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  The Victoria Day long weekend heralded the start of the summer camping and outdoor recreation season in British Columbia. We're fortunate in BC to have abundant and diverse forests that support a thriving forest industry as well as recreation opportunities for tourists from all over the world and locals alike. While the original forest legacy was a gift to us, it is only through hard work and intensive planning and management that we have maintained and enhanced the value of our forests for the benefit of all British Columbians. Land use planning processes along with ongoing consultations keep our forest management sustainable and accountable. Since 2001, the provincial government has established 46 new parks, 65 conservancies, one ecological reserve and eight protected areas, and expanded more than 50 parks, three conservancies and six ecological reserves, protecting more than 800,000 hectares. Today, 13.8 per cent (or more than 13 million hectares) of British Columbia land is protected – more than any other province in Canada. Unfortunately summer camping still leads to the majority of human caused forest fires. Help protect our valuable forests by taking care to put out campfires. For the latest information on fire bans, fire danger ratings and weather information visit: www.for.gov.bc.ca/protect. Please report all grass and forest fires to 1-800-663-5555, or *5555 on the cellular network. John Allan |
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COFI sponsored the Saturday breakfast and the Canadian Wood Council, brought Peter Moonen to speak at the breakfast, about the virtues of choosing wood for commercial and institutional buildings. Peter presented data showing that wood buildings designed for energy efficiency and worker productivity gains can have their cost premiums paid back in as little as a year. Peter highlighted some recent examples such as the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology and the Olympic speed skating oval in Richmond to illustrate his messages. Local government leaders will be sure to remember Peter's message to "choose wood". For more information contact Steve Kozuki, General Manager Forestry, by phone at: (250) 564-5136 or by e-mail at: kozuki@cofi.org. |
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The BC Export Awards has initiated the nomination phase (ending May 31st) of the 2007 BC Export Awards Program last week. The program is entering its 25th year and they hope to have the best and broadest selection of candidates possible.
The BC Export Awards annually seeks out BC's Top 25 Exporters and honours them for their excellence and achievement in nine categories, including seven directed at firms and two at individuals.
The 2007 BC Export Awards recognize the innovative approaches and unique contributions of British Columbia export companies across all sectors and in all regions of the province, as well as the individuals who contribute to their success. To learn more about the BC Export Awards or to fill out a nomination form, please visit www.bcexportawards.com/index.asp. | |
The Day of Mourning is a time for the families of fatally injured workers, unions, government representatives, employers, workers, and associations to join together in honour and remembrance of those workers who lost their lives on the job and to reaffirm our collective commitment to workplace safety. At the Vancouver ceremony, Paul Jackson, a young sawmill worker who lost part of his right leg in a sawmill incident last November, spoke eloquently about the impact of the injury on his life and the importance to everyone at the workplace of working safely every day. In 2006 160 workers in BC lost their lives as a result of work-related injury, illness or disease, 12 were in the forestry sector. In 2004 COFI joined with other BC forest sector organizations to create the BC Forest Safety Council, an organization dedicated to reducing and then eliminating workplace fatalities and serious injuries in the forestry sector. The Safety Council has developed programs, training and other services to ensure the BC forest sector is equipped and ready to work safe every day. The Council's SAFE Companies program provides third party certification for companies – large and small - to demonstrate their safety fitness on an ongoing basis. |
 
In the Okanagan/Columbia region, the ILA Trades Convention took place last month in Vernon, with many BC and Alberta post-secondary forestry and trades faculties participating in the career fair component. Several hundred valley high school students toured the impressive display of high-tech harvesting equipment as well as the post-secondary booths, where they learned more about career options in the forest industry.
Also on display at the Convention was a new Mountain Pine Beetle graphic display developed by forest educators in the Okanagan/Columbia. It will be used with the ILA's forest education van, as it tours around the Southern Interior, visiting many schools and community events. Okanagan/Columbia forest educators produced their Forestry Week 2007 lesson plan and resources for elementary school presentations, with this year's theme based on the story of a tree, from forest to mill. School presentations are being delivered by forest industry volunteers and local forest educators to students in the Southern Interior in April and May. West Kootenay forest education has seen a change with the hiring of Darcee O'Hearn as the new forest educator for that region. Darcee has been introducing herself to school district contacts and familiarizing herself with the forest education program. She has taken part in a local science fair, attended the ILA career fair in Vernon and booked Forestry Week school presentations and will be assisting with the ILA's forest education van when it visits Kaslo in May. Darcee plans to continue promoting forest education through events, tours and presentations in communities around the West Kootenay. East Kootenay forest educator, Norma Blissett, is working with Tembec's planning committee to prepare for the inaugural Forest Industry Career Expo in Cranbrook June 1 and 2. This event will provide information about the exciting forest industry career choices and employment opportunities available. Many post-secondary institutions will be in attendance, along with COFI South Forest Education. In the Thompson zone, forest educator, Susan Bondar recently toured recruiters from Selkirk and Thompson Rivers University to a number of area high schools, introducing students to lessons on forest management along with information about forestry career opportunities and post-secondary options. Susan is presently involved with elementary school Forestry Week presentations across the region and will soon have the ILA forest education van touring schools in her zone. To read more about forest ed events and news taking place in BC's Interior and beyond, see the June 2007 edition of the Learn Forestry News at www.learnforestry.com. For further information, contact Deb Bazett by phone at (250) 860-9663 or by email at: bazett@cofi.org. |
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During the winter months 800 students completed the lumber grading course in 16 interior communities: Burns Lake, Canal Flats, Castlegar, Cranbrook, Chetwynd, Creston, Grand Forks, Fort St. James, Houston, Mackenzie, Prince George, Quesnel, Smithers, Thrums, Williams Lake & 100 Mile House. COFI quality control manager Gary Desrosier said the intent of the annual course is to introduce novice lumber graders to the Standard Grading Rules for Canadian Lumber and improve the skills of previously qualified lumber graders. He explained, "Friendly competition is the driving force at the Annual BC Lumber Grading Championship to be held in Kamloops May 26th for all "Western Canadian Lumber Graders" but the goal for our COFI grading education classes is different. We are endeavouring to increase the knowledge and hone the skill set of individuals. The only competition is personal, one on one, inside each person." Desrosier said more than 340 new entrants registered for this year's courses. More than half (54%) of the "rookies" demonstrated competence in theory and practical tests, reaching the minimum 70 per cent mark to earn a 'B' lumber grading diploma. 'A' and 'AA' diplomas, together with plaques and monetary awards, are given to students who achieve the highest marks.
Double AA Challenge1.Travis White / Tembec Enterprises – Canal Flats $600 + Plaque2.Mario Masini / Pope & Talbot – Castlegar $300 Double AA Division1.Gurpreet Lalli / Jackpine Forest Products $600 + Plaque1.Mike Wilson / Dunkley Lumber $600 + Plaque 2.Dave Munro / West Fraser – Northstar $300 3.Kuldip Gosal / Tolko Industries – Creekside $150 Senior Division1.Owen Bidder / Tembec Enterprises – Canal Flats$500 + Plaque2.Chris Cadogan / Tembec Enterprises - Elko $300 3.Jason Cleland / Tembec Enterprises – Elko $150 First Year Division1.Calvin Crawford / West Fraser – Quesnel $300 + Plaque2.Kevin Dinwoodie / Apollo Forest Products $200 3.Tony Mogus / Dunkley Lumber $100 Said Desrosier. "Our lumber grading students are either well on the way to mastering the difficult art and science of grading lumber or they are already masters. Their dedication makes them valuable to their companies, and their achievement should make them extremely proud. For more information contact: |
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