Photo: Forests near Harrison Lake

An audit of forestry operations near Spotted Owl habitat in the Harrison Lake area was welcomed Wednesday by the Western Canada Wilderness Committee.

But WCWC spokesman Joe Foy questioned how deep the study by the Forest Practices Board would probe into activities by logging companies.

“We’ve found from past FPB studies they are constrained by forestry laws,” Foy said.

But then again, he added, other FPB studies have at time times revealed “useful” information.

“They may uncover some interesting things in the Harrison Lake area,” he said, like the impact of private power developments.

A spokesperson for the FPB said the audit of the company - 606546 BC Ltd. - on Forest Licence A19202 was chosen at random and not as the result of any complaints.

The harvesting occurred near the community of Deroche, and around Chehalis Lake, the Sumallo River and the Silver River near Harrison Lake.

Spotted owls are known to inhabit some of those areas, the FPB said in a news release announcing the audit.

The results of the audit are not expected until the fall or winter of this year.

The FPB is B.C.’s independent watchdog for sound forest practices, reporting its findings and recommendations directly to the public and government.

Last year, the FPB criticized the government for shortcomings in its system for tracking changes in forest land conditions in B.C.