Category Archives: Forestry

The senior vice president of the Alberta Forest Products Association says there are a few things people in the Peace can do to support an industry dealing with tariffs and duties. Brock Mulligan says there is “a huge opportunity to build more with our wood.” “We see a growing demand for recreation centres. We think that a lot of them should look like the Philip J. Currie (Dinosaur) Museum out in the County of Grande Prairie. Amazing, beautiful wood building.” “We also see increasing urbanization and folks living in increasingly taller apartment buildings and those should be built with resources that are made here in Grande Prairie.” Mulligan says there are 2500 forestry jobs in or near Grande Prairie between the Canfor, International Paper, Weyerhaeuser and West Fraser mills.

Conservation groups are warning that a proposed Alberta government plan for a sub-region in west-central Alberta would wipe out two caribou populations if implemented. The draft plan for the Upper Smoky sub-region would enable the U.S.-based timber company Weyerhaeuser to entirely clearcut the last winter range forests… A Caribou Task Force, made up of Indigenous groups, industry, municipalities, various user groups and interest groups, had been established to advise the Alberta government on Upper Smoky sub-regional planning. These multi-stakeholder conversations were held from 2019 to 2021; however, none of the task force’s recommendations related to caribou conservation and recovery were reflected in the report. Public engagement runs until June 25 and can be completed online.

Jordan Gabriel

The Silviculture Innovation Program (SIP) of the Bulkley Valley Research Centre (BVRC), recently launched its first episode of a new series titled ‘Out On A Limb’. The goal of the series is to uplift voices of trailblazers in B.C. communities who are leading innovative management practices for the betterment of the forests of tomorrow. “The series helps tell stories to inspire and motivate practitioners who are carrying out innovative forestry practices by celebrating creative solutions to complex problems” shared Gillian Chow-Fraser, Extension Specialist for the SIP, a program created following the government-led Old Growth Strategic Review (2020) focused on increasing the uses of alternative forestry practices in B.C. The inaugural episode, released on March 31, features Líl̓wat Forestry Ventures (LFV) and highlights their unique holistic approach to forest management.

[Watch the first episode of this series on YouTube here]

David Eby

The 80th annual Truck Loggers Association (TLA) Convention brought together industry leaders, policymakers, and experts at a time of significant change and challenge for BC’s forest sector. The attendees engaged in discussions on investment concerns, policy shifts, contractor sustainability, wildfire and climate change mitigation, and technological advancements shaping the industry’s future. Three keynote speakers stood out: Premier David Eby, who took an unusually conciliatory tone in acknowledging past missteps; Forest Minister Ravi Parmar, who laid out ambitious promises for the future, and John Rustad, BC Conservative leader, who provided a strong counterpoint. The convention opened with a sobering but forward-looking message from TLA President Dorian Uzzell and owner of Wahkash Contracting. Reflecting on this year’s theme, he underscored the growing uncertainty in BC forestry, warning that policy-driven inefficiencies are making some forests uneconomical to operate in. “If the entire supply chain isn’t functioning, we all become the have-nots,” he cautioned. 

When it comes to reforesting areas made bare by natural causes, it’s the Ministry of Forests’ job to oversee the progress. “Wildfire…really is the biggest thing we’re focusing on,” said Shelley Barlow, the ministry’s regional silviculture specialist for the Cariboo. According to a February 2018 report by the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, 80 per cent of the area affected by the 2017 wildfires in B.C. was in the Cariboo. About one million hectares of forests were burnt in the region, and 609,000 of those hectares were part of the Cariboo’s timber harvesting land base. Prior to 2017, the ministry was planting up to two million trees per year in the Williams Lake forestry district. Since then, Barlow said this number has at least tripled.

PRINCE ALBERT, SASK — As an important deadline approaches, concerned members of a forest protection group in the Prince Albert area are calling on the provincial government to extend a moratorium for clear-cutting in the Island Forests. According to the Government of Saskatchewan, the Island Forests comprise the Canwood, Nisbet, Fort-a-la-Corne and Torch River provincial forests in north central Saskatchewan, with a total area of approximately 227,000 hectares. Over 60 people showed up at meeting last week at Crutwell Community Hall, representing Sturgeon Lake First Nation and Wahpeton Dakota Nation, as well as non-indigenous people who live and farm in the area. …Concerns with the government’s Island Forest Timber Harvest Operating Plan first came to light in January 2024 when over half a dozen people showed up at the forestry centre in downtown Prince Albert. …Roughly three months later, the provincial government announced a one-year moratorium.

BANFF – Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s statements that it is federal mismanagement that is putting Banff under threat of wildlife were quickly disputed by Banff Mayor Corrie DiManno as “completely unsubstantiated.” Smith had a face-to-face meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney in Edmonton Thursday morning (March 20) and came out of the meeting with several demands, including energy demands, but also took a swipe at Parks Canada’s management of fires. “I made it clear that federal mismanagement of Jasper and Banff national parks resulted in last year’s tragic wildfire in Jasper and is endangering Banff, and the situation must be rectified immediately,” she said in a press release. DiManno said Smith’s characterization of federal forest and land management in Banff National Park is “completely unsubstantiated.”

The Dunster Community Forest Society, which also manages the Dunster Wildfire Brigade, has released a new wildfire dashboard for Dunster and the surrounding area, spanning through McBride and Cedarside. The dashboard will update alongside the BC Wildfire Service dashboard, but also includes links to the Regional District’s emergency alerts and a colour-coded legend showing thermal hotspots, volunteer firefighting boundaries, and local government properties, among other features. Dunster Community Forest Society administrator Marie Hyde said she made the dashboard to give residents an interactive database with more information than what the BC Wildfire Service dashboard offers on its own. She has previously made similar maps for the Dunster Community Forest using her experience as a geographic information systems analyst, which she says was useful for building the wildfire dashboard. “BC Wildfire Service, they usually just have a static map… And I thought, why not create an interactive one?” Hyde said.

In this newsletter, we are pleased to share great stories of the impactful work happening in communities throughout our province. As the world continues to navigate the challenges affiliated with climate change, British Columbia’s forestry sector is playing a key role to mitigate its impacts and contribute to a more sustainable future. We take pride in investing in projects that provide enduring economic and social benefits for our local communities and are helping take action on this global issue. Last month, in collaboration with the Provincial Government, we shared more specifics about 70 recently funded projects moving forward to help local communities, community forests, First Nations, and other project partners enhance their wildfire prevention efforts and/or expand fibre-recovery initiatives. …In years past, much wood waste from harvesting operations was piled and burned in slash piles. Today, we invest in projects that recover this waste and use it to make forest products and generate green energy. 

See what’s happening in BC’s Community Forests, these stories and more in the newsletter:

• BCCFA 2025 Conference & AGM in Nanaimo May 26th-28th: We are excited to announce that our sessions are coming together. Go to the conference website for more details. Watch for session announcements as details are confirmed.
• Women Leading the Way in Forestry: Step into the Silvicon Services office in the northwestern town of Smithers, BC, and you’ll find a skilled and dynamic team managing the Wetzin’kwa Community Forest—most of whom are women.
• We Work Together with the Land Video: Lil’wat Forestry Ventures (LFV), owned by the Lil’wat Nation, plays a vital role in managing over 75% of their territory while providing meaningful employment for more than 50 people.
• NEW Thinning Guidance for British Columbia: Effective April 1, 2025, and applicable to all of BC, this new guidance is part of an adaptive management framework that leads to increased opportunities and benefits in our forests.

ALBERTA — Conservationists say a new land-use plan from the province stands to “wipe out” two vulnerable caribou populations in northwestern Alberta. The Alberta Wilderness Association and the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society released a statement on Wednesday decrying the proposed Upper Smoky Sub-regional Plan. The plan will cover an area north of Jasper National Park. …“The timber harvest proposed in the draft Upper Smoky Sub-regional Plan would allow Weyerhaeuser to clearcut the remaining critical winter habitat and eliminate the ability of these caribou to annually migrate to the foothill’s forests,” the statement read. …To help halt caribou declines, the province has increased wolf reduction programs.  …Minister of Environment and Protected Areas Rebecca Schultz’s press secretary said the plan is not final and the draft materials are designed to generate input and feedback from those most impacted. …An online public survey on the new plan will be open until June 25.