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Faces of Forestry: Ken Day, FESBC Board Secretary

Faces of Forestry is an initiative of the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) to highlight people doing great work to enhance our forests throughout British Columbia. In this month’s Faces of Forestry, we are featuring a Face of FESBC to highlight one of the exceptional individuals on our Board of Directors who helps guide our organization toward impactful change.

This month, we feature Ken Day, FESBC’s Board Secretary and a Registered Professional Forester with 44 years of experience.

Throughout his career, Ken has made significant contributions to the forestry sector, spending most of his professional life working for the University of British Columbia as the Manager of the Alex Fraser Research Forest near Williams Lake.

Following his retirement in 2018, he transitioned into forestry consulting, where he continues to make a positive impact on forest management practices, mainly focused on the intersection of fire and silviculture in dry Douglas-fir forests.

Before coming onto the Board of Directors, Ken was involved in proposing and executing projects for clients with FESBC’s support.

“I think the work we are funding around fuel reduction and silviculture is critical to protecting communities and making our forests more resilient. I also really appreciate the role FESBC is playing by funding projects that are important to First Nations,” he shared.

With his extensive forestry background, Ken is pleased to be part of FESBC’s Board of Directors and work with the other members to set the organization’s strategic direction.

“As Board Secretary, I have some additional duties around governance and recruitment, but our excellent staff keep that workload very light,” he added.

Looking ahead, Ken is optimistic about the impact of new projects, particularly those focused on biomass utilization and community wildfire protection programs.

“I am also glad to see more thinning projects turning on as a result of our support to get fibre moving to consumers,” he added.

Ken stressed the significance of these initiatives in promoting sustainable forestry practices and acknowledged that forestry is much more than logging and sawmills.

“Forestry is foremost a science and a craft of growing trees and forests for all the ecological, cultural, and economic values they provide,” he said. “We are on the cusp of change right now, as First Nations bring their cultural and ecological knowledge to bear on the way we manage forests in British Columbia. FESBC is helping to speed up the process by supporting projects that are meaningful to First Nations.”

Beyond his work with FESBC, Ken is deeply involved in his community. He is passionate about mentoring young professionals and serves on the boards of the Williams Lake Community Forest and Scout Island Nature Centre. Additionally, he has been a dedicated member of the Canadian Ski Patrol for 23 years and a grandfather for 10 years.

Thank you, Ken, for your passion, expertise, and dedication to fuel reduction, fibre recovery and preserving habitat values. Your contributions to FESBC and local communities are deeply valuable and inspiring.

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Faces of Forestry: Ben Klassen

Faces of Forestry is an initiative of the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) to highlight people doing great work to enhance our forests throughout British Columbia. This month, we feature Ben Klassen, Chief Operating Officer of the Klassen Business Group.

Founded in 1963 by Ben’s grandfather, the Klassen Business Group has evolved from its humble beginnings in sawdust hauling to offering a wide variety of products and services with applications in the agricultural, landscaping, and industrial sectors.

“It was only natural for me to pursue a career in the family business. Over time, I’ve developed a keen interest in forestry residuals and the responsible stewardship of our resources,” said Ben. “I’m always excited to find the optimal value and applications for our residual products, especially given the dwindling fibre resources.”

Over the years, Ben has worked in various roles within the business, gathering invaluable experience and in-depth understanding of the company’s operations and the industries they serve. This practical experience has shaped his hands-on leadership style and provided him with the expertise needed to effectively strategize and tackle challenges head on.

In his role as Chief Operating Officer, Ben leads the teams and companies through their daily operations, managing business development and maintaining strong relationships with customers and timber harvesting companies.

“I really enjoy serving our customers and taking on complex challenges. With the ongoing pressures of diminishing forest fibre supply and escalating demand, there’s no shortage of complexities to navigate. But with each challenge comes an opportunity for innovation and growth, and that’s what keeps pushing me forward,” he expressed.

For the past 6 years, the Klassen Business Group has been FESBC’s recipient for multiple proposals, enabling them to acquire more fibre to bring to the market that would previously been left in the forest as waste.

“FESBC’s ongoing support has also been integral to the growth and sustainability of our operations in Merritt, B.C., where the market has been hit hard by timber supply reductions, magnifying the importance of managing forestry waste wood in the forest and turning it into biomass to make green energy and sustainable forest products,” he added.

As Ben expressed, the level of collaboration within the forestry industry is deeply inspiring, as he has witnessed first-hand how multiple groups have come together to design creative projects that solve problems and accomplish a common goal.

“The collaboration between our division of Valley Carriers, along with Stuwix Resource Joint Venture, the Innovation, Bioeconomy and Indigenous Opportunities branch, FESBC and BC Jobs Manufacturing, allowed us to launch the BioHub project in Merritt over the last year. This coordinated effort enabled us to utilize 35% more wood than would be traditionally harvested and projects like these are significant strides in sustainable forestry practices and responsible use of resources.”

Throughout his career, Ben has found a genuine sense of satisfaction in developing innovative solutions that meet their customers’ needs and exceeds their expectations. However, what truly fulfills him is the impact their work has on the lives and livelihoods of so many people across the province.

“Employing 200 individuals and supporting numerous careers and families is incredibly gratifying. It’s a privilege to contribute to something that not only drives economic growth but also nurtures and sustains communities and the people within them,” he expressed.

For Ben, forestry holds immense potential for the future as a multifaceted driver of employment and economic growth, reaching far beyond the confines of traditional activities.

“Beyond harvest and initial processing, there lies a wealth of untapped opportunities, particularly in forestry waste utilization. By fully optimizing and utilizing the resources, we can elevate sustainability, stimulate economic growth, and unlock the full potential of our forests.”

As the availability of timber supply dwindles, the Klassen Business Group’s role becomes increasingly crucial to effectively use more of the wood we do have and meet the growing need for wood fibre, especially in sectors like agriculture and energy.

“While there may be a traditional perception gap regarding these resources, by adopting a more open-minded approach, we can reimagine the potential of these resources and leverage them to address pressing market demands,” he remarked.

Thank you, Ben, for your leadership and dedication to responsible forestry stewardship and innovative resource utilization.

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John Massier, FESBC Board Director

Faces of Forestry is an initiative of the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) to highlight people doing great work to enhance our forests throughout British Columbia. In this month’s Faces of Forestry, we are featuring a Face of FESBC to highlight one of the exceptional individuals on our Board of Directors who helps guide our organization toward impactful change.

This month, we feature John Massier, one of FESBC’s Board Directors and a leader in the industry with five decades of operational forestry experience.

John’s journey began fifty years ago when he was employed as a tree planter by the Ministry of Forests, setting the stage for a lifelong commitment to sustainable forestry practices.

“Since then, I have worked at a variety of jobs in the forest industry, including tree planter, mill worker, cone picker, faller/bucker and machine operator,” he explained.

In 1978, he founded Cottonwood Reforestation, a small business that contracted a range of bush work, from tree planting to juvenile spacing and other land-based work. Under his leadership, he employed hundreds of people and completed reforestation projects totalling over 40 million trees on more than 300 square kilometres of land in the Cariboo/Chilcotin region of British Columbia. Later, in 1993, John and his wife Hazel were awarded Woodlot 1406 that surrounds their rural home along the Cottonwood River.

Currently, he is the Director for Electoral Area C in the Cariboo Regional District (CRD), as well as the CRD Treaty representative to the Northern Shuswap Tribal Council Treaty Main Table.

Additionally, John’s deep engagement in local governance has solidified his commitment to community and environmental stewardship, leading him to serve on numerous boards over the years, including the Federation of BC Woodlot Associations, the Wells-Barkerville Community Forest, the Woodlot Product Development Council, and the Fraser Basin Council Board.

In 2022, John joined FESBC as a board director and brought his wealth of operational forestry experience and governance expertise.

“I was familiar with FESBC through my forestry work and given my varied experience in the industry and connections to local government, I thought I might offer some value to the organization,” he recalled.

Recognizing the importance of sustainable funding models for forestry initiatives, John advocates for the long-term viability of FESBC’s projects, striving to support the rural and remote communities that serve as the backbone of the industry.

“In my decades in the industry, I have witnessed and been involved in various Provincial and Federal funding programs aimed at enhancing the forest land base, yet the common theme across them was the lack of sustained funding and loss of momentum once each program ran its course,” he said. “I have always believed that any industry as important as forestry is to British Columbia needs a sustainable funding model to enhance the land base that both industry and communities rely on.”

With the recent announcement in the 2024 budget of sixty million dollars for FESBC over the next three years, John is looking forward to continuing supporting communities through wildfire risk reduction work, low-value fiber recovery, habitat enhancement, and Indigenous peoples’ participation in the forest economy.

“Being a rural resident and having lived through the devastating wildfires of the past several years I see and especially value the work FESBC has done and continues to do on community wildfire protection,” he added. “The work is costly to do, and the amount left to be done is enormous, but we are already seeing the positive results.”

Beyond his professional endeavours, John’s love for wildlife drives his volunteerism with the Northern Lights Wildlife Society as one of their capture/transport teams spread around the province.

“Those who have met me know of my love for the wildlife that we get to share our remote rural property and woodlot with. I never miss an opportunity to show the most recent fruits of my motion-sensing wildlife cameras to anyone that’s interested,” he shared.

Thank you, John, for your dedication to environmental conservation and community well-being that deeply exemplifies FESBC’s mission.

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Faces of Forestry: Aurora Lavender

Faces of Forestry is an initiative of the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) to highlight people doing great work to enhance our forests throughout British Columbia. This month, we feature Aurora Lavender, representative of the Wetzin’kwa Community Forest Corporation (WCFC) on the BC Community Forest Association’s (BCCFA) Board of Directors.

Auroraholds a Bachelor of Arts, with a major in Environmental Studies, from the University of Toronto, as well as a Masters in Forest Conservation.

“I was interested in a career in forestry because I spent a lot of time outdoors and have a strong affinity for nature, especially when it comes to wildlife and the maintenance of biodiversity values, as well as First Nations involvement in land use planning and decision-making,” she explained. “I always wanted to be involved in the natural resource sector because I believe that the strongest changes can come from within existing systems and that there need to be passionate individuals who are able to balance all values in these impactful roles.”

After a summer working on urban forestry with BioForest Technologies Inc. and finishing up her capstone project on gypsy moth and urban pest/forest health programs, Aurora made the decision to move to British Columbia to further develop her knowledge and skills in operational forestry.

Upon her arrival, she began working at Silvicon Services Inc. and quickly became a project manager in their timber development department. At Silvicon, Aurora worked closely with clients to ensure that safety and sustainability were at the forefront of block planning and development.

During her time at Silvicon, Aurora also began working as the General Manager for WCFC, taking direction from their Board of Directors and collaborating with diverse interest groups, First Nations, and the local community to manage a successful community forest tenure while simultaneously providing benefits such as wildfire risk reduction.

Today, Aurora continues to diligently represent WCFC on the BCCFA’s Board of Directors, enjoying the amount of engagement with interest groups and natural resource sector experts she gets to work with every day to make tangible changes in forestry management.

“The public has a strong affinity for their forests and everyone who spends time outdoors deserves a voice on what happens with their local forests, which is why the community forest model is so sustainable,” she explained. “Community forests support local people making decisions about their forests and most of them are formed through partnerships with First Nations. These are prime examples of where long-term planning and innovative practices can take place and help to build resilient ecosystems, as well as supporting informed public participation in community forest decision-making and meaningful representation in forest initiatives.”

Aurora’s dedication to community engagement and sustainable forestry practices is further exemplified by her active involvement in wildfire risk reduction initiatives. Collaborating with FESBC, she played a pivotal role in implementing several wildfire risk reduction prescriptions on Hudson Bay Mountain Road, creating a shaded fuel break to mitigate the threat of wildfires to the community and provide a defensible location for wildfire crews during emergencies.

In 2018, FESBC provided funding for the development of a Strategic Wildfire Hazard Mitigation Plan and later, for treatment implementation of this project in 2023.

“FESBC has always been a pleasure to work with, providing great resources and expertise to ensure that project completion was able to succeed. Their funding is critical to reducing wildfire risk province-wide,” she mentioned. “Support from FESBC helps make wildfire risk reduction programs economically feasible for community forests, which in turn helps better protect communities from the threat of wildfires.”

This project was also made possible through several community partnerships with the BC Wildfire Service, Hudson Bay Mountain Resort, the Skeena Stikine Natural Resource District, the Office of Wet’suwet’en, the Gitdumden Clan, Mountain Resorts Branch, Pricewaterhouse Coopers, local contractors, and local resource user groups.

Aurora strongly believes that forest policy and stewardship of British Columbia’s forests have come a long way and are on the right path, with a lot of passionate individuals who are striving to create an economically and environmentally sustainable future for the forest industry.

“The culture of forestry in the province has seen major shifts in the last several decades, and foresters, technicians, and operators have a crucial role in creating a healthy, wildfire-resilient landscape.”

Additionally, Aurora emphasizes the importance of public engagement and collaboration in forestry decision-making, urging both the public and forestry entities to foster open dialogue.

“Building relationships and working together to find solutions is the only path forward to ensure the success of the forest industry and to build resilient landscapes in this era of megafires and in the face of climate change,” she said.

Thank you, Aurora, for your passion and tireless efforts in sustainable resource management and wildfire risk reduction. Your dedication to community education, incorporation of First Nations perspectives and knowledge, and biodiversity and interest group values enrich all levels of planning processes, leaving a lasting impact on forestry in British Columbia.

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Faces of FESBC: Trish Dohan, Board Treasurer

Faces of Forestry is an initiative of the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) to highlight people doing great work to enhance our forests throughout British Columbia. In this month’s Faces of Forestry, we are featuring a Face of FESBC to highlight one of the exceptional individuals on our Board of Directors who helps guide our organization toward impactful change.

This month, we feature Trish Dohan, FESBC’s Board Treasurer and a key player in creating long-term benefits for our province’s forests.

Born and raised in British Columbia, Trish graduated from the BCIT Financial Management program with additional studies at the University of British Columbia, the University of Victoria, and executive development programs through Royal Roads University.

Trish’s career began in Vancouver before she moved to Victoria to begin a fulfilling career with the BC Public Service, primarily in the Natural Resource sector. In late 2021, she retired from the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, having served as an Assistant Deputy Ministry and Executive Financial Officer since 2013.

“It was in this role that I became involved in a wide range of activities including wildlife species, wildfires, and tree planting, to name just a very few,” she explained. “The creation of FESBC was one of these activities, and I have watched it evolve from a brand-new organization in 2016, to an efficient structure that successfully meets its goals.”

Joining the FESBC Board of Directors in November 2022, Trish brought her wealth of experience and understanding of British Columbia’s diverse geography, communities, and people.

“I joined the Board primarily as a way to stay connected to the Natural Resource communities that are so important to the province’s wellbeing. It’s a very special place to live, and we want to keep it that way.”

Initially, she joined as a Board Director and then became Board Treasurer in November of last year.

Optimistically focused on securing steady funding for the Board in 2024 and beyond, she envisions stability for funding recipients and FESBC’s dedicated team. This funding should generate more investment in equipment and innovation and allow FESBC to retain and recruit excellent staff, ultimately enabling them to continue to make a positive difference in British Columbia’s forests.

Given the impacts of climate change and diminished fibre supply in the province, Trish is particularly enthusiastic about FESBC’s projects focused on wildfire risk reduction while also utilizing wood fibre that would otherwise be considered waste.

“As recently seen in the Williams Lake area devastated by the 2017 fires, these projects are also enhancing the forests for wildlife habitat and Indigenous values,” she explains.

With a deep appreciation for forests and their critical role in influencing climate, water and air quality, Trish, as a new grandparent, emphasizes the importance of collective efforts to ensure these thrive for future generations.

Beyond her involvement with FESBC, Trish is an active community member, becoming involved on various boards, committees, and teams over the last 30 years. Since her retirement, she has been spending more time outdoors, enjoying the natural beauty of British Columbia and far beyond.

Thank you, Trish, for your passion and dedication to FESBC and your invaluable contributions to the well-being of our forests and communities.