Effective today, backcountry users may notice a new uniform in the woods.

Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations compliance and enforcement officers will now be known as Natural Resource Officers and can enforce a broader range of natural resource legislation.

Previously, Compliance and Enforcement Officers could only enforce acts that they were specifically designated to uphold. As Natural Resource Officers, they will be able to enforce a broader range of statutes, shorten response time and improve their effectiveness in the field.

A single Natural Resource Officer can now respond to violations that are covered by more than one natural resource act, instead of three or four staff that may have been required previously. The new Natural Resource Officer designation is a result of the Natural Resource Compliance Act that was introduced in fall 2011 and came into effect on March 15, 2012.

A photo of Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Steve Thomson and some of the new Natural Resource Officers is available at: http://flic.kr/p/c93RjU

Quote:

Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Steve Thomson -

"Natural Resource Officers can now enforce a wider range of laws and regulations. This change will improve our response in the field and further streamline our inspection and enforcement procedures."

Quick Facts:

• The Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations currently has 169 compliance and enforcement officers, of which 156 are dedicated to carrying out inspections and investigations.

• More than 11,000 inspections are completed each year to assess compliance with provincial laws that fall within the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations' mandate.

Learn More:

The Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations' Compliance and Enforcement Program: http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hen/

A backgrounder follows.

Contact:

Brennan Clarke
Public Affairs Officer
Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations
250 356-5261

BACKGROUNDER

Natural Resource Officers given expanded scope

Compliance and Enforcement staff, who are designated as Natural Resource Officers (NROs), will be able to enforce the following acts:

Creston Valley Wildlife Act

Dike Management Act

Forest Act

Forest and Range Practices Act

Heritage Conservation Act

Land Act, section 105

Land Act section 59(4)

Motor Vehicle (All Terrain) Act

Park Act

Private Managed Forest Land Act

Range Act

Water Act

Water Protection Act

Weed Control Act

Wildfire Act

Wildlife Act

Contact:

Brennan Clarke
Public Affairs Officer
Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations
250 356-5261