Range Grasses, shrubs and other plants that grow on Crown land provide essential forage for domestic livestock and wildlife. The range program is responsible for the management of this valuable resource. The Forest Service manages Crown grazing tenures, including community pastures, to provide summer range for ranch operations. This allows ranchers to use more of their own land to grow winter feed. Protection Protection staff are responsible for preventing, detecting and controlling forest fires.
Prescribed fire is used to improve range lands for domestic livestock.
There are three aboriginal communities in the Dawson Creek Forest District. The Saulteau and West Moberly First Nations are affiliated with the Treaty 8 Tribal Association. The Kelly Lake Metis community is seeking to become a signatory to Treaty 8 and to get recognition under the Indian Act. Ministry of Forests aboriginal affairs staff are working towards a mutually acceptable consultation process to protect the aboriginal rights of First Nations within the district. Compliance and Enforcement A specialized compliance and enforcement team ensures that all activities related to harvesting of timber are conducted in accordance with the Forest Act and the Forest Practices Code of British Columbia Act.