Category Archives: Special Feature

You’re invited to the party! Gerry Burch is Canada’s oldest and most highly regarded forester. Born August 2 in Cranbrook, BC, in 1923, Burch attended UBC Forestry in the 1940s, where he was an active student leader. Graduating with a Bachelor of Applied Science, majoring in Forest Engineering, in 1948, he went on to receive his Registered Professional Forester designation and pioneer significant improvements in sustainable forestry practices, especially during his 41-year service with BC Forest Products Ltd. as a Chief Forester. Two birthday events are scheduled for September, one in Vancouver and the other in Duncan on Vancouver Island. Read on to find out the details and register to attend!

BC Premier Eby and COFI CEO Linda Coady wrap up the 2023 Council of Forest Industries Conference with the following Q&A [lightly edited for clarity]:

COADY: In your remarks, you talked about your government’s work with and priorities for the forest sector in BC. A sector currently in the midst of a lot of change – and arguably having an “Everything, Everywhere All at Once” kind of moment. …If there is one takeaway from this convention that we would like to leave you with… it involves development of an economic strategy linked to a sustainable long-term future for the sector – and capable of addressing what needs to happen between now and 2030 to get us to that future. What do you think? Is government contemplating this type of thing? If not, do you think we could persuade you and Minister Ralston to do so?

EBY: The ‘everything, everywhere all at once’ comment resonated for me because there is a challenge with government, as governments can only do so many things at once, and without clear direction to government officials from the political level, we run the risk of getting a bunch of things done halfway. …The goals that Minister Ralston and I have been working on in the Ministry of Forests are around permitting times and the pace of BC Timber Sales to get allotted supply out — which is chronic for a number of reasons. …And we have to accelerate the predictability around where companies are able to operate through land use planning. …I’m also happy to do additional work with COFI and with others but making sure these issues are addressed is the priority for the ministry and thus the focus of government. Our longer terms economic plans for the forest industry are not dissimilar from our goals provincially.

COADY: Okay, I’m taking that as a yes…

Linda Coady

The full keynote presentation by BC Premier Eby and follow up Q&A with COFI President and CEO Linda Coady will be in tomorrow’s Tree Frog News. Here’s an excerpt from Coady’s first question: We’ve heard about the work your government is doing and your priorities for the forest sector of BC. And we’re kind of having an “Everything, Everywhere, All At Once Moment“. Your government has made it very clear that you see this sector is foundational to the social, economic and environmental well being of many regional communities, but also the province as a whole. The goals you’ve put out for our sector include:

1. The integral role for First Nations in all aspects sector’s future from governance to stewardship to ownership.
2. To manage BC’s forests to a higher level of performance on resilience to climate change and protecting biodiversity.
3. To innovate, diversity, add more value to the products we produce in ways that increase the sustainability of local communities and jobs. 

If we have one takeaway from this convention that we’d like to leave you with, it would be the support goal that we think should be elevated. It involves the development of an economic strategy for the sector that can relate to the the long term vision for where we are are going and what needs to happen between now and 2030 as we deal with this period of transition. …Is your government contemplating doing an economic strategy for the forest sector, and if not, can we convince you and Minister Rolsten that it might be a good thing to do?

David Eby

PRINCE GEORGE – Premier David Eby made the trek to Prince George to address hundreds at the Council of Forest Industries. The forest sector has been hit with reductions to the AAC, natural disasters, old growth deferrals and the list goes on. The message to government at this conference? …What I look for is predictability,” says Nick Arkle, President of Gorman Bros Lumber. …“What we need is a predictable understanding what the future looks like. Then we can make our plans and then we can make investment plans.” It’s a message the Premier heard loud and clear and vows to enable it. …“Our goal as a government is to help deliver that. There are lots of challenges to that… [and] the solution going forward is partnership. We have land use planning processes that are underway across the province, including First Nations, industry and communities.”

Nick Arkle

And the acronyms on everyone’s lips these days are UNDRIP and DRIPA. Having First Nations at the table in the sector is unquestionable “We need to have everyone at the table. And in my mind, it has to be the right people. People who are held accountable for what they’re saying, how they’re saying it, and the information they’re putting out there, because it’s too important to get wrong.” …With lumber prices fluctuating wildly to competition from abroad, climate change amongst other things, the Premier referred to it as a perfect storm. Regardless, though, there is a sense of optimism. …“I think it’s on a macro level, micro level,” says Arkle. “So the macro level is the future is really good for the forest industry. There’s going to be a large demand for lumber in the future.

Additional coverage in My PG Now, by Will Peters: Predictability in Forestry: Premier’s main takeaway from COFI 2023

This week, over 700 business, government, First Nations and community leaders have gathered in Vancouver for the BC Council of Forest Industries (COFI) annual convention. Greg Stewart, President, Sinclar Group Forest Products and COFI Chair opened the conference by welcoming the many provincial, municipal, First Nation and industry leaders present. Referencing the sector’s current challenges, Stewart said, “this is a pivotal time because there is no going back. Our collective focus at this conference needs to be on what we need to do differently to reshape the industry in the short and long term”. Noting that there are a lot of complex and difficult issues on our plate, Stewart added ” we need to prioritize our actions and hopefully—by tomorrow when Premier Eby speaks—we are all on the same page”.

Stewart then introduced Squamish First Nation representatives, who welcomed the delegates to their unceded territory and spoke of their Nations’ unique and long history in the area. Welcoming the delegates on behalf of the host city was Vancouver City Councillor Lisa Dominato. Referencing statistics from the economic impact study recently released by COFI, Dominato spoke of the forest industry’s significant contribution to the Greater Vancouver Regional District. Dominato noted “the importance of talking to the public about this given that it helps the city meet their housing, climate change and other goals both now and in the future as the city grows, with a focus on bridging the rural/urban divide”.

Regional Chief, BC Assembly of First Nations Terry Teegee provided the opening keynote talking about the importance of shared decision making, emphasizing that the path forward for the forestry industry will be in partnerships that are rooted in free, prior and informed consent through processes that adhere to UNDRIPA. In the Q&A with Shannon Janzen, Chief Teegee talked about how “UNDRIPA can be a path forward to certainty for the Forestry Industry, creating the space needed to make the decisions together”. With respect to desputes, Teegee said “yes, there is a need for a dispute resolutoon process”. He said First Nations communities that want to be a part of the economy and more First Nations are thinking outside the box to find opportunities, such as utilizing fibre for energy and creating value added products. 

BC Minister of Forests Bruce Ralston, spoke on the need to transition to more resilient forests and to increase the value and values generated from them. In addition to more value-added manufactured products, Rolston said this includes the value of increased forest health, climate change, biodiversity, and wildfire resilience. Key to achieving this are the many government initiatives introduced over the past two years. Examples include increasing fibre recovery, forest rehabilitation after wildfires, sustainable logging practices, fibre distribution to small value-added producers, and the introduction of land use tables. In support of the latter, the Minister announced that the province is investing $38 million for province-wide LiDAR mapping over six years to develop high-resolution data critical to forestry, wildfire and fuels, surface hydrology, agriculture, ecology, wildlife, habitat management and restoration, geology and geomorphology. Although it may take a while to complete, Rolston said he was confident the forest landscape plans will provide more certainty on harvest levels, which in turn will generate more industry investments in the future.

BC Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship Nathan Cullen, joined COFI president and CEO Linda Coady for an armchair dialogue on approaches to land use planning in BC. Coady introduced the session with an overview of the three key transitions underway: i) DRIPA implementation, ii) How We Plan – more comprehensive, inclusive, and area-based plans; and iii) What We Plan – ecosystem resilience and sustainable management. Coady noted industry’s support for the direction but uncertainty on “how we get there from here”. Minister Ralston noted that his ministry “was created to plan” and has done much of the heavy lifting upfront. DRIPA and the landscape level plans are key, and if done right, Cullen believes the desired certainty is achievable. Questioned on the concern of potential incremental AAC impacts of BC signing onto the recent Biodiversity Summit’s 30×30 goal (30% effective protection by 2030), Cullen said he believes it could be covered within the landscaped plans, adding it’s a “people up process, not a benevolent top down one”.

The BC Council of Forest Industries (COFI) kicked-off their annual forestry conference in Prince George, BC—after a five year Covid-enhanced absence — with a sold-out Ice Breaker. The two-day conference promises to be an outstanding event given the expected attendance and high profile speakers such the Hon. David Eby, Premier of BC, Regional Chief Terry Teegee, BC Assembly of First Nations, and BC Minister of Forests, Hon. Bruce Ralston. Linda Coady, President and CEO of COFI opened the conference noting her delight to be in a room connecting with so many provincial, municipal and First Nation leaders as well as the many firms and individuals that service and supply our mills. The event sponsor, Shawn Ellsworth, Partner in KPMG’s forest certification, ESG and Climate Change practice shared the stage, emphasizing the importance of the event for networking and dialog on the many issues facing the industry. And the import to KPMG—as auditors, tax advisors, forest certifiers, GHG and climate risk assessors, ESG and forest carbon consultants.

The Prince George Conference and Civic centre was the scene of a forest sector reunion of sorts. This evening was a demonstration of the camaraderie and support within the forest sector as delegates and exhibitors mingled, snacked, shook hands and hugged in a display of mutual respect and friendship. Sandy had so much fun pulling all of these willing faces together for group photos. 

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. …

[This article is part of our partnership with the Western Canada SFI Implementation Committee and our jointly hosted Wildfire Resilience and Awareness Week.]

The FireSmart BC program is directed by the BC FireSmart Committee (BCFSC), collaborating to maintain and improve the delivery of the FireSmart BC program to better support wildfire preparedness, prevention and mitigation in BC. The Community Resiliency Investment (CRI) program was introduced by the provincial government in September 2018 and is intended to reduce the risk of wildfires and mitigate their impacts on BC communities. Through the CRI, communities are provided funding and support to complete FireSmart™ initiatives, including priority fuel management activities, on provincial Crown land and on private land. There are two program streams: FireSmart Community Funding and Supports (FCFS), and Crown Land Wildfire Risk Reduction (WRR).

[This article is part of our partnership with the Western Canada SFI Implementation Committee and our jointly hosted Wildfire Resilience and Awareness Week.]

This summer will mark the 20-year anniversary since the Kelowna Mountain Park fire destroyed 238 homes and burned approximately 26,000 ha. It marks a critical turning point in fire management in B.C. and I believe for Canada. … While we have made some progress to address the wildfire problem it is obvious there is still a long way to go.

A key issue that requires complex solutions is the continued growth of development into the wildland urban interface. Local governments in B.C. have been unable to halt the expansion of homes into fire prone areas of the Province. While a few communities have adopted FireSmart bylaws through the Development Permit Area process, these bylaws often don’t go far enough and are limited in. …In my opinion the growing development of vulnerable interface communities can only be managed through a provincial mandate that enforces FireSmart standards in high fire risk areas of the province. …Governments need to direct industry to assist in wildfire risk reduction beyond the current wildfire hazard reduction obligations. … Given the current public forest land management and tenure model in B.C., these costs should be borne by the Crown.

The cheapest and most effective treatment is prescribed fire, and even though it has been highlighted as a big part of the solution we have failed to act on these recommendations. Without prescribed fire our hope of significantly reducing the fire problem is likely to fail.

[This article is part of our partnership with the Western Canada SFI Implementation Committee (WCSIC) and our jointly hosted Wildfire Resilience and Awareness Week.] For roughly a century we have been putting out wildfire on the land and we’ve gotten pretty darn good at it. Unfortunately, this well intended policy has had unintended consequences – namely our rural communities, and the very forests that they depend upon, are at extreme risk of catastrophic loss due to a wildfire deficit. Our friend Smokey the Bear has been too successful with his wildfire prevention message! …For a holistic, full circle approach to wildfire resiliency, you must access skills and knowledge from various fire and forest specialties –operational fire experience, fire behaviour knowledge, fire and forestry ecology, fire modelling technology, community level educators, silviculture reforestation specialists …As climate change continues to express itself through larger, more frequent, and catastrophic landscape level wildfires, our ability to prepare, mitigate, respond, and recover (also known as the Emergency Management Continuum) from these events needs to adapt and grow too.  We have been fortunate to be part of these conversations and work too.

Whether it is an alternative view of the landscape, designing forests for resilience first, re-introducing ecologically appropriate wildland fire to the landscape or maximizing the benefit of emerging technology and innovation to ensure informed decisions, there is significant opportunity moving forward – and we must move forward.

The Western Canada SFI Implementation Committee (WCSIC) has partnered with the Tree Frog Forestry News to host Wildfire Resilience and Awareness Week. Under the SFI Forest Management Standard, certified organizations are required to limit the susceptibility of forests to undesirable impacts of wildfire and raise community awareness of wildfire benefits, risks, and minimization measures. With the start of fire season in Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest, the Tree Frog Forestry News saw this as an opportunity to work with some of our sponsors and give voice to experts in the field of wildfire management. A special Wildfire Resource Page has been created to share information and communications tools with our readers — please join us in sharing this important information with your colleagues and communities.

Throughout the week we’ll be posting articles that feature a variety of perspectives on wildfire management.

Nathanson, Schachter and Thompson LLP is pleased to announce that leading litigation counsel Mark S. Oulton has joined the partnership. Mark has extensive experience at trial, on appeal, and before administrative tribunals in a range of commercial litigation and administrative law matters, with a particular focus on forestry and commercial disputes. Legal publications Lexpert and Chambers Canada recognize Mark as a leading forestry law practitioner. Benchmark Litigation recognizes Mark for corporate commercial litigation and administrative law and Best Lawyers Canada recognizes Mark for these and natural resource law as well. In addition to his counsel work, Mark regularly contributes to legal scholarship and education, including through contributions to the Continuing Legal Education Society of BC and the Advocates Society. …Recognized as one of Canada’s Top 10 Litigation Firms, NST is known for its intellectual rigour, high quality advocacy, responsiveness to clients’ needs, and its outstanding team.

Bill Dumont

William “Bill” Dumont – July 15, 1948 – January 25, 2023. Bill Dumont was born into this world on July 15, 1948, and left it peacefully on January 25, 2023; both earlier and faster than anyone expected. He was B-I-G. Not only in stature, but personality, opinions, his acts of kindness, his love of gardening and travel, life spanning volunteerism and love language of preparing food and serving it to others. Family. Friends. Food. Fun. Faith. Forestry. Fishing. Flowers. Fur-babies. All had his heart, and that heart will dearly be missed by many.

Bill earned a Bachelor of Science (Forestry) from the University of British Columbia in 1971. Next he served as a CUSO Volunteer forester from 1971 to 1973 in Tapah and Ipoh, West Malaysia, with the Perak State Forestry Department. His journey to becoming a Distinguished Professional Forester included being the Chief Forester with Western Forest Products Ltd. for many years. He also served on the Forest Practices Board and was a director and volunteer with many other very worthy organizations, including Indigenous economic development corporations.

A celebration of Bill’s life will take place on February 7, 2023 in Duncan, BC. 

Mirax Group announced today that it has reached an agreement to acquire Lyle Forest Products (Lyle) located in Chilliwack, BC.  Established in 1972, Lyle Forest Products is a premier value-added lumber facility dealing with Pacific Coast Hemlock and Western Red Cedar. For the past 50 years Lyle has been producing only the highest quality of paneling, moulding’s, S4S finishing boards, and engineered wood products. …This acquisition is one step closer for Mirax Group to become a more vertically integrated forest company in British Columbia. With the addition of Lyle to our family of companies, this is consistent with our value-added business model to further enhance and diversify investment locally in BC and produce high quality finished products ready to be shipped globally. The new operation will be run as Lyle Specialty Forest Products Ltd., where our sister-company Jazz Forest Products will be the sole distributor for Lyle products. 

Salmon Arm, BC – Forsite is excited to announce that Frontline Operations Group is joining the Forsite team as we continue to build an innovative and industry leading fire services team. This collaboration further expands our wildfire and forestry expertise, fortifying our commitment to our clients across Canada as we respond strategically and collaboratively to wildfire risks. Frontline Operations is an industry leader in integrated wildfire and forestry services. Frontline Operation’s partners John and Andy have five decades of combined wildland fire management experience. Along with their staff, they will bolster the Forsite team to apply significant industry expertise, innovation and operational delivery excellence to wildfire risk assessment, community planning, fuel management, cultural and prescribed fire, and wildfire operations. 

Russ Taylor and Paul Quinn

It was perhaps akin to announcing funding for a new fish processing plant in response to the total collapse of fish stocks. In response to last week’s announcement by Canfor Corp. … Premier David Eby announced a $90 million fund aimed at encouraging investments in value-added wood industries… While that is “nice,” it completely misses the point, David Elstone writes in in his View From the Stump  – the point being that there is simply not enough affordable timber in B.C. to sustain the current number of operating sawmills and pulp mills.

Analysts speaking at the BC Truck Loggers Association Convention in Vancouver echoed Elstone’s point. …“If the future is mass timber, you still need lumber to make mass timber,” said Paul Quinn with RBC Capital Markets. …Russ Taylor, with Russ Taylor Global said “You have to have a healthy sawmilling industry, and you have to have a fair stumpage and stable timber volumes to make the sawmill costs competitive and fair.” Quinn went so far as to suggest the current government is indifferent to the plight of forestry dependent communities because that’s not where its voter base is. …Taylor noted that sawmill capacity in the U.S. – mainly the Southern U.S. – has grown 40 per cent since 2014, while B.C. sawmill capacity declined 30 per cent. …Premier David Eby will have a chance to defend his government’s policies on forestry tomorrow, when he gives a keynote address to the TLA Convention.

Vaughn Palmer

VICTORIA — Premier David Eby offered the usual government solution to this week’s news of the permanent closure of pulp production at the Canfor mill in Prince George. Eby expressed sympathy for the 300 workers who’ll lose their jobs add said the government is dispatching a crisis response team to the community. The team will offer “training, transitioning to retirement, or other supports,” the premier told reporters in Vancouver on Thursday. …Eby did hint at more encouraging relief, when he was asked about the proposal from a coalition of pulp and paper producers for a “value-added transformation” of the industry. …“In terms of the specific proposals around support for innovation, we’ll have more to say in the coming days,” Eby said of the coalition submission. The premier is scheduled to deliver two major speeches on forest and resource themes next week — to the 20th annual B.C. Natural Resources forum and the annual convention of the Truck Loggers Association.

The Canfor board includes former NDP Premier Glen Clark. …Clark is also a lifelong New Democrat, who has lately offered to help the current government. “I’m not desperate for work or anything.” he told Jas Johal on CKNW this week. “I’m just saying I’m prepared and interested, but it’s up to others to decide whether they think I can help.” Eby said “that’s great news, and I look forward to working with him.” …But oh, to be a fly on the wall if Eby dared to ask Clark for advice on what to do in the forest sector.

Linda Coady

When the job came up with COFI I was attracted to it because I knew climate-smart forestry was going to be an big opportunity for B.C. And Indigenous reconciliation is now a legal and business imperative here.

…There are certainly flashpoint issues around forestry in B.C. right now, but those also create opportunity. But, generally speaking, things are not as polarized as it might seem from the outside. There are solutions in areas of climate-smart forestry, new types of products and jobs, new relationships, especially with Indigenous communities and organizations, and new markets globally. …I would hope that focusing on the opportunities side of things it will make it easier to get to solutions on some of those flashpoint issues.  I don’t think anybody doubts that we need a good, solid plan for old-growth conservation in B.C. I see that as fundamental to the credibility of B.C.’s claim that we practice sustainable forestry.

…In my first 60 days of talking to people, the one message that people seem to agree on is the long-term goal of where we’re heading in the forest sector. There are different perspectives, of course, on how you get there, but I see it as an encouraging sign that there is a broadly based consensus on the importance of sustainable forest management and the importance of having a globally innovative and competitive forest sector because of the contribution it can make on a number of different levels.  I take that as a good sign that some of the short-term challenges can be worked through if you have people on the same page as to what the general direction is.

Rob Kozak

UNIVERSITY OF BC FORESTRY — With nearly 8,000 Forestry alumni around the world affecting change and making impacts in ways that are incalculable, we are most certainly one of the most successful Forestry schools globally. As well, our leading-edge, innovative research continues to make waves in positive and meaningful ways. …That as the backdrop to this issue on Future Forests, the reality is that the future of forests – and, by association, forestry – is in all of our hands. Looming large are the challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, the decline of forest-dependent communities and an expanding – and increasingly voracious – human population. …Forests, as we all know, play a vital role in contributing solutions to address some of these pressing issues. Technological innovations are part of the answer, certainly, but what we need now – more than ever – is to put forward bold, courageous, conservation-based strategies, even if it sometimes means bucking the status quo.

 …We have attempted to do this in the current issue of Branchlines by summarizing viewpoints shared in our recent webinars on the contentious issue of old growth forests and by providing some potential paths forward for all. In the end, we find ourselves in a maelstrom of wicked problems related to the sustainability of our planet, and we owe it to future generations to do whatever we possibly can to tackle this dizzying array of issues head-on. We also recognize that forests and the nature-based solutions that they provide are a big part of the solution, but that this may require disruptive, transformative change. The Faculty of Forestry is responding to this clarion call by providing intellectual space for informed dialogue and by imparting knowledge to the next generation of natural resources managers and change-makers. Together, we can make a difference in creating a healthier, more resilient and sustainable future.

It is with a heavy heart that I announce—after more than 30 years—the Canadian Women in Timber are dissolving our organization. Since 1989 we have enthusiastically championed the forestry and logging sectors in British Columbia. We’ve collectively touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of school children, parents, teachers and community members – fostering an interest and passion for the natural science of forestry, management and operations/harvesting. Our educational materials have been re-published many times (with support from our sponsors) and are part of classroom sets and family bookshelves around the province and across Canada.

We would like to thank our members – your contributions are so important and valued. We would also like to thank our supporters and friends: forestry companies; industry associations like the ILA, the TLA, the Vancouver Hoo-Hoo Club; all levels of government and forest ministers who have participated in our events and programs; all the post-secondary forestry programs; and all of the many schools around the province who have welcomed us into their classrooms. Our partnership with the Interior Logging Association and the Forest Education Van was a key part of our program… Thank you to Wayne Lintott who was always our champion!

John Brink

John Brink was four-and-a-half years old when Canadian troops liberated his part of Holland. Nearly eight decades later, Brink’s memories remain vivid of seeing those friendly faces arrive in the final days of Second World War. …The Canadians came on May 12, 1945, right after the ‘hunger winter’ that brought brutal cold and starvation to parts of the country where food and fuel supplies were blocked by the retreating German army. …For Brink and his family, the war brought ever-present anxiety, malnutrition and the misery of separation that divided them. As he writes in his autobiography, Against All Odds, “It was a life without luxuries, but it was bearable – after all, it was all I knew. What was infinitely more difficult was the worry generated by living under occupation.  

…The impact the Canadians made on Brink never left him. He wanted to immigrate to Canada as a 17-year-old but his parents denied permission. He was then drafted and served two years in the Dutch Air Force as part of the special forces military police before coming to Canada at age 24. Driven by his ambition to own his own sawmill, Brink arrived in Prince George in 1965 with $25.47 in his pocket and worked his way to the point where he could start his business. Ten years later he opened Brink Forest Products in Prince George and its finger-jointed lumber mill, which, with the addition of value-added mills in Vanderhoof and Houston, he’s turned into one of the largest forestry companies in the province. Brink, who celebrated his 82nd birthday Nov. 1, realizes the importance of Remembrance Day, especially to remind the younger generation of the sacrifices our soldiers made to preserve the freedoms we often take for granted. 

David Elstone

With NDP MLA David Eby taking over as the next premier of British Columbia, it’s an opportune time to baseline the state of BC’s forest industry. …Natural factors including the mountain pine beetle and spruce beetle epidemics, wildfires etc are taking their toll on timber supply. So too have policy changes introduced by the NDP government under the banner of Modernizing Forest Policy in BC, including the old growth deferral initiative. …The consequences of such are starting to appear. Given this made in BC recipe for gridlock, I had projected (almost a year ago) the future provincial timber harvest would decrease between 10% and 40% by the time of the next election in 2024. Almost a year later, the provincial harvest is down 5.3 million m3 or 12.6% ytd as of September..

What have been the downstream effects of the reduced timber harvest? Lumber production province wide is down 12.7% ytd (July). Coast production is down 6.8% ytd. And interior production is down by 13.5% ytd to levels not seen in many decades. Timber supply issues have been a large part of that decline, especially for the interior. Other contributing factors include the collapse in lumber prices as well as transportation issues. …The following is a list of manufacturing facilities which have either permanently closed or temporary curtailed since Q4 2021. …No other provinces are reporting closures to the same magnitude. Conversely, there is relatively little new capacity being added. This is where things are at for British Columbia’s forest sector, and it’s not good. Unfortunately, Eby has already said his 100- day plan includes a pledge to accelerate the old growth plan.

VANCOUVER, BC – A new study confirms that wood pellets in BC are sourced entirely from sawmill and harvest residuals or from low-quality logs and bush grind rejected by other industries. The study was commissioned by the Wood Pellet Association of Canada. Respected forest experts Professor Gary Bull, Dr. Jeremy Williams, Dr. Jim Thrower and Mr. Brad Bennett. …“We reviewed the data for virtually every truckload of fibre for each pellet mill in the province and were able to source forest-based residuals down to the forest harvesting block for each mill,” said Bull.

“The findings were clear: 85% of the fibre for pellets comes from the by-products of the sawmills and allied industries, and the remaining 15% comes from bush grind and low-quality logs where the only other option is to burn the low-grade logs and brush piles on site in order to reduce fire risk.” In addition, almost all the pellets produced in B.C. are certified under the international recognized Sustainable Biomass Program and the fibre is from sustainably managed forests in B.C. certified under the Canadian Standards Association, the Forest Stewardship Council or the Sustainable Forestry Initiative “The notion of harvesting whole stands of timber or displacing higher value forest products for the purpose of producing wood pellets is counter to the overall economic and environmental objectives of using wood pellets,” added Thrower.

Joe Aquino

British Columbians of a certain age may remember beehive burners. Most towns in B.C. with a sawmill had one. In the late 1990s, the B.C. government began phasing them out, and in their wake a wood pellet industry began to grow to deal with sawmill waste. It seemed like a win-win situation for the environment and forest industry – one that reduced air pollution, addressed the sawmill waste problem and provided a renewable, carbon-neutral energy source that was starting to displace coal. As countries like Japan and the U.K. began displacing coal in thermal power plants with biomass, a market for wood pellets began to grow. About 60 per cent of Europe’s renewable energy is bioenergy, mostly wood biomass. But as the demand for wood pellets has grown over the last two decades, so too have concerns about the wood pellet industry and its impact on forests. 

Environmental groups like Stand.earth and the Natural Resources Defense Council in the U.S. have been stepping up campaigns against the industry, questioning the climate calculus that deems biomass to be carbon neutral. Forests are important carbon sinks, after all. If living trees are cut down to produce energy, the carbon neutrality of biomass may be called into question. That’s especially true if more trees are harvested than regrown. Currently, most of the inputs used in B.C. pellet mills come from sawmills and harvest residuals such as slash,  which is typically burned anyway. On average, about 80 per cent of the inputs in Drax’s seven wood pellet mills in B.C. is sawmill waste, Drax’s Joe Aquino said. About 20 per cent is harvest residuals – branches, treetops and low-value logs that sawmills don’t want. …Drax insists that it is not harvesting trees in Canada to make wood pellets and that doing so would make no economic sense. Trees are valuable, after all, and wood pellets are at the bottom of the forestry value chain.