|
|
|
Major Amendment to 2000 to 2006 Forest Development Plan for W1832
In May 2005 found we had to apply for a "Major Amendment" to our existing forest development plan. This is rather misleading terminology. The "major amendment" is a ONE hectare cutblock immediately adjacent to our already approved 46 hectare beetle salvage block. The rationale for this strange move is a tale of bureaucracy.
(Note: To clarify, the 46 ha block is approved in principle, we just do not have a Cutting Permit, the final legal authorization to go cut trees, yet.)
On April 1st, 2005 Victoria decided to "clarify the wording" of the regulation that lets woodlot licencees transfer road costs from one Cutting Permit to another. We built 4 km of road to reach the 46 ha block, and want to carry forward some of those road costs to reduce stumpage rates on our next block (as in the next one after the 46 hectares). This is bookkeeping stuff - standard business procedure when you spend a lot on a road to reach one cutblock.
However, the "clarification" made it incumbent on us to have the "next" cutting permit shown on an approved Forest Development Plan. This was an unexpected change. The process until April 1 was we just said we wanted to carry costs forward, and worked out the details later.
After much complaining, meeting, and email, the following became evident: The "clarified" wording was acknowledged as an error. It will be altered. When it will be altered is not clear. Everyone is sorry we got nailed by this at the last minute. But the regulations are the regulations, mistaken or no, and no one is going to break or bend them. We can not get the Cutting Permit for the 46 ha block until we get the road cost apportionment agreement signed and approved. We can not get the road cost apportionment agreement approved unless we have an approved Forest Development Plan with another block on it.
Logically (?!?!?), therefore, we need to amend our existing Forest Development Plan to add a new block. Ergo, we laid out a 1 hectare cable block. We may log this area, or we may not. Its function is just to be "a block" on "an approved Forest Developement Plan" for bookkeeping purposes, so we can meet the terms of the new regulation. Later, we will amend the amended Forest Development Plan to show wherever it is that we really want to go log beetle killed trees next. We are assured that this shell game will allow us to carry forward a portion of our road costs.
Yes that is right - we amend the FDP so we can amend the FDP again, later.
The Major Ammendment text is simple and brief, as befits a one hectare block in dead pine.
The map link below leads to a zoomed in map that shows the one hectare block, beside our 46 ha beetle salvage block. The remainder of the FDP Amendment map is unchanged from the original FPD #1 Map.
Complete FDP:
Home
FPD Amendment Map in GIF format (0.3 mb GIF File) 