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Aspects of forest resource use policies and administration in British Columbia

University of British Columbia

Having made the fundamental assumption that policy administration can be viewed as a process the question is then raised: In what ways and to what extent does the administrative process affect forest resource use policies in British Columbia? It is noted that the three basic policy principles have been since early this century: (i) public ownership of forest lands; (ii) a return to the Provincial Treasury of a proportion of the wealth of the forests as it accrues; and, (iii) extension of the useful life of the forests for the benefit of future generations. Using as a principle data source a large body of statutes, administrative documents and evidence and reports of commissions of inquiry accumulated during the past seventy-five years the thesis focuses on the administrative process with respect to three major aspects of forest resource policies in British Columbia. They are: land tenure systems, sustained-yield management of forest areas and royalty and stumpage assessment methods. The research confirms the validity of the basic assumption. In response to the above question several major points are made. Provincial land ownership policies and their administration have been significant in directing forest resource use administration and have had the affect of obscuring forest resource use policy principles themselves. With respect to the sustained-yield management programme in British Columbia the administrative process has affected forest resource use policies by giving administrative definitions to some of the basic terms used in the initial policy formulations. In the area of royalty and stumpage assessments methods it was found that administrative feasibility, which has been especially influenced by forest technology, has been a significant factor in determining the ends actually pursued by the administrative system and thus formally stated policy objectives have been modified. Overall the affect of the administrative process on forest resource use policies in British Columbia has been widespread and far reaching.

Text

2010-02-09

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/19942

Political Science

University of British Columbia

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