British Columbia forms advisory body to enhance forest sector and forest ecosystem health
Forestry Council Formed in British Columbia
A motley group of forestry specialists, educators, union veterans, and former industry giants have banded together to strike a balance between forest health and a thriving industry, under the banner of the Provincial Forest Advisory Council.
The B.C. government formalized the council last Thursday, as part of a cooperative agreement it holds with the two provincial Green Party members.
The council's mission is to provide suggestions for the betterment of forest ecosystems, hand in hand with the forestry sector's growth. This comes at an opportune time, as the industry struggled in the shadows of a push to preserve old-growth trees and threats of escalating tariffs on Canadian softwood exports from the United States.
The council boasts heavyweights like Garry Merkel from the Centre for Indigenous Land Stewardship at the University of B.C., Shannon Janzen, former vice-president of Western Forest Products, Jason Fisher, representing the Forest Enhancement Society of BC, and Jeff Bromley with the United Steelworkers Wood Council.
Rob Botterell, Green Party house leader, emphasized the council's potential to pave the way for bold, progressive, and evidence-based actions, focusing on forest health, workplace support, and a sustainable forest policy in B.C. First Nations partnerships.
However, the Council of Forest Industries revealed concerns over the council's lack of active industry representation. Kim Haakstad, CEO, stated that the sector teeters on the brink of closure, and jobs across the province hang in the balance. Haakstad emphasized that those managing the sector's realities daily must have a seat at the table. They also took issue with the council's ambiguous scope and mandate, given the numerous forestry reviews, reports, and initiatives recently completed or still ongoing.
Garry Merkel, co-chair with Janzen, argued that the best approach to navigating the evolving climate - economic, political, and ecological - is by establishing a long-term strategy providing a consistent supply of forest resources, ensuring that the economy relies less on external instability. Merkel underlined that this approach supports both sustainable land stewardship and the realization of most of the value of British Columbia's forest resources within the province.
- The Provincial Forest Advisory Council, formed in British Columbia, aims to suggest improvements for forest ecosystems while fostering growth in the forestry sector, incorporating perspectives from both environmental science and finance.
- The Council of Forest Industries expressed concerns about the council's lack of active industry representation, as the sector grapples with potential closure and job losses across the province.
- Garry Merkel, co-chair of the Provincial Forest Advisory Council, advocated for a long-term strategy that ensures a consistent supply of forest resources, addressing the evolving economic, political, and ecological climate, with the goal of reducing dependence on external instability and promoting sustainable land stewardship.
