Category Archives: Special Feature

The Canadian Women in Timber are excited to launch our newest educational book called Wood Facts. It joins Forestry Facts in a series of ‘test your IQ’ question and answer books. With this new book we introduce two new characters named Cookie and Spruce. Cookie—a robust and jolly fellow—is made from a slice off the end of a log. He loves to ask people to guess how old he is! Cookie’s partner is Spruce. This lanky and fashionable gal is a 2×4 cut from a spruce log. She is proud of the fact that she is a sink for greenhouse gasses and is helping to combat climate change! The fact book features nine questions and answers about wood. The story starts with how wood is made, examines some of its unique features, and explains how to enhance wood’s inherent strength. Next is a feel good section on how wood can help reduce the impacts of climate change followed by new and exciting ways that wood and wood derivatives can be used in a whole range of different products. Wood Facts is part of a collection of teaching tools designed to promote Forest Awareness through Eduction. Check our website for lots of great resources.

BARRIERE – Despite tough times in the forest industry, local family-owned mill Woodco is making an investment in the future, and is adding four new jobs to their roster of 25 people. “We replaced our micro-mill equipment with a new Brewco double scragg and resaw line, which means increased production and improved lumber quality,” said Woodco owner John Drew. “Increased production means adding employees, and in a small community like Barriere, those four new jobs are important.” The new equipment allows Woodco to efficiently turn shorter, round logs into square ‘cants’ which can then be further processed into lumber and other value-added products.

2. Why should British Columbians who don’t live in forest-dependent communities care? Forestry has been and continues to be vital to the provincial economy. It supports over 100,000 direct and indirect jobs. …And they’re located in every region.

4. Why has COFI proposed designating a “working forest” land base?  …about 52 percent of the land base in BC has some form of conservation measure on it. That’s a huge commitment, and it’s important. But we also think there should be balance. …To provide security for people to make the choice to invest here, they need to know they’re going to have access to fibre at a reasonable cost.

5. How can we turn things around? Gov’t has a role in creating the conditions… ensuring that the regulatory regime is robust and strong but also efficient and streamlined. …For industry, we’ve got to continue to look at our market and product diversity and how we extract even greater value from the fibre.

A core mandate of the Canadian Forest Service is to conduct scientific research on Canada’s forests. One unique and increasingly important area of research—given Canada’s commitment to the Paris Agreement (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC))—involves modeling and predicting forest ecosystem carbon stocks and the role that Canada’s forests play in the carbon cycle to reduce emissions and increase climate resilience. The Carbon Accounting Team (CAT) at the Pacific Forestry Centre (PFC) is key in this regard having developed a suite of models and tools that are at the forefront of forest carbon science. Ben Hudson is a member PFC’s CAT in Victoria where he and his colleagues work to improve the models and predictions of forest carbon. Hudson’s specific role involves carbon modelling to estimate forest carbon dynamics and GHG emissions associated with forests and forestry related activities. [Click here for French version]

Day two of the BC professional foresters conference kicked off with welcomes from Nanaimo Mayor Leorard Krog and Chief Michael Wyse of the Snuneymuxw First Nation, accompanied by the enthusiastic Snuneymuxw Dance Group and ‘good-day’ singer and elder Lorraine Good. Six issue-oriented breakout sessions followed on topics such as the impact of climate change on water and on wildfire, the import of workforce diversity and the UN Declaration, lessons learned by the Forest Practices Board and the art of public engagement. The keynote plenary was a discussion with BC’s new Superintendent of Professional Governance on the changes coming with BC’s new Professional Governance Act, and the keynote luncheon speaker was an eye-opening talk by hockey star Jordin Tootoo on his personal experience with addiction recovery and mental health. Check back on Monday for the key takeaways. Below are some visual highlights. Click the Read More link to visit our full online gallery.

The Association of BC Forest Professionals kicked off its 72^nd AGM & conference with two high profile issue panels (old-growth management and herbicide use), and a plenary session on the role of local mayors/community leaders in the future of forest management. The three-day conference promises to be an outstanding event given the attendance of more than 500 delegates—including 60 new inductees, a record number of award winners, and speakers such as Doug Donaldson, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development. On the style front, the sold-out affair opened with an icebreaker featuring tastings from a local distillery, winery and brewery. The Tree Frog News team was on site capturing the highlights and below is a sampling of our updates and images.

Neil Hughes, Crystal Chadburn and Len Ritten

This panel of two experts was asked, “Are herbicides getting a bad rap?”. Moderator Chrystal Chadburn with the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development introduced the speakers and moderated the panel. The first to take the podium was Dr. Len Ritten, a professor of environmental toxicology at the University of Guelf and Chair of the Council of Canadian Academics Expert Panel on the Integrated Testing of Pesticides, evaluating the testing strategies used to assess and regulate the risk of pesticides to humans and the environment. …Neil Hughes, RPF, a forest establishment leader with the Resource Practices Branch in the Ministry of Forests followed Dr. Ritter with a demonstration of the effectiveness of herbicides in forest regeneration. Although both very different, it seemed that neither was willing to condemn herbicides. Each pointed to research and practical applications that showed them to be both safe for the public and helpful for forest regeneration.

Alen Banner, Al Gorely, Shannon Janzen, Sonia Furstenau, and Jordan Benner

Panel moderator Al Gorley, RPF—co-leader of the government’s current old-growth review—noted the significant expertise on the panel and how it parallels the range of science, forest practices and governance complexity he’s been hearing from on the topic. First up, ecologist Allen Banner, RPF, RPBio set the stage with the science behind establishing old-growth definitions. …Shannon Janzen RPF, VP and Chief Forester at Western Forest Products spoke… the significant volumes of coast old-growth forests not available for harvest, the retention harvesting undertaken to mimic natural disturbances and management of the working forest to protect important ecological features. …Jordan Benner FIT, PhD Candidate and research advisor for the Nanwakolas Council brought the First Nations perspective to the discussion. …Finally, Green Party MLA Sonnia Furstenau spoke of the public’s passion for old-growth.

Gary Bull, Douglas White, Merlin Blackwell, Gary Foster and Sharie Minions

Forest Minister Doug Donaldson said the future of forest management in BC will involve communities having more control over decisions regarding local resources. But how important is that and how’s it going so far? Moderator Gary Bull, UBC Forestry Professor had no problem eliciting ‘animated’ responses from a panel of BC mayors and a First Nations community leader. Gary Foster, Mayor of Fort Nelson spoke of the foreclosures and bankruptcies following the  closure of two sawmills and collapse of their oil and gas sector. …Clearwater mayor Merlin Blackwell spoke of similar challenges and solutions but also the ongoing uncertainty and frustration on waiting for government to decide on Canfor’s tenure sale to Interfor. Sharie Minions, Mayor of Port Alberni spoke passionately of their communities history and attachment to the sector. …Douglas White III, a spokesperson with Coast Salish First Nation… opined on the ‘defining moment’ the recent federal appeals court represents in Aboriginal reconciliation.

The Association of BC Forest Professionals kick off their annual conference today with a tour of the North Cowichan Municipal Forest and BC Forest Discovery Centre. Stops will include a recent fire and blowdown salvage harvesting operation and a previously harvested area where current strategies and challenges of working with recreational users within the working forest will be discussed. The tour ends at the BC Forest Discovery Center. Participants will see the new interactive exhibit, Forest Forever, showing why BC’s forests are unique in the world and  how science and technology are helping us sustainably manage our forest resource. In the afternoon, two in-depth discussions will look at the controversial topics of old growth forest management and the use of herbicides. Wrapping the day’s talks, delegates will come together for a plenary entitled ‘Thinking Locally: BC Communities and Forest Management’ before heading to the icebreaker on the tradeshow floor.

A research scientist in the Forest Pest Risk Management program at NRCan’s Pacific Forestry Centre (PFC) in Victoria, Joey Tanney gets to think about fungi all day long—and that’s a good thing! Growing up, Tanney spent much of his youth in Ontario where his interest in natural history kept him busy exploring nearby ravines and forests. A dog-eared field guide to insects, and an interest in plants eventually led him into a career in forest pathology. …Today, as a researcher at PFC, he provides scientific advice supporting phytosanitary policies to reduce trade barriers, while conducting research, risk assessments, and response strategies for native pests and alien invasive species. …Now a year into his work in the Forest Pest Risk Management program in Victoria, he has just applied for funding for two additional projects, one involving real- time detection of fungi within plant tissues. It’s important to him that his work leads to practical and valuable applications. (French version here)

Sandy McKellar at Tree Frog News recently interviewed the team at Forsite Consultants to learn more about innovative inventories and how they are used in forest management. Forsite Consultants Ltd is a leading-edge forest management company with offices in BC and across Canada. Together their team brings unique approaches to forest inventory to provide added-value to their natural resource clients. The Forsite interview panel included Cam Brown, strategic planning forester and manager of the Resource Management and Technology group; Mike Parlow, Inventories Team Lead; and Carleigh Drew, marketing specialist. McKellar’s interview explores how Forsite uses LiDAR to create innovative operational forest inventories and how digital twinning of timber on the strategic land base can bring data to life.