A streamlining of the permitting process for small-scale salvagers of dead logs or dying trees is expected to cut processing times, according to the Ministry of Forests and Range.
The province seeks to reduce processing times to two days from previous turnaround times that stretched as long as four weeks.
Each forest district will adopt best practice management practices for small-scale salvage applications. These will include improved guidelines on what areas and what tree species will be acceptable for small-scale salvage in each district, better use of web-based information and delegating to a forest officer the authority to sign-off on permit applications of less than 500 cubic metres.
Areas logged by small-scale salvagers generally range from less than one-hectare openings to about 10 hectares with the average opening of less than five hectares. They log trees that are wind-thrown, damaged by fire, beetle-killed or in imminent danger of being damaged or destroyed by beetles.
The ministry reported that over the last few years about 1.3 million cubic metres of timber annually has been harvested under the small-scale salvage program.