David Coletto & David Elstone

A public opinion expert sees both opportunity and new challenges as British Columbians become more aware of forest management and wildfires. Abacus Data CEO David Coletto… said while public perception of the forestry industry previously hinged on its relevance and proximity to a given community, after a record season of wildfires and previous natural disasters, all of the province understands the sector’s significance. …“What we learned from research was that the crisis around the wildfires has created a moment where, regardless of your political stripe, where you live in B.C., you know this is a problem. You think it’s going to get worse and you know that forestry is actually part of the solution,” Coletto said. He added the awareness of the industry is an opportunity for forestry to bring new audiences into a conversation. …“Some of that work, the active forest management, can be part of the solution,” Coletto said.