Region Archives: Canada West

Business & Politics

From sawmills to sports teams: The rise of Amar Doman’s business empire

By Nelson Bennett
Business in Vancouver
March 15, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

Amar Doman

Given Herb Doman’s place in B.C.’s business pantheon as a self-made lumber baron, one can be forgiven for thinking Doman Building Materials is a surviving part of the same Doman family empire. Amar Doman, 53, founder and CEO of Doman Building Materials and owner of the BC Lions, is indeed part of the famed Doman family. He is the nephew of Herb and Gordon Doman, and son of Ted Doman. …But while Doman Industries ultimately collapsed, the business empire being built by a member of the family’s second generation continues to thrive and grow. …Doman Building Materials is made up of seven divisions in Canada and the U.S. that own and operate 29 distribution centres, 32 pressure treatment facilities, five specialty sawmills, four specialty lumber planing mills, three truss plants and two post and pole plants, along with 117,000 acres of private timberlands, licences and tenures, and log harvesting and trucking operations in B.C.’s Interior.

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University of Northern British Columbia receives more than $4.5 million in federal research funding

University of Northern British Columbia
March 15, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

Lisa Wood

Thomas Tannert

University of Northern British Columbia researchers received more than $4.5 million in funding from the federal government to support more than a dozen research projects and scholarships. …Ecosystem Science and Management Associate Professor Dr. Lisa Wood received more than $1.5 million in funding and partner in-kind contributions over five years from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Alliance program to examine the effects of glyphosate-based herbicide residues on ecosystem health. …School of Engineering Professor Dr. Thomas Tannert received two grants from the NSERC Alliance program, one worth $40,000 to work with Timber Engineering and one worth $20,000 to continue his research as a Canada Research Chair in Tall Wood and Hybrid Structures Engineering. The first will investigate the viability of hybrid high-performance joints for cross-laminated timber floor panels… The second will help evaluate the potential of using mass-timber products for larger and non-residential structures with longer floor spans…

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Western Forest Products Chemainus sawmill is closing for two weeks

By Kendall Hanson
Chek News
March 14, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

CHEMAINUS, BC — Western Forest Products has notified sawmill workers at its Chemainus site of a looming shutdown. The closure begins next week and the company says it’s related to market conditions and log availablity for that mill. “Surprised, pretty short notice was an issue,” said Chris Cinkant with United Steelworkers 1-1937. The union represents the 100 impacted workers, roughly two-thirds of Western Forest Products employees in Chemainus. …The announcement comes just weeks after Western Forest Products announced the completion of its kiln upgrade at its Saltair Division. Steven Hofer, Western Forest Products CEO touted plans to invest $35 million for continuous dry kilns for its Nanaimo and Chemainus divisions as well. …Brian Menzies, with the Independent Woodprocessors Association of BC says the curtailment will also impact the value added companies that rely on that supply and their employees”.

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B.C. NDP’s ‘minor’ change to Labour Code actually a sneaky significant move

By Vaughn Palmer
Vancouver Sun
March 14, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

Harry Bains

VICTORIA — Earlier this year, the New Democrats launched an independent review of the Labour Code, the provincial law governing strikes, lockouts, bargaining, organizing and the relationship between unions and employers. …However, tucked inside the provisions of this Act was a significant change involving strikes and picketing… The change was crafted to reverse a decision by the independent labour relations board, which had ruled provincially regulated workers could not legally respect a picket line put up by their federal counterparts. …But the proposed change drew a swift and angry protest from the major employer organizations — the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, the B.C. Chamber of Commerce, the Business Council of B.C. and the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. …The New Democrats are rewriting the Labour Code … in the midst of a supposedly independent review of the Code itself. There are many words to characterize such conduct. But fair, balanced and trustworthy aren’t among them.

 

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Kalesnikoff COO Speaks to New $34-million Facility

By Alex Robinson
iHeart Radio
March 14, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

Chris Kalesnikoff

A new Kalesnikoff facility is on the way for lands along the Nelson-Castlegar corridor. Development of the 34-million dollar project is set to stretch from spring through the end of 2024 with a focus on new and expanded products and services to benefit the construction industry. Chief Operating Officer Chris Kalesnikoff says when their Mass Timber Facility opened in 2019 they identified an opportunity to offer new technology and wood products: “We are breaking ground this spring on our third facility and this facility is going to be utilizing our current mass timber products and taking them further down stream, with more assembly and more factory addition work, to provide more complete finished solutions to the construction site. So we’ll be taking our mass timber products, doing additional pre-fabrication….” Kalesnikoff says now they can offer complete wall and floor assemblies, complete modular construction with jobsite delivery, and more.

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Unions report on NDP failings in response to forestry crisis

By Vaughn Palmer
The Vancouver Sun
March 13, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

Andrew Mercier

The NDP government response to the continuing crisis in the B.C. forest sector has been “inadequate,” “scatter gun” and “delivered with little attention to the need for an overall strategy to sustain the industry.” So said a trio of forest sector unions in a report that Premier David Eby himself acknowledged as a wake-up call for the NDP in an election year. …The unions blamed myriad job losses and mill closures on… the policies of the previous B.C. Liberal government. But they did not spare the NDP failure to develop a strategy for a sustainable industry for the future. …The report is especially critical of the workforce and community adjustment programs brought in by the NDP since they assumed office in 2017. …The premier promised the group that the New Democrats will “address the issues you’ve identified.” But given the failings documented in the report, Eby’s commitment may not last much longer than this election year.

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Eby Pledges Unions Will Help Shape BC’s Forestry Future

By Andrew MacLeod
The Tyee
March 14, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

David Eby

The B.C. government is committed to including forestry workers in discussions about the industry’s future, Premier David Eby told a union-organized meeting Tuesday, while saying it “stings a bit” to hear they’ve felt sidelined. “Forestry has a bright future in British Columbia,” Eby said. “We are in a challenging time right now, but we are going to get there together…” The premier was speaking at a summit in Victoria organized by three unions: Unifor, United Steelworkers District 3 and the Public and Private Workers of Canada. …The unions understand the industry has to change, McGarrigle said, citing reconciliation with First Nations and the need to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. …The unions accept all the goals the government is balancing, McGarrigle said. “But our key point is why are workers who built the industry and their unions sort of an afterthought. They should be central to any strategy.”

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Eby takes forestry heat in stride, says community-level planning is solution

By Rob Shaw
Northern Beat
March 13, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

Brian O’Rourke

Brian O’Rourke, president of the United Steelworkers Local 1-2017, didn’t hold back when he was given a microphone and a chance to educate the premier of British Columbia on the harsh realities of the provincial forest industry. A forty-year veteran of the sector, around Prince George, he’s watched numerous mills shut down and hundreds of colleagues lose their jobs.  Crowded into a tiny hotel meeting room in Victoria, at a union event with the premier this week, O’Rourke gave David Eby a history lesson on forest companies that “swap log tenures like two kids in school swapping hockey cards” and hoard logs — a public resource — even when they curtail mills and lay off employees. “The other thing that really burns my ass,” he told the premier, “is when these corporations get shut down they get to keep the logs and sell them. That needs to stop.” …The premier, though, took the criticism in stride.

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Hampton Lumber updates Burns Lake Council on sawmill plans

By Saddman Zaman
Burns Lake Lakes District News
March 13, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

BURNS LAKE, BC — On March 5, representatives from Hampton Lumber met with the Burns Lake council to provide an update about the sawmill industry in town. Randy Schillinger, Hampton Lumber CEO, said the company wants to explore new ideas and pathways that would benefit the lumber industry’s future. He noted that lumber companies in B.C. were losing money and having a tough time, which was why sawmills were shutting down. “We need to see a pathway for success,” he said. He said that there was a market for mass timber products that had yet to be developed. His company was seeking assurance from the community that it would have a supportive future based on this product. Schillinger said his company recently invested with RedBuilt to ensure this product has a market.

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Decline of B.C.’s forestry ‘neither inevitable nor acceptable’: union report

By Wolf Depner
Victoria News
March 12, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

A new report warns of a “deepening” and “never-ending” crisis in B.C.’s forestry sector and criticizes government’s inadequate response to it. Titled ‘A Better Future for B.C. Forestry’, the report was co-prepared by Unifor, United Steelworkers, Public and Private Workers of Canada. It finds the sector has “experienced a perfect storm of repeated and intersecting crises” that have “devastated.” …Forestry’s contribution to the provincial economy has declined from more than $8 billion to $5.2 billion. …Recommendations include the creation of a permanent, province-wide forestry council focused on the preservation of high-quality jobs in forestry-related industries; development of a province-wide plan for a sustainable fibre supply; and maximization of value-added production out of the available supply. The report also includes a critical assessment of existing government responses, which “have consisted largely of a slate of relatively small and ad-hoc assistance programs, delivered with little attention to the need for an overall strategy to sustain the industry.”

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Forestry Workers’ Summit unites workers in effort to strengthen sector

Unifor
March 12, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

VICTORIA, BC – Rank-and-file forestry workers, union leaders, policymakers, and researchers gathered to hash out solutions to the crisis facing British Columbia’s forestry industry during a policy summit on March 12 in Victoria. The summit, jointly hosted by Unifor, the United Steelworkers union, and the Public and Private Workers of Canada, was an unprecedented gathering of workers who have experienced firsthand the many mill closures and related job losses in an industry that was once world-renowned. “…the crisis in the industry is driven by a lack of a plan to sustainably harvest fibre and a raw logs export policy that exports jobs,” said Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor Western Regional Director. Scott Lunny, USW Director for Western Canada said, “B.C.’s forestry unions are stepping up to provide leadership. There was unanimity in the room today and I know there can be a bright future for B.C. forestry if good, unionized jobs are a top priority.”

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Lack of fibre has forest industry and communities in ‘crisis,’ unions say

By Darron Kloster
Victoria Times Colonist
March 13, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

…In what was called an “unprecedented summit,” the forest industry’s three major unions in B.C. — Unifor, United Steelworkers and Public and Private Workers of Canada — released a report outlining mill closures, continuing job losses, fibre supply shortages and issues related to old growth and logging tenures that have been eroding the province’s harvesting, pulp and paper, and wood manufacturing sectors. The unions say they want to be part of key reforms for a modern, value-added and sustainable provincial forest industry. The union report documents a stark decline in B.C.’s forest industry, where the province’s share of wood products has gone from half of all Canadian production to a third, as mills shutter permanently or are curtailed for long periods. More than 10,000 direct and indirect jobs have been lost over the past decade alone, including 3,000 across the industry in the past year. …The unions are proposing four key measures to stop the tailspin…

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B.C. Centre for Innovation and Clean Energy Announces Sarah Goodman as CEO

By BC Centre for Innovation and Clean Energy
Cision Newswire
March 11, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

Sarah Goodman

VANCOUVER, BC – The B.C. Centre for Innovation and Clean Energy’s Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Sarah Goodman will take the helm as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective March 11, 2024. Sarah’s extensive background in advancing Canada’s climate change policies, coupled with over a decade of executive experience in the resource sector, uniquely positions her to lead CICE’s mission and play a pivotal role in fast-tracking the commercialization of British Columbia’s clean energy and climate solutions. Sarah is recognized as one of Canada’s top climate policy experts. She joins CICE from the Boston Consulting Group, where she was a Partner working with leading companies and governments around the world to advance climate solutions and green industrial policy. Sarah previously served as the Prime Minister’s Senior Advisor on Climate Action and Sustainable Economy, shaping Canada’s national climate change plans and mobilizing over $100 billion in federal investments to accelerate the transition to a net-zero economy.

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Wood, Paper & Green Building

Inside Vancouver’s Vienna House Project And Vienna’s Vancouver House Project

By Howard Chai
Storeys.com
March 11, 2024
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada, Canada West, International

VANCOUVER and VIENNA — Last month, the Province of BC announced that a new affordable housing project called Vienna House had begun construction, the culmination of a unique partnership between the City of Vancouver and the City of Vienna, the capital city of Austria. …”We were working under the mandate to be the greenest city in the world, and part of what that had us doing is trying to learn lessons from other leading jurisdictions,” says Sean Pander for the City of Vancouver. …Pander says the City had a strong focus on green buildings, use of wood, and off-site fabrication. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation is providing some funding; Natural Resources Canada is providing some funding through its Green Construction Through Wood Program; and Forest Innovation Investment is providing some funding through its Wood First program. …Firms involved in the Vienna House project include Wood WORKS! BC.

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DesignOneSource unveils new interactive website featuring Mosaic

The Woodworking Network
March 8, 2024
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada, Canada West

VANCOUVER, BC — DesignOneSource.com, a leading resource used by architects, designers, and specifiers to research and evaluate decorative surfaces, is proud to announce the launch of its all-new website featuring Mosaic, a cutting-edge design solution tool. Mosaic, powered by DesignOneSource, empowers architects and specifiers to create exceptional and innovative designs effortlessly. The extensive development of Mosaic furthers DesignOneSource’s commitment to provide advanced interactive tools that simplify complex tasks and enhance creativity in architectural design. DesignOneSource is the specification division of Hardwoods, Rugby Architectural Building Products and Frank Paxton Lumber Company. “We are thrilled to introduce Mosaic to the architectural community,” said Todd Graham, Director North American Specification at DesignOneSource. “Our goal is to simplify the specification process, reduce the barriers to creativity, and help architects and specifiers bring their design visions to life more efficiently. Mosaic is a testament to our dedication to innovation and excellence in sourcing architectural materials.”

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Forestry

In B.C.’s forests, a debate over watershed science with lives and billions at stake

By Brenna Owen
The Canadian Press in the Prince George Citizen
March 17, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Ross Muirhead stood at the edge of a forestry cut blockfilled with stumps, rain pelting down as he watched water rushing over the barren ground. Theenvironmental advocatewas storm watching during the atmospheric river disaster that swamped southwestern British Columbia in November 2021. Muirhead says that without a healthy forest to help absorb the excess water, it was gushing toward a creek near the Sunshine Coast community of Halfmoon Bay. “It was just complete surface run-off,” he says. …Now, Muirhead says he’s worried about plans for additional logging on the slopes of Mount Elphinstone, about half an hour’s drive north of his home. …But Muirhead is still concerned about the effects of additional harvesting and the extension of logging roads on a landscape that he describes as “dying from a thousand cuts” sustained over more than a century of development.

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B.C.’s old-growth protections come under renewed scrutiny

By Shaurya K Kshatri
CBC News
March 16, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

B.C.’s forests ministry has denied reports, published by the BBC and others, that old-growth trees from the province are still being burned as pellets for fuel in the U.K. The province also pushed back on environmentalists’ claims that a leaked old-growth forests map suggests it is playing a “shell game” to allow the harvesting of old-growth trees meant to be protected. “Whole forests of any kind are not being turned into pellets by the forest sector,” said a Ministry of Forests spokesperson in a March 8 email. …Instead, the ministry said, all wood pellets in B.C. are made “almost entirely from waste fibre” such as sawdust, shavings, and leftover wood from logging, which would otherwise have to be burned. …It’s just the latest scrutiny of B.C.’s promise to protect old-growth forests. Controversy resurfaced last month when Conservation North co-authored a report alleging U.K. biofuel company Drax Group has continued burning logs and forestry waste from B.C.’s rarest old-growth forests.

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New bill targets Canada’s ‘forever chemicals’

By Marc Fawcett-Atkinson
The National Observer
March 18, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Adam Green

B.C. could soon become the first province to partially ban a group of cancer-causing chemicals used in everything from firefighting equipment to makeup. Tabled by BC Green MLA Adam Olsen, the proposed law would ban per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) chemicals in the firefighting equipment used by the province’s professional and volunteer fire crews. PFAS are a class of water-, heat- and grease-resistant chemicals that do not break down in nature, earning them the name “forever chemicals.” Researchers have linked the chemicals to a suite of health issues, from negative impacts on the reproductive system to increasing the risk of cancer. …While nearly ubiquitous in modern life — they’re used in everything from makeup to raincoats — firefighters are exposed to particularly high amounts of the chemicals because of their prevalence in firefighting equipment. …A spokesperson for B.C.’s Ministry of Public Safety said in a statement that the department is “reviewing the legislation introduced in the house.”

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North Island forestry plan first in B.C. to shape new framework for sustainable forest management

By Dean Stoltz
Chek News
March 14, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

PORT ALBERNI, BC — A major new forestry land-use agreement between First Nations, Western Forest Products, the Province and other groups is taking final shape on the North Island. The Gwa’ni Project is a partnership between the ‘Namgis First Nation and the B.C. government to develop recommendations about land and resource management in the Nimpkish Valley. The Tree Farm Licence (TFL) 37 Forest Landscape Plan Pilot Project is one of four provincial pilot projects shaping a new framework for sustainable forest management in B.C. TFL 37 stretches down the Nimpkish Valley between Port McNeill and Woss. …The project has been in the works since the ‘Namgis First Nation and B.C. government signed a memorandum of understanding in January 2021. “It signals a move away from enhanced forestry zones towards general special management zones and promises to be beneficial to the local First Nation, Western  and the public,” added Matt Leroy.

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Park additions boost outdoor recreation, strengthen ecosystem protection

By Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy
Government of British Columbia
March 14, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Newly introduced legislation will expand B.C.’s parks and protected areas, strengthen biodiversity conservation and provide more opportunities for people to access outdoor recreation. The additions, proposed through legislative amendments to the Protected Areas of British Columbia (PABC) Act, add 189 hectares to six existing provincial parks and one conservancy. …The additions consist of private land acquisitions, private donations and Crown lands… As part of these amendments, the responsibility of existing roads in two parks and one conservancy is being transferred to other ministries. This includes Kikomun Creek Park, Nancy Greene Park and Yaaguun Suu Conservancy. Amendments to the PABC Act are required to add new land to parks, conservancies and ecological reserves, modify or correct boundaries and improve boundary descriptions.

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Tree-planter dog documentary filmed near Quesnel premieres on CBC Gem

Prince George Daily News
March 14, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Here Boy Films has announced the Canadian feature documentary Block Dog will premiere on CBC Gem on April 19. The documentary, from tree-planting cult documentary One Million Trees director Everett Bumstead, follows the daily lives of eight loyal but mischievous dogs in a remote tree-planting camp in Quesnel. Filmed during the sweltering summertime, the 44-minute documentary chronicles the highs and lows of forestry industry practices through canine eyes. Visually, the film pushes the human world to the periphery: Dogs beg for scraps of camp food or snooze in the shade while tree planters work in the background. But throughout, the dogs (and the audience) overhear snippets of conversation about the internal politics of the camp and the environmental realities of the forest industry in B.C. …Block Dog was produced by CBC with the participation of Creative BC and the Canada Media Fund.

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BC Wildfire Service says record breaking wildfires helping to draw high applicant numbers

By Justin Waddell
My Comox Valley Now
March 14, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

While not a record, BC Wildfire Service says they are seeing a high volume of applicants which may help if 2024 becomes another devastating season. According to minister of Forests Bruce Ralston, the service has got around 1,700 applications this year and it is an encouraging sign. “I think the season last year was so intense that it did attract a lot of public attention, and I think that reflects public anxiety about what we experienced last summer and what we might experience in the summer to come,” said Ralston. “The season for applications has been a bit longer and it’s been a bit more intense.” Ralston adds that so far, ministry staff have interviewed over 500 applicants for this upcoming season. He says there is always turnover from season to season since many college and university students work in the summer and choose not to return.

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These boots are made for loggin’

By Ari Lord
The Nelson Daily
March 14, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Joel and Mat DeVito

Vince DeVito Shoes is in the process of not only repairing and selling fine footwear, but also producing a new line of boots for workers in the forestry. “It’s a boot that’s for people who work in the outdoor industry,” says Mat DeVito, who along with brother Joel are now working in the shoe retail and repair departments.  DeVito Boot Co.’s boot is aimed at forestry workers, wildfire fighters, and other forest-based professionals. The company has used the reputation and connections built over generations to make this new chapter possible. …The DeVito’s are in the very early stages with the boot and it won’t come to market until after Easter, but they are hard at work creating wholesaling relationships throughout BC.

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B.C. issues first fire ban of the season as drought worry grows

By Simon Little
Global News
March 14, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

QUESNEL, BC — It’s not even mid-March, but B.C. already has its first fire ban of the year. The B.C. Wildfire Service announced a ban on fires in the Cariboo region effective noon Thursday, March 28, due to “an unseasonably dry fall and winter resulting in high drought conditions.” The ban covers Category 2 and Category 3 fires, across the entire region, including the Cariboo Chilcontin Forest District, the 100 Mile House Forest District and the Quesnel Forest District. …The ban comes amid growing concern about a potentially difficult wildfire season, with drought conditions already present across most of the province. Conditions across the Interior, with the exception of the Upper Columbia Basin, are currently at Drought Level 3 and above, with the province’s northeast already at Drought Level 5, the highest possible rating. …Across B.C., the snowpack is about 34 per cent below seasonal averages.

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Salmon Arm applauded for revised wildfire mitigation in parks

By Glenda Hanna, Shuswap Naturalist Club
The Salmon Arm Observer
March 14, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

A recent article by Archie MacDonald boiled down the problem of old forests in the province as “less diversity and more susceptibility to disease, pests and drought.” He said the solution is “the creation of forest management practices that create younger and healthier forests that are less dense, include more diversity and that allow openings and meadows to develop.” …The issue not only relates to provincial Crown lands, but also to urban forested parklands. …Salmon Arm recently unveiled planned wildfire mitigation projects for the rest of Little Mountain Park and for Park Hill. The more than 40 citizens who showed up to the city’s Open House in December were pleasantly surprised the new contractor is bringing a much more balanced approach… We are proud to see Salmon Arm taking a leadership role in this effort that reflects rational, science-based decision making appropriate for our treasured parks.

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Province will harvest 25 deer for chronic wasting disease testing

By Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship
Government of British Columbia
March 13, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

The Province is taking further action to address chronic wasting disease by conducting a limited deer harvest in the Kootenay region where two deer samples tested positive for chronic wasting disease earlier this year. The harvest, which will be restricted to within 10 kilometres of the positive cases, is another step to collect samples and help provincial wildlife experts determine if there are more chronic wasting disease (CWD) cases in the area. In recent weeks, the Province implemented mandatory CWD testing, as well as restrictions on the transport and disposal of any road-killed cervids (deer, moose, elk, caribou) in the area where cases of chronic wasting disease were first found.

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Court denies citizen scientist’s fight for B.C. bird habitat access

By Kevin Laird
Victoria News
March 13, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

A citizen scientist studying threatened bird species in a Vancouver Island forest has encountered another hurdle in her efforts. The B.C. Forest Practices Board has found that both the Forest Ministry and Teal Cedar Products Ltd. acted lawfully in restricting her access to areas in Tree Farm Licence 46, near Port Renfrew. Royann Petrell, an associate professor emerita of chemical and biological engineering at the UBC, had previously filed a judicial review application challenging the access restrictions. Petrell argued that Teal Cedar Products Ltd.’s construction of 10 gates, with approval from the forest minister, significantly hampered her ability to conduct research on threatened bird populations. The court, however, dismissed her case, citing the Forest Practices Board as a suitable alternative for addressing her concerns. …“The decision to restrict access, agreed to by the district manager, was deemed necessary to protect property and public safety during active logging operations,” said Keith Atkinson, chair of the Forest Practices Board.

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Drought triggers more overnight wildfires, finds B.C. scientist

By Stefan Labbé
Vancouver is Awesome
March 13, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Night has typically been a time for wildland firefighters to rest and regroup before temperatures spike in the morning. But according to a new study, drought is turning the “active day, quiet night” model on its head, and may force firefighters to rethink how they fight fires.  The study, published in the journal Nature Wednesday, used satellite imaging to track 1,095 overnight burning events in 340 wildfires across North America between 2017 and 2020. Researchers from the University of Alberta, Canadian Forest Service and Thompson Rivers University found 99 per cent of overnight burns were connected to the big fires larger than 1,000 hectares — fires mostly found in the continent’s western mountainous areas. While making up only 10 per cent of fires over the study period, these fires accounted for 90 per cent of North America’s burned area. …The results have major implications for firefighters, who often rely on reduced nighttime conditions to rehydrate and sleep. 

Additional coverage by the Canadian Press in the Medicine Hat News: Night once brought firefighting reprieve, but no longer, Canadian study shows

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We wanted conservation, we got environmentalism (Part 1 & 2)

By Peter Christensen
East Kootenay News Weekly e-KNOW
March 13, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Peter Christensen

Part 1 – February 28, 2024: It’s difficult these days to differentiate between NGO organizations that have a single purpose and organizations that take advantage of NGO status by mixing environmentalisms’ talking points with ideologies and political ambitions. …Environmentalism like other isms, is first about power and celebrity and second about subject. Eco-cults continue to emerge and stage emotional scenarios intended to scare the public and influence decision-makers. …Uncompromising in their ideologically driven campaigns activists and agitators strive to derail the tradition of Canada’s political parties to compromise and form coalitions from within to govern. Their agenda is to usurp the power of elected representatives and lessen the public’s commitment to hold political representatives responsible for their actions. Read the full Part 1 here

Part 2 – March 13, 2024: In the 1990s Premier Mike Harcourt, leader of the NDP, took note of the evangelistic fervour of environmentalism and toyed with the idea of harnessing this moment for re-election. American politicos were touting consensus-based conflict resolution methodology developed in the United States to quell prison riots. Could this methodology be used to quiet the “War in the Woods?” Stephen Owen, B.C.’s former Ombudsmen, was appointed Commissioner of the Commission on Resources and Environment (CORE). …What most wanted was conservation, local input into Land Use Planning and innovation; what they got was closed door government planning and permitting, attack style environmentalism and divided communities. Read the full Part 2 here

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77,000 hectares of at-risk forests near Clayoquot Sound could become protected

By Curtis Blandy
Victoria Buzz
March 12, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

The BC government has announced that they are considering a conservancy for untouched forest areas near Clayoquot Sound, which was proposed by the Ahousaht and Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations. A conservancy in this context would guarantee the protection of the forested area, ensuring that it could not be logged by the forestry industry. The proposed region that the Ahousaht and Tla-o-qui-aht Nations want protected is 77,000 hectares in total. Currently the area is part of Tree Farm Licence (TFL) 54, which means that technically, it could be logged. It is the only TFL around Clayoquot Sound. According to the Province, if this is approved, 60% of the current area of the TFL would be conserved, leaving just 55,000 hectares available for logging. The BC government is seeking the opinions of all British Columbians on whether or not to grant this conservancy.

Additional coverage from the Government of BC, Ministry of Forests: Province seeks public input on proposed Clayoquot Sound conservancies

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B.C.’s precious old-growth giants are still being logged and burned to make electricity

By Natasha Bulowski
National Observer
March 13, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Two new reports find B.C.’s old-growth forests are still on the chopping block despite claims to the contrary by the provincial government and a U.K.-based corporation. Government data leaked to the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) shows B.C.’s Ministry of Forestry rejected more than half the proposed logging deferrals recommended by an expert panel with a mandate to protect important old-growth forests. … The analysis shows ministry personnel removed 55 per cent of the areas of large old-growth trees the panel recommended be protected from logging. …Minister of Forests Bruce Ralston said the leaked data “confirms what we have been saying all along — that 2.42 million hectares of old-growth forests are deferred or newly protected since November 2021.” …B.C.’s old-growth forests continue to fuel a biomass power plant in the U.K., according to a new investigation by Conservation North, the Bulkley Valley Stewardship Coalition and Biofuelwatch UK.

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Why Are They Cutting Down So Many Trees in Stanley Park?

By Steve Burgess
The Tyee
March 13, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

…“Probably late 2020, but especially 2021, was when we noticed we’re starting to lose trees to the western hemlock looper outbreak,” he says. “We identified that this is not typical of what you would usually see.” The park board’s manager of urban forestry, Joe McLeod, is overseeing the response to the devastating infestations that have now lasted several years, a response that involves cutting thousands of dead and dying trees in the name of keeping humans safe. …For regular habitués of the park the effects can be jaw-dropping. And some have questions. …One of those alternative views comes from arborist Norm Oberson of Vancouver-based Arbutus Tree Service. Oberson feels the fire risk has been greatly exaggerated. …McLeod describes that argument as “patently false.” …McLeod says prolonged consultation could be fatal to mitigation efforts. … “If we had to get public approval for every tree that we remove in the city, we would never get 100 per cent consent.

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BC Wildfire Service sees big increase in firefighter applicants

By Alanna Kelly
Castanet
March 11, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

BC Wildfire Service had a record-breaking year for applications from people wanting to be firefighters. For the upcoming season, BCWS received 1,700 firefighter applications — nearly double last year’s 860. “I’m actually surprised,” says David Greer, director of strategic engagement at BC Wildfire Service. “It’s a big jump.” The last time the service saw such interest was in 2003 when 2,000 people applied. Each year, BCWS has 1,600 to 2,000 firefighter employees. That number does not include initial attack, wildfire technicians, heavy equipment and line-locating teams. Greer credits opening the application window earlier and staggering it to the successful number of people applying. …Staffing numbers for the 2024 season are consistent with the last seven to 10 years, according to Greer. Roughly 200 firefighters are turning over and leaving the organization from last year, he tells Glacier Media.

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Joe Smith Creek cutblock auction to proceed

By Connie Jordison
The Sunshine Coast Reporter
March 11, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

BC Timber Sales (BCTS) has confirmed Joe Smith Creek cutblock (TA0521) is to go to auction by April. That decision was reaffirmed to the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) in a Feb. 22 letter from BCTS’s Pierre Aubin, a practices forester for the Chinook region, which encompasses the Coast. “TA0521 will be harvested using a partial cut harvest method. The harvest openings will have an average of 40 trees left standing in each hectare in addition to significant retention patches. Due to the unique partial cut harvest system, TA0521 will be added to the Roberts Creek High Retention Research Project led by Ministry of Forests Research Branch and supported by BCTS,” Aubin wrote. That correspondence, along with a letter from the Ministry of Forests’ Sunshine Coast Natural Resource Region district manager, delivered responses to a call by the SCRD directors for  TA0521 to be protected as an old-growth recruitment area.

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‘Learning to live with fire’: New study details impact of 2023 wildfire season

By Cindy Tran
The Edmonton Journal
March 9, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Researchers across Canada have released a new study on the 2023 wildfire season classifying it as a record-breaking year across the nation. An early wildfire season has had “profound” impacts on Canadians, from health issues due to mass amounts of smoke to record-breaking evacuations. Ellen Whitman, a forest fire research scientist with NRCan, and one of the authors of the new study… said the residual impacts of the 2023 season will make the 2024 wildfire season in Alberta challenging due to the lack of recovery from the drought. …With low snowpacks throughout western Canada, Whitman anticipates the most challenging aspect of the 2024 wildfire season is the lack of recovery from the 2023 drought. …After experiencing a wildfire season like 2023, Whitman says communities need to be more proactive, citing the benefit to fuel mitigation around communities, whether through fire smart thinning of prescribed burning or trying to get ahead of the problem by treating the landscape.

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Calgary Forest Area Wildfire Update

By Alberta Wildfire
Province of Alberta
March 8, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

The current wildfire danger in the Calgary Forest Area (CFA) remains LOW. Widespread snow blanketed most areas of the CFA over the past week. With the anticipated warmer weather in the coming days, we may begin to see exposed areas which can present an early season wildfire risk. In areas where snow remains on the ground, the wildfire danger should remain low in the short term. It is too early to predict the severity of the 2024 season, as the greatest impact will be from late season snowfall and early spring rainfall amounts. Weather dependent, crews may continue establishing guard for the Ribbon Creek Prescribed Fire as soon as March 12. …Preparations for the 2024 wildfire season continue in the CFA. Additional wildland firefighters completed their fitness testing and onboarded earlier this week. We now have 3 crews ready to respond to any new wildfire starts as well as assist with prescribed fire operations and other local projects. Additional staff will continue onboarding in the coming weeks. 

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UBC Faculty of Forestry awards best master’s thesis award

UBC Faculty of Forestry
March 8, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Kea Rutherford

UBC Forestry would like to congratulate Kea Rutherford on receiving the Faculty of Forestry Best Master’s Thesis Award for 2023. Kea Rutherford’s MSc thesis is entitled “Fuel Treatment Efficacy in Fire-Prone Forests of Interior British Columbia, Canada”. Extreme wildfire seasons in western North America pose a significant forest management challenge, prompting proactive implementation of fuel treatments. This thesis assesses the efficacy of alternative fuel treatments in mitigating fire behavior and effects in southeastern British Columbia’s dry forests, revealing that while removal of small trees reduces passive crown fire risk, concurrent removal of larger trees is necessary to mitigate active crown fire, with residue fuel management showing potential but raising concerns about residual tree mortality.

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Health & Safety

OHS investigating workplace death at Slave Lake pulp mill

By Jennifer Ivanov
Global News
March 14, 2024
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

SLAVE LAKE, Alberta — The company that operates Slave Lake Pulp has confirmed to Global News that a contractor was killed at the site on Wednesday. “A contractor was fatally injured at our pulp operation in Slave Lake. The incident occurred when the individual was working to repair a piece of mobile equipment. The mill was not operating at the time,” said Joyce Wagenaar, communications director for West Fraser, which operates Slave Lake Pulp. The spokesperson said West Fraser is cooperating with Alberta Occupation Health and Safety (OHS) during its investigation. “Our thoughts are with the individual’s family, colleagues, and our Slave Lake Pulp team during this difficult time,” Wagenaar said. Alberta Health Services said EMS responded to a site in Lesser Slave River just before 2 p.m. on March 13. A man was pronounced dead, AHS said. [END]

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Q&A: Bringing forest therapy indoors can improve your health

By the University of British Columbia
Phys.Org
March 13, 2024
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

For centuries, people have found solace in walks through the forest and the practice of “forest bathing.” Now, researchers at UBC are delving into the science behind this tradition to understand its benefits better and make them accessible to all. Leading the experiment is Dr. Guangyu Wang, a professor at UBC’s department of forest resources management and director of the Multidisciplinary Institute of Natural Therapy (MINT). In this Q&A, Dr. Wang shares insights into their findings thus far. …Research indicates that forest bathing or forest therapy can alleviate stress, uplift mood and boost cognitive and immune functions. It may also reduce blood pressure and heart rate and improve sleep quality. At MINT, we explore this phenomenon. Our previous experiments revealed that exposure to negative ions and natural forest sounds significantly reduces stress and improves sleep quality, while even a two-hour forest therapy session can lower blood pressure and stress levels.

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Forest History & Archives

Trails and Tales – the Alberta Forest History Association’s latest newsletter

Forest History Association of Alberta
March 12, 2024
Category: Forest History & Archives
Region: Canada, Canada West

The Alberta Forest History Society is excited the share the latest Trails and Tales newsletter. Packed with articles and fabulous imagery, this 100-page newsletter includes an overview of our 2023 AGM. You will also find these headlines:

  • The Origin Story of the Photographic Survey Corporation
  • Who was James Alexander Hutchison?
  • Bertie Beaver Turns 65
  • 70 Year Anniversary of the Forestry Trunk Road – Crowsnest to Bow River
  • National Forest Week Celebration in Slave Lake
  • Mackenzie Region of Northwest Alberta, Forestry Capital of Canada for 2024!
  • Forest Management and Wetland Stewardship Initiative Wins Award
  • Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal
  • NAIT Class of 1968 & 1969 Reunions
  • Book review of Vertical Reference and Trees Against the Wind
  • Silvacom – Looking at 40; Spray Lake Sawmills Turns 80; Zavisha Sawmills Turn 80
  • Alberta Pacific Forest Industries Celebrates Three Decade Milestone
  • Early Air Patrols in the West
  • Retirements/Obituaries/Forestry Photo Corner/Forest History Corner

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