The Tree Frog News sat down with Keith Atkinson, the new BC Forest Practices Board Chair.
It’s been a few weeks since you started in your new role, what are your first impressions? Thanks for that. I’m really excited to be here. One of my first impressions relates to how strong the team is at the Forest Practices Board. It’s a group of professionals doing important work at a very high level, which gives me confidence. Second, the team is located all around the province with many working from home. As such, they don’t just parachute in for an audit – they’re actually in or near the forest communities and know what’s going on. Finally, given how complex forestry is, it is impressive to see how the FPB interacts with the public and how it employs different tools to do its work. For me, it’s been a nice introduction to the start of a new job.
How would you describe the BC Forest Practices Board’s role as a watchdog entity? I was actually hesitant to do interviews before I formed my thoughts on questions like this – but it’s already clear to me that the role of a public watchdog is as relevant today as it was when the board was created in 1995. BC’s forests are owned by the public and when complaints or concerns are raised, it’s important to have a credible, professional oversight body in place. And with today’s social media and related technology, I’m not surprised society is aware and speaking out more. I’m a pretty big fan of this, actually. I believe it’s fair for the public to ask questions and for the FPB to do the work necessary to answer them.
As the new Chair of the FPB, what is your message to the BC forest sector? What I really want the message to be is about investing in forestry transition, whether that’s a personal investment or a financial one. …
The influence of Indigenous’ interests on British Columbia’s natural resources sector is expanding at a rapid pace. …The BC government’s [2021] Modernizing Forest Policy intentions paper conveyed a goal “to increase the amount of ‘replaceable’ forest tenure held by Indigenous peoples to 20% from the current level of approximately 10%. …A March 2023 analysis by the Spar Tree Group, showed that the total amount of tenure held by First Nations organizations had decreased by 7% to 9.7 million m3, but the amount of replaceable tenure increased by 6% to 7.3 million m3. …With ongoing reductions to AAC in various regions of the province, comparing the absolute totals may not be the best way to monitor progress.
Over the last few months, the BC forest sector has increasingly been the beneficiary of broad proclamations by many who work outside of the sector about an upcoming “paradigm shift” and “transformative future” in the management of BC’s forests. For some, these are apparently new and wise revelations worthy of our everlasting gratitude. The reality is that many of us have been around long enough to know that for decades, these terms have been bandied around repeatedly when each generation believes they have found the grand solution to the forestry issues of the day. These many decades have also seen the ebb and flow of the lobbying influence each faction in the debates can harness for their agendas dependent upon the government’s leanings in any particular election cycle. Today, many would say the pendulum is weighted towards environmental influences, while others will argue the industry’s influences were dominant in previous times. There is probably merit on both sides of the argument.
VANCOUVER, BC — Conifex Timber announced that it has filed a petition in the Supreme Court of British Columbia seeking judicial review of the Lieutenant Governor In Council of British Columbia’s recent Order In Council 692/2022 (OIC). The OIC directed the British Columbia Utilities Commission to issue orders relieving BC Hydro of its obligation to supply service respecting cryptocurrency mining projects for a period of 18 months. Conifex alleges that the OIC exceeds the statutory powers granted to the LGIC under the Utilities Commission Act, is discriminatory and breaches statutory and common law restraints on the LGIC’s delegated powers. Conifex is seeking an order quashing and setting aside the OIC as unauthorized or otherwise invalid. As a result of the OIC, two of Conifex’s proposed high performance computing projects have effectively been paused.
Sustainability is Growing is the theme of COFI’s sold-out 2023 Convention, taking place in Prince George, BC on April 12 – 14, 2023. The 2023 COFI Convention is one of the largest gatherings of the forest sector in Canada, bringing together industry, Indigenous, government, community and labour leaders to discuss key issues and opportunities facing BC’s forest industry. COFI is pleased to welcome Hon. David Eby, Premier of BC, who will be speaking at the 2023 convention, along with Hon. Bruce Ralston, BC Minister of Forests and Hon. Nathan Cullen, BC Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship.
BURNABY, BC — Interfor provided an update on its ongoing director succession process. The Company has updated its diversity target for its board of directors and commits that at least 30% of its Board members will be women by its next annual general meeting of shareholders in 2024. The sole reason the Company could not revert to at least 30% women representation on its Board at the upcoming May 2023 AGM, was the unexpected unavailability of Ms. Hull for re-election, for personal reasons. For more information regarding the Company’s ongoing director succession process… please see our AGM 
The last log went through the Canfor mill March 31, resulting in the first layoffs and first of a series of operational closures at the mill which has been the community’s largest direct and indirect employer. …It also announced the closure of its Chetwynd sawmill and pellet plant the same day. Earlier, Canfor pulp workers in Prince George were also told they were losing their jobs. …And should Canfor decide to build a new mill better suited to processing logs and better able to withstand downturns in lumber demand, its construction is scheduled to take as long as two years. Canfor’s woodlands employees aren’t being affected as the company intends to keep logging wood under the licence it has and selling to other processing facilities. …With hundreds now about to be unemployed Skeena – Bulkley Valley NDP MP Taylor Bachrach has asked the federal government to step in with a job creation program.
The BC government will invest billions of dollars to ease a housing “crisis that is touching people in every corner of the province,” Premier David Eby said. The province released its so-called Homes for People plan on Monday starting with a $4-billion investment over three years and commits to $12 billion over a decade. There are incentives to build and increase density, plans for supportive housing for those who are homeless, zoning changes that make basement suites legal across the province and a crackdown down on house flippers. …Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon said the government will introduce provincial legislation this fall to allow three to four homes on a traditional single-family detached lot with additional density permitted in areas well served by transit. …The Greater Vancouver Board of Trade said the move to enable more units on a single lot “is a positive step forward.”
…Justine Karst, an associate professor in the department of renewable resources at the University of Alberta, doesn’t think that the vast array of interconnected fungal networks underground (wood-wide-web) are as beneficial to trees as other research has shown. …Karst … found that almost 50 per cent of papers that cite older studies are making an inaccurate statement. “We don’t want to be relying on misinformation to be making policy or management decisions on forests, so there’s that level of why there’s a concern.” She added that this research is useful for the management, policy creation, conservation, restoration, and protection of forests. To do these things correctly, Karst believes that “we want to have the most solid science available to us.” …Karst’s immediate plans involve focusing on reorienting the field of mycorrhizal research, and possibly giving talks and lectures to inform people about the impacts and importance of this research.
Registration for the BC First Nations Forestry Conference is now open! The forest sector is changing and we are uniquely positioned to ensure our legacy: a healthy forest ecosystem. Together, we can move towards a place where the land is central to the cultural, spiritual, environmental, economic and social lives of its caretakers. A program overview is also available, with more information on specific speakers, details of each session, and more information about the golf fundraiser to come. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor or exhibitor, please download the sponsorship information.
With an investment of $8.9 million over three years, the Government of B.C. is partnering with First Nations representatives to develop the first training initiative that will support co-management of land and resources. This year, the Guardians and Stewardship Training Initiative will be co-developed with First Nations and will support the StrongerBC Future Ready plan to make post-secondary education and skills training more affordable and accessible. “Since time immemorial, First Nations have been stewards of the water, land and wildlife in B.C., and Guardians play a crucial and growing role in stewarding those lands and resources today,” said Nathan Cullen, Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship. “We’ve heard from First Nations there is a need for more supports and access to training for Guardians, and we are taking action to make that happen.” ‘‘Guardians” are trained members of First Nations who undertake stewardship activities on the land base.
In November Premier David Eby promised “accelerated action” on implementing the Old Growth Strategic Review’s recommendations. I had high hopes the decades of overcutting primary forests were nearing their end. Just lip service? Well, the B.C. NDP commissioned it and has failed to act meaningfully 100+ days into his leadership and 2.5+ years into the Review’s recommended timeline. Weren’t old growth deferrals meaningful? Yes, mostly. Problem is, many indigenous nations were displeased about being asked after the fact, so the laying down of the plan was flawed before it started. …The ecosystems contained in the Walker, the Goat, Raush watersheds-each with at-risk species-should be protected. By pressuring the province and feds to immediately provide local indigenous nations and communities economic incentives to protect these valleys, we locals can at least lead here, providing some degree of certainty for the unborn generations to come. 
