispiox Forest District of the Ministry of Forests who chaired the implementation and monitoring process of the region’s LRMP prior to those responsibilities being transferred to the Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management in 2001.
Furthermore, these records document the creation of the LRMP monitoring committees and the Ministry’s involvement with monitoring and making changes to the Skeena Region’s Land and Resource Management Plans. Committee files include terms of reference, presentations and a series of invitations, nomination forms, recruitment letters, newspaper ads and contributions, correspondence, meeting minutes and draft recommendations.
There are also a small number of plans and programs for the region proposed by the Ministry, which include resource inventory, resource assessments, habitat mapping, recreation opportunities, timber, environmental assessments and other related data studies. Records relating to agreements surrounding these projects detail appointments, contracts and funding provided by the ministry.

British Columbia. Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management

LRMP First Nations consultation case files

  • GR-3697
  • Series
  • 1993 - 2009

The series consists of records relating to the development of land and resource management plans (LRMPs) vis-à-vis the consultation that occurred with First Nations during the planning process. Land and Resource Management Planning was developed in British Columbia in the 1990s as an integrated, sub-regional, consensus-building process to produce plans for review and approval by government. The plans established direction for land use and specified broad resource management objectives and strategies. LRMPs covered a number of resource sectors -- natural or social resources such as tourism, forestry or mining. The process included development, implementation, monitoring and the amendment of land and resource management plans.

The files in this series were titled and organized in most instances as case files and based on the name of the First Nations involved in the consultation process.

The records relate to the development of the consultation process between ministries and First Nation groups for LRMPs which included preparing terms of reference, conducting research and assessments, compiling and analyzing data, consulting with interested parties, presenting plan drafts, taking the proposed plan through the approval process, and monitoring after implementation.

Record types include correspondence, memoranda, recommendations including legal advice, discussion papers, draft agreements for discussion, presentations, community meeting records, maps, plans, drafts of agreements between the Province and First Nations, briefing notes prepared for the Minister and Deputy Minister, forest company information, among numerous other types of records.

The Archives has retained these records because they provide evidence of provincial policy advice and direction for the management of public lands and resources, and evidence of the consultation that occurred with First Nations groups during the resource planning process.

British Columbia. Ministry of Environment (2005-2017)

Accommodation planning as-built drawings

  • GR-3905
  • Series
  • 1990-2006

This series consists of accommodation planning as-built drawings and records regarding buildings solely used by the Ministry of Forests, 1990-2006. Much of the planning was conducted by or with the BC Building corporation.

Records regard the planning, construction, addition and renovation of buildings used by the Ministry of Forests across the province. This includes plans to upgrade or modify existing buildings, organizational moves, space transfers and accommodation re-planning to accommodate organizational change from Ministry restructuring and delineate surplus space. Each file relates to a particular location of satellite offices, Forest District offices, field offices, headquarters, warehouses and other buildings used by Forestry staff. All buildings are no longer in use and have been sold or had their leases terminated.

Records include project specifications, invitations to tender, blueprints, whiteprints, architectural drawings, project briefs, building requirements, sketches, site information, photos, building permits, correspondence, financial records, accommodation proposals, and information on staffing numbers and their required space in particular offices.

The records have been classified as ARCS number 510-02. Files are arranged in the order as they were received by the Ministry.

British Columbia. Ministry of Forests (1988-2005)

Ministry of Forests legislative program files

  • GR-3906
  • Series
  • 1987-1999

This series consists of legislative program files and Cabinet submissions from the Ministry of Forests, 1987-1999. Files relate to a particular piece of legislation or several pieces of legislation being worked on at a given time (such as a particular sitting in the Legislature). Some files also include information on the legislative process and drafting instructions.

Legislative program files relate to legislation administered and developed by the Ministry of Forests and its predecessors. This includes their annual legislative program (such as amendments to existing legislation) as well as the development of new legislation, regulations, orders in council (OICs), and Ministerial orders. It also includes a collection of approved legislation administered by the Ministry.

Changes to existing legislation or the creation or new legislation may be suggested based on a Ministry need, court decision, changes to other legislation, etc. Forestry branches would submit their requests for legislation to the Ministry of Forests Strategic Planning Branch for referral to Legislative Council.

Files can contain requests for legislation or amendments; calls for legislation; copies of legislation, bills, and regulations; suggested amendments and drafts; reports and discussion papers; reference and background materials; correspondence; briefing notes; legislation status reports; communication plans; training materials; draft and final cabinet submissions; presentations; documents regarding consultation with other Ministries and third parties regarding proposed legislation; extracts of Cabinet Committee and Cabinet Committee on Legislation and Regulations meeting minutes; and comments from Legislative Council.

This series also includes several briefing books created to provide Executive Government Officials and Ministers with information on a particular bill. Books can contain summary information, question and answer sections, copies of bills and legislation, news releases, background information, general speaking notes for the first, second and third readings and highly detailed speaking notes for the committee stage which address each proposed amendment.

These records are classified under ARCS number 201-40 and 140-03.

British Columbia. Ministry of Forests (1988-2005)

Non-replaceable timber sale licences

  • GR-3631
  • Series
  • [ca. 1968]-1997

Series consists of non-replaceable timber sale licence files. These licences provide an applicant with a one-time right to harvest timber in a specified area.

Each file documents the issuance, administration and cancellation of licences as per the Forest Act. The majority of the files in this series date from 1978-1995 although there are also some files that date back to 1968. The records are from all areas of the province.

The files consist primarily of copies of the licence, applications, maps, deletion notices, status clearance forms, correspondence and reports. The ministry assigned A numbers to the files which have been assigned sequentially. There are many gaps in the numbering since the ministry only transferred cancelled licence files to the archives.

The records were created by the Timber Management Branch and the Timber Harvesting Branch. The following ministries were responsible for forestry between 1973-1994:
1973-1975 Dept. of Lands, Forests and Water Resources
1975-1976 Dept. of Forests
1976-1986 Ministry of Forests
1986-1988 Ministry of Forests and Lands
1988-1994 Ministry of Forests

The records have been classified as 19620-25 in the Forest ORCS.

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands, Forests and Water Resources

Tree farm licence annual reports

  • GR-3636
  • Series
  • 1951-1999

This series consists of annual reports submitted by the holders of tree farm licences. Each tree farm licence requires the licensee to submit an annual report. The licensee must report on:

  1. their performance over the previous calendar year in relation to its management of the licence area and their obligations under the licence,
  2. their success in meeting their management objectives, including all employment and economic activities,
  3. the processing or other use or disposition of the timber harvested under the licence, and,
  4. their goals and major initiatives for the next calendar year.

The series is arranged annually by the tree farm licence number. The reports have been placed in file folders which, in some cases, also contain copies of correspondence between ministry staff, and/or the Licensee and references to the applicable “0” lands file. Some of the reports contain attached photographs to provide additional information.

The following ministries and departments were responsible for managing this function:

1951-1962 Dept. of Lands and Forests
1962-1975 Dept. of Lands, Forests and Water Resources
1975-1976 Dept. of Forests (1975-1976)
1976-1986 Ministry of Forests
1986-1988 Ministry of Forests and Lands
1988-1999 Ministry of Forests

The series has been classified as 19700-60 in the Forests Operational Classification System (ORCS).

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands and Forests

Scale and royalty invoices, ledgers, and reports

  • GR-3347
  • Series
  • 1977-1994

The series consists of records created by the Ministry of Forests (1976-1986), the Ministry of Forests and Lands (1986-1988) and the Ministry of Forests (1988-). Records date from 1977-1994.

The series includes nine different types of computer output microfiche (COM) reports that are arranged by year. Within each year, each type is filed separately, and subdivided by forest district (1977-1978) or forest region (1979-present), if applicable. Districts/regions include: Vancouver, Prince Rupert, Kamloops, Prince George, Nelson and Cariboo.

The records include the following: piece scale invoices, weight scale invoices, weight scale ratio report, appraisal code sheets, mark rate report, mark royalty reports, road ledger, scaler ledger and species ledger. These records are generated by scale and royalty billing activities. It is a requirement of the Forest Act ( SBC 1978, c. 23) that all timber be scaled.

There are two primary methods of scaling used in the Province: piece scale and weight scale. Piece scale involves the measurement of each log harvested. This method is normally used in coastal areas where the logs are larger and not uniform in size. Weight scale is a sampling method where selected loads of logs over a period of time are piece scaled and this data is then used to estimate the volume of all other weighed loads. This method is used primarily in the interior of the Province and was introduced in 1963. It is generally used for large volumes of smaller logs that are uniform in size. Other scaling methods may be used for small volumes of special products, for example, Christmas trees or fence posts.

Until 1985, scalers were employees of the Ministry of Forests, with some limited exceptions. After privatization, the Ministry retained responsibility for examination, appointment, and licensing of scalers. The Ministry is now responsible for authorizing scale sites and conditions, designating which scale timber should go to, establishing scale computation and data controls and ensuring compliance with regulations. The requirements for scaling are outlined in part 6 of the Forest Act and the Scaling Regulations. Additional information is contained in the Scaling Manual and Ministry of Forests scaling policies. The Scaling Manual provides specific instructions on how scale will be measured and calculated and which records must be submitted.

Piece and weight scale invoices are generated from the data collected from the two different types of scaling. They document the amount of royalties owing by each account holder. The two types are kept separately and arranged by forest district/region and consecutive account number. Piece scale invoices are identified with a code beginning with P followed by a letter for the region. Weight scale invoices are identified with a code beginning with W followed by a letter for the region. The letters used for the regions are: V or W (effective May 1982) for Vancouver; R for Prince Rupert; K for Kamloops; G for Prince George; N for Nelson and C for Cariboo. Invoice numbers which are missing were used for manual billing, a practice which ended in the early 1980's.

Ratio reports are the ratios in effect for the month and that are used for processing Weight Scale billing. Ratios are determined by the sample loads that are scaled.

Appraisal code sheets contain information about timber marks. This information is used to determine stumpage rates for billing purposes. These records date from 1979-1982. They have been replaced by the General Appraisal System.

Mark reports include information about rates, appraisals, and other administrative information about each timber mark. These are monthly reports.

Mark royalty reports include rate information for each class of royalty by species/product/grade. Combined with scale data this will determine which rates are used for each royalty type.

Road ledgers were set up to amortise, over time, specific forestry and road costs as part of the timber the late 1970 's and 1980's. These invoices reflect a credit to stumpage associated with the amortisation amount related to either a piece or weight scale invoice.

There are separate ledgers for piece scale invoices and weight scale invoices; each ledger is subdivided by forest district/region. The code used to identify a piece scale road ledger is K followed by a letter representing the district/region. The codes used to identify a weight scale road ledger is L followed by a letter for the district/region. The records date from 1979 to 1985.

There are two types of species ledgers, monthly and yearly. These reports list the log volumes billed by species on each invoice. The monthly report is organized by district/region and timber mark. The yearly report is organized by region and timber mark. The yearly report also includes year to date reports.

A timber mark indicates the property on which the logs were cut. The scalers' ledger is a list of the volume and value scaled by each scaler and is arranged by scaler licence number.

These records are found in secondaries 20340-20, 20390-20, 20390-50 and 21330-20 in the Ministry of Forests ORCS, schedule number 881261.

British Columbia. Ministry of Forests (1988-2005)

Ministry of Forests films and videotapes

  • GR-3365
  • Series
  • 1963-1989

The series consists of one film and 71 videos created or acquired by the Ministry of Forests and its predecessor bodies between 1963 and 1989. The contents of the records cover many aspects of forestry including fire management, forest management, seed and cone management and pests and pesticides. It also includes video interviews with retired staff on the history and practice of the Forest Service and a copy of the documentary "A Proud Past" which those interviews contributed to.

British Columbia. Ministry of Forests (1988-2005)

Special timber licences

  • GR-3736
  • Series
  • 1911-1990 (primarily 1963-1982)

Series consists of special timber licences created by the Ministry of Forests and its predecessors. The ministry created these records to manage the process of providing applicants with the right to cut in forests. The records were created between 1911-1990 although the majority of the records in this series were created between 1963 and 1982. The records deal with all areas of the province and were created in accordance with the Forest Act and its sections on timber licences.

Special timber licences were first referred to in the 1888 Lands Act (SBC 1888, c. 16). The 1912 Forest Act (SBC 1912, c. 17) stated that a “special timber licence shall vest in the holder thereof all rights of property whatsoever in all trees, timber, and lumber cut within the limits of the licence during the term.” These licences remained in effect until the January 1, 1979 enactment of the new Forest Act (SBC 1978, c. 23). This 1978 act replaced special timber licences with a new form of timber licence.

The records are arranged by the timber licence number which begins with TL followed by a sequential number. The TL number was phased out in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s with the introduction of the timber licence files. Many files have the new timber licence number, which begins with “T”, written on the front of the file. There is also a sheet in the front of the file that contains information about the file that replaced it.

The files usually consist of a copy of the licence, renewal documentation, correspondence, logging inspection reports, and termination documents.

There are also two volumes of file 18043f from the Dept. of Lands and Works’ “O” files series. These files contain documentation about multiple licences. These have been placed in the last box.

Ministries that were responsible for this series include:
Dept. of Lands (1908-1945)
Dept. of Lands and Forests (1945-1962)
Dept. of Lands, Forests and Water Resources (1962-1975)
Dept. of Forests (1975-1976)
Ministry of Forests (1976-1986)
Ministry of Forests and Lands (1986-1988)
Ministry of Forests (1988-2005)

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands