The convention will provide sessions and events of interest to industry CEO's, vice presidents, marketing and production managers, senior representatives from suppliers and equipment firms, law firms, financial institutions, senior federal, provincial and local government officials, chambers of commerce, Mayors, MLA's and MP's, as well as local, regional and national media. This event will bring together key industry, government and customer representatives to identify opportunities, challenges, strategies and successes in our global marketing efforts.

There will be something for everyone with executive panels on key markets; senior government perspectives; supplier exhibits; and abundant networking opportunities, including a networking reception on Thursday evening. And when the convention is over, there's lots to do in beautiful Kelowna with wineries, golf courses and more just minutes from the convention hotel.

Speakers include John Mikkelson, of Centex - one of the leading home building companies in the US, Mike Thompson, representing Weyerhaeuser in China, Joseph Caron, Canada's Ambassador to Japan; Premier Gordon Campbell and Rich Coleman, Forests and Range Minister.

Take this opportunity to gain a better understanding of the issues, opportunities and challenges facing the BC forest products industry, while networking with customers, suppliers, industry leaders, community leaders and policy makers.

For registration package and more information go to the COFI website: www.cofi.org or contact Diana Gillrie by phone at (250) 860-9663, by fax at (250) 860-0009 or by e-mail: ac2006@cofi.org.

The BC Forum on Forest Economics and Policy is convening forest sector leaders and stakeholders to explore the possibility of a new paradigm in BC that shifts from a focus on volume-based production orientation to one that seeks to maximize the value obtained from our forests. The theme of the symposium is designed around alternative production strategies, innovation and new technologies that could serve to augment the commodity manufacturing sector. This includes harvest selection for final product value, production of wood products better suited to secondary manufacturing, production of value-added products, incorporating design into the production of wood products, and production of non-timber forest products, by-products and other ecosystem goods and services.

The first part of the symposium will be designed to inform decision makers and stakeholders of the opportunities and potential costs and benefits of adopting value focused approach as a strategy for the management of our forest resources. The second part of the symposium will engage participants in a healthy dialogue on what it is that we need to do now in order to move ahead. A panel of experts from a range of disciplines will comment on the current state of forestry and present their visions for the future. The symposium will end with in depth questioning from participants on the potential of adopting a value focused approach in forestry.

There is no fee to register for the event. However, advanced registration is required, as pace is limited--register online by Sunday, February 26: www.bc-forum.org/symposium0603.htm

Forests and Range Minister Rich Coleman made the announcement during a tour of the UBC Centre for Advanced Wood Processing, where product development and testing will occur.

"Our priority is to make the most out of the beetle wood in the short and long term so we can support our forest-dependent communities," said Coleman. "The research and development into new products and markets led by the chair--the first of its kind in North America--will play a big part in that effort."

One of the key components of B.C.'s Mountain Pine Beetle Action Plan is to recover the maximum economic value from beetle-affected wood by developing new uses and new markets. UBC received an additional $510,000 from the Province last November for eight related pine beetle research and development projects.

The Province is partnering with the university and the forest industry to attract a world-class expert who will bring together architectural, engineering and wood science and technology students to further the design, development and uses of structural wood products. One of the chair's key objectives will be to ensure facilities for the 2010 Olympics showcase British Columbia as a global leader in wood building design, construction and green building technology.

Connected to UBC's Timber Building Technology Group, the chair will also:

The chair--expected to be filled in the fall--will enable UBC's Faculty of Forestry and Faculty of Applied Science to expand research and learning opportunities for some of Canada's most innovative students.

"The Chair in Wood Building Design and Construction exemplifies UBC's close collaboration with government and industry to ensure our leading-edge research solves real-world problems," said Dennis Pavlich, UBC's vice-president of external and legal affairs. "Through this chair, our students and faculty will be challenged to think outside the box and create new, sustainable ways for building the world we live in."

UBC, which is contributing $600,000, is looking to raise $3 million in government, industry and private contributions. In addition to the $1.4 million from the Province, funding commitments have been received from Ainsworth Lumber, Forintek Canada Corp., Goodfellow Inc., Hundegger USA, Read Jones Christoffersen, SPF Group of Companies, representing Interior B.C. and Alberta producers of spruce, pine and fir dimension lumber, Timber Systems Ltd., and Western Archrib.

For more information on the Mountain Pine Beetle Action Plan, visit www.gov.bc.ca/pinebeetle.

For more information about forest certification in Canada and British Columbia, go to the Canada Sustainable Forestry Certification Coalition website: www.certificationcanada.org.

Now an annual event, the Wood Design Awards Competition and Gala celebrates and recognizes the growing wood culture in British Columbia. Recent survey results tell us that there is a growing trend by members of BC's design community to use more wood in the buildings they design. This is the wood industry's opportunity to recognize those individuals, the architects, engineers, builders and owners who are using more wood in innovative ways. The Gala celebration for Forest Industry leaders and Politicians along with members of the design and construction communities will take place on March 6th. "We are pleased to be hosting the 2006 Wood Design Awards Gala," noted Mary Tracey, BC Wood WORKS! Director. "Last year's nominations and winners were of a very high calibre and we anticipate that this year we will once again have outstanding projects nominated. This even is unique in the fact that it brings the wood products manufacturers and the end users together for a common cause--to celebrate wood."

Honours are awarded in several building categories including commercial/institutional, recreational, high performance, multi-unit residential and residential. All buildings nominated have been commissioned in the past three years. Other categories will acknowledge leaders who are doing their part to build a wood culture in the province. This includes an architect, engineer, community leader and industry leader. An independent panel of judges will make the selections.

Each award category has been sponsored by a forest industry company, association or a business dependent on the health of the forest industry. This year's event sponsor is Forestry Innovation Investment from the provincial government. Gold award sponsors are Canfor, CFPA, COFI, Gorman Bros. Lumber, Structurlam Products, Tembec, Western Archrib, Weyerhaeuser and Canadian Wood Council. Silver sponsors include Anthony Seaman Engineering and Wellons.

The Gala will be held at the Four Seasons in Vancouver on March 6, 2006. Tickets can be ordered at 1-877-929-9633 ext 4 and it is recommended that tickets be purchased well in advance.

The nominations forms for the various categories are posted on the Wood WORKS! BC Gala website at www.wood-works.org. Simply click on the BC Gala button and follow the instructions for downloading the application form. Both self-nominated projects and third-party nominations are encouraged.