Region Archives: Canada

I was interested to read the recent article in The Times regarding the meeting at the forest service discussing the visual impact of logging on the road into Wells Gray Park. Though a visual quality designation that recognizes the important tourism value of this area would be welcome, it is important for people involved in the tourism industry to understand this discussion will have no impact on the logging that CANFOR is currently doing in the Clearwater River corridor. Despite many requests from community members, CANFOR has not acknowledged the need to help the tourism industry maintain a more wilderness feel for the entry into Wells Gray Park.

VICTORIA – The Forest Practices Board will examine the activities of West Fraser Mills Ltd. on tree farm licence 52, near Quesnel, during the week of Oct. 30, 2017. Auditors will examine whether harvesting, roads, silviculture, fire protection and associated planning, carried out between July 2016 and October 2017, met the requirements of the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act. Tree farm licence 52 consists of two blocks: one is located east of Quesnel toward Bowron Lake Provincial Park and one northwest of Quesnel along the Fraser River. The operating area is 293,485 hectares and consists of mainly spruce and lodgepole pine trees.

Doug Donaldson

Nick Raeside is certainly correct in saying that wildfire management practices have changed in British Columbia since 1957 (“The changing face of B.C. forest fires”, Oct. 8). The challenges that the B.C. Wildfire Service faces have also changed dramatically over the past 60 years, due in part to increased development in rural areas, the impact of mountain pine beetle infestations on our forests and the growing effects of climate change. …B.C.’s wildfire management professionals use advanced fire-detection and firefighting technology to “hit hard and hit fast.” In recent decades, that approach has been coupled with a better understanding of wildfire behaviour and how fire can help renew forests where lives and property are not at risk. Our first priority is public safety.

Maria Agucci

Toronto’s Rita Leistner has decades of experience as a war zone photographer, but she battled a different sort of rough terrain for her new portrait series, The Tree Planters. At first glance, her images look like the posed dioramas you might find in the ROM, but the shots are so full of detail that you can almost smell the sweat and bug spray. The large-scale photos will be on display at Stephen Bulger Gallery until November 18, alongside drone video footage that shows exactly how Leistner wields a $30,000 camera through thick brush and up steep mountains. Leistner worked as a planter herself between 1983 and 1992, and decided to return to the bush, camera in hand, to document the young people invested in Canada’s reforestation—a job that seems simple, but takes grit and grace.

Aaron Williams

British Columbia may have had a record number of wildfires this summer, but the ongoing situation in California is much worse. More homes at risk, more lives in danger, stronger winds, faster rates of spread. Those factors require an excellent forest firefighting program. Though we may have a different situation – most of British Columbia’s wildfires don’t put communities and people at risk – we can still learn from the American program. I fought fire in the United States twice during my nine years fighting fire for the Ministry of Forests in British Columbia and both times were in Idaho. In British Columbia, I was part of a 20-person firefighting crew known as a “unit crew” – a configuration modelled after the American “hotshot” crews. I’ll never forget the first time I saw a hotshot crew in action.

Vancouver, B.C. – The BC Council of Forest Industries (COFI), with media partner Canadian Forest Industries (CFI) Magazine today announced the winners of the 2017 Forestry Photo Contest. “For this year’s contest, we really wanted to showcase the significance of the forest industry to the people and communities throughout B.C.,” said Susan Yurkovich, President and CEO of COFI. “We received some stunning photos that depict how people live, work and play in B.C.’s beautiful forests and forest dependent communities.” Of the 106 submissions received, ten photos have been selected to appear in the print edition of September-October edition of CFI Magazine.

New funding will help First Nations in central and northeast British Columbia build skills and explore careers in environmental stewardship and natural resource development. The $390,000 investment will go towards the Environmental Technology Access program which is open to members from McLeod Lake, Nadleh Whut’en, Nak’azdli Whut’en, Saik’uz, Stellat’en, Takla Lake, Tl’azt’en and Yekooche First Nations. …Fifteen First Nations members will be able to use the program to obtain skills for employment in the natural resource sectors or post-secondary education in the environmental resource technology program. Participants will receive training in forestry, fishery enhancement, environmental assessment, mining, oil and gas and grassland ecology.

Ottawa, ON — TimberWest is the first Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) Program Participant to achieve the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB) Bronze certification under the Progressive Aboriginal Relations (PAR) program. This certification demonstrates to Indigenous communities that TimberWest is a good business partner, a great place to work and is committed to the prosperity of Indigenous communities. TimberWest is also the first BC forest company to earn PAR certification.  “As a forester by training I am very pleased that TimberWest has shown its commitment to Indigenous communities by undergoing PAR certification. This leadership demonstrates to other forest companies, and other companies outside BC’s forest sector, that strong Indigenous relations make good corporate policy,” said JP Gladu, President and CEO of the CCAB

The Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for the Parks Canada Agency is the competent minister under SARA for the Whitebark Pine and has prepared this recovery strategy, as per section 37 of SARA. To the extent possible, it has been prepared in cooperation with Natural Resources Canada (Canadian Forest Service), the Province of British Columbia, the Province of Alberta, and any others, as per section 39(1) of SARA. …Success in the recovery of this species depends on the commitment and cooperation of many different constituencies that will be involved in implementing the directions set out in this strategy… All Canadians are invited to join in supporting and implementing this strategy for the benefit of Whitebark Pine and Canadian society as a whole. The consultation period is October 18 – December 17, 2017.

The BC Discovery Centre in Duncan will be highlighting modern forestry in their new exhibit called Forests Forever. Scheduled to open next summer, the exhibit will have some cool interactive displays and high tech elements. This exciting new video will show you how. Today’s forest industry and its benefits to society are not well understood. Research shows there is a danger that if the forestry industry doesn’t share its story, public support for forestry on the BC Coast will decline. You can help by clicking the read more below for how to support this program. 

Valerie Warmington

This Monday, Oct. 23, Kalesnikoff Lumber will be presenting their plan for logging in the Selous Creek area at city council’s meeting. Selous Creek … is slated for selective tree harvesting in response to insect activity (Douglas fir beetle). One of the questions I have relates to how, or whether, forestry companies ensure that the removal of trees doesn’t impact water absorption and retention within soils. Another question relates to what precautions will be taken to ensure that logging does not stimulate soil erosion in the area. This is critical as erosion could lead to siltation in the creek, which could have huge impact on the treatment the Interior Health Authority requires Nelson to provide for its drinking water. …The interpretations of the relevant sections of the Forestry Act that I’ve heard suggest that, should logging cause sufficient siltation to require filtration, Nelson taxpayers would be responsible for coming up with the several million dollars it could cost.