Reaction to the BC government’s report on resource development oversight—which recommends overhauling the professional reliance model—was swift, mixed and blunt. Here are a few of the key voices:

• Shelve it – it’s a solution looking for a problem (Business Council of BC)
• Disappointed – a new regulator of regulators (Council of Forest Industries)
• Unnecessary – does not lead to better forestry (Assoc. of BC Forest Professionals)
• Lacks justification – no reference to best practices (Mining Association of BC)
• A step forward – on shortfalls in ministry staffing (BC Professional Employees Assoc.)
• In the public’s interest – will address past failures  (Evidence for Democracy)

In Forestry news: scientists urge protection of BC’s rainforests; Temagami’s mayor seeks jobs and wilderness protection; Nova Scotia gets new airbus helicopters; and fire updates are in from BC, Alberta; Ontario; Oregon and Scotland.

Finally, Pinnacle Holdings has secured Korean and Japanese markets for their wood pellets; Canadian Kraft workers vote to strike; and Weyerhaeuser’s strike vote results are still unclear.

–Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor