Despite these negatives, the outlook for lumber consumption remains relatively strong, although competition from Europe will be fierce so prices are expected to be lower. China continues to represent a large potential market as players from both that country and Canada continue to evolve and adapt to market dynamics and technical requirements. Industry continues to rationalize and re-capitalize in line with supply and demand. And after a considerable period of joint study and analysis industry and government have an opportunity to establish a revised log grade system and a new timber pricing system more consistent with the economic environment going forward.

Last but not least we have a new Conservative government in Ottawa. I would like to congratulate all candidates, whether they won or lost, for their willingness to pursue public service. It should be a very interesting year!

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 Paul Dodge, of Centex - one of the leading home building companies in the US, Mike Thompson, representing Weyerhaeuser in China, Jacques 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.

Recruiters from UBC and BCIT toured a number of schools in the Okanagan-Columbia forest education zone in November, informing students about career opportunities in forestry as well as educating them about forest management practices in BC that ensure a renewable, sustainable resource for the future.

Career presentations took place in West Kootenay high school Planning 10 classes, courtesy of Nancie Dohan, Forest Educator for that zone. Nancie also hosted the ILA's forest education van, visiting West Kootenay elementary schools and fall fairs and resulting in more than 1500 students and general public touring this educational exhibit. A fall Professional Day event presented educators with information on forest practices and the Mountain Pine Beetle epidemic and gave them a chance to tour both a lumber mill and an active harvest site.

In the East Kootenay, Norma Blissett has been making numerous forestry presentations to schools, on topics ranging from "Renewable Resources"(using her new Gr. 5 resource unit) to "Forest Harvesting, Then and Now", "Mountain Pine Beetle" and "Careers in the Forest Industry". Plans are in the works for a spring Professional Development Day for teachers in the East Kootenay.

Cariboo forest educators, Gail Wallin and Maureen LeBourdais, partnered with the Cariboo Educational Woodlot Society (CEWS) to facilitate interpretive hikes for elementary students on the 1.5 km Minton Creek Forestry Trail. CEWS has developed educational trails and activities that promote knowledge, understanding and use of forest resources. Students on the tour learned about tree identification, evidence of wildlife, riparian areas, biodiversity, and multiple uses of the forest, both past and present.

Thompson forest educator, Susan Bondar, has been involved with setting up the "Adopt a Forester" program in the Gold Trail School District as well as maintaining the existing program in the Kamloops area. She will be holding upcoming Presenter Training workshops for forest industry personnel as well as planning for a spring teacher Professional Day event and forest education van tours to area schools.

One of the latest projects of Okanagan-Columbia educational liaison, Debbie Sluggett and forest education consultant, Jeannie Steele, is a new DVD resource, titled "C.L.E.M. - A Journey into BC's Logging Industry". CLEM will allow students to view the high-tech machines used by today's forest industry and to understand how technology has helped to make logging safer, more efficient and more environmentally-friendly than in the past. This resource will be distributed province-wide in the coming months and was funded by many Southern Interior logging trades companies, as well as Forest Expo, Workers Compensation Board of BC, the BC Forest Safety Council, the Interior Logging Association, the Truck Loggers Association and COFI.

Southern Interior forest educators will be in Banff at the end of January to meet with other forest education practitioners from Western Canada at the ForestEDWest II Conference. This event will highlight forest education programs and resources and will give delegates an opportunity to share and network and to strategize ways to sustain these programs for the future.

For more information contact Deb Bazett at (250)860-9663 or by e-mail: bazett@cofi.org or go to the Okanagan-Columbia zone's website www.learnforestry.com.

The initiative will benefit owners, licensees, contractors and workers. By endorsing the SAFE Company program, the executives of BC's largest forest companies have committed that their companies and all those who work for them will become certified under the program. Pilot programs involving a small number of companies across the province begin this spring, and the SAFE Companies program will be fully operational by the fall of 2007.

"This is a clear indication that we are committed to changing the culture of our industry and making safety an over-riding priority" said BC Forest Safety Council chair Jim Shepherd.

Under the program, companies will sign onto the Safety Accord of the BC Forest Industry and agree to put in place specific safety requirements appropriate to the size of the company. Companies will have safety audits to confirm they are meeting the SAFE Companies standard. SAFE certified companies become eligible for savings of at least five per cent on their WorkSafeBC payments.

To help companies become SAFE, up to six safety advocates located throughout the province will conduct pre-audit assessments, review safety procedures and advise companies about steps necessary to meet the SAFE standard.

In addition to the SAFE Companies program, the industry is putting in place an independent safety ombudsman to deal with workplace concerns with the ability to refuse unsafe work and deal with issues between contractors and licensees.

Industry will also be supporting a comprehensive three-year review of fatalities and serious injuries to be done by the Forest Safety Council, WorkSafeBC and the BC Coroners Office. It will result in a series of findings and recommendations on forest safety practices as well as providing a comprehensive data base for deaths and serious injuries in the sector over the last three years.

For more information go to the Safety Council website: www.bcforestsafe.org or contact Anne Mauch at (604) 891-1213 or by e-mail: mauch@cofi.org.

And what do they think of Nak'albun Elementary School and Ft St James? They love the town and are very pleased with the school. They have great students and a keen staff. "The school has a great focus on academics and a well established extra curricular program" noted Aucoin.

Now living in a town surrounded by forestry, Natalie, who teaches Grade 5 and 6, is keen to start teaching forestry and is very excited about all the new teaching resources and support provided by COFI.

For more information on COFI Northern Operations' Forest Education Program contact Chris Lear, Forest Education Manager at (250) 614-4352 or by e-mail: lear@cofi.org

COFI Natural Resource Management Career Awareness Programs are hosted throughout north central BC. For more information on this and other career awareness programs, contact Chris Lear, Forest Education Manager, Northern Operations at (250) 614-4352 or by e-mail: lear@cofi.org.

(L to R) Kerry Jantz, principal Fraser Lake Elementary/Secondary School, Braedon Carswell, Adam Christensen, Katelyn Zawada and Chris Lear, COFI Forest Education Manager.		Erin Giesbrecht, from Fort St James Secondary School receives her scholarship from Chris Lear.

Since it was first established 200 years ago, Fort Nelson has been relying on its surrounding forests for its economy, culture and recreation.

Mayor Chris Morey commented that "Fort Nelson is thrilled to have earned the right to represent BC forest communities for 2006. The forest industry has been at the heart of our economy for decades, ... We in Fort Nelson are very fortunate to enjoy an excellent working relationship with our forest sector companies -- large and small -- and with such organizations as COFI."

Canfor's General Manager of Fort Nelson Operations Tom Lewis tells COFI that "the primary reason we are so eager to be designated as Forest Capital is so that we can remind our own community and the rest of the province that it is the forest sector that has been the true, stable foundation of the Fort Nelson economy for many decades. It has been, and is still, the largest single employer for our region. Unlike anywhere else in the province, the forest industry in Fort Nelson has evolved over the past several years to become an industry focused on utilization of aspen. The PolarBoard OSB plant log consumption is 80% aspen while the Tackama plywood plant utilizes 30% aspen".

The Fort Nelson Timber Supply Area (TSA) covers more than 9.8 million hectares, equivalent to almost 11 percent of British Columbia.

For more information contact Steve Kozuki at (250) 564-5136 or by e-mail: kozuki@cofi.org.

The University of Northern BC and College of New Caledonia concluded the career fair with information for students on training partnership opportunities available in the natural resources sectors.

For more information contact COFI Forest Education Manager Chris Lear at (250) 564-5136 or by e-mail at: lear@cofi.org.