Region Archives: Canada West

Invasive earthworms are changing the makeup of soil in Canada’s boreal forests, new University of Alberta research shows. The study highlights how non-native earthworms are directly altering the soil microbial community in the country’s boreal forests. The wrigglers are inducing shifts in the community composition of bacteria and fungi that live in the soil, which is potentially concerning, says Justine Lejoly, who conducted the research at the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences. “That means the functioning of the microbial communities is likely changing as well,” affecting vital services the soil performs, she notes. As the main drivers of carbon and nutrient cycling, these microbes can help plants access important nutrients and also participate in soil carbon storage. “As earthworm invasion progresses in these boreal systems, these changes in the soil microbial communities may have an impact on forests at a large scale,” adds Lejoly.

Bob Brash

CAMPBELL RIVER, BC — The executive director of the Truck Loggers Association’s message that senior government policies are not doing the forest industry any favours fell on sympathetic ears Tuesday. Bob Brash delivered that message as a delegation to Campbell River City Council’s Committee of the Whole. …Brash’ message was that not much was going on in the world of forestry to help further the industry’s aims. …“Whether you agree with what government is trying to do or not, there should be sort of an adequate transition plan. And right now that’s non-existent.” …He acknowledged that everyone is total agreement with the notion of reconciliation and transfer of tenures to First Nations, however, that process is “taking a long time and instills yet another level of uncertainty.” Government talks about value over volume, but the “Catch-22” for the value-added sector… is they also need certainty of supply in order to invest.

In Relate Coverage: Forestry sector plagued by misinformation, uncertainty, says Bob Brash

A senior member of Canada’s Forest Stewardship Council said he thinks North Cowichan’s forestry practices and planning for its 5,000-hectare municipal forest reserve are of a “high level”. Speaking at North Cowichan’s council meeting on Aug. 16, Orrin Quinn, the FSC’s manager for western Canada, said he thinks the municipality’s forest practices are well aligned with the FSC’s principles and criteria. …But Coun. Bruce Findlay said the municipality’s forestry service is one of the best in Canada. Findlay asked if the FSC is against the type of harvesting that North Cowichan used to do in the MFR in the past. Quinn said while he doesn’t know how North Cowichan harvested in the past, industrial forest management practices like those employed by Western Forest Products and Mosaic wouldn’t meet the requirements. …Coun. Chris Istace said for such a small amount of money it may be worthwhile to be accredited by the FSC.

Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality (SPMRM) is applying for a research grant through Forest Enhancement Society of B.C. that could change how Sun Peaks Fire Rescue approaches forest fire fuel mitigation. SPMRM wants to explore chipping and spreading some burn piles – piles of wood thinned from a forest – they collect as fire bans extend longer into the fall, reducing the time fire crews can burn collected fuel. It could also prevent unintended consequences from pile burns that happened last year. On Mt. Morrisey, just over one hectare of trees in two different groves were destroyed after pile burning last fall by forest fuel management crews, contracted by SPMRM, spread underground. These burns were conducted in October after the province lifted the fire ban and after the first snowfall. …The resulting response was shown to council during a presentation in March by Garnet Mierau, a registered forest professional representing Forsite, a company contracted by SPMRM.

Bruce Blackwell

B.C.’s approach to wildfire hazards is out-of-step with its counterparts on the U.S. West Coast that have enacted state-wide building code requirements. Against the advice in its own reviews of catastrophic fire seasons stretching back two decades, the B.C. government hasn’t mandated the construction of buildings using fire-resistant materials and landscaping in wildfire hazard zones. Instead, the province says it’s more appropriate to leave decisions to implement building requirements to individual communities through local bylaws. …Bruce Blackwell, a longtime forestry consultant who has produced dozens of wildfire protection plans for local governments in B.C., said he believes the province has to take charge and not leave it to individual communities. Even where communities implement bylaws, some are done rigorously and some not, and they’re not held to a uniform standard, he said. “The province has to direct high-hazard communities, and mandate building codes that are consistent with FireSmart,” said Blackwell.

Do you know a forest professional who has done an outstanding job in helping manage BC’s forests? Is there someone you work with who is constantly finding new and innovative ways to practise forestry? Someone who mentored you and other forest professionals you look up to as an example of dedication and outstanding service to the forestry profession? If so, nominate them for a 2023 FPBC award, recognizing registrants and others for outstanding achievements in the practice of forestry and service to the profession. Nominations are now open. Awards are presented at the 76th FPBC annual forestry conference and AGM, scheduled for Kelowna, February 7-9, 2024. Awards include Distinguished Forest Professional, Professional Forester of the Year, Forest Technologist of the Year, Forest Innovation Award, and the Jim Rodney Memorial Volunteer of the Year. A full list of all awards and the nominations requirements are available on the FPBC website. Deadline for nominations is October 31. 

In the province of British Columbia, Canada, four of the most severe wildfire seasons of the last century occurred in the past 7 years: 2017, 2018, 2021, and 2023. To investigate trends in wildfire activity and fire-conducive climate, we conducted an analysis of mapped wildfire perimeters and annual climate data for the period of 1919–2021. Results show that after a century-long decline, fire activity increased from 2005 onwards, coinciding with a sharp reversal in the wetting trend of the 20th century. Even as precipitation levels remain high, moisture deficits have increased due to rapid warming and increased evaporative demand. Bottom-up factors further influence fire activity, as the legacy of past wildfires, insect outbreaks, and land-use practices continually influence fire regimes. The compound effects of climate-induced moisture changes and altered fuels now force British Columbians to confront the harsh reality of more frequent years of intense and prolonged wildfire activity.

The planned ignition BC Wildfire Services completed on Tuesday by Hidden Creek was much bigger than originally thought. …favourable conditions allowed crews to continue north and northeast of the Hidden Creek Forest Service Road, ending with a 146-hectare successful ignition. This provided an anchor for fire crews to safely work and develop systems for water suppression operations. Crews stayed late overnight to monitor guards in the area and respond if a hot spot occurred. On Wednesday, crews are starting small hand ignitions within the containment lines. BC Wildfire Service is also going to continue with the next phase of its bigger planned ignitions early Wednesday afternoon. This planned ignition is set to be 350 hectares in size and will burn unburnt fuel on the north and northwest sides of Carrot Mountain, adjacent to the Powers Creek Drainage, where the fire has been most active lately.

B.C.’s Forest Practices Board has denied an appeal of a decision to allow logging on Spallumcheen’s Rose Swanson Mountain. In an Aug. 15 decision, the board declined to appeal amendments to the BC Timber Sales forest stewardship plan – but it is encouraging public discourse on reaching an acceptable compromise. That comes in response to public concern over the potential logging from the Friends of Rose Swanson Ecosystem Society (FORSES) and others. While timber harvesting will now go ahead, the board says “the local community has a significant interest in the future of the Rose Swanson Mountain area, with many people opposed to any timber harvesting there.” Forest Practices Board chair Keith Atkinson continues: “The government has an opportunity now to address the public’s concerns by developing a new management plan that takes the local community’s knowledge and input into account.” …Spallumcheen residents have been fighting the proposed logging since at least 2021.

Additional coverage: Forest Practices Board open letter response to a request from a member of the public to appeal a decision made by government.

Metro Vancouver lost the equivalent of six Stanley Park’s worth of natural habitat in the past decade, according to a report sent to the authority’s regional planning committee. From 2009 to 2020, the region lost 250 square kilometres of forests, fields, wetlands and other ecosystems, mainly from logging, agriculture and development. “The speed and scale of the loss observed is concerning,” said Laurie Bates-Frymel, a city planner. Metro hopes to increase protected natural lands from 40 to 50 per cent of the regional land base by 2050. The natural habitat lost since 2009 represents roughly 1 1/2 per cent of the region’s land. …To combat forest loss from logging, which occurred primarily in the Ridge-Meadows region, the report recommends implementing policies to protect land designated for “conservation and recreation.” …Moore acknowledged the conflicting demands facing municipalities, which are trying to increase housing while simultaneously preserving natural spaces. 

Howe Sound Pulp & Paper Corporation (HSPP) has submitted an application for a disposition of Crown Land to consolidate some in-water and upland tenures for chip transportation. HSPP intends to consolidate nine pre-existing log handling and storage tenures to continue chip transportation and unloading activities at the company’s Port Mellon site. HSPP’s current tenures have a variety of expiry dates, and the application notes four have expired and a fifth is set to expire in the first quarter of 2024. These tenures are used to receive and offload chips and temporarily store empty scows. HSPP began working on renewing some of the water lot leases in 2021, said Blair Dickerson, HSPP’s vice president of public affairs. The leases, which are typically 25 years, were reaching the end of their terms. The existing tenures covered a 17.8 ha which is being merged into a single smaller tenure covering a total area of 8.41ha.

COWICHAN LAKE, BC — The pumping of water from Cowichan Lake into the Cowichan River will begin as early as Sept. 11 while extremely dry conditions persist. Catalyst Crofton will manage the pumping that will continue until water levels are naturally restored later this fall. According to Paper Excellence, water will be pumped at a rate designed to maintain current flow conditions in the Cowichan River. That’s about 4.5 cubic metres per second. …Low lake levels have resulted and reduced flows which now requires water pumping from the lake to preserve the river and its habitat. The pumping is authorized by the B.C. Ministry of Forests. …“Catalyst Crofton has been collaboratively managing Cowichan River since 2002 with First Nations, local government and other key stakeholders,” stated Bruce Eby, general manager. “While curtailed, the mill’s water requirements are significantly reduced.”

On the outskirts of Merritt, a logging truck driver has created the prototype for a new way to haul logs. It’s a hybrid electric/diesel truck that promises more horsepower with a fraction of the fuel costs and emissions. …Chace Barber believes that since logging trucks generally go up the hills empty, and come down loaded, they are perfectly suited for this. “Electric makes the most sense for the logging industry in BC,” said Barber. …Because of range limitations, Barber said fully electric trucks only work for about 10% of the industry. He believes his hybrid model is the answer for most of what remains.

Vernon Seed Orchard Company jointly owned by West Fraser Mills ltd, Canadian Forest Products Ltd and Lakeland Mills Ltd recently unveiled its new Interior Extraction Facility. (VSOC) established in 1989 has been engaged with the Province of BC’s tree improvement program and produced well over 1.5 billion seedlings to date. This new facility will allow seed producers the opportunity to decrease wait times, reduce transportation environmental impacts, manage storage more efficiently and receive their product in a timelier manner. With conifer seed production orchard locations in Vernon and Quesnel (VSOC) is one of the largest seed producers in Canada. “We are committed to reinvesting in our long-term tree improvement goals by building a state-of-the-art facility that will enable seed to be extracted in the interior of BC” stated Jeff Mycock VSOC President and West Fraser Chief Forester.

…a drama is about to unfold in the B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver. The case pits Teal Cedar Products Ltd. against the Province of B.C. and the Haida Gwaii Management Council. Teal is suing for $75 million — the cost, it claims, of being forced to stop logging old-growth forests on Haida Gwaii. …eye-opening testimony offered a window into the government’s thinking on reconciliation, resource extraction and ecological protection. Trial resumes today, with more high-profile witnesses to come. Chief among them is Pat Bell, B.C.’s former minister of forests, who Teal claims made the company a verbal promise it would be “kept whole” in the wake of sweeping forestry reforms on Haida Gwaii more than a decade ago. Teal’s lawsuit is a dark-mirror inversion of the conflict playing out at Fairy Creek where an awkward fact remains: the elected and hereditary leadership of the nations there oppose the blockades and support Teal-Jones.

B.C.’s Forests Minister says there will be a substantial review of the response to the 2023 wildfire season. Bruce Ralston was asked about Barriere Mayor, Ward Stamer’s call for a third-party review of the record breaking fire season. “This is the first year that we’ve had a much broader full-time wildfire service and that will be evaluated,” Ralston said Wednesday. “I know Minister Ma and her ministry will also want to evaluate the mechanisms that evacuation alerts and orders just to make sure that we can do things better.” Stamer told Radio NL he wants that third-party review to look into the good, the bad, and the ugly of this year’s fire season. “I think without pointing any fingers, I think we really want to get to the bottom of what is going on,” Stamer said.

On his way from photographing a juvenile northern goshawk earlier this year, local ecologist Bob Brett happened to run into a forester and mentioned the rare sighting of the protected, red-listed species. His response? “Well, that’s bad for forestry.” But to Brett, a vocal environmental advocate and co-founder of the Whistler Naturalists, it was anything but negative. “It’s a good news story if we have northern goshawks and those other animals that require specialized habitat,” Brett said. “It’s a sign that we’re doing things well. I would love to have a situation where foresters get excited and happy when we find goshawks, rather than see it as an impediment to logging.” …The impact from the lack of formal protections was clear this summer when Brett said recent logging in the Cheakamus Community Forest (CCF) came as close as 30 metres to a goshawk nesting site.

Last Stand West Kootenay stood united Tuesday morning in blocking logging operations to continue on the West Side of the Duncan Reservoir, north of Kaslo. Last Stand West Kootenay, in light of a record year of wildfires nation-wide, is demanding an immediate moratorium on old growth logging and other clearcut practices — which the group believes puts undue stress on forest, increasing the severity and intensity of fires and thereby contributing to natural disasters and global warming. “As the province declares a State of Emergency, to support ongoing response and recovery efforts caused by wildfire, we are demanding that more emphasis be placed on forestry and natural resources extraction reform,” says Dr. Meghan Beatty, member of the group. …They are asking for the public to write letters of support for the protection of the inland temperate rainforest and immediate implementation of all the recommendations from the old growth strategic review

John Vaillant

John Vaillant’s new book Fire Weather: The Making of a Beast is more than just a series of dramatic interviews with Fort McMurray residents about their terrifying escape from the wildfire that destroyed 2,400 homes in 2016. …Fire Weather is more than a series of pained, frank interviews with the people who fought the kind of fire they had never seen or imagined before. If the book were only that, it would be a gripping wake-up call for the public, to help us understand and prepare for a new kind of wildfire. The book weaves together the political and scientific history of the bitumen industry in Alberta, an examination of the physics of a new kind of wildfire, and an impassioned take-down of the fossil fuel companies’ conscious, ongoing refusal to control emissions. But the heart of the narrative is Vaillant’s vivid attention to the stories of the residents and firefighters.

KANANASKIS COUNTRY – Robert Frost said it best: ‘Nothing gold can stay.’ A coniferous larch tree reaches its full autumn glory, turning from green to gold over a few weeks in what has become an increasingly popular sight to behold in parts of the Rocky Mountains before its needles drop, signifying the onset of winter. This year, though, hot, dry conditions coupled with wildfire smoke have caused the golden larch season to start earlier, and it could last longer than usual. “What we’ve seen here in terms of the similar progression of leaves and larches, is that it has been a bit quicker than normal,” said Michael Roycroft, regional director for Kananaskis with Alberta Parks. “We are starting to see some change in colour and with that comes more visitation. Fall is traditionally a busy time for visitation in Kananaskis Country.” Larch season is typically mid-September to early October.

BRITISH COLUMBIA — It’s going to be another dismal year for Fraser River sockeye, but the sport fishing industry is reportedly enjoying a banner year thanks to improved chinook and coho abundance. Pink salmon are also returning in near-record numbers, though that doesn’t necessarily mean commercial fishermen will have the chance to catch them – if they are mingled with threatened species, like sockeye – nor are they likely to make much profit from them, given depressed prices. …Fraser River pink salmon were expected to come in this year at 6.1 million. But as of last week, based on test fisheries, the Pacific Salmon Commission upped its in-season forecast to 20 million. If that forecast is fulfilled, it would be a near-record return – the record being 24 million Fraser River pinks in 2003. Fraser River sockeye, on the other hand, appear to be coming in closer to their pre-season forecast of just 1.6 million.

The B.C. government doesn’t have a comprehensive wildfire and forest resilience plan unlike California and Washington state, whose plans have helped produce faster and more significant results.  B.C. has set no goals on how much land it wants to reduce wildfire risk on each year or larger timelines, and it doesn’t track and report publicly on progress, as do the two U.S. states, shows a review by Postmedia News of publicly available plans.   …California’s online tool — which provides public transparency and accountability — is part of a strategic wildfire and forest resilience plan launched by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2021. …Washington state launched its wildfire strategic protection plan in 2019.  …The Forests Ministry didn’t answer a question on whether it sets annual targets or a timeline.  Ministry staff said there is no “singular” database that tracks progress and is publicly available.

The charred hills surrounding Okanagan Lake in the B.C. Interior will likely look very different in a year’s time and beyond as life returns to the wildfire-ravaged landscape, ecologists predict.  An eruption of low plants, grasses, and shrubs will turn the hills green. Birds and small mammals, as well as deer and bears, will return to feast on berries and other plant life. Carnivores including cougars could move in.  But the tall trees destroyed by the fires may never recover or return, said Robert Gray, a wildland fire ecologist.  “When you look at West Kelowna, it’s really rocky, steep ground and trees aren’t going to come back very well there. There is not a lot of moisture in the soil and it’s only going to get drier with climate change,” said Gray. “A lot of that landscape may not see a lot of trees come back.”

In the burned-over hills between Ashcroft and Cache Creek, the Secwepemcúl’ecw Restoration and Stewardship Society is getting a glimpse of what the future holds for B.C. forests after a record 2023 wildfire season.  The Society, which represents eight Secwépemc First Nations, was formed in 2017 to advocate Indigenous principles in recovering from the 1,900-square-kilometre Elephant Hill fire of that year. Its researchers are already learning important lessons. “It depends on the severity of the fire,” said society CEO Angela Kane. “In some area’s nothing has come back because (the forest) is burnt so bad.”  “What our technicians, my people out on the land are telling me is that it burned so hot and deep into the ground that some of those seed banks are gone.  …“We’re learning the hard way (about) unintended consequences,” said wildfire ecologist Lori Daniels.

EAST KOOTENAY, BC — This season’s forest fire tragedy unfolding around us is nothing less than an economic and ecological catastrophe and raises a troubling question – how bad can it get? According to UN statistics, the largest forest fire in recorded history occurred in 2003 when a mammoth blaze erupted in eastern Siberia and burned 22 million hectares. …The Donnie Creek fire in northeast B.C., at 120,000 hectares the largest in B.C.’s history. … So, what can we do to prevent forest fires from happening at all? …We can do things on the ground to lessen the chances of lightning strikes setting off major fires. For starters, we can pressure government to live up to its word and stop the cutting of old growth timber which is fire resistant because of its very nature. …What will fire season be like in B.C. a decade from now?

SUNSHINE COAST, BC — The Sunshine Coast Community Forest has established a Wildfire Resiliency Plan in partnership with Frontera Forest Solutions, SCCF announced last month. The three-phase plan focuses on identifying key infrastructure to be protected, as well as reducing excess fuels within the community forest, with opportunities to receive public input. Phase 1 of the project involved fuel management planning using data from the SCRD Community Wildfire Protection Plan and information from the community forest. …This information is used to create a burn model, which will show what sections of the forest are more susceptible to wildfires and will identify key areas within the forest. …Phase 2 is the identification of proposed and prioritized mitigation projects. …Phase 3 of the project is when the proposed mitigation projects will be presented to the public, explaining why these projects are recommended and how they would help reduce risk.

CAMPBELL RIVER – An audit of forest practices on five woodlots in the Campbell River Natural Resource District found mixed results in licensees’ compliance with legal requirements, according to a series of reports recently published by the Forest Practices Board. The board audited woodlot licences W0085, W2001, W2004, W2044 and W2046 as part of its 2022 compliance audit program. Auditors examined whether timber harvesting, road construction and maintenance, silviculture, fire protection and associated planning carried out from Oct. 1, 2020, through Oct. 20, 2022, met the requirements of the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act, as well as the Woodlot Licence Planning and Practices Regulation (WLPPR). …“It is important for licensees to uphold their timber and forest resource commitments by meeting their free-growing obligations,” said Keith Atkinson, chair of the Forest Practices Board. …The audited woodlots are located within a 100-kilometre radius of Campbell River and within the territories of the Kwakwaka’wakw, Coast Salish, and Mowachaht/ Muchalaht Peoples.

Forest Professionals of BC published their August newsletter. Highlights include:

• Garnet Mierau, RPF joins the Forest Professionals BC as Director of Practice. Garnet, past-chair of the FPBC Board, takes over from Mike Larock, RPF, who will act as a special consultant with FPBC until the end of the fiscal year.
• Sydney Kucera takes on new position as Certifications Lead, a redesigned role based on the former Registration Manager position previously held by Conrad, Malilay, now FPBC Compliance Manager.
• FPBC is hiring: Complaint Investigator and Registration Coordinator
• The FPBC conference and AGM is scheduled for February 7-9, 2024 at the Delta Hotels Grand Okanagan Resort in Kelowna.