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  The importance of the Mountain Pine Beetle in defining BC policy issues continues to grow as the infestation spreads. What is the environmental impact and risk of large stands of dead and dying timber? What is the economic impact? What is the fire risk to communities? What is the "shelf life" of standing beetle-killed pine? What are the energy opportunities for residuals? The consequences of the infestation will be felt for decades - by the forest industry, communities and by extension the government programs and services that rely on the contributions made by the industry and its employees. The implications and issues of the Beetle are far more important to British Columbians than those presented by the few thousand trees blown down in Stanley Park last December. Yet the degree of public and media attention and concern is disproportionately small. We need to do more to ensure that the implications of the Beetle are understood and addressed. To hear the latest news and views on these pressing issues be sure to attend COFI's Annual Convention in Prince George on April 12 and 13.  John Allan |
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The two day convention will provide panel sessions and events of interest to industry CEOs, 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, MLAs and MPs, as well as local, regional and national media. This event will bring together key industry, government, customer and community representatives to identify opportunities, challenges, strategies and successes as we partner in maintaining and enhancing sustainability practices, particularly in the wake of the province's mountain pine beetle epidemic. We encourage you to register early to avoid disappointment. This convention will undoubtedly be of the caliber that our sponsors, exhibitors and delegates have come to expect. There will be something for everyone: executive panels on key issues, a Report Card on BC's competitiveness, an up to date Market Outlook, new this year -- a Media Panel on Public Perceptions of the Industry, four Beetle Action Coalitions reporting on the challenges facing communities post beetle, review six months into the Softwood Lumber Agreement 2006 and a sustainability panel. Speakers include senior forest industry spokespersons, economists and analysts, local Government and First Nations leaders, academics, media and provincial and federal members. See our website at www.cofi.org for current program and speaker information. Over 50 supplier exhibits, and abundant networking opportunities, including the traditional Networking Reception on Thursday evening. For registration information, see www.cofi.org or contact our Convention Manager, Judy Neiser by phone at (250) 614-4353, fax (250) 564-3588 or e-mail: ac2007@cofi.org. |
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 The United Kingdom's Central Point of Expertise on Timber (CPET) has given the government seal of approval to all of the forest certification programs used in British Columbia. After reviewing the five forest certification programs most often encountered in tenders and sales to the UK central government, CPET was able to assure government departments that they were buying timber from responsible sources. It found that the four programs used in British Columbia - the Canadian Standards Association's Sustainable Forest Management Standard (CSA), Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) and Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) - all meet the UK government's criteria for legality and sustainability. The review report is posted on the CPET website: www.proforest.net/cpet/documents. "We have a responsibility, as major purchasers of timber, to do what we can to ensure that timber is legal and from sustainably managed forests wherever possible," UK Biodiversity Minister Barry Gardiner said. "The government is confident that the systems in place are robust and that these schemes provide credible assurance of responsible timber procurement. I urge forest owners and managers to adopt their standards." At the end of 2006, British Columbia had 42.6 million hectares (105.3 million acres) certified to one of three globally recognized programs - CSA, FSC and SFI. The BC Market Outreach Network has a search tool on its website that lets customers learn more about certified lands in British Columbia and identify suppliers in the province who can offer certified forest products demonstrated by a valid chain-of-custody certificate. It has also posted a fact sheet that illustrates how the programs support sustainable forest management. For more information go the BCMON website: www.bcforestinformation.com/ |
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 The 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver and Whistler will be a showcase for the use of British Columbia forest products, showing how wood can be used for commercial, industrial, public and recreational facilities. For example, the Richmond Speed Skating Oval will feature a roof with a unique wave design made from British Columbia wood that will offer superior acoustics. The roof will use arched trusses and rafters and a curvature in the surface panels will create a rippled appearance. It will cover more than 2.6 ha (6.5 acres) and use about one million board feet of primarily pine beetle lumber and 19,000 sheets of 4x8 plywood. Thanks to BCMON for this story. See the BCMON website for more information: www.bcforestinformation.com. |
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Gary Lunn, federal Minister of Natural Resources, has announced funding of $127.5 million to address long-term competitiveness in the forest industry.
"Our goal is a strong, competitive and sustainable forest products industry," said Minister Lunn. "We will work with the provinces and industry to position Canada as a leader in new technologies, products and markets." An investment of $122.5 million will support three initiatives led by Natural Resources Canada: promoting innovation and investment in the forest sector, expanding market opportunities, and developing a national forest pest strategy. In addition, $5 million is earmarked for Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC) to form a Human Resource Forest Sector Council that will help identify and address skills and adjustment issues in the industry. For more information see the Natural Resources Canada website: www.nrcan.gc.ca. |
The first safety advocate appointees are John Gooding of Williams Lake and Neil Campbell of Penticton. Both bring extensive forest experience to their new roles. Gooding worked for Lignum Limited out of Williams Lake for 20 years, part of which was spent as a logging supervisor. Along with being a safety advocate, he works with small contractors to develop Environmental Management Systems (EMS) and safety programs. Campbell, a certified faller, is also a Qualified Supervisor Trainer (QST) for fallers and has over 28 years experience in the industry. The safety advocates will perform two important roles: working with the forest industry in their area to promote safe practices and attitudes as well as working with small and medium-sized forest harvesting firms, guiding them in the development and implementation of effective safety programs and procedures leading up to their audits. Safety advocates will be located throughout the province, particularly in those areas where the industry is the most active. In terms of assistance to companies, the initial focus of the Safety Advocate Program will be with firms of fewer than 20 employees that have applied to the Council to have a safety advocate assigned to them. The advocate will assess current safety programs and provide recommendations for improvement. For more information go to the BC Forest Safety Council website: www.bcforestsafe.org. |
Peter spoke at special functions hosted in conjunction with local Chambers of Commerce and Rotary Clubs where there was much interest in how to affordably incorporate wood products into large scale construction projects. Peter also met privately with a number of community leaders and administrators to discuss the value of using wood in some specific upcoming community capital projects. Highlights of the tour included visiting local buildings and discussing possibilities for the future and getting the word out about building sustainable buildings which are both endearing and enduring. The tour presentations saw terrific turn out from each of the communities and many attendees were interested in hearing more from COFI and CWC in the future. For more information contact: Peter Moonen, Special Projects, Canadian Wood Council WoodWORKS! Project, by phone at: (877) 929-9663, extension 5 or by e-mail at: pmoonen@wood-works.org or Chris Lear, COFI Northern Operations, by phone at: (250) 614-4352 or by e-mail at: lear@cofi.org. |
|  In the Okanagan/Columbia region, the Grade 3 teaching kit "Community Development, The History of Logging" in use for almost ten years, will be reviewed and updated to keep it relevant to present school curriculum and industry technology. It is expected this project will be completed by Fall 2007 and will be available to teachers in the Okanagan-Columbia and Thompson zones, and possibly other areas of the Southern Interior. Also in the Okanagan, the ILA's Trades Convention held in Vernon this April will again have a forestry career fair component, with most of BC's post-secondary forestry and trades faculties represented and many local high school students attending. Elementary school presentations for National Forest Week are presently being developed, based on the story of a tree, from the forest to the mill, and will be delivered by numerous industry volunteers in April and May across the Southern Interior. Forest education in the Cariboo has seen a new educator come on board this year. Al Menduk is a former science teacher and woodlot manager who has taken over from past educators Gail Wallin and Maureen LeBourdais. He has been visiting many schools to do class presentations and to introduce himself to local teachers and looks forward to the challenges and rewards of his new job!! West Kootenay forest education has also seen a change in forest educators with the departure of Nancie Dohan to take on a career as a naturalist on eco-sailboats off BC's coast. A new educator has yet to be named in that region, but coordinator Kevin Nichol plans to continue promoting forest education through events, tours and presentations in that zone. East Kootenay forest education also continues to be active through teacher Pro D events and many class presentations at all school levels. In the Thompson, the forest education van visited schools in Merritt and Kamloops in the fall and teachers participated in forestry workshops at a Professional Day event at Isobel Lake Interpretive Forest. A very successful three day "Intro to Forestry " camp was help at McQueen Lake, Environmental Education Center, north of Kamloops, with students receiving instruction from BCIT, TRU and Selkirk forestry instructors on topics such as fire management, silviculture, forest measurements, ecology and search and rescue.
The conference committee for ForestEDWest 2008 is pleased to announce that this Western Canadian forest education conference is coming to BC next year. Kelowna's Manteo Resort has been chosen as the site for the January 24-27/08 event and committee members are busily planning to make this another successful and worthwhile event for the wide range of stakeholders attending. Please forward the following ForestEDWest address along to any contacts who may be interested in presenting or attending: www.forestedwest.ca. To read more about forest ed events and news taking place in BC's Interior and beyond, see the January 2007 edition of the Learn Forestry News on the Learn Forestry website: www.learnforestry.com. For further information, contact Deb Bazett by phone at (250) 860-9663 or by email: bazett@cofi.org. |
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