Region Archives: Canada West

A British Columbia man is speaking out after the RCMP watchdog chastised a controversial unit for its “frequent unreasonable actions” at Fairy Creek in 2021. Brian Smallshaw, from Salt Spring Island, said he suspected the force was breaking the law. …In a scathing report completed last month, the commission found the Mounties wrongfully arrested Smallshaw. The company that owns the logging rights in the contested area, Teal-Jones Group, was granted an injunction in B.C. Supreme Court prohibiting protesters from blocking access to roads and company activity. The report harshly criticizes the RCMP’s Community-Industry Response Group (C-IRG) for using legally unjustified, “disproportionately intrusive” methods when enforcing that injunction. …The report says the complaints commission made similar findings about C-IRG in three subsequent reviews, which are not yet public. …In a statement, the RCMP agreed with the recommendations, including that someone should apologize to Smallshaw.

Reconciliation is a provincial imperative, embedded in law, and there is real progress and change. In 2019, government passed the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (Declaration Act). …Through this work, government is building a province where Indigenous excellence, leadership, governance and self-determination are recognized and respected. …Reconciliation agreements [with significant forestry components] include:

• B.C. increases forest revenue sharing with First Nations: To ensure First Nations see immediate benefits while the new model is being developed, B.C. is providing an interim increase to the rates under the existing forestry revenue sharing program. (April 2022) 
• Conservation strengthened in Great Bear Rainforest: The Province and Kwiakah First Nation have created a new Special Forest Management Area supporting regenerative forestry and conservation in the southern Great Bear Rainforest. (May 2024)

DELTA, BC — Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) unveiled a commemorative cairn honouring George Reifel, a long-time advocate of waterfowl and wetland conservation and a passionate supporter of DUC. The ceremony took place at the George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary, a conservation area named for Reifel’s grandfather, George C. Reifel, that represents the Reifel family’s enduring commitment to wildlife and habitat preservation. …”George Reifel’s dedication to conservation has left an enduring mark on our landscapes and our organization,” said Michael Nadler, CEO of Ducks Unlimited Canada. “The sanctuary and wetlands he and his family helped protect will continue to flourish as living tributes to their efforts. His dedication and selfless contributions are worthy of celebration, and recognition.”

Mike Waters

Students in the Alberni Valley will return to McLean Mill for a series of activities to celebrate National Forestry Week. Ryan Price of BC Timber Sales says the program was paused during the pandemic. Price is one of several forestry professionals, including the South Island office of the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, working together to bring the curriculum-based event to more than 250 Grade 5 students in School District 70. …Stations include tree and vegetation identification with Tsawak-qin, information on how karst and forestry work together from an NIC representative, salmon enhancement with the Port Alberni Hatchery, fish habitat with Reddfish, wildfire prevention and management from B.C. Wildfire Service and remote sensing and computer-aided work in forestry from Forsite. Professionals from Mosaic Forest Management company will talk about drone technology and how it is used in forestry.

Dominik Roeser

Dominik Roeser is an Associate Professor in Forest Operations in the Faculty of Forestry at UBC. His primary role is supporting students on their journey at UBC, both in the classroom and during our field schools. His teaching and research are focused on developing innovative forest operations solutions to enhance the management of British Columbia’s remarkable forests. In his new role as Associate Dean of Research Forests and Community Outreach, he has the opportunity to work alongside an outstanding team at our Alex Fraser and Malcolm Knapp research forests. Roeser’s primary responsibilities include strengthening the connections between the Faculty of Forestry and their research forests, and providing strategic direction for a range of exciting projects that will make the Faculty of Forestry an even better place to study and conduct research in the future. 

Like most First Nations here, Wet’suwet’en never signed treaties with the Canadian or provincial governments. Nevertheless, the latter took the land and leased forested acreage to logging companies. Caas Tl’aat Kwah (also known as Serb Creek) is in the crosshairs of a debate over the scope of First Nations’ agency, biodiversity loss and protection – and the role industrial logging plays in amplifying Canada’s forest fires, the effects of which are being felt across the globe… In recent years, British Columbia and Canada have both passed the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), which requires “free, prior, and informed consent”. However, Canadian and provincial governments do not give Nations veto power over development projects within their territories.

About 516 years ago, a Douglas fir seed germinated not far from what would become known as the Nitinat River, west of Cowichan Lake. It coincided with some of the most significant convergences of peoples, cultures and climate in North America’s and British Columbia’s history… An updated display at the forestry centre on West Burnside Road now chronicles those intersecting timelines. Instead of the single Euro-focused timeline of the previous display housed in the forestry centre’s lobby for 55 years, the revised exhibit documents local Indigenous and settler historic milestones, the tree’s own significant lifetime events, and changes in climate and atmospheric carbon dioxide for the five centuries recorded in the growth rings in the discs of the first-growth behemoth and a corresponding second-growth tree.

Forestry contractors from Campbell River to Duncan were recently recognized for their commitment to workplace safety and excellence. Mosaic Forest Management presented the awards last month at its annual safety conference in Nanaimo. From Campbell River, Wahkash Contracting won the Excellence in Safety Culture and Innovation Award, Way Key LP won Indigenous Business of the Year, and Stewart Wheatley won the Leadership in Log Quality Award. From Courtenay, Chris Guthrie was selected as Crew Safety Champion, and Steve McArthur won the Life Saver Award. From the Nanaimo region Profor Consulting was recognized for Longstanding Safety Performance and Bill Boyes was chosen as Crew Safety Champ. And in the Duncan area Jordan River Logging was chosen for Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion, John Hay won the Lifesaver Award, and DC Johnstone Excavating was chosen for Excellence in Environmental Performance.

In a news release issued on September 18, 2024, forestry communities from across northern and central BC came together to call on the government for the following:

1. Commence a structured tenure redistribution in accordance with ‘Modernizing Forestry Policy in BC, and ensure Municipalities and First Nations are empowered to manage our timber supply;
2. Expedite the expansion of Community Forests in BC; and
3. Work with Municipalities and First Nations to implement fire safe strategies that mitigate wildfires through regionally approved fire management practices.

“We are in desperate need of tenure redistribution in this Province, putting to rest the damage that commenced under previous governments when appurtenancy was removed without guardrails.” – Mayor Joan Atkinson, District of Mackenzie

Directors were mostly in favour of sending a letter to the Ministry of Forests in support of the Forestry Works for BC campaign, but will put off the final decision until October. Ken Kalesnikoff, president and CEO of Kalesnikoff Lumber, made a presentation to the board last month regarding the initiative, which seeks to raise awareness about forestry’s role in the well-being of rural and urban communities. Some directors didn’t want to stick to the template letter of support on Forestry Works for BC’s website, and hoped to include specific values of the board such as forestry’s role in wildfire mitigation and fibre diversion. Other directors thought the template was fine. Staff will draft a letter for directors to discuss during the October meeting. [END]

Lower Nicola Indian Band Development Corporation is engaging in wildfire fuel management in Logan Lake. Since March 25, Lower Nicola Indian Band Development Corporation (LNIBDC) has been working to thin out hazardous fuels at the Logan Lake Community Forest. Dubbed Logan Lake East (LLE) 1 and 2, the site or fuel treatment units the Band corporation has been contracted to manage is located approximately two kilometres from downtown Logan Lake and sits near critical infrastructure, access and evacuation routes, and recreational areas. According to the project description, exclusion of fire after European settlement has led to dense forests with excessive surface and ladder fuels. The proposed treatment will reduce canopy closure and create a more open understory, mimicking natural fire patterns in the region. “The idea is to reduce the potential for a highly volatile wildfire,” said LNIBDC general and forestry manager Don Gossoo. 

Brad Thorlakson

Vernon’s Brad Thorlakson has been awarded the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award by the Forest Products Association of Canada. He is the third generation of the Thorlakson family to lead Tolko Industries. The company’s name is derived from every second letter of the family’s name. “Brad Thorlakson’s impact on the forest sector has been profound. He has guided Tolko Industries, a proud B.C.-based family business, for many years with visionary leadership and a deep commitment to Tolko employees, community well-being, and sustainability,” Derek Nighbor, president and CEO of the Forest Products Association of Canada. Thorlakson was the company’s president and CEO from 2010 to 2024 before assuming the position of executive chairman. “My grandfather began our legacy in the forest industry 68 years ago. …I feel incredibly proud to continue and grow what he and my father built, a company committed to safety, with people who are passionate about sustainable forest management,” Thorlakson said.

Lana Wilhelm & Tom Grabowski

An employee of a Richmond-based pulp and paper company has won the Forest Products Association of Canada’s 2024 Women in Forestry Award. Lana Wilhelm, director of Indigenous relations at Paper Excellence, whose headquarters are in Richmond, was recognized for her leadership in sustainability and for encouraging diversity in the sector. Paper Excellence is a manufacturer of pulp and paper with a large number of mills and chipping plants across the country. The award was presented by the Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) at its 2024 Awards of Excellence this week in Ottawa. Originally from Ontario, Wilhelm has more than 20 years of experience in various forestry roles, and since joining Paper Excellence in 2019, she’s built a sustainable Indigenous relations program for more efficient communication between Indigenous, corporate and government agencies.

We need to coexist with wildfire… but what does it mean? It signifies something different to different people — to the Indigenous community evacuating three times in five years, the elderly couple with cardiopulmonary issues who struggle to breathe come August, or the small tourism operator watching as bookings drop year after year. …We have to invest in solutions that reduce risk and expense — solutions that contribute to economies and communities instead of draining them….The current thinking holds that total fire cost is six to 30 times the fire-suppression cost. But we don’t know for sure because B.C. doesn’t track it. …One solution to these mounting costs is Indigenous fire stewardship. After all, Indigenous peoples have coexisted with fire for millennia. They put fire on the land in spring and fall to create meadows, diversify species, and generate abundant harvests. 

Jason Fisher

Message from the Executive Director, Jason Fisher: Well, it has been two weeks since joining FESBC as executive director, and in that time, I have been to Kamloops, Victoria, Williams Lake and even, occasionally, my hometown of Prince George. I have been meeting the team and project proponents; our funders and Board members; and our trusted partners across B.C. And I can tell you that I am excited about the opportunity that FESBC represents, thrilled to be working with such an excellent team and humbled by the trust that’s been placed in me by the Board. Of course, its not all a bed of roses. Things are tough in the forest sector right now and there is no magic wand. People and communities are reeling from decisions and events outside of their control. But I remain hopeful and believe firmly that investing in our forests remains the right thing to do. 

KANANASKIS COUNTRY – Kananaskis Improvement District is planning to build fireguards to help shield area housing and infrastructure from wildfire. Plans include fireguards around the Lower Kananaskis Lake subdivision cabins, Bow Valley Provincial Park housing loop and YMCA Camp Chief Hector at a cost of about $160,000 for planning. If Kananaskis Improvement District’s (KID) grant application is approved, funding would come from the provincial Forest Resource Improvement Association of Alberta community fireguard program. “As we’ve discussed many times around this council table, forest fire is probably our biggest risk and biggest fear, and we’ve all seen what happened in Jasper and other communities,” said KID chair Melanie Gnyp at a Sept. 10 council meeting. “This is a great opportunity for us to try to get some funding to help protect our assets.”

More than half of Saskatchewan is covered in trees, but according to the CEO of Forest Saskatchewan, most people aren’t aware of just how significant the forestry industry is to the province. “It employs thousands, hundreds of thousands of people across the country in Canada,” said Carl Neggers. “It’s probably a $25 to $30 billion economic opportunity and in Saskatchewan we’re closely reaching $2 billion this year. We have probably 1,500 to 2,000 active employees (in Saskatchewan) directly involved in the industry.” National Forest Week runs Sept. 22 – 28. Neggers said it’s a great opportunity to educate the public, not just on the economic impact of the industry, but also in what it gives back. … The forestry sector produces mostly pulp, lumber and oriented strand board in Saskatchewan; 70 per cent of which was exported internationally.

Forestry Innovation Investment (FII) is mandated to position B.C. as a global supplier of world-class environmentally friendly forest products. Canada’s and B.C.’s forest management practices are held in high regard and there is growing international interest in B.C.’s diverse wood products and building system expertise. Communicating B.C.’s competitive advantage in both areas requires consistent and targeted communications efforts to ensure recognition in existing and new markets. In 2008, the Market Outreach program developed the naturally:wood brand, including a comprehensive website naturallywood.com and information resources promoting British Columbia as a global supplier of quality, environmentally responsible forest products from sustainably managed forests. To sustain current performance in audience and content growth, and continue to meet accessibility requirements, we are excited to announce the launch of a complete refresh of naturallywood.com and the wood Supplier Directory. …We encourage you to check out the changes we’ve made and some of our latest resources.

MACKENZIE — An audit of Nak’al Koh Timber Limited has found that its forestry planning and practices in the Mackenzie timber supply area generally complied with the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act, except for seed transfer, silviculture reporting and fire hazard assessment. Auditors examined 13 cutblocks harvested by Nak’al Koh between January 2020 and September 2023 under non-replaceable forest licence A89836 and examined Nak’al Koh’s operational planning, timber harvesting, road and bridge construction and maintenance, silviculture and wildfire protection. Auditors identified five cutblocks where Nak’al Koh did not conform to the chief forester’s seed transfer guidelines and three cutblocks where planting activities were not reported on time. “Nak’al Koh has a plan in place to monitor and address any performance issues arising from its plantations. It also submitted planting reports for the three cutblocks before the end of the audit period,” said Keith Atkinson, chair of the Forest Practices Board.

VANCOUVER, BC — West Kelowna Fire Chief Jason Brolund… attended the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention in Vancouver as part of a panel presenting post-fire research that took place in areas devastated by the McDougall Creek blaze that devastated West Kelowna in the summer of 2023. BC Wildfire Service’s Hannah Swift, FireSmart program lead, said the project… enlisted FPInnovations to undertake the research. Greg Baxter, senior researcher for FPInnovations, said the research team wanted to find out how structures ignited, where they ignited, and how the fire spread into the structure. …Baxter said high winds drove embers to ignite structures — not the head of the wildfire itself. “The main factors contributing to ignition is the flammable materials within one and a half meters of the structure,” he said, noting cedars were a common factor. …Aside from vegetation, other contributing factors included vehicles, all-terrain vehicles and wood piles sitting against a house.

VICTORIA, BC — Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, with Bruce Ralston, BC’s Minister of Forests, announced a joint investment of $950,122 through the Government of Canada’s Resilient Communities through FireSmart (RCF) Program. …This joint investment through the RCF Program will further support B.C.’s efforts to prepare its residents and communities for wildfires and reduce risks before they occur through the continued adoption and implementation of FireSmart initiatives in B.C. The funding will support FireSmart BC in increasing the province’s resource capacity to manage wildfire risks and provide training to wildfire practitioners. The funding will also support the development and implementation of educational programs in schools that teach students how to make homes and communities more resilient to wildfires and increase province-wide FireSmart awareness through media campaigns, encouraging British Columbians to take proactive action to reduce the negative impacts of wildfires.

Stanley Park is an urban forest abutting downtown Vancouver… But parts of the park are being logged because of an outbreak of the hemlock looper moth. A report delivered to the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation in January by B.A. Blackwell and Associates, a forestry consulting firm, found that about 30 per cent of the trees in the park that are more than 20 centimetres in diameter had been killed by the endemic insect – approximately 20,410 trees. Another 36 per cent have experienced moderate defoliation and need to be monitored. …Two months earlier, the Park Board had announced the “urgent removal” of approximately 160,000 trees from Stanley Park as a result of the outbreak. …Not everyone is convinced. Vancouver resident Michael Caditz went to court this week to try to get an interlocutory injunction to prevent further tree removals. …In a video, Caditz calls the city’s response a “one-opinion process”. He is also for a public investigation. [A Globe and Mail subscription is required to access this full story]

Annette LeBox

A new children’s book by a Maple Ridge author Annette LeBox celebrates the quaking aspen tree. ‘Mother Aspen’ pays homage to the aspen tree and the critical role the trees play in the ecosystem. The book tells the story of a 100-year-old Mother Tree that, from her spring awakening and throughout the seasons, takes care of the forest, above and below the surface. …The story came to LeBox after reading ‘Finding The Mother Tree’ by Canadian scientist and UBC professor Dr. Suzanne Simard, who works in the Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences at the university. LeBox became fascinated in the science of the forest that Simard wrote about. “The more I learned about forestry science and what goes on below our feet, it just amazed me,” she said.