Troubled by a recent Auditor General鈥檚 report into how the B.C. manages its forests, rural directors at the (RDBN) are seeking independent forestry advice.

The RDBN鈥檚 forestry committee voted unanimously to hire experts for an impartial look into issues such as forest inventories and the post mountain pine beetle timber supply.

鈥淪ome of my concern is that quite often this stuff is held behind closed doors,鈥� said Bill Miller, committee chair and director of the 亚洲天堂 Lake rural area.

That concern is echoed in the audit, which was released in February by B.C. Auditor-General John Doyle.

鈥淭he Ministry has not clearly defined its timber objectives,鈥� the report said, adding that the Ministry needs to set clearer, province wide targets for timber volume, value and species diversity, and to start reporting publicly on the results.

Miller said another key problem identified in the report is that private companies and community groups that hold timber licences have to follow stricter tree planting and forest stewardship rules than the government itself.

Even before they circle a group of trees for harvest, Miller said licencees have to prepare detailed plans for how to protect things such as wildlife and nearby rivers.

But after the trees reach free-growing stage, stewardship of B.C. forests returns to the province.

Although the trees are fairly mature by that stage, wildfires, diseases and new access roads can all enter the picture and require more planning.

Another issue, Miller said, is the way that B.C.鈥檚 forests ministry performs forest inventories. 鈥淭hey do a lot of, circle the area, count the trees, and extrapolate,鈥� he said.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 not accurate, the Auditor-General has said that, and we鈥檝e known that for years. I really think that if we鈥檙e going to make responsible decisions around this table, then we need that source of resource to draw on.鈥�