Category Archives: Forestry

On May 30, Unifor Western Regional Director Gavin McGarrigle and B.C. Area Director joined Local 10-B President Sheldon Morice and 1st Vice President Wes Mitchell for a tour of the Kruger pulp mill in Kamloops, B.C. McGarrigle and Unifor leaders met with Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson, City Councillor Katie Neustaeter, and Kruger management to discuss the mill’s struggles with a regular economic access to fibre. Kruger isn’t alone in its fibre supply troubles. “Kamloops is a key forestry hub in the interior, but its continued success relies on action from the provincial government,” said McGarrigle. Unifor raised the possibility of Kamloops city council adopting a motion of support for forestry jobs and, in turn, submitting the motion to the upcoming meeting of the Union of B.C. Municipalities (UBCM). By putting forestry on the agenda of UBCM, a broader discussion can take place to help place even greater pressure on the provincial government to act.

John Stuart Mansell

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of John Stuart Mansell on May 20, 2024. Born October 5, 1938 in England, John came to Canada at age 17 where he enrolled and graduated from UBC with a BSF (Forestry) degree. After graduation he worked in various capacities in coastal logging camps followed by employment as Woods Manager in Radium Hot Springs, Clearwater, and Williams Lake. …Everyone can relate to John’s tales and adventures about grizzly bears and fishing in the Bella Coola Valley, or his menagerie of steers, pigs, chicken, ducks and geese on his acreage. To honor John’s life as a forester and Board director, we are gathering contributions for the Gavin Lake Forest Education Society. Donations may be made to gavinlake.ca (‘donate now’, “John funds”).

Penticton city council has given its approval for a new cell tower on Valleyview Road, with the caveat that it be disguised as a tree to better blend in with the surroundings. The Telus tower is proposed at 18 metres tall, which fits in the size range of less than 30 metres that only requires notification to neighbouring properties. Those taller than 30 metres require a “higher level of public consultation including advertising in local newspapers,” city staff explain in their report. Chad Marlatt with Cypress Land Services says insisting on a tree disguise might slow things down….Council passed the motion to voice their approval for the tree-disguised tower, with Coun. Konanz opposed.

British Columbia’s deputy chief forester has set a new allowable annual cut (AAC) level for the Kootenay Lake Timber Supply Area (TSA). Effective, June 4, 2024, the new AAC for the Kootenay Lake TSA is 550,000 cubic metres, a 13.4% reduction from the previous AAC. The new level reflects adjustments made to consider available harvest on unstable steep slopes, and to account for a higher level of stand-level reserves to address biodiversity, stream edge and wetland management, domestic watersheds, cultural heritage resources and climate change. The Kootenay-Boundary Region received unanimous support from First Nations to defer harvest of at-risk old-growth forest. Licensees operating in this TSA have agreed to not harvest these areas until a final decision is made regarding old forest management.

Longtime ecologist, Dr. Rachel F. Holt appeared before the Columbia Shuswap Regional District Board in early spring to dispute statements presented to the board in February by two retired foresters. Archie MacDonald and Murray Wilson offered their solutions to wildfires, specifically in terms of reducing their future frequency and intensity. …Holt, an independent ecologist in the Kootenays for the past 30 years, challenged MacDonald’s statement that old forests are unhealthy while less dense forests are the goal. “I was concerned with those ideas presented to you as a good representation of the science,” Holt said, noting old forests are the cornerstone of biodiversity in British Columbia, a province that is unique in North America in terms of its biodiversity values, “The province, over the past 30 years, has recognized the key importance of managing and maintaining appropriate old growth on the landscape.”

BRITISH COLUMBIA – A new grassroots initiative is encouraging British Columbians to be better informed on B.C’.s forest sector and take action through various activities including online letters and informing local governments to raise the importance of forestry to British Columbians. Across the province, small, medium and large forest companies, family-owned enterprises and local businesses have joined forces through ForestryWorksForBC, a new grassroots initiative to address the sectors’ uncertain future and its impact on British Columbians and communities that rely on the revenues from forestry to support critical services like roads, schools, and health care. “Forestry matters in every corner ​of B.C., from hospitals, schools and roads and communities; forest jobs and forest revenues have been the foundation of all that we hold dear in this province,” said Bob Brash, executive director of the Truck Loggers Association. 

BCIT’s School of Construction and Environment is seeking 2 temporary Faculty, Forest and Natural Areas Management. The Forest and Natural Areas Management (FNAM) program trains graduates for employment in a range of fields including industrial forestry, urban forestry, silviculture, arboriculture, GIS, digital field mapping, and natural resources management. Graduates are eligible for registration as Registered Forest Technologists (RFT) in British Columbia and have a number of available pathways to other levels of certification and education. At BCIT, putting people at the core of everything we do is paramount. This idea is the foundation of BCIT’s People Vision, which describes the Institute’s goals and priorities in respect to our people. In a complex and uncertain world, it’s vital our people feel valued, supported and connected. …With a competitive compensation package, great work-life balance, and career advancement opportunities, see why we’ve earned the title of one of BC’s Top Employers for over ten years running. 

Alberta Wildfire says another unattended campfire could have led to devastating circumstances in the Calgary Forest Area this weekend. Officials say on Sunday night, a campfire was left burning near Fisher Creek, west of Millarville, and spread while it was abandoned. A team of four wildland firefighters attended the scene and put it out before it grew too large. Officials say the conditions are ripe for wildfires in the region. “Very little precipitation has been registered in our gauges over the past week leading to a slow climb in wildfire danger. Although the heavier fuels remain moist, fine fuels are drying out and can support fast moving surface fires,” officials said. The wildfire was limited to 0.2 hectares in size. Meanwhile, a wildfire north of Ghost River, detected last week, has been extinguished at 6.06 hectares, the agency said. More than two dozen wildland firefighters and two helicopters were deployed to fight that fire.

Gord Pratt

Kamloops, BC –The Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) congratulates Senior Manager Gord Pratt on his retirement after a distinguished career with the organization and within the forestry sector. His departure is a moment of both reflection and celebration, as his contributions have significantly helped to shape FESBC’s successes to date. Pratt dedicated over seven years to carrying out the organization’s purposes to advance forest enhancement activities and to advocate for the environmental and resource stewardship of British Columbia’s forests. “I was excited about the possibility of working for a Society that had such strong purposes in its constitution,” shared Pratt. “Being able to continue the work to fund projects that reduce wildfire risk for the people of British Columbia was a big draw for me, as it allowed me to continue the work I started with the Kamloops Fire Centre as the Fuel Management Specialist.”

Several hunters are speaking out against the provincial government’s recent changes to reduce caribou and moose hunting in northern British Columbia. Hunting regulations are reviewed by the provincial government every two years and the move to cut the number of recreational and commercial caribou and moose hunters in B.C.’s northwest were announced on May 10. However, some hunters say it’s not clear why the changes were made. “I really don’t think they’re going to address the issue that they need to address,” said Richard Wale, a recreational hunter in Salmon Arm. But Peter Lee, with the Water, Land and Resource Stewardship Ministry, defended the move. The changes aim to support sustainable hunting now and for the long term, he said. “Regulations for moose and caribou in the Northwest support advancing reconciliation through deeper collaboration, weaving of Indigenous knowledge and science to achieve shared objectives, and working together with hunters and the community,” he said.

Chris Googoo

NOVA SCOTIA — Ninety per cent of the hemlock trees in Nova Scotia could disappear. A Mi’kmaq-led effort is ensuring at least one forest will survive. When Chris Googoo first visited Wapane’kati, the old-growth eastern hemlock forest at Asitu’lɨsk, it was like stepping back in time. …“It’s awe-inspiring,” Googoo, chief operating officer for Ulnooweg, said. The towering trees were a stark contrast to those elsewhere in Nova Scotia, where less than one per cent of the province is covered in old-growth forests. “Along the Trans Canada Highway, with these little trees that have been harvested by the lumber industry over the years, there is no old growth that we see, even near our own communities.” …Previously Asitu’lɨsk was known as Windhorse Farm, which was privately owned by the Drescher family. …In 2021, the Drescher family sold the property at a deep discount to the Mi’kmaq, where it remains under the care of Ulnooweg.

KELOWNA, BC — Wildfires will continue to grow in intensity and destruction if changes are not made to the way we manage our forests. To do that, there will need to be dramatic changes in practices that have gone on for decades and decades. And that will take time. That was one of the many takeaways from a 90-minute panel discussion on the effects of wildfires that kicked off a three-day solutions symposium hosted by UBC and UBC Okanagan.  The panel discussion included UBC professor Dr. Lori Daniels, UBCO professor Dr. Mathieu Bourbonnais, Joe Gilchrist from the Salish Fire Keepers Society, Dr. Paul Hessburg with the US Forest Service and West Kelowna Fire Chief Jason Brolund. “We need to fight fire with fire,” said Daniels. “Fire has a negative impact but it is also part of the solution. We need to change the way we manage our forest, changes in policy and changes in practice.”

The forest industry in B.C. is in crisis and all levels of government need to take action to protect this vital industry, Campbell River Mayor Kermit Dahl says. “The decline in the forest sector isn’t just a stat(istic),” Mayor Dahl told city council’s May 23 regular meeting. “It’s a real crisis impacting people and communities. All levels of government need to take action to protect good forestry jobs and ensure a sustainable future for this critical industry.” Dahl was inspired to make the comment after Canfor’s recent news about a sawmill closure and pulp mill curtailment in the Prince George …Coun. Ron Kerr put forward a motion that the city of Campbell River send a letter to the Minister of Forests expressing concern about the provincial government’s recent management and forest practices and the impacts to local communities. And that a letter be forwarded to other communities who are dependent on the forest sector. The motion passed.

Jack, Kishi and Stavness

The NIC board of governors will be adding two new members to its team this summer, replacing two outgoing members. In July, John Jack of the Huu-ay-aht First Nations and Roger Kishi of Cumberland will officially join the board for a two-year term. …Kishi and Jack follow Corinne Stavness of Comox, who also joined the board in December. The three bring a wide range of experience to the board. …Stavness is the vice-president of corporate affairs at Western Forest Products. Previously, she was the director of prevention services and communication for the Ending Violence Association of BC. She holds a bachelor of science in forestry from the University of British Columbia and a master of science in economics from the University of Helsinki.

Some people may think it was a miracle that the Interfor sawmill at Adams Lake survived the firestorm on August 18, 2023. In reality, the mill is operational today because of foresight, much hard work and many thousands of gallons of water. The effort to protect the mill began in 2017 when a lightning strike ignited a fire on the hillside above the mill, which an Interfor team managed to extinguish with shovels, “piss” cans, pumps and hoses that had to be dragged by hand to the fire. After the 2017 fire, the forestry staff realized how vulnerable the mill was and they began to plan how best to create fire breaks that could protect them during the next fire. Through a carefully thought-out combination of small clearcuts, thinning and the opening of old roads, the fuel was significantly reduced on the hillside forest above the mill.