Transcript Slide 1
Alberta Land Stewardship Act
& Related Amendments to:
Public Lands Act
Forests Act
Presentation to the College of Alberta
Professional Foresters
June 25, 2009
Overview
Context For Legislation
Alberta Land Stewardship Act
Forests Act Amendments
Public Lands Act Amendments
Status of Regional Plans
Impacts of Regional Plans
Role of Forestry Professional
Context for Legislation
Land-Use Framework (LUF) Policy
Albertans asked for:
Provincial leadership
An approach to planning that integrates
Alberta’s environmental, economic, and
social objectives at the regional level.
An approach that encourages stewardship
and conservation
Alberta Land Stewardship Act
Purpose of the Act
Means for Government to provide
guidance on Economic, Environmental,
and Social Objectives
Ability to Plan for the needs of Current
and Future Generations
Enable Sustainable Development and a
Cumulative Effects Management
approach
Part 1
Regional Plans
Lieutenant Governor Makes Planning
Regions and Plans
Elements of a Regional Plan
Adopt or Create Sub-Regional Plans
Statutory Consents
Part 2
Nature, Effect and Compliance
Plans are Regulations
Plans are Legally Binding
Compensation Limited under this Act
Compliance Declaration
Part 3
Conservation & Stewardship Tools
Research and Development
Conservation Easements
Conservation Directives
Conservation Offsets
Transfer Of Development Credits
Part 4
Regional Planning Process
Lieutenant Governor Sets the Process in
Motion
Regional Advisory Council
Approves a Terms of Reference
Land-Use Secretariat
Not a department
Stewardship Commissioner
Part 4
Regional Planning Process
Landuse Secretariat’s Role in:
Regional Plan Development
Regional Plan Implementation
Information Systems
Monitoring and Reporting
Part 5
Transitional Provisions &
Amendments
Conservation Easements transferred
from Environmental Protection and
Enhancement Act
Consequential Amendments
Consequential amendments to 26 Acts
Align other Acts with regional plans
Provides for enforcement of regional plans
Forests Act – Consequential
Amendments
Forests Act – Key Changes
Regional Plans take precedence
Allows for partial assignments of
dispositions
Part 3 – Transferred to Public Lands
Act
Forest Land Use Zones
Forest Recreation Areas
Forest Recreation Trails
Forests Act – Key Changes
Section 16 – refers to ‘sustainable
forest management’ vs. ‘yield'
(outdated)
Section 28.1 – can prohibit 3rd parties
from selling or buying access to crown
timber
Section 29 – Reforestation Records
Forests Act – Key Changes
Enforcement
Fine increases
Enabling Admin penalty process
Scope of ‘Forest Officer’ Expanded
Great clarity on investigation, right of entry,
seizure process
Creative Sentencing Provision
Recovery of Economic Benefit
Separation of ‘Director’ and ‘Minister’
Forests Act – Key Changes
Additional offences:
Section 9 – damage of signs, structures
Section 10 – cutting, damaging forest growth
Section 28.1 – sale or purchase of access to
forest land
Providing misleading information to forest
officer
Enables an Appeals Process
Public Lands Act – Consequential
Amendments
Public Lands Act - Amendments
Major amendments were necessary:
60 percent of Alberta is Public Land,
administered under the Public Lands Act
More land management ability is required to
implement regional plans
Public Lands Act – Key Changes
Clarification that Crown is owner of
public land
Ability to manage cumulative impacts of
activity (i.e. access to public land) in
accordance with Regional Plans
Increased enforcement provisions
Public Lands Act – Key Changes
Director vs. Minister
Establishment of a land stewardship
fund
Dispositions
Cancelled/Suspended/Amended
Occupation of Public Land
Access to land requires consent
Blanket Consent for Disposition Holders
Greater ability to manage recreation
access to vacant public land
Public Lands Act – Key Changes
Fines increased
New tool - Stop Work Orders
Recovery of economic benefit
Creative Sentencing
New Appeals Section
Current Situation
Stakeholder sessions held - Concerns:
Impact to existing dispositions
What does managing rec access mean?
Stop Work Orders – need an appeal
Timely approvals
Current Situation
Open Houses held on Bill 36 (ALSA)
Seven Weeks of sessions
Bill 36 received Royal Assent June 4,
2009
Next Steps
Proclamation
Regulation Development/Amendment
Regional Plan Status
Regional Plans
Seven Planning Regions
Currently two plans are under
development
Lower Athabasca Regional Plan (LARP)
South Saskatchewan Regional Plan (SSRP)
Complete all Plans by 2012
Lower Athabasca Regional Plan
Regional Advisory Committee
Established
Terms of Reference nearing Approval
Economic Development (Bitumen)
Land Conservation
Water and Air Thresholds
Human Development
Vision Statement and Objectives drafted
Modelling already underway
Complete draft plan – December 2009
South Saskatchewan Regional Plan
Regional Advisory Committee appointed
Terms of Reference draft stage
Population Growth
Water
State of the Region drafted
Modelling input being discussed
Final Draft completed by June 2010
Regional Plan Impact
Regional Plan Impacts
Difficult to Predict Immediate Impacts
Depends on the Resolution of the Plan
Current Plans
At least 4 Levels of Filtering
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Cabinet Direction
Regional Planning Team
Regional Advisory Committee
Public, Stakeholder, and First Nations
Regional Plan Impacts
Cons
Potential to affect allocation or approvals
However, current message is business as
usual
Pros
Clearer Government Objectives
Greater Certainty
More Efficient Resource Planning
Less Conflict between Industrial users
Social License
Role Of the Forestry
Professional
Role Of the Forestry
Professional
Get Involved
Professional Level
Regulation Development (Forests Act,
Public Lands Act)
Regional Advisory Committee
Public/Stakeholder Consultations
Direct Feedback
Role Of the Forestry
Professional
Individual Level
Forestry Professionals have:
Broad Base of Ecological Knowledge
Planning skills at both the Operational
level as well as the long-term 10 - 200
year view
Used to Being Specialized Generalist
Position ourselves as Facilitators and
Mediators
Questions?