Region Archives: Canada West

Fort St. James, B.C. – With funding from the Forest Enhancement Society of BC, uneconomic residual fibre is being delivered from locations farther from town to BioNorth Energy, a joint venture partnership between Arrow Group of Companies, the Nak’azdli Development Corporation, the economic development arm of the Nak’azdli First Nation, and low-carbon infrastructure developer, Nexus PMG. The project, which began in the fall of 2023 after an intense wildfire season, will finalize this winter, helping reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions from entering the atmosphere while also generating economic and social benefits for the community of Fort St. James. …The project focuses on grinding residual logging debris into feedstock for BioNorth Energy, a 40-mega-watt biomass power generation plant in Fort St. James. 

Len Apedaile, RPF, is the general manager of Tiičma Forestry, a small market logger based up in Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’/Che:k’tles7et’h’ First Nations (KCFN) territory on Vancouver Island’s north coast. He thinks, if anything, the American tariffs scenario of 25% on all Canadian imports will give businesses the opportunity to re-evaluate how they fundamentally do things. …“This doesn’t happen overnight, but I think that you’ll see that this will spur on those efforts over time,” said Apedaile. …“We really don’t understand where these tariffs are coming from because they just don’t make sense for the Americans or us. …Tiičma Forestry operates in a high-cost area of Vancouver Island. The relatively new First Nations forestry company sells west coast old and second growth logs to a Terminal Forest Products sawmill on the mainland who exports primarily to the U.S.

The BC government is providing Forest Professionals British Columbia (FPBC) with a $620,000 grant to improve and expand the use of registered forest professionals in managing BC’s forests for wildfire. “The increasing frequency and severity of wildfires has shown that we need to be more proactive in managing our forests and the forested lands near our communities to make them more resilient to wildfire and enhance public safety,” said Christine Gelowitz, RPF, Forest Professionals BC chief executive office. “Working in partnership with BC Wildfire Service, we will set robust practice standards in wildfire prevention, planning, and recovery, allowing forest professionals to better manage forests for wildfire and help reduce the risk to the public and the environment.” The funding will support the Wildland Fire Joint Panel Initiative, which includes Forest Professionals BC and the BC Wildfire Service.

A crisscross network of logging roads in the Cariboo Chilcotin are being rehabilitated back into a more natural habitat for wildlife. Daniel Persson, Forestry Superintendent of Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation Ltd. said most of these roads are not used today other than for hunting. “When not rehabilitated back to their original, natural state, these roads create “predator super-highways which allow wolves and other species, including human hunters, to move more quickly and for longer distances than they normally would, becoming more effective hunters at the cost of other wildlife.” Persson said the planning of this rehabilitation work began in late 2020 and this the first year that we are actually getting into it. …Ann Nielson, Silviculture Superintendent with Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation Ltd said some of these roads are 20 to 30 years old.

Colleen Sutheimer

University of Alberta research offers new guidance that can help recover habitat for woodland caribou in forests across the province’s Athabasca oilsands region. The study lays out a strategic method energy companies and provincial land managers can use to determine which seismic lines — narrow clearings cut into the forest for underground petroleum exploration — need human intervention to help regrow trees. Such restoration can help recover habitat for the caribou, designated as a threatened species. Knowing which of the tens of thousands of the lines crisscrossing the northern Alberta region need active restoration can help energy companies and land managers best focus their efforts, says study lead Colleen Sutheimer, a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Agricultural. …The research is the first to explore how long it takes for trees to start growing on Alberta’s seismic lines and how fast they grow once established, called growth trajectories.

The outdoor recreation and forest conservation advocacy group trying to protect the West Bragg Creek/Moose Mountain area from the loggers’ saws says it is being kept busy chasing its tail by the timber company set to clearcut this year, and the provincial department responsible for giving them permission. The loggers are telling them to talk to the provincial minister of forestry. The minister is telling them to talk to the loggers. Shaun Peter of Guardians of Recreational Outdoor Wilderness (GROW) said they are trying to convince the powers that be to commit to implementing the FireSmart program in the area, as a prudent protection, in light of the increase in wildfires across North America in recent years. To that end, GROW met with West Fraser Timber Company (formerly Spray Lake Sawmill in Cochrane) on October 11, and were told they can’t follow FireSmart guidelines without direction from the minister.

Chase council learned the community is in the line of fire after a report from FireSmart coordinator Michael Henderson. At the Jan. 28 meeting, Henderson provided a wildfire risk assessment that said after nearly a century of no-fire policy, climate change and the mountain pine beetle, “the area is primed for wildfire.” …Henderson also referenced a recent study that ranked Chase seventh in the top 10 for the highest burn probability among small communities across Canada, with Sicamous, Sorrento, Grindrod and Nakusp also making the list. …Henderson added that he and staff are looking into introducing a wildfire development permit area and related bylaws to ensure properties are built to FireSmart specifications from the start, which he said other communities such as Vernon already have. That would allow the village to enforce FireSmart measures among residents, who so far haven’t really embraced it.  

Dear Minister Ravi Parmar: I am writing to you in reference to your recent Minister’s Statement regarding photos of tree spiking claimed to be of Fairy Creek, submitted to you anonymously and without verification.  I understand from the reporter who subsequently interviewed me that the purported sender was “Friends of Fairy Creek.”  My name is Kathy Code and I am a Fairy Creek Forest Defender. …Thus, I was dismayed to read your statement.  Not only are you giving public voice to unsubstantiated claims from an unknown sender, but the weight of your office gives some credence to the underlying accusations. …I ask on behalf of the citizens of BC that you withdraw your statement as a means of maintaining the dignity of your office.   

Rhonda Millikin

The Cheakamus Community Forest (CCF) will test a green fuel breaks recommendation from Whistler ecologist Rhonda Millikin who has lobbied the municipality to rethink its approach to mitigating wildfire. Millikin has argued against fuel-thinning and other FireSmart practices, believing it isn’t effective in Whistler’s wet, coastal rainforest, and is actually adding to the community’s fire risk. She advocated for rainwater catchments, sprinkler systems, and natural green fuel breaks. …It is the biggest breakthrough yet for the retired ecologist, whose research has been met with mixed reactions… Forester Bruce Blackwell, who helped author Whistler’s wildfire strategy, has criticized Millikin’s research, arguing her approach would have little impact on fighting a large-scale, out-of-control wildfire. …Millikin’s advocacy led to Forestry Professionals British Columbia issuing a cease-and-desist in December, following a complaint… prompting Phil Burton, a professor at the University of Northern B.C., to decry the FPBC’s “heavy-handed” response to Millikin’s work.

The overall goal is to have a working forest while sustaining ecological and cultural values so that future generations have access to forest areas just as diverse and healthy as those currently enjoyed. For Sunshine Coast Community Forest (SCCF) operations manager, Warren Hansen, ecosystem-based management (EBM), a tool introduced in its operations in 2021, “came from the heart” of what the community wants from SCCF. In his opening remarks at a Jan. 30 Community Advisory Panel and public information webinar, he noted that SCCF’s board and community advisory panel are committed to using EBM in stewarding its tenure by harvesting timber in a way that curbs losses of biodiversity. The overall goal is to have a working forest while sustaining ecological and cultural values so that future generations have access to forest areas just as diverse and healthy as those currently enjoyed. To do that, SCCF relies on advice from contractors including Laurie Kremsater and Anna Yuill, who presented an overview of EBM to about 35 people tuned into the webinar.

Dan Macmaster

UBC Forestry wishes to congratulate Dan Macmaster, MSFM’13, on being named a recipient of the 2024-25 Alumni Builder Awards. An exceptionally dedicated volunteer with the Master of Sustainable Forest Management Program, Dan Macmaster has consistently gone above and beyond in advancing the education of future forest managers. His extensive contributions range from serving on the Master of Sustainable Forest Management Advisory Committee and guest lecturing to volunteering at field camps and organizing multi-day field activities for students.

David Eby

Leaders from across the forest products sector will be descending on Prince George, B.C. from April 2 to 4 for the COFI 2025 Convention. Organized and operated by the BC Council of Forest Industries (COFI), the convention offers attendees a wide variety of panels and presentations over two days, as well as multiple networking opportunities with leaders of B.C.’s forestry sector and beyond. “The 2025 COFI Convention in Prince George comes at a time when the forest sector is facing transformation and turbulence. Looking at where we stand along themes such as competitiveness and sustainability, this event will explore market diversification, industry innovations, and solutions to critical challenges like wildfire and fibre access. It’s the must-attend gathering to shape the future of B.C. forestry,” says COFI’s director of communications Travis Joern. 

Chris Duncan

Chris Duncan, partner and national leader of forestry and forest products at MNP unpacks the forest industry’s biggest challenges and successes of 2024 and look ahead to 2025. Topics include shifting markets, labour shortages, the threat of U.S. tariffs, rising fibre costs, and the impacts of wildfires and storms. They also explore how AI, automation, and sustainability trends are shaping the future, alongside key takeaways from BC’s 2024 election and recent regulatory changes. This podcast offers a must-listen year-end review and outlook for Canada’s forest sector.

BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) crews have returned to B.C. after two weeks supporting the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) with wildfire fighting efforts in Los Angeles. “In times of need, we will always be there for our friends; that’s who we are as British Columbians and as Canadians,” said Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests. “Firefighters don’t ask questions, they run into fires. I want to express my deepest gratitude to each of the crew members who made the trip south.” On Jan. 11, 2025, the BCWS deployed a senior management team of 13 technical specialists to support CAL FIRE’s efforts to control the fast-moving Palisades wildfire. Working directly alongside the American incident management team, B.C.’s team supported in planning, logistics, operations, aviation, fire weather and information roles.

The West Coast’s smallest First Nation is taking great strides toward the creation of an innovative stewardship economy that puts sustainability and conservation first. The Kwiakah First Nation, led by munmuntle, Chief Steven Dick, consists of 19 members mostly based on Vancouver Island. …The nation intends to revitalize its lands and waters — much of which were badly damaged by logging and other resource industries. …After years of hard work, the nation successfully established the M̓ac̓inuxʷ Special Forest Management Area last May that covers 7,865 hectares of forested land within the Great Bear Rainforest. The Kwiakah SFMA bans logging in favour of regenerative operations aimed at bringing the forest back to its pre-industrial state. The nation also intends to expand its protected forest area to 56,000 hectares by purchasing other logging licences in its traditional territory, Frank Voelker, the nation’s band manager added.

The BC government has approved a legal order to extend temporary protections in the Fairy Creek watershed until Sept. 30, 2026. It applies to the same forest lands that were deferred in June 2021. The deferral protects almost 1,200 hectares—all the Crown land in the Fairy Creek watershed. The watershed falls within the Pacheedaht and Dididaht First Nations’ territory. The extension feels like a small bit of clearing in a forest of uncertainty. … “The [added] time provides the Pacheedaht FN the opportunity to do the extremely important work of developing their resource management plan,” Forestry Minister Ravi Parmar told Capital Daily. …The forestry sector in BC has struggled in recent years with a reduction in access to fibre and the sawmills to process it. The slowdown has led to numerous mill closures and the loss of thousands of jobs across the province.

PORT ANGELES — The recent pause on some older tree sales in state-managed forests will not affect parcels that already have been approved or auctioned, despite some environmentalists’ hopes. When Dave Upthegrove was sworn in as the state’s public lands commissioner on Jan. 15, he immediately enacted a pause on the approval for auction of state-managed “legacy forests,” a campaign promise. …Some environmental activists had hoped the pause also would apply to legacy forests that already had been approved for auction, or those that had been auctioned but not yet logged. …However, after reviewing his administrative options, Upthegrove said he “do[es] not see a successful path forward for me to unilaterally stop them.” “It’s always incredibly difficult to unwind an action after it’s been approved and implemented, and the legal and procedural challenges of administrative action here make it virtually impossible,” he said in a statement.

Stillwater Consulting and Lil’wat Forestry Ventures (LFV) have partnered to deliver two fully funded, six-week training programs on wildfire and community resilience at the Ts̓zil Learning Centre in Mount Currie. Students will learn from LFV staff, Lil’wat elders and a dozen instructors brought in by Stillwater over six weeks of training in forestry and wildfire mitigation. Those hours will be split between class time and hands-on experience. “It’s set to get people ready to work in the field,” LFV general manager Klay Tindall told Pique. “It’s not to get them ready to work in an office, that’s for sure.” …The program also expands beyond core wildfire fighting skills with additional certifications involving working safely under power lines, bear safety, danger tree assessment, and natural resource field studies like silviculture and tree planting. Tindall said the broader approach is meant to ensure students are employable outside of the fire season. 

One of the biggest policy changes needed in B.C. is to forestry policy. B.C. policy for the last 50 years has resulted in a rapid clear-cutting of a large part of our forests even as all the research indicates that: Within a 60-80 year time span, only 20-30 per cent of forests can be cut in any one area without harming the hydrological cycle. On this basis, most BC commercial forests have been severely over-cut making a mockery of the Annual Allowable Cut. …Clear-cutting results in increased risk of forest fires up to 30 years when replanted. …Re-planting is a form of green-washing giving companies cover for the forest damage they do. …Due to the increase in forest fires partially due to logging, BC forests have [become a] carbon source. …The Power of Forests: Protecting Communities and Nature with a New Forest Act effort was launched by the Boundary Forest Watershed Stewardship Society.

It’s been almost a year since the B.C. NDP government moved to snuff out a growing political brush fire sparked by the latest and largest step in its bid to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People across the province. Changes to the province’s little-known Land Act were abruptly withdrawn by the government in February 2024 after a series of opposition town hall meetings brought out big crowds demanding answers on the implications. Premier David Eby’s promise of more consultation before moving ahead with what it termed shared decision-making on Crown land meant that if it was successful in the election, the NDP would move ahead. …Indigenous rights initiatives tend to start in B.C. and extend across the country. …Enshrining the UN declaration started here, and Justin Trudeau’s government followed suit, with a yet-undefined law to implement it across the federal government as B.C. has begun to do. 

Our new forest minister has been touring the North, trying to learn about forestry, and I hope, forests. I sure hope someone is telling him about the need to stop clearcutting Douglas fir forests… Douglas fir represent only two per cent of our forests in the Prince George Timber Supply Area. It’s a relatively fire-resistant conifer species with good biodiversity values we could use more of, not less… Douglas fir seedlings have a higher rate of failure compared to lodgepole pine. They are vulnerable to frost damage. During heatwaves the sun can cook them… This report identified another threat to Douglas fir regeneration: the elimination of our critical deciduous species. Douglas Fir, the report argues, are protected and enhanced by the deciduous “brush” that we currently eliminate from our regenerating stands, either with herbicides or with brush saws.

On January 30, the Parks and Open Spaces Department will begin safety work on the Grandfather Tree following its fall during the windstorm earlier this month. To ensure public safety, the Grandfather Tree trail will be temporarily closed to all bicycle and pedestrian traffic during this time. The Town of Cochrane kindly asks residents and visitors to respect posted signage and follow any guidance provided by staff working in the area… Propagation specialists have successfully collected seeds and meristem cuttings from the top of the tree. They are working closely with a grower to propagate the seed and are also exploring innovative tissue culture micropropagation techniques to create potential clones of the tree. These efforts aim to preserve the Grandfather Tree’s unique genetic legacy for future generations.

This is the beginning of convention season and that means many opportunities to learn, connect, and hear from government officials, project partners, and community organizations about problems, policies, and possibilities for the sector. The mood, thus far, is introspective, with reviews planned for BC Timber Sales and the forest sector in general. …At FESBC, we are reviewing applications for funding over the next two years. Demand for funding currently far exceeds supply. In this newsletter: A safety tip from the BC Forest Safety Council; Faces of Forestry features Erin McLeod; Information on FESBC’s 2025-27 second round of funding; Impact and benefits of the Pressy Lake Pilot Project; Nakusp & Area Community Forest’s wildfire risk reduction projects; and a podcast feature from the University of Northern British Columbia Forestry Club.

The BC government has approved a legal order to extend temporary protections to an old-growth forest on Vancouver Island even as the minister of forests acknowledged that the RCMP are investigating reports of tree spiking. Ravi Parmar called the news of such vandalism “incredibly alarming.” Spikes are typically metal and can injure or even kill a person who attempts to cut down or mill the tree. …The minister said spiking puts health and safety of forestry workers at risk, adding that the province immediately notified both the forestry licensee and the local First Nation. “It is outrageous that… they feel that causing serious injury to workers furthers their cause,” said Brian Butler, president of United Steelworkers Local 1-1937. The provincial government’s announcement… came at the request of the Pacheedaht First Nation, whose territories encompass the entire watershed. The protections allow for continued discussions about the long-term management of the watershed.

Related coverage:

• Province extends Fairy Creek old-growth deferral – Government of BC
• Minister’s statement on RCMP investigation in Fairy Creek – Government of BC
• Photos of spiked trees in Fairy Creek sent to Forests Ministry – Roxanne Egan-Elliot in Times Colonist

…changes in climate are expected to drive wildlife seeking refuge up mountains and further north. But for trees… the changes in climate are often coming too fast to get out of the way, especially when combined with pressures from logging, said Suzanne Simard, a professor in the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Forestry. …In a new study published in Global Change Biology, Simard and her UBC colleagues took three-year-old interior Douglas fir seedlings from locations in southern B.C. and planted them as far north as Fort St. James, the northern limit of the species’ range … to find out how the trees would handle the human-assisted migration, and if they would do better in a colder climate.  …As early as 2006, University of Alberta researcher Andreas Hamann published a study that concluded climate change could push the range of B.C.’s tree species north at a rate of 100 kilometres per decade.  

Ten hectares of community and Crown forest in Kaslo are ready to champion the next wildfire season, following a nearly $100,000 risk-reduction project. The Kaslo and District Community Forest Society (KDCFS) has wrapped up nearly two years of wildfire mitigation work on eight hectares of its land and two hectares of Crown land, which have a popular bike trail network and were deemed high-risk areas in Kaslo’s wildland-urban interface. Risk reduction efforts included fuel reduction by removing select trees and forest debris, with support and $96,900 in funding from the Forest Enhancement Society of BC. According to KDCFS manager Jeff Reyden, this was a “full-phase” project that started in spring of 2023 and included surveying wildfire assessment plots, consulting with the community, and creating a fuel-management prescription document with detailed instructions and objectives.

VICTORIA – The Forest Practices Board has completed its audit of BC Timber Sales (BCTS) and Timber Sale Licence (TSL) holders in the Haida Gwaii Natural Resource District. A compliance audit examined all forestry planning and activities carried out in the area between May 1, 2022, and May 31, 2024. The parties complied with most legislative requirements with two exceptions. Auditors found BCTS was not diligent in inspecting approximately 90 kilometres of its roads and structures in its Sewell Inlet operating area. …Following the audit, BCTS inspected these roads … and has committed to working with the Ministry of Forests and the Haida Nation to develop road deactivation plans as needed. …Auditors found all three TSL holders audited had abated fire hazards within the required period. However, two TSL holders did not complete the required number of fire-hazard assessments and did not conduct fuel-hazard assessments on time. This is considered an area requiring improvement…

In this newsletter you’ll find these stories and more:

• Become a Member: At the BCCFA, we are honoured to advocate for our members and community forestry in BC. Membership is open to all who are interested in supporting community forestry in BC.
• Mandate Letter for the Minister of Forests states: “Work to secure a more sustainable future for First Nations and communities that depend on local forests for their economic strength by expanding the community forest program.”  
• Join us in Nanaimo for our 2025 Conference & Annual General Meeting
• BC Wildfire Service released their 2024 wildfire season summary

Keith Atkinson

Issue #28 – Winter 2024/25 includes these stories and more:

• Message from board chair, Keith Atkinson
• The Secret Life of Board Members, by Bruce Larson
• Audit Program Update: In 2024, we released four audit reports
• Complaint Investigation Program: In 2024, we received 7 complaints and dealt with 48 concerns from members of the public. 
• New Special Projects: The Board has approved two new special investigations 
• Appeals Program: The Board did not initiate or join an appeal in 2024. However, we are currently still participating in two appeals
• Recommendations: The Board tracks the implementation of its recommendations and posts all responses to our recommendations with the relevant report on our website.
• People: Since 2023, we have had staff members retire or transition to new roles outside of our organization, necessitating the need for new staff to assume these positions. 

The Court of Appeal for British Columbia upheld zoning restrictions on privately managed forest lands on Galiano Island, affirming the local trust committee’s authority to prohibit residential development despite provincial legislative changes allowing limited residential use. The court’s ruling reaffirmed the Galiano Island Local Trust Committee’s authority to restrict residential development on forest lands. The dispute dates back to 2000 when the committee adopted bylaw no. 127, which prohibits residential use in the “Forest 1 Zone.” The appellants, owners of privately managed forest land, argued that the bylaw was invalid or inapplicable due to subsequent provincial legislation, including the 2004 Private Managed Forest Land Act.

With Moose Jaw’s Dutch elm trees “struggling” because of disease, city hall is hoping that hiring two more forestry staff will enable crews to address symptomatic trees and remove dead wood promptly. During a recent 2025 budget meeting, city council voted unanimously to allocate $72,356 to the community service department’s operating budget to expand staffing in the forestry division. This funding will help the city provide a full-time, four-person crew for 30 weeks per year and a two-person crew for 22 weeks during the fall and winter, a budget report said. More staff — there is currently a two-person, year-round crew — would improve response times for service requests, shorten tree pruning cycles, enhance public safety, reduce property damage and promote the urban forest’s long-term health.

As the challenges facing the West Kootenay’s forestry sector deepen, many have expressed concern over the potential for significant job losses. Tom Thomson, executive director of the Nelson and District Chamber of Commerce (NDCC), highlighted the potential ripple effects of the proposed 25 per cent tariffs from the U.S. “Forestry jobs are the backbone of Nelson,” said Thomson. “ If those jobs disappear the ripple effects are felt everywhere…It trickles down.” “It’s a bit too early to say for sure,” he added. “It could lead to huge layoffs in the forestry and manufacturing areas.”.. The provincial government has stated through a preliminary assessment that they project to lose $69 billion in economic growth between 2025 and 2028. They also proposed that the province’s gross domestic product (GDP) could decline by 0.6 per cent each year, with an estimated 124,000 job losses by 2028.

You can add the names of the three men who planted it to the long list of people opposed to the City of Victoria removing a giant sequoia to make way for a re-imagined Centennial Square. Tom Rose, Mike Leahy and Stu Montgomery, the three-man city horticulture crew that planted the tree on a late-winter day in the early 1980s, say they just don’t understand why it has to come down. “It’s a waste,” said Montgomery, 67, who retired in 2012 from the city after 37 years tending boulevards, sports fields and a stint overseeing Centennial Square. “It doesn’t make any sense.” The tree and the fountain would both be removed in a proposed $11.2-million redesign of the 60-year-old civic landmark.

Twenty-one students with the University of British Columbia’s Master of Sustainable Forest Management (MSFM) program visited the Sea to Sky in January to learn from Lil’wat Forestry Ventures (LFV) about economic and traditional elements of forestry. Between Jan. 20 and 24, the students worked with LFV on how to develop a landscape-level forest management plan that respects key conservation, fire management and cultural values. They were led by Ken Byrne, a UBC lecturer and registered professional forester (RPF) and lecturer at UBC. Byrne has been organizing these expeditions for some time, usually working to arrange the MSFM in partnership with a community forest or smaller tenure nearby or owned by a First Nation. …“We’re thrilled to partner with UBC on another project,” LFV general manager Klay Tindall said. “Our collaboration has allowed us to combine traditional forest science with Lil’wat cultural knowledge and values, leading to more informed management decisions.”

Kaslo, B.C. – As wildfires continue to increase in frequency and severity, the Kaslo and District Community Forest Society (KDCFS) completed a wildfire risk reduction project, covering approximately 8 hectares of KDCFS’s tenure and 2 hectares of Crown land within the Wildland Urban Interface. With funding support from the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC), the fuel reduction work focused on selectively removing trees to reduce the high fuel content and excess forest debris within a high-use recreation area that has an extensive bike trail network. This fuel reduction treatment will help protect the community from wildfires and serve to enhance both wildlife habitat and recreational values. “As wildfire seasons grow longer and more intense, projects like this are critical for reducing fuels in forests near communities,” said Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests. “My thanks go to the Kaslo and District Community Forest Society for taking on this important community-driven work…”

A new University of British Columbia study has pinpointed strategies to help local forests adapt to climate change. …the eight-year study found ways forest ecosystems can be better prepared for the climate threat, with a focus on mitigating the loss of the Douglas fir tree. …professor and co-author of the study Suzanne Simard, said the project looked at the process of relocating Douglas firs that are already adapted to dry, hot weather, further north. …Opting for a two-pronged approach, researchers also explored how various routes of harvesting and regenerating forests would affect the migrated seedlings’ attempt to grow in the face of climate change. Researchers tried various avenues, from clear-cutting to retaining larger densities of the tallest Douglas fir trees, said Simard.

British Columbia-based environmental activist Zain Haq was aboard a plane in Toronto on Sunday afternoon, awaiting a nearly 14-hour flight to Pakistan. But Haq was not on the plane by choice. He was being deported following the expiry of a temporary residency permit and a failed bid by his Canadian wife to sponsor him to stay. …Haq initially came to Canada on a student visa from Pakistan. He co-founded the activist group Save Old Growth and pleaded guilty to mischief charges in 2023 over his role in environmental protests that blocked Metro Vancouver roadways. He was granted a temporary resident permit last spring, but it expired in October, and Haq’s challenge of his deportation in federal court was unsuccessful.

In recent years, the B.C. forestry sector has been characterized by mill closures, permitting delays, and job losses. …Last week, I met with forests minister Ravi Parmar to bring my concerns to his attention. Though the main focus of our conversation was the forest industry, many of the permitting issues fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship as well. We discussed the unpredictability of fibre supply and the burning of cull piles, which I am adamantly opposed to. …B.C. mills will only survive if the fibre approval process is streamlined and access to fibre is expedited. Why wouldn’t we want to simultaneously support mill operations in B.C. and reduce waste?  We must simplify regulations to allow fire-damaged timber and residual fibre to be used efficiently. …A review of BCTS is great but…. time is for sure of the essence! Our industry can’t wait any longer!!

Willow Ellsworth

Willow Ellsworth’s love for the outdoors inspired her to pursue a career in forestry… From BC Timber Sales she later joined the Ministry of Forests in the Authorizations department, working on road permits, cruising, and log scaling. In 2022, she obtained her Registered Forest Technologist designation and Interior Log Scaling license. Ellsworth started working with NorthPac in 2021 as a Forest Technologist and within a year transitioned to the role of Shipping Coordinator and finally Log Yard and Waste Supervisor. …“I am primarily involved in the Coast Tsimshian Resources LP and NorthPac’s fibre utilization project,” Willow noted. “Initially, we were shipping sawlogs via log cars to Dunkley, and the program has since expanded to introducing a chipper on site and shipping chips to Canfor in Prince George. FESBC funding has enabled NorthPac to haul pulp logs and small tops that are usually left to burn in the bush.”

Calgary, AB – The Indigenous Resource Network (IRN) is cautioning British Columbia Premier David Eby and BC Forests Minister Ravi Parmar to consider how forest policy changes could potentially harm Indigenous forestry workers and operators as the new government has committed to reviewing provincial forestry policies. The BC NDP signed an agreement-in-principle with the BC Greens to create a stable provincial government. The IRN is particularly concerned that the agreement commits the government to undertake yet another BC forests policy review as the province is facing expected softwood lumber duties and U.S. tariffs on February 1. We invite the premier and minister to meet with the Indigenous Resource Network to discuss how the province can balance Indigenous forestry resource management with environmental stewardship. We also invite them to view our documentary project Stewards of the Forest: Indigenous Leadership in Forestry to witness how Indigenous forestry operators are balancing resource development with responsible stewardship.

Creating these fuel-free zones around communities and neighbourhoods stops a fire in its tracks because there is little or nothing to accelerate their rapid and enormous growth. In 2024, a delegation of professional foresters from B.C. toured Finland to see what we could learn from how others manage their forests. …Over the last 10 years, Finland has lost an annual average of 323 hectares of land to wildfires. Over the same period, B.C. has lost an annual average of 407,000 hectares. Why this vast difference? Finland has practised intensive forestry for decades. Foresters regularly enter stands to remove weak or damaged trees. …This fibre is then directed to nearby pulp and paper mills or community bio-energy plants. No fibre is wasted. …Another Finnish practice is to maintain logging roads, which are broken down and “put to bed” here after harvesting in an area is complete.

City of Powell River councillors will direct staff to proceed with the city’s wildfire hazard development permit designation to address areas susceptible to wildfire risk. At the January 21 committee of the whole meeting …director of planning services Jason Gow …presented information regarding the wildfire development permit area project. He said in the summer of 2024, Frontera Forest Solutions was retained by the city to lead implementation of a wildfire hazard development permit area. …this project will include the identification of areas susceptible to wildfire risk, and the development of accompanying guidelines and mapping products. …Gow said a wildfire buffer is measured as the distance extending outward from areas near burnable fuels, which are vegetated areas with potential to carry wildfire. …The committee voted unanimously to direct staff to proceed with using a 100-metre wildfire buffer as the basis for the city’s wildfire hazard development permit area designation.

In a place surrounded by breathtaking forests and rugged mountains, wildfire preparedness is more than just a precaution—it’s a community effort.  With climate change bringing longer, drier seasons, Squamish residents are coming together to protect their homes and neighbourhoods through the FireSmart program. Squamish faces heightened wildfire vulnerability due to a combination of topography, weather, and fuel accumulation. Squamish’s growing tourism and development also impact wildfire risks. Reflecting on lessons from the current and recent wildfires in California and beyond, Emily Wood, FireSmart co-ordinator, stressed preparation. “FireSmart is the best way to protect your home, and small steps like clearing debris or removing flammable vegetation can make a huge difference.” Wood also pointed to bylaws prohibiting highly flammable plants like cedar and juniper near structures. “These regulations are critical, but enforcement can be challenging,” she acknowledged.