Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations
Province of British Columbia
TENDER PACKAGE FOR INTENDING APPLICANTS
FOR A WOODLOT LICENCE
(designed for web-based access)
Applications in sealed and properly designated envelope for Woodlot Licence W2069 (‘the Licence’), located in the vicinity of Douglas Bay, Gambier Island will be received at the office of the District Manager, Sunshine Coast District Office, 7077 Duncan Street, Powell River, British Columbia, V8A 1W1, until 1500 hours on April 9, 2014 (‘the closing date’).
The information included in this package as well as other information pertinent to woodlot licences can be found at the following websites:
Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations: http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hth/woodlots/woodlot-program.htm
Federation of BC Woodlot Associations: http://www.woodlot.bc.ca/
Throughout this document there are ‘hotlinks’ identified in the text. By clicking on the hotlinks you will be directed to the applicable document or information.
There is information that you should be familiar with before you submit an application for a woodlot licence. Please read and understand the following documents, that can be found through the ‘hotlink’ and at the office listed above:
· the sample woodlot licence document
· the management plan template
· the woodlot licence plan template
· the application for a woodlot licence (Starting page 6 of this document) which you will complete and submit
· the map of the Crown land component of the proposed woodlot licence
Mandatory Requirements
Certain information and submissions are mandatory. Applications not including these mandatory items will not be considered to be eligible and will not be scored. The following is required to be included in an application for a woodlot licence:
· Bonus Offer – the amount committed will be required to be paid in full by the successful applicant prior to the woodlot licence document being signed by both parties and is deemed issued.
· Bid Deposit - $1000 certified cheque, bank draft or money order payable to the Minister of Finance.
· Sworn affidavit (page 9 of this document) attesting to the eligibility of the applicant.
· Proof of Ownership of private land.
· Private land assessment, including straight line distance from the applicant’s principal residence, as defined in the Woodlot Licence Regulation, B.C. Reg. 68/2006, as applicable, and straight-line distances between the Crown land and private land parcel(s) that have been certified by a registered forest professional.
· Completed Application.
Private Land
For the purpose of paragraph 3(1)(d) of the definition of proposed private land in the Woodlot Licence Regulation proposed private land must meet the following requirements:
· Only land that is productive, from a forest management aspect, will be eligible for evaluation. Non-productive land is comprised of areas of rock outcrops, rock slides, permanent roads, home sites, swamps, water, cultivated land, etc. that are each greater than 0.25 hectares. Non-productive land areas will be totaled and deducted from the total land area of each parcel that is offered for inclusion in the woodlot licence.
· Each parcel of private land proposed for inclusion shall have a productive area of at least 10 hectares. Where there are two or more parcels of private land that are each comprised of at least 10 hectares of productive land, the final score received will be the sum of the scores for each of the parcels.
· Only not satisfactorily restocked (NSR) land that the applicant commits to get satisfactorily restocked (SR) within 10 years of entering into a Woodlot licence agreement will be evaluated.
· Private land submitted with this application must include state of title certificate or Band Council Resolution over Reserve Land and legal survey maps of the titled or Reserve land. If the entire parcel is not to be included in the application, clearly indicate the portion of the parcel that will be offered in the application.
· Private land included with this application must be owned by the same entity as the name on the application. Details on land ownership can be found in the Additional to Policy 8.9 - Woodlot Licence Application Evaluation Procedures.
· You cannot include private land in this application that is currently included in another existing woodlot licence.
· All private land submissions must be signed and sealed by a registered forest professional attesting to its status and distance to the Crown land portion of the woodlot licence opportunity.
The Woodlot Licence Evaluation Procedures have a detailed description of the adjudication of the eligibility of private land for evaluation for inclusion in a woodlot licence.
Certification of Information
Section 2 of the Woodlot Licence Regulation specifies that the requirements for affidavits and certification may be stipulated in the tender package. A completed tender form must contain or be accompanied by both of:
· a sworn affidavit attesting to the applicant’s eligibility as detailed in section 44 (3) to(5) of the Forest Act, and
· signing and sealing by a registered forest professional that assures that the information regarding the place of residence and the location and character of private land provided in the application is valid and accurate (including the straight line distance between the principal residence and the Crown land and the straight line distance between the private land and the Crown land).
False information may result in cancellation of the woodlot licence and forfeiture of all deposits and bonus offers.
Principal Residence
“principal residence”, in relation to a woodlot licence application made in response to an invitation under section44 of the Forest Act is clearly defined in the Woodlot Licence Regulation
General Information
LEGISLATION & REGULATIONS
You should be familiar with the portions of the following provincial acts and regulations as they apply to woodlot licence operations. Provincial and Federal legislation that applies to operations on a woodlot licence are not limited to those that are listed below. It is the responsibility of the licence holder to be familiar with all applicable Federal, Provincial and Municipal legislation and by-laws as they may affect woodlot licence operations.
· Forest Act
▪ Woodlot Licence Regulation
· Forest and Range Practices Act
▪ Woodlot Licence Planning and Practices Regulation
▪ Government Actions Regulation and Ministerial Orders
▪ Invasive Plants Regulation
· Wildfire Act
It must be recognized that legislation is not static and amendments to legislation that may take place from time-to-time may affect the management of a woodlot licence.
POLICY
Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations (FLNRO) policies can be obtained from the appropriate program areas located here: linked page. However, you should be very familiar with the following policy and procedures that are specific to the woodlot licence program:
· Policy 8.9 - Woodlot Licence Program – Competition, Evaluation and Award
▪ Additional to Policy 8.9 – Woodlot Licence Application Evaluation Procedures
▪ General Procedures for Policy 8.9 – Woodlot Licence Program – Competition, Evaluation and Award
TIMBER PRICING
Timber pricing is a critical component of managing a woodlot licence. You should be familiar with the following pricing topics:
· Coast Appraisal Manual or Interior Appraisal Manual, as it applies to your geographic location
· Provincial Logging Residue and Waste Measurement Procedures Manual
· BC Scaling Manual
GOVERNMENT OBJECTIVES & HIGHER LEVEL PLANS
All woodlot licences are required to be consistent with the objectives set by government and Higher Level Plans that overlap the woodlot licence area. Landscape Unit Plans and established Wildlife Habitat Areas can be accessed via the following links:
· Sunshine Coast Land Use Plans
· Wildlife Habitat Areas
Note that Gambier Island is in the Howe Landscape Unit.
ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION
All woodlot licensees are required to complete various electronic submissions for, but not limited to, annual reporting, harvest commencement, application for cutting permits, waste & residue and free growing declaration. Electronic submissions will be by way of the Electronic Submissions Framework. It is not uncommon for woodlot licensees to have to pay service providers (consultants) to do this work on their behalf.
FIRST NATIONS
The preparation of a management plan and a woodlot licence plan requires that the successful applicant make reasonable efforts to discuss management of the woodlot licence area with the local First Nations Bands and integrate the identified concerns into those plans.
The following First Nations have asserted traditional territory over this woodlot licence opportunity:
· Squamish Nation
· Tsliel Waututh First Nation
WOODLOT LICENCE DOCUMENT
Signing a woodlot licence document will only be a requirement of the successful applicant.
PRIVATE LAND
All private land boundaries not following cadastral boundaries must be GPS traversed prior to the submission of your management plan. Private land does not have to be GPS traversed for its inclusion in the application for this woodlot licence.
MANAGEMENT PLAN
The management plan is only required to be completed and signed if you are the successful applicant. The management plan must be completed within six months of the award of a woodlot licence and include both the Crown and private land portions of the woodlot licence area. Following approval of the management plan by the district manager, the woodlot licence will be issued. If you are the successful applicant, it is highly recommended that you use the management plan template as it is there for your convenience.
WOODLOT LICENCE PLAN
The woodlot licence plan is only required to be completed if you are the successful applicant. If you are the successful applicant, it is highly recommended that you use the woodlot licence plan template as it is there for your convenience. Although the woodlot licence plan may be completed after the licence is issued, no harvesting can commence until it is approved by the district manager. However, the cut control period for the woodlot licence commences the same year that the woodlot licence document is issued. It may therefore be advantageous to complete both the management plan and the woodlot licence plan at the same time and have them both approved prior to the issuance of the woodlot licence.
Description of the Woodlot Licence Opportunity Area
A general location map and a detailed map of the Crown land portion of the woodlot licence opportunity and the allowable annual cut (AAC) analysis can be found at this linked website.
Aspects of the evaluation of an application for a woodlot licence involve distances from the Crown land parcel(s). So that the applicant may properly submit these distances, a digital map of the Crown land that comprises the woodlot licence opportunity can be found at this linked website.
The AAC of Woodlot Licence W2069 has been calculated to be 3,000 m3. If you are successful in obtaining the woodlot licence you have the option of using this AAC in your management plan or completing a new management plan which proposes a new AAC for approval by the district manager. If you choose to complete a re-inventory then it must be done to Forest Analysis and Inventory Branch (FAIB) Standards at your cost. You should be aware that if you choose to complete a new management plan, the full consultation process will be implemented as part of its review.
Tender Forms
The tender form (Starting page 6 of this document) must be completed and include a $1000 bid deposit in the form of a certified cheque, bank draft or money order payable to the Minister of Finance. Cash will not be accepted. If you are the successful applicant the bonus offer must be submitted prior to the woodlot licence document being signed by both parties and is deemed issued. If the successful applicant chooses to not submit the bonus offer, the $1000 bid deposit will be forfeited to the Crown. If you are an unsuccessful applicant, the Advertising, Deposits, Disposition and Extensions Regulation, B.C.Reg.55/2006, specifies that the deposit may be returned if the district manager is satisfied that there is no need for the deposit.
APPLICATION FOR WOODLOT LICENCE W2069
INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING APPLICATION FORMS
1. Read and understand:
· sample management plan template;
· sample woodlot licence plan template;
· sample woodlot licence document. This is the document that will be signed by the successful applicant and the district manager or regional executive director after approval of the management plan;
· the Tender Package for Intending Applicants for a woodlot licence (this document).
2. The woodlot licence area should be thoroughly examined by the applicant, on the ground, before a decision to apply is made.
3. Complete this Application for a woodlot licence.
4. Seal the completed Application for a woodlot licence and the $1000 bid deposit in the tender envelope provided and deliver to:
District Manager
Ministry of Forests, Lands and
Natural Resource Operations
Sunshine Coast District
7077 Duncan Street
Powell River, British Columbia
V8A 1W1
by no later than: 1500 hours on April 9, 2014 (the closing date)
NOTE: If you have any questions about this application, or the woodlot licence program in general, please contact:
Brian Kukulies, Land Officer at (604) 485-0725, or email
TO: District Manager
Ministry of Forests, Lands and
Natural Resource Operations
Sunshine Coast District
7077 Duncan Street
Powell River, BC 8A 1W1
1. Deposit
A deposit of $1000 in the form of a certified cheque, bank draft or money order, payable to the Minister of Finance, is enclosed. If this application is not approved, it is understood that the deposit may be returned.
2. Bonus Offer
I agree, in addition to other amounts identified in the Forest Act, to pay a bonus offer in the amount of $______. This bonus offer will be paid prior to the woodlot licence document being signed by both parties and is deemed issued. Failure to submit the bonus offer will result in the $1000 bid deposit being forfeited to the Crown.
The bonus offer, once received by the Crown, is non-refundable.
Complete Sections 3, 4 and 5 for each applicant included in the application. The names of all applicants included will appear on the licence document if you are the successful applicant.
3. Applicant Identification
Name: ______
Address: ______
Telephone No.: ______