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 Dave Gill, general manager of Ntityix Resources LP.
Dave’s interest and passion for forestry began when he was hired as a summer student by the Pacific Forestry Research Center in Victoria, where he worked on a Spruce Bark Beetle Research project near Hixon, BC.
“I was in the woods just about every day that summer. I loved learning about the forests I was working in, the industry, and the profession itself,” he explained.
This month, we feature Dave Gill, general manager of Ntityix Resources LP.
That same summer, Dave enrolled in the University of British Columbia’s Forestry program, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Forestry a few years later.
Currently, Dave works as the general manager of Ntityix Resources LP, a company owned by Westbank First Nation (WFN).
“Ntityix Resources has been given the privilege and the responsibility of managing the forest tenures held by WFN with the best interests of the WFN and West Kelowna/Peachland communities in mind,” he said.
Additionally, within this role, he guides a dedicated and diverse team focused on gaining a deeper understanding of the lands they manage, with an emphasis on maintaining and enhancing the values provided by these forests.
Dave and his team have been actively collaborating with FESBC since its inception, undertaking vital wildfire mitigation projects within the Community Forest around the City of West Kelowna and the District of Peachland.
“Our partnership with FESBC has been crucial in treating hundreds of hectares around communities and building our in-house capacity to complete this work,” he explained. “Some of this work has been tested by recent wildfires and proven effective. Now we have a full-time forestry crew who completes this work in addition to pre-commercial thinning, pruning, and wildfire suppression.”
Over the past two decades, the importance of the work carried out to protect these communities and the broader landscape from the devastating wildfires has become evident.
“It’s been said so many times that we can’t control the weather, we can’t control the terrain, but we can control the forest fuels. Not only do we have to address the high priority areas near communities, we also need to take a more proactive role in managing fuels at the landscape level,” Dave added.
Throughout his career, Dave has found a deep appreciation for the multifaceted aspects of his work. He finds joy in being outdoors, acknowledging the unique connection with nature that comes with walking through a forest. Additionally, he values the people he gets to work with every day, his community, and the passion they all share for the land, which has provided him with continuous learning opportunities.
As Dave explained, the dynamic and progressive nature of forestry represents an exciting moment in the industry, regardless of the role one plays in it.
“Forestry continues to be a profession in transition. We are adopting a longer-term approach, with an Indigenous lens, to making decisions on the land. We are removing the silos and beginning to understand the inter-connectedness of all values on the land and the long-term consequences of our decisions.”
Thank you, Dave, for your commitment to wildfire mitigation and the crucial role you play in protecting our environment and communities.
The Forest Enhancement Society of BC Announces 42 Newly Funded Projects
Kamloops, B.C. – At a press event at River City Fibre in Kamloops, the executive director of the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC), Steve Kozuki, announced 42 newly funded forest enhancement projects. These projects throughout the province of B.C. will either assist with the delivery of uneconomic forest fibre to pulp and pellet mills or green energy facilities, or will help communities reduce their wildfire risk.
Steve Kozuki, Executive Director of the Forest Enhancement Society of BC announces 42 new forest enhancement projects throughout the province of B.C. to utilize uneconomic wood fibre and reduce the risk of wildfires to communities; Photo Credit: Tiffany Christianson Photography.
“The funding provided by the Forest Enhancement Society of BC is a testament to the Government of British Columbia’s drive to foster environmental sustainability and community wildfire risk reduction. Their support of these transformative projects demonstrates their commitment to helping communities reduce their risk of catastrophic wildfire events and transforming waste wood into green energy and sustainable products. They are taking action on climate change while at the same time promoting job growth and community resiliency throughout our province,” said Kozuki.
These newly funded projects come as a result of the $50 million given to FESBC earlier this year by the Ministry of Forests to boost fibre supply by utilizing uneconomic fibre and reduce wildfire risk while also supporting workers and communities.
“Our forests have endured some very difficult years of late. Devastating wildfires, pine beetle epidemics and the effects of climate change have stressed the environment more than ever before, with direct impacts felt by rural and First Nations communities,” said Bruce Ralston, Minister of Forests. “By using burned or damaged wood, projects around B.C. are providing the forest industry with fibre and are actively increasing our resilience to future wildfires.”
As a part of one project, led by Simpcw Resources Group, funding will enable low-quality logs from outside the current economic range of Simpcw Resources Group’s operations to Arrow and Kruger, instead of being piled and burned.
Kevin Gayfer, RPF, Regional Manager, Arrow noted that “The funding from FESBC plays a pivotal role in supporting the utilization of forest fibre that would otherwise go to waste. This investment not only drives economic growth but also contributes to environmental sustainability through a net reduction of carbon emissions in the form of products derived from Kruger.”
The forest sector encompasses a diverse array of partners including First Nations, the pulp sector, the Provincial government, community forests, wood lots, loggers, silviculture companies, technology companies, and many, many others. Collaboration among these partners is crucial for success. By working together, a sustainable and prosperous future for our forests, workers, and communities can be achieved.
The broader collection of projects funded by FESBC demonstrates the collective efforts being taken to revolutionize the relationship with the forest. These initiatives will utilize waste wood to produce green energy and sustainable products, reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and plastics that have long dominated our everyday lives.
“With challenges such as insect epidemics, devastating wildfires, and the need to conserve old growth and wildlife habitat, it is crucial to find innovative solutions,” said Kozuki. “The declining timber supply has amplified the importance of utilizing leftover forest fibre that would have otherwise gone to waste.”
Of the 42 new projects funded throughout the province, 24 projects have direct First Nations involvement, while eight have some First Nations involvement.
Top row (left to right): Greg Kilba, Division Manager and Log Buyer with Arrow Transportation Systems Ltd. shows an example of uneconomic wood transported to River City Fibre in Kamloops for enhanced utilization; Tom Hoffman, Fibre Manager with Kruger shares details at a press event about a collaborative project with Arrow Transportation Systems Ltd. and Simpcw Resources Group to transport uneconomic fibre to be used to create pulp and energy; Paul Donald, CEO, Simpcw Resources Group shares details at a press event about a collaborative project with Arrow Transportation Systems Ltd. and Kruger to transport uneconomic fibre to be used to create pulp and energy; Second row (left to right): Greg Kilba, Division Manager and Log Buyer with Arrow Transportation Systems Ltd. speaks at a press conference in Kamloops hosted by the Forest Enhancement Society of BC; [l to r] Gord Pratt, Senior Manager with the Forest Enhancement Society of BC, Ken Uzeloc, Fire Chief with the City of Kamloops, and Greg Kilba, Division Manager and Log Buyer with Arrow Transportation Systems Ltd. on a tour at River City Fibre in Kamloops;A group of community leaders and forestry professionals on a tour at River City Fibre in Kamloops hosted by Arrow Transportation Systems Ltd., Kruger, and Simpcw Resource Group; Photo credits: Tiffany Christianson photography.
Omineca region: Canfor’s Pulp Incremental Haul Program for Pulplog
Kevin Edgson, President & CEO, Canfor Pulp: “We appreciate the grant funding the Forest Enhancement Society of BC awarded for our Incremental Pulplog Haul Program project. This funding allows Canfor Pulp to access and purchase pulp logs that are outside the economic radius we can normally operate within. It is particularly important at a time when the timber supply and the availability of sawmill residual chips is shrinking. This funding will provide assistance to harvesting and hauling contractors, enabling them to supply pulp facilities in nearby communities. We will be able to transform low-value logs, which would otherwise be burned, into higher value-added products. By doing so, it will help minimize waste, pollution and carbon emissions.”
Michael Tomlinson, RPF, PAg, Consus Management Ltd.: “Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation Ltd. (CCR), in partnership with FESBC, has successfully diversified its business practices to enhance the utilization of forest fibre within the traditional territory of its partnered community and beyond. Furthermore, CCR remains committed to supporting government initiatives aimed at reducing our carbon footprint and enhancing our forests for the benefit of future generations.”
Greg Kilba, Arrow: “We are excited about how FESBC has allowed us to utilize biomass logs that historically went up in smoke. FESBC has provided the funding that has allowed us to experiment with logs that had never been used for creating pulp in the past. Using fire-affected logs for pulp production came about from previous FESBC projects. In cooperation with FESBC, our hope is to continue to find innovative ways to be able to utilize fibre that historically had very little to no value. Through this initiative we have been able to bring in logs from further away that can be used for hog and pulp production. Together, we are making a difference, creating jobs, and making positive changes!”
Dan Macmaster, Osoyoos Indian Band: “Better fibre utilization from harvesting permits is very important to the Osoyoos Indian Band (OIB). Our commitment to responsible forestry practices goes beyond limiting brush piles and reducing burning; it extends to ensuring economic viability for logging contractors who are struggling to feasibly haul the low-value pulp logs out of the forest to a chipping facility. Led by the OIB Forestry Department, our project incentivizes licensees to utilize all logging fibre by funding the costs of hauling it to pulp mills or yards. With funding from the Forest Enhancement Society of BC, we can achieve our utilization objectives throughout the OIB’s traditional territory, resulting in better forest stewardship and a significant reduction in burning logging debris. This funding will provide the crucial financial support needed to process and transport pulp fibre, making a tangible impact on climate change and securing a sustainable future for our forests.”
Klay Tindall, General Manager of Forest Operations for the Líl̓wat Forestry Ventures LP.: “We are truly excited about the funding we have received from the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) for our Lil’wat Fibre Recovery 2023-2024 project. This funding enables us to turn our vision into action and make a tangible impact on our local environment, economy, and community. We recognize the importance of partnerships and collaboration in achieving our goals, and we look forward to sharing our progress and success with FESBC and the broader community.”
Chief Chris Roberts, Wei Wai Kum: “The FESBC Funding will help CRIBCO, a forest company wholly owned by Wei Wai Kum Nation, utilize low-value and low-end pulp material from our remote, high-cost tenures we hold in our Territory. Utilizing this material from the operating areas is an important part of sustainable resource extraction and something that our Nation has been focused on. The funding FESBC is providing CRIBCO is a win-win for CRIBCO and the Nation, and we look forward to additional opportunities of working with FESBC to assist the Nation with innovation in the forest sector to meet our stewardship and sustainability objectives.”
FESBC would like to gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Forests.
Forestry Projects to Help Utilize Waste Wood or Mitigate Wildfire Risk
At a press event in Kamloops, the executive director of the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC), Steve Kozuki, announced 42 newly funded forest enhancement projects. These projects throughout the province of B.C. will either assist with the delivery of uneconomic forest fibre to pulp and pellet mills or green energy facilities, or will help communities reduce their wildfire risk. Among these projects, nine projects are located in the West Coast region.
Steve Kozuki, Executive Director of the Forest Enhancement Society of BC announces 42 new forest enhancement projects throughout the province of B.C. to utilize uneconomic wood fibre and reduce the risk of wildfires to communities; Photo Credit: Tiffany Christianson Photography.
“The funding provided by the Forest Enhancement Society of BC is a testament to the Government of British Columbia’s drive to foster environmental sustainability and community wildfire risk reduction. Their support of these transformative projects demonstrates their commitment to helping communities reduce their risk of catastrophic wildfire events and transforming waste wood into green energy and sustainable products. They are taking action on climate change while at the same time promoting job growth and community resiliency throughout our province,” said Kozuki.
These newly funded projects come as a result of the $50 million given to FESBC earlier this year by the Ministry of Forests to boost fibre supply by utilizing uneconomic fibre and reduce wildfire risk while also supporting workers and communities.
“Our forests have endured some very difficult years of late. Devastating wildfires, pine beetle epidemics and the effects of climate change have stressed the environment more than ever before, with direct impacts felt by rural and First Nations communities,” said Bruce Ralston, Minister of Forests. “By using burned or damaged wood, projects around B.C. are providing the forest industry with fibre and are actively increasing our resilience to future wildfires.”
Taan Forest will be transporting low value pulp logs located on Haida Gwaii by barge to pulp mills on the South Coast; Photo credit: Jeff Mosher.
The nine projects in the West Coast region are:
Haida Gwaii Fibre Utilization: $195,093 in FESBC funding to transport low value pulp logs located on Haida Gwaii by barge to Husby Forest Products on the South Coast.
Kvamua Forestry Services Ltd. – Sandell Phase 3: $377,127 in FESBC funding to transport pulp logs from the North Coast to pulp mills on the South Coast.
Kitasoo First Nation-Pooley Island: $319,199 in FESBC funding to transport low value logs from a remote coastal location to southern pulp mills.
Taan Forest -Incremental Haul: $862,395 in FESBC funding to transport low value pulp logs located on Haida Gwaii by barge to pulp mills on the South Coast.
CRIBCO Forest Products Ltd. – Heydon Bay: $87,075 in FESBC funding to transport pulp logs from the mainland coast and outside the Fibre Recovery Zone to pulp mills on the South Coast.
Fibre Salvaging – North Vancouver Island: $646,680 in FESBC funding to collect waste wood outside the Fibre Recovery Zone to be transported to the Atli chip facility at Beaver Cove, processed and then towed to pulp mills on the South Coast.
Sqomish Forestry LP. Blocks: 51-28; E23; 50-73 project: $150,470 in FESBC funding to transport pulp logs from the mainland coast and outside the Fibre Recovery Zone to pulp mills on the South Coast.
A&A Trading Ltd. – HG Moresby Island Incremental Pulp project: $239,523 in FESBC funding to transport pulp logs in Haida Gwaii by barge to pulp mills on the South Coast.
Fibre Salvaging – TFL North Vancouver Island: $275,178 in FESBC funding to collect waste wood outside the Fibre Recovery Zone to be transported to the Atli chip facility at Beaver Cove, processed and then towed to pulp mills on the South Coast.
These initiatives will utilize waste wood to produce green energy and sustainable products, reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and plastics that have long dominated our everyday lives. Other projects currently funded by FESBC will reduce wildfire risks for communities.
“With challenges such as insect epidemics, devastating wildfires, and the need to conserve old growth and wildlife habitat, it is crucial to find innovative solutions,” said Kozuki. “The declining timber supply has amplified the importance of utilizing leftover forest fibre that would have otherwise gone to waste.”
Of the 42 new projects funded throughout the province, 24 projects have direct First Nations involvement, while eight have some First Nations involvement.
Chief Chris Roberts, Wei Wai Kum: “The FESBC Funding will help CRIBCO, a forest company wholly owned by Wei Wai Kum Nation, utilize low-value and low-end pulp material from our remote, high-cost tenures we hold in our Territory. Utilizing this material from the operating areas is an important part of sustainable resource extraction and something that our Nation has been focused on. The funding FESBC is providing CRIBCO is a win-win for CRIBCO and the Nation, and we look forward to additional opportunities of working with FESBC to assist the Nation with innovation in the forest sector to meet our stewardship and sustainability objectives.”
Taan Forest – Incremental Haul
Jeff Mosher, Taan Forest: “FESBC’s incremental haul funding is a game-changer for us. It enables us to harvest and market lower-valued logs that would typically be left behind in Haida Gwaii due to high transportation costs, only to be burned as waste. The majority of these logs will now supply the Howe Sound Paper Excellence Mill, bolstering the pulp production. Moreover, Taan Forest’s Forst Stewardship Council certification ensures that the mill’s customers receive sustainably sourced raw materials. This project not only benefits contractors with increased revenue for moving additional volume but also allows Taan Forest to invest in training and equipment. The extra revenue also enables us to provide additional revenue to contractors to move firewood to local communities, reducing carbon emissions from pile burning. We deeply appreciate the incremental haul funding as it provides more revenue, more product for our customers, and better utilization of the forest resource.”
Fibre Salvaging – TFL North Vancouver Island
Doug Mosher, RPF, Atli Resources LP: “The FESBC funding toward two projects to salvage approximately 55,000 cubic metres of salvageable fibre that would otherwise be left in the forest to burn or rot will support the Northern Vancouver Island Fibre Utilization Project. Removing this material helps decrease the potential for wildfires, carbon dioxide emissions, and ash into the atmosphere. The funding is being used in a joint project between Atli Resources LP and a salvaging contractor, Estero Peak Contracting Ltd. The waste wood fibre from the harvested forests is hauled by Estero Peak Contracting, material that would otherwise be beyond the economic range of the chip plant to a chip plant in Beaver Cove to be converted into chips for pulp and paper and for hog fuel (bark) to be utilized for power generation.
The direct contributions and the economic ripple effect of this funding will provide employment for the salvage company employees, chip plant employees, and indirectly to many other businesses in the North Island.”
Maxime Lapine, Forestry Manager, Sqomish Forestry LP.: “Transporting pulp logs efficiently from the forests of British Columbia to the mills is not merely a logistical task; it is a crucial link that nourishes the growth of our economy while sustaining our commitment to environmental stewardship.”
FESBC would like to gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Forests.
Forestry Projects to Help Utilize Waste Wood or Mitigate Wildfire Risk
South Coast region, B.C. – At a press event in Kamloops, the executive director of the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC), Steve Kozuki, announced 42 newly funded forest enhancement projects. These projects throughout the province of B.C. will either assist with the delivery of uneconomic forest fibre to pulp and pellet mills or green energy facilities or will help communities reduce their wildfire risk. Among these projects, two projects are located in the South Coast region.
Steve Kozuki, Executive Director of the Forest Enhancement Society of BC announces 42 new forest enhancement projects throughout the province of B.C. to utilize uneconomic wood fibre and reduce the risk of wildfires to communities; Photo Credit: Tiffany Christianson Photography.
“The funding provided by the Forest Enhancement Society of BC is a testament to the Government of British Columbia’s drive to foster environmental sustainability and community wildfire risk reduction. Their support of these transformative projects demonstrates their commitment to helping communities reduce their risk of catastrophic wildfire events and transforming waste wood into green energy and sustainable products. They are taking action on climate change while at the same time promoting job growth and community resiliency throughout our province,” said Kozuki.
These newly funded projects come as a result of the $50 million given to FESBC earlier this year by the Ministry of Forests to boost fibre supply by utilizing uneconomic fibre and reduce wildfire risk while also supporting workers and communities.
“Our forests have endured some very difficult years of late. Devastating wildfires, pine beetle epidemics and the effects of climate change have stressed the environment more than ever before, with direct impacts felt by rural and First Nations communities,” said Bruce Ralston, Minister of Forests. “By using burned or damaged wood, projects around B.C. are providing the forest industry with fibre and are actively increasing our resilience to future wildfires.”
Lil’wat Fibre Recovery 2023 2024 project will transport pulp logs from the Mainland Coast and outside of the Fibre Recovery Zone to pulp mills on the South Coast.; Photo credits: David Conly.
The two projects in the South Coast region are:
Lil’wat Fibre Recovery 2023 2024: $38,903 in FESBC funding to transport pulp logs from the Mainland Coast and outside of the Fibre Recovery Zone to pulp mills on the South Coast.
HSPP Incremental Haul Program on Vancouver Island: $635,000 in FESBC funding to transport low value pulp logs from harvesting outside of the Fibre Recovery Zone to the Howe Sound Pulp and Paper facility.
These initiatives will utilize waste wood to produce green energy and sustainable products, reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and plastics that have long dominated our everyday lives. Other projects currently funded by FESBC will reduce wildfire risks for communities.
“With challenges such as insect epidemics, devastating wildfires, and the need to conserve old growth and wildlife habitat, it is crucial to find innovative solutions,” said Kozuki. “The declining timber supply has amplified the importance of utilizing leftover forest fibre that would have otherwise gone to waste.”
Klay Tindall, General Manager of Forest Operations for the Líl̓wat Forestry Ventures LP.: “We are truly excited about the funding we have received from the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) for our Lil’wat Fibre Recovery 2023-2024 project. This funding marks a significant milestone in our efforts to promote and maintain sustainable forestry practices and contribute to the well-being of our local community and environment. The funding from FESBC will play a pivotal role in recovering pulp fibre from higher-elevation hemlock balsam stands and getting it to local pulp mills. This will not only create a reliable supply of raw materials for the mills but also contribute to the overall economic vitality of our region. By taking these actions, we aim to make the best use of available resources while maintaining a focus on sustainable forestry practices.
This funding enables us to turn our vision into action and make a tangible impact on our local environment, economy, and community. We recognize the importance of partnerships and collaboration in achieving our goals, and we look forward to sharing our progress and success with FESBC and the broader community.”
FESBC would like to gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Forests.
Forestry Projects to Help Utilize Waste Wood or Mitigate Wildfire Risk
Kamloops, B.C. – At a press event at River City Fibre in Kamloops, the executive director of the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC), Steve Kozuki, announced 42 newly funded forest enhancement projects. These projects throughout the province of B.C. will either assist with the delivery of uneconomic forest fibre to pulp and pellet mills or green energy facilities or will help communities reduce their wildfire risk. Among these projects, seven projects are located in the Thompson Okanagan region.
With the Southern Interior Biomass Incremental Haul costs project, Arrow will transport low value sawlogs to Kamloops for use in energy and pulp; Photo Credit: Greg Kilba
“The funding provided by the Forest Enhancement Society of BC is a testament to the Government of British Columbia’s drive to foster environmental sustainability and community wildfire risk reduction. Their support of these transformative projects demonstrates their commitment to helping communities reduce their risk of catastrophic wildfire events and transforming waste wood into green energy and sustainable products. They are taking action on climate change while at the same time promoting job growth and community resiliency throughout our province,” said Kozuki.
These newly funded projects come as a result of the $50 million given to FESBC earlier this year by the Ministry of Forests to boost fibre supply by utilizing uneconomic fibre and reduce wildfire risk while also supporting workers and communities.
“Our forests have endured some very difficult years of late. Devastating wildfires, pine beetle epidemics and the effects of climate change have stressed the environment more than ever before, with direct impacts felt by rural and First Nations communities,” said Bruce Ralston, Minister of Forests. “By using burned or damaged wood, projects around B.C. are providing the forest industry with fibre and are actively increasing our resilience to future wildfires.”
Steve Kozuki, Executive Director of the Forest Enhancement Society of BC announces 42 new forest enhancement projects throughout the province of B.C. to utilize uneconomic wood fibre and reduce the risk of wildfires to communities; Photo Credit: Tiffany Christianson Photography.
The seven projects in the Thompson Okanagan region are:
Simpcw Resources Group Pulp Log Utilization: $2,299,175 in FESBC funding to transport low value logs located outside of the current economic range of the River City Fibre Ltd. chipping facility in Kamloops.
St’at’imc Tribal Holdings Burn Permit project: $196,350 in FESBC funding to transport low value fibre from burned forest stands to the River City Fibre facility in Kamloops for use in power production.
2023 Ikwadli Creek 3 Fibre Utilization project: $47,595 in FESBC funding to transport low value fibre from the Community Forest owned by the Lower Similkameen Indian Band to Interior pulp mills.
Southern Interior Biomass Incremental Haul costs project: $1,075,186 in FESBC funding for Arrow to transport low value sawlogs to Kamloops for use in energy and pulp.
CJ4-047 Burn Permit project: $110,620 in FESBC funding to transport low value fibre from burned forest stands to the River City Fibre facility in Kamloops for use in power production.
Southern Interior Grinding Fibre Utilization Project: $1,859,069 in FESBC funding to ground and ship waste piles located throughout the Southern Interior to the River City Fibre facility in Kamloops then used for power production at the Kruger Pulp Mill.
Stuwix Resources JV-Bush Grind Program: $821,668 in FESBC funding to grind waste material in slash piles to shipment to the energy facility in Merritt.
Top row (left to right) : Greg Kilba, Division Manager and Log Buyer with Arrow Transportation Systems Ltd. shows an example of uneconomic wood transported to River City Fibre in Kamloops for enhanced utilization; Tom Hoffman, Fibre Manager with Kruger shares details at a press event about a collaborative project with Arrow Transportation Systems Ltd. and Simpcw Resources Group to transport uneconomic fibre to be used to create pulp and energy; Paul Donald, CEO, Simpcw Resources Group shares details at a press event about a collaborative project with Arrow Transportation Systems Ltd. and Kruger to transport uneconomic fibre to be used to create pulp and energy;Paul Donald, CEO, Simpcw Resources Group shares details at a press event about a collaborative project with Arrow Transportation Systems Ltd. and Kruger to transport uneconomic fibre to be used to create pulp and energy, Bottom photo: : Greg Kilba, shares how uneconomic pulp logs are utilized to create pulp or energy with Kruger; Photo credits: Tiffany Christianson Photography.
These initiatives will utilize waste wood to produce green energy and sustainable products, reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and plastics that have long dominated our everyday lives. Other projects currently funded by FESBC will reduce wildfire risks for communities.
“With challenges such as insect epidemics, devastating wildfires, and the need to conserve old growth and wildlife habitat, it is crucial to find innovative solutions,” said Kozuki. “The declining timber supply has amplified the importance of utilizing leftover forest fibre that would have otherwise gone to waste.”
Of the 42 new projects funded throughout the province, 24 projects have direct First Nations involvement, while eight have some First Nations involvement.
Simpcw Resources Group Pulp Log Utilization project
Kevin Gayfer, RPF, Regional Manager, Arrow: “The funding from FESBC plays a pivotal role in supporting the utilization of forest fibre that would otherwise go to waste. This investment not only drives economic growth but also contributes to environmental sustainability through a net reduction of carbon emissions in the form of products derived from Kruger.
The collaboration between Kruger, Simpcw Resources Group, and Arrow exemplifies how partnerships can transform industries. Often funding is required to bridge the financial gap of learning new practices until efficiencies can be developed. FESBC and the Ministry of Forests have been excellent to work with on getting these projects off the ground.”
Thomas Hoffman, fibre manager, Kruger Pulp Mill: “Kruger is very pleased to see the Government of BC support the Forest Enhancement Society of BC. The funding from FESBC allows us to work with First Nations Communities and businesses to access and utilize fire-affected fibre to produce value-added products that are used locally and worldwide.”
Glen Foss, Forestry Manager, Simpcw Resources Group: “Beyond utilizing fibre, our project’s true impact lies in reducing the wildfire risk. We’re not just cleaning up post-harvest fuel; we’re better safeguarding our communities and natural landscapes.”
Greg Kilba, Arrow: “We are excited about how FESBC has allowed us to utilize biomass logs that historically went up in smoke. FESBC has provided the funding that has allowed us to experiment with logs that had never been used for creating pulp in the past. Using fire-affected logs for pulp production came about from previous FESBC projects. In cooperation with FESBC, our hope is to continue to find innovative ways to be able to utilize fibre that historically had very little to no value. Through this initiative we have been able to bring in logs from further away that can be used for hog and pulp production. Together, we are making a difference, creating jobs, and making positive changes!”
Stuwix Resources JV-Bush Grind Program
Ben Klassen, CEO, Valley Carriers Ltd.: “This funding from FESBC allows us to further reach to ensure the maximum utilization of this important resource in our local community. Partnering with Stuwix, we are able to provide five to seven additional local jobs and fulfill the value of maximizing their resource through non-traditional markets. Further, this will help us transform logging residuals into value-added products utilized by the agricultural, pulp, and clean energy industries in B.C.”
FESBC would like to gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Forests.
Forestry Projects to Help Utilize Waste Wood or Mitigate Wildfire Risk
Kootenay & Boundary region, B.C. – At a press event in Kamloops, the executive director of the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC), Steve Kozuki, announced 42 newly funded forest enhancement projects. These projects throughout the province of B.C. will either assist with the delivery of uneconomic forest fibre to pulp and pellet mills or green energy facilities or will help communities reduce their wildfire risk. Among these projects, five are located in the Kootenay Boundary region.
Steve Kozuki, Executive Director of the Forest Enhancement Society of BC announces 42 new forest enhancement projects throughout the province of B.C. to utilize uneconomic wood fibre and reduce the risk of wildfires to communities; Photo Credit: Tiffany Christianson Photography.
“The funding provided by the Forest Enhancement Society of BC is a testament to the Government of British Columbia’s drive to foster environmental sustainability and community wildfire risk reduction. Their support of these transformative projects demonstrates their commitment to helping communities reduce their risk of catastrophic wildfire events and transforming waste wood into green energy and sustainable products. They are taking action on climate change while at the same time promoting job growth and community resiliency throughout our province,” said Kozuki.
These newly funded projects come as a result of the $50 million given to FESBC earlier this year by the Ministry of Forests to boost fibre supply by utilizing uneconomic fibre and reduce wildfire risk while also supporting workers and communities.
“Our forests have endured some very difficult years of late. Devastating wildfires, pine beetle epidemics and the effects of climate change have stressed the environment more than ever before, with direct impacts felt by rural and First Nations communities,” said Bruce Ralston, Minister of Forests. “By using burned or damaged wood, projects around B.C. are providing the forest industry with fibre and are actively increasing our resilience to future wildfires.”
Osoyoos Indian Band (OIB) will be identifing low value logs located outside the economic range of the pulp mill in Castlegar to ship them to the Celgar pulp mill or one of their three satellite yards; Photo credits: Peter Flett, OIB.
The five projects in the Kootenay Boundary region are:
Incremental Pulp Wood Haul project: $1,009,340 in FESBC funding to transport low value pulp logs to the Skookumchuck Pulp mill instead of piling and burning them.
Debris Management Town of Golden: $159,400 in FESBC funding in a collaborative project with BC Hydro and the Town of Golden to remove debris from the Kinbasket reservoir to be ground and shipped to an energy facility in Golden.
Mt. Buchanan Fire Access Trail project: $127,000 in FESBC funding for the Kaslo and District Community Forest Society to manually thin forested areas adjacent to the community of Kaslo.
Harrop and Narrows linear fuel breaks 2023-25 project: $460,950 in FESBC funding for the Harrop Procter Community Co-operative to thin forests adjacent to roads, to pile the post-harvest debris, and to transport low value fibre to Castlegar.
Osoyoos Indian Band/Celgar Fibre Recovery Partnership: $1,948,118 in FESBC funding for Nk’Mip Forestry LLP to identify low value logs located outside of the economic range of the pulp mill in Castlegar to ship them to the Celgar pulp mill or one of their three satellite yards.
Many of these initiatives will utilize waste wood to produce green energy and sustainable products, reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and plastics that have long dominated our everyday lives. Other newly funded projects in the Kootenay Boundary region will reduce wildfire risks for communities.
“With challenges such as insect epidemics, devastating wildfires, and the need to conserve old growth and wildlife habitat, it is crucial to find innovative solutions,” said Kozuki. “The declining timber supply has amplified the importance of utilizing leftover forest fibre that would have otherwise gone to waste.”
Of the 42 new projects funded throughout the province, 24 projects have direct First Nations involvement, while eight have some First Nations involvement.
Osoyoos Indian Band/Celgar Fibre Recovery Partnership
Dan Macmaster, Osoyoos Indian Band: “Better fibre utilization from harvesting permits is very important to the Osoyoos Indian Band (OIB). Our commitment to responsible forestry practices goes beyond limiting brush piles and reducing burning; it extends to ensuring economic viability for logging contractors who are struggling to feasibly haul the low-value pulp logs out of the forest to a chipping facility. Led by the OIB Forestry Department, our project incentivizes licensees to utilize all logging fibre by funding the costs of hauling it to pulp mills or yards. With funding from the Forest Enhancement Society of BC, we can achieve our utilization objectives throughout the OIB’s traditional territory, resulting in better forest stewardship and a significant reduction in burning logging debris. This funding will provide the crucial financial support needed to process and transport pulp fibre, making a tangible impact on climate change and securing a sustainable future for our forests.”
FESBC would like to gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Forests.
Forestry Projects to Help Utilize Waste Wood or Mitigate Wildfire Risk
Cariboo region, B.C. – At a press event in Kamloops, the executive director of the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC), Steve Kozuki, announced 42 newly funded forest enhancement projects. These projects throughout the province of B.C. will either assist with the delivery of uneconomic forest fibre to pulp and pellet mills or green energy facilities or will help communities reduce their wildfire risk. Among these projects, six projects are located in the Cariboo region.
Steve Kozuki, Executive Director of the Forest Enhancement Society of BC announces 42 new forest enhancement projects throughout the province of B.C. to utilize uneconomic wood fibre and reduce the risk of wildfires to communities; Photo Credit: Tiffany Christianson Photography.
“The funding provided by the Forest Enhancement Society of BC is a testament to the Government of British Columbia’s drive to foster environmental sustainability and community wildfire risk reduction. Their support of these transformative projects demonstrates their commitment to helping communities reduce their risk of catastrophic wildfire events and transforming waste wood into green energy and sustainable products. They are taking action on climate change while at the same time promoting job growth and community resiliency throughout our province,” said Kozuki.
These newly funded projects come as a result of the $50 million given to FESBC earlier this year by the Ministry of Forests to boost fibre supply by utilizing uneconomic fibre and reduce wildfire risk while also supporting workers and communities.
“Our forests have endured some very difficult years of late. Devastating wildfires, pine beetle epidemics and the effects of climate change have stressed the environment more than ever before, with direct impacts felt by rural and First Nations communities,” said Bruce Ralston, Minister of Forests. “By using burned or damaged wood, projects around B.C. are providing the forest industry with fibre and are actively increasing our resilience to future wildfires.”
Photo: A wood fibre utilization project of the Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation Ltd. near Williams Lake, B.C. Photo credit: FESBC.
The six projects in the Cariboo region are:
West Chilcotin Forest Products Ltd. Fibre Utilization 2023-25 Project: $1,354,929 in FESBC funding to transport low value logs located outside of the current economic range to the pulp mill in Quesnel, rather than being burned.
2023 Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation Ltd. Fibre Utilization Project: $3,218,240 in FESBC funding to grind wood waste material in slash piles for transport to pellet and energy facilities as well as transport low-value logs located outside of the current economic range to the pulp mill in Quesnel.
Pressy Lake CP394 Rehab/Fibre Utilization Project: $2,073,000 in FESBC funding, Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation will harvest and chip low value burned stands to be shipped to Kamloops. Ground material will be used for pellets.
Williams Lake First Nation-150 Mile House Wildfire Risk Reduction Project: $494,802 in FESBC funding to thin forests in 150 Mile House that are adjacent to houses.
Nazko First Nation-Wildfire Egress Routes: $676,297 in FESBC funding to thin forests adjacent to egress routes around the Nazko community.
Cariboo Pulp & Paper-Fibre Recovery and Utilization 2023-2025 Project: $2,500,000 in FESBC funding to transport low value pulp logs to the Cariboo pulp mill rather than being burned.
Many of these initiatives will utilize waste wood to produce green energy and sustainable products, reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and plastics that have long dominated our everyday lives. Other newly funded projects in the Cariboo will reduce wildfire risks for communities.
“With challenges such as insect epidemics, devastating wildfires, and the need to conserve old growth and wildlife habitat, it is crucial to find innovative solutions,” said Kozuki. “The declining timber supply has amplified the importance of utilizing leftover forest fibre that would have otherwise gone to waste.”
Of the 42 new projects funded throughout the province, 24 projects have direct First Nations involvement, while eight have some First Nations involvement.
2023 Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation Ltd. Fibre Utilization Project
Michael Tomlinson, RPF, PAg, Consus Management Ltd.: “Our rural communities rely heavily on the forest industry for its significant contributions to economic stimulus and socio-economic benefits.
As climate change progresses and significant natural disturbances become increasingly likely, these programs enable us to prioritize industry diversification by piloting innovative processes. The aim is to create value-added products from damaged forests, even long after they are traditionally considered economically salvageable.
Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation Ltd.(CCR), in partnership with FESBC, has successfully diversified its business practices to enhance the utilization of forest fibre within the traditional territory of its partnered community and beyond. Furthermore, CCR remains committed to supporting government initiatives aimed at reducing our carbon footprint and enhancing our forests for the benefit of future generations.”
FESBC would like to gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Forests.
Kamloops, B.C. –The Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation is proud to announce over $8 million in funding for 167 fish and wildlife conservation projects across B.C. this year, with nearly $1 million allocated to projects in the Thompson-Okanagan Natural Resource Region.
For over 40 years, the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation (HCTF) has provided grants to a large network of recipients who undertake conservation projects. With support from the HCTF, a wide range of nonprofit organizations, First Nations and Indigenous communities, Provincial ministries, and community groups implement projects that protect B.C.’s wildlife, freshwater fish, and their habitats. Since 1981, the HCTF has funded over 3,550 projects representing an investment of over $215 million for conservation in B.C.
Among this year’s projects in the Okanagan is a multi-year cougar study; by fitting GPS collars on forty cougars, the project leaders will better understand their predation rates of deer and other species and their movement behaviour. The project will be “B.C.’s most comprehensive cougar study to date, with a focus on the predation behaviour, habitat use, and impacts of harvest on cougars,” says project leader Adam Ford. “Cougars are one of the most important predators in B.C. for mule deer, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, and caribou. In spite of their high profile in B.C., we have very little information on the effects of cougar predation on prey distribution and survival, and the effects of human (e.g. road density, forestry) and natural (e.g. fire) landscape change on cougar habitat use.”
The project is being supported by the HCTF and the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) with $70,845 in co-funding this year. According to FESBC’s executive director Steve Kozuki, “HCTF has some of the best expertise in wildlife biology and habitat management. That’s why FESBC is so pleased to collaborate with HCTF. Together we have improved wildlife habitat on numerous successful projects all around British Columbia. And we will continue to endeavour to assist wildlife to thrive and flourish for generations to come.”
Photos: The project is being supported by the HCTF and the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) with $70,845 in co-funding this year; Photo Credits: HCTF.
HCTF CEO Dan Buffett is proud to work with FESBC in this partnership noting, “Through this collaboration, we can fund more projects such as this investment in better understanding cougars in a changing landscape, and enable our project partners to deliver more conservation work that benefits wildlife, fish, and their habitats.”
Other new HCTF-funded projects taking place in the Okanagan include:
$40,400 to restore the riparian Black Cottonwood forests of the Kettle River Watershed, considered one of the rarest ecosystems in the province (with FESBC funding).
$83,918 to evaluate how large-scale wildfires affect the distribution of owl species in the Thompson-Okanagan region (with FESBC funding).
$78,940 for the re-naturalization of nluxʷluxʷɬcwix (Lower Trout Creek).
$108,271 to implement the Lower Mission Creek conservation and restoration plan.
Each project funded by HCTF goes through a multi-level, objective and technical review process prior to the final Board review and decision. HCTF’s Board of Directors ensure that species important to B.C. anglers and hunters are supported but also place a great deal of importance on conserving whole ecosystems, species-at-risk, and investing in environmental education across the province.
FESBC would like to gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Forests.
The Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) is recognizing Brian Banfill, a remarkable individual whose term on the FESBC Board of Directors is coming to an end. We would like to take a moment to express our most sincere gratitude for Brian’s invaluable contributions and unwavering commitment to advancing the vital work of FESBC. With over 30 years of distinguished forest-sector experience, he has played an instrumental role in shaping the organization’s vision and fostering sustainable forest management practices throughout British Columbia.
As one of the early board members, Brian joined the board in 2017, shortly after FESBC’s inception in February 2016. He has since been a devoted member, serving on the board until June 2023.
Board Chair Dave Peterson shared that, “Brian’s tenure on the FESBC Board of Directors has been nothing short of exceptional. His six years of dedicated service to the public, including two consecutive three-year terms, have had a profound impact on our organization’s success.”
A visionary presence since FESBC’s inception, Brian Banfill has completed his maximum term as a Director on the Board, leaving a lasting impact on forest enhancement practices in British Columbia.
Brian’s rich experience and expertise have thoughtfully influenced the organization’s direction, policies, and funding decisions. His deep understanding of forestry coupled with his financial acumen have proven invaluable in optimizing resource allocation and driving positive change within British Columbia’s forestry sector.
“Brian’s senior-level financial expertise gained from leading forest sector firms has been a tremendous asset to FESBC. His contributions as the FESBC Chair of the Finance Committee for six years have greatly influenced our financial strategies and systems, ensuring the responsible allocation of resources for the enhancement of British Columbia’s forests,” added Peterson.
During his tenure, Brian Banfill played an instrumental role in shaping FESBC’s programs and initiatives, contributing to the successful implementation of projects focused on wildfire risk reduction, reforestation, and improving ecosystem resilience. His unwavering commitment to sustainable forest management has left an indelible mark on the organization, inspiring future generations to preserve and protect British Columbia’s precious forest resources.
FESBC’s Executive Director, Steve Kozuki, remarked, “While Brian’s time on the board is coming to a close, his legacy of strong accounting, investment, risk management, and financial systems will endure. FESBC will continue to benefit from the foundation he has helped build, enabling us to further our mission of enhancing forest resilience to wildfires and climate change. Brian’s impact will be felt for years to come, and I would like to extend my appreciation for his invaluable contributions to our Society and the forest sector as a whole.”
Thank you, Brian, for your remarkable service. Your vision, expertise, and unwavering commitment have shaped FESBC’s journey and will continue to inspire its ongoing mission.
MERRITT, B.C.— With the support of close to $250,000 in funding from the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC), the Lower Nicola Indian Band (LNIB) removed dangerous trees and reduced wildfire risk in two areas close to the city of Merritt, BC.
Fox Farm and Lindley Creek Overview
Lindley Creek Units
Fox Farm Units
The two locations border the edge of both Merritt and the Lower Nicola Indian Band Reserve Lands. Lindley Creek is located south of the Nicola River, south of Lower Nicola; and Fox Farm is located on the north side of the Coquihalla highway just east of Merritt on Fox Farm Road.
Crews from Shulus Forest Enterprises Inc., a company owned 100 per cent by the LNIB, did all the manual treatments of these sites including tree pruning, spacing, falling, bucking, piling, and burning, covering about 20 hectares at Lindley Creek and 11 hectares at Fox Farm.
Bruce Morrow, RPF, Bruce Morrow Forest Consulting Ltd., who submitted the application for funding to FESBC on behalf of LNIB, noted that the project was important because forest fuel treatments will make the area safer for wildfire suppression crews accessing the area in the event of a wildfire.
Fox Farm pre-treatment photos
Lindley Creek after treatment – LtR Stuart Jackson, Chief of the Lower Nicola Indian Band, Ernie McIvor, Crew Supervisor & LNIB Member, Kimberly Mike, Fuel Mgmt Worker & LNIB Member
“Spacing of trees to reduce crown closure, pruning to remove ladder fuels to reduce the risk of crown fires, and reducing the amount and continuity of ground fuels will all contribute to reducing wildfire risk, and allow wildfire crews to respond faster,” said Morrow.
The Fox Farm community is located halfway up a steep hillside. The forested area below has been subject to wildfire suppression for over 60 years, resulting in a significant accumulation of dead and downed fuels.
“About 40 per cent of the trees were dead standing or lying on the ground ready to burn, creating a high fire hazard for a one-way in, one-way out community,” said Morrow. “We created a situation where hopefully a fire in the area will now move along the ground instead of through the crown. This will make it easier to fight and reduce the risk of structure loss from ember spotting onto the nearby houses from a crown fire.”
Don Gossoo, General Manager, Lower Nicola Indian Band Development Corporation (LNIBDC) said the crews employed an average of six people from the community who are trained in the use of hand tools for this type of forestry work.
“The work at the Fox Farm area was done downslope of several large properties adjacent to the Coquihalla Hwy. where someone could toss out a lit cigarette etc. The residents there were happy to see the work done,” said Gossoo.
Lindley pre-treatment photos
Example of completed wildfire risk reduction treatment in the Lindley creek area. Pictured in foreground is Don Gossoo
“Lindley Creek is a corridor from the forest down to the valley where there are more houses,” noted Morrow. “The local winds and topography create a funnel in the Lindley Creek drainage, which can push wildfires downslope toward the homes at the bottom of the treatment area.”
Similar work being done in the area on reserve land and adjacent Crown land is being funded through the Community Resiliency Investment Program and the Cascades Resource District. Morrow noted the project is a great example of collaboration and cooperation in recognizing an issue and working together to protect the community.
“We are leaving behind a much happier forest ecosystem. Dry belt trees compete for moisture and nutrients and the trees there were competing for these and weakening each other. The trees left behind are healthier and more resilient to drought, pests, and weather because there’s less competition.”
Gossoo described it as taking a stagnant coniferous jungle and turning it into parkland, adding nutrients, sunlight, and moisture to the stand.
“This type of project provides socioeconomic benefits to the community through employment opportunities, and an environmental benefit in improving overall forest health.”
Stu Jackson, Chief of the Lower Nicola Indian Band said projects like this one have multiple benefits to the community.
“They provide employment opportunities, improve safety, and help support healthy forests. We look forward to more partnership opportunities like this which enhance communities overall.”
Gord Pratt, FESBC Operations Manager, highlighted the importance of completing this work in support of addressing high-risk areas identified by Merritt’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan and the BC Wildfire Service.
“This is a multi-benefit proposal to the community, the forest, and the area as a whole,” said Pratt. “This project aligns with FESBC purposes, provides employment, and is exactly what we want to support in terms of rural communities working to implement wildfire risk reduction projects.”
The project also had the full support of the local Resource District and BC Wildfire Service. FESBC would like to gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Forests.
Midway, B.C.: The small rural community of Midway is located on Highway #3 about one hour east of Osoyoos. The town may only have a population of 649 people, but the community hosts thousands of visitors throughout the year who venture into the West Boundary Community Forest (WBCF) to hike, bike or snowshoe the extensive Midway Trails network. As locals, visitors, and school groups are actively out in the community forest, the WBCF Board understood how critical it was to proactively start looking at ways to improve the health of the forest for future generations and to start removing dead and fallen trees that could pose a catastrophic wildfire threat.
“This project has been a community effort,” said Dan Macmaster, Fibre Manager for Vaagen Fibre Canada and Forest Manager of the WBCF. “Our team at Vaagen worked to develop the prescription, and then supervise and implement the work using funding dollars provided by FESBC and the WBCF. This project is on actively used trail systems, so it was important to engage the community to ensure their involvement and buy in, including our First Nations partners, in the planning and implementation phases.”
The Osoyoos Indian Band and their forestry team provided archaeology assessments at the outset and members of the Band have been involved in post-harvest treatments like bucking and piling trees.
“This project work has been a very light touch on the landscape using an innovative harvesting/forwarding system to minimize soil disturbance. Plus, we are doing hand treatments where possible. We’ve even had school groups come in to learn more about their community forest and to do some of the hands-on work.”
Dan Macmaster, Fibre Manager Vaagen Fibre Canada, Forest Manager WBCF
The need for the project started in the summer of 2018 when a strong windstorm came through the southern Boundary region and blew over a vast number of trees. Through daily inspections by the Midway Trail Society volunteers, blowdown from the storm was noted as significant, and an aerial inspection by the WBCF verified the extent of the damage. Because the area is already susceptible to the Douglas-fir beetle, the downed trees needed to be removed to prevent further infestation in the local forest. The Mayors of Midway and Greenwood were very supportive of the project, and a Director of the WBCF Board has been hearing excellent reviews from local residents and community leaders alike.
“We are pleased to see the hard work of so many make an improved difference for our Community Forest and for the Midway Trails,” said Ross Elliot, Director on the Board of the WBCF. “We expressed early on to the Midway Trails Society members and to the residents of Midway and Greenwood who have joint ownership of this Community Forest that there was a lot of work to be done. The $94,200 in FESBC funding, in conjunction with a $139,500 contribution from the WBCF, has allowed us to get the work underway. Moving forward, we will continue to rely on our community volunteers to maintain the trails well into the future for everyone to enjoy.”
Noting the many benefits of the project is FESBC Operations Manager, Gord Pratt.
“Our team likes to see projects that request FESBC-funding cover a number of our purposes and this project is doing just that. Not only are excessive fuel loads being reduced to mitigate increased wildfire risk, but the work is making the forest healthier. This in turn helps create enhanced wildlife habitat, maintain forest recreation opportunities, and ensures timber supply for future generations. When marginal stands can be harvested and brought to the local mill, projects like this also create economic benefits, including jobs for the community.”
To see the project area in relation to the Midway Trails System, refer to the map below or visit the West Boundary Community Forest’s website
For a tour of the area following all Covid-19 safety protocols or an interview: Dan Macmaster, RPF, Fibre Manager Vaagen Fibre Canada & Forest Manager West Boundary Community Forest dmacmaster@vaagen.ca | 250.528.0344
For information on/or an interview with FESBC: Aleece Laird, Communications Liaison, Forest Enhancement Society of BC communications@fesbc.ca | 250.574.0221
FireSmart BC welcomed a new member to the team: Ember the FireSmart Fox!
Ember is a fun, fictional fox mascot whose image will become part of FireSmart messages, activities and events.
The name Ember was determined through an online contest that encouraged Canadians to submit suggestions. The winning entry was submitted by Arlene Steward of Swansea Point, B.C., who was the first of more than 50 Canadians (across every province and territory), and one of more than 500 contest participants, to suggest Ember.
Ember is an effective messenger because of her unique characteristics that include alertness, adaptability, intelligence and community-mindedness. Ember’s primary job is to educate the public about how to apply FireSmart principles to their homes, properties and neighbourhoods to increase wildfire resiliency.
“In an effort to spread awareness about our brand and programs, we’ve worked with FireSmart Canada to develop a fox mascot to help further engage and connect with the public,” says Kelsey Winter, FireSmart BC program lead and chair of the BC FireSmart Committee. “Ember will serve as a key tool to help us communicate to BC residents the importance of adopting FireSmart principles and best practices.”
FireSmart BC is a partner of FireSmart Canada, which leads the development of resources and programs designed to empower the public and increase community resilience to wildfire across Canada.
To learn more about Ember, get to know some of our contest participants, and read about their FireSmart experiences, visit www.firesmartfox.ca.
About the BC FireSmart Committee:
The BC FireSmart Committee was initiated by the BC Wildfire Service in May 2017 to provide greater direction for wildfire prevention activities and better integration of the seven FireSmart disciplines throughout the province — based on the FireSmart Canada model.
Members of the committee include the BC Wildfire Service, the Office of the Fire Commissioner, the Union of B.C. Municipalities, the Fire Chiefs’ Association of B.C., Emergency Management BC, the Forest Enhancement Society of B.C. and the First Nations’ Emergency Services Society of B.C., Indigenous Services Canada, Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Regions and Rural Development – Regional Operations, Parks Canada, and B.C. Parks.
Danica Gallaher, VP Communications and Public Relations, SitePartners, danica@sitepartners.ca, 604 613-4480
About FireSmart Canada:
FireSmart® Canada is the national program committed to helping Canadians reduce their wildfire risk. Through publications, programs, outreach training, and workshops, FireSmart Canada provides tools for Canadians to become proactive in reducing the risk of wildfire to their homes and neighbourhoods. FireSmart programs and products are supported by organizations such as the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction, the National Fire Protection Association and The Co-operators. For more information visit www.firesmartcanada.ca.
Okanagan, B.C.: Last summer, four water purveyors – or municipal/regional water utility providers – in the Okanagan were awarded grants from the Forest Enhancement Society of BC totaling $678,910. The purpose of the grants was to fund a collaborative approach to wildfire risk reduction in all four major Okanagan watersheds.
The work happening on the ground now will not only safeguard high priority interface areas of the individual watersheds which border one another, but also help protect the broader Okanagan basin’s water quality, important wildlife habitat and infrastructure, and create opportunities to enhance the utilization of woody fibre associated with interface fuel management treatment.
Frontline Operations Group Ltd.’s Principal, John Davies, RPF, is heading up the projects. He’s been working with all four water purveyors together with input from First Nations, local governments, and key stakeholders to lead the development of prescriptions for high-value watershed infrastructure sites and a landscape level wildfire risk management plan to identify high-risk areas and subsequent plans to reduce dangerous wildfire behaviour. He is pleased with the level of engagement from all the water purveyors in the planning and the work now being done for the projects.
“The four water purveyors for the watersheds on the Aberdeen Plateau have collaboratively developed maps illustrating opportunities for landscape level fuel break development extending across the watersheds from Lavington to Joe Rich,” says Davies. “The locations are conceptual and based on in-depth GIS analysis and additional input from BC Wildfire Service (BCWS).”
A fuel break is an area where flammable woody material is removed in order to slow or stop a wildfire.
The four water purveyors involved have all started the hands-on work:
District of Lake Country,
Regional District of North Okanagan,
Glenmore-Ellison Improvement District, and
Black Mountain Irrigation District
“All four water purveyors have small-scale operational projects on the go over the fall and winter. Work will occur around residential developments as well as critical infrastructure associated with water intakes, treatment facilities, and communication towers essential to safe operations of the watersheds. Plus, these projects are providing opportunities for local contractors to pick up additional work.”
John Davies, RPF, Frontline Operations Group Ltd.
Here is a status report on each of the projects:
District of Lake Country Project: work has seen the removal of woody debris from approximately 2.5 hectares in an area near the Beaver Lake Lodge and the Vernon Creek intake. The Beaver Lake Reservoir provides essential water services for over 4,000 customers and is a backup for Okanagan Lake water customers. The wood being removed is fallen dead wood which has been provided as firewood for the local community and delivered to Okanagan Indian Band for their elders.
Black Mountain Irrigation District: A treatment to thin and remove trees for the Philpott Road has been prescribed and the Irrigation District is working with Gorman Bros. Lumber to finalize the implementation of the project this winter. Mapping of the area and recommended treatments are complete on four fuel break areas above Schram Creek slope.
Glenmore Ellison Improvement District: The Postill Lake project area will see work begin shortly as site conditions permit. An additional area has also been prescribed for treatment outside of the Postill Lake area and has been sent to the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, and BCWS for assistance.
Regional District of North Okanagan: The removal of trees and ground debris through hand and machine treatments is underway in an area near the Bluenose Trail in Lavington and behind private residences along Bluenose Road. The work will serve to reduce wildfire risk for homes and key infrastructure for the Greater Vernon Water Utility. Timber harvested by local contractors will go to local mills and any merchantable timber will go to local processing facilities. In addition, traditional Indigenous fire practices will be incorporated in understory cleanup.
Also pleased with the planning and implementation is Dave Conly, RPF, Operations Manager for FESBC.
“When we are assessing projects to fund, not only do they need to align with our purposes, but we appreciate it when they are proactive and collaborative, and these four projects checked all the boxes,” said Conly. “We continue to monitor progress and are engaging in a number of field trips with the contractors and water purveyors. We look forward to completing this first phase of work to reduce fire behaviour and severity.”
All four FESBC-funded projects are expected to be complete by late summer 2021.
“The watersheds provide water to many communities, and tens of thousands of residents, throughout the North and Central Okanagan. To have the water quality and quantity within these watersheds impacted to any degree by a wildfire would cause incredible duress to communities and residents alike.”
John Davies, RPF, Frontline Operations Group Ltd.
For an interview with Frontline Operations Group Ltd.: John Davies, RPF, Wildfire Management Specialist | john@frontlineops.ca| 250.540.3473
For information on/or an interview with FESBC: Aleece Laird, Communications Liaison | communications@fesbc.ca | 250.574.0221
British Columbia: The Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) is pleased to announce its seventh intake for funding applications. Applications will be accepted through the Forest Enhancement Society Information Management System (FESIMS) starting on September 28, 2020. The online FESIMS portal will remain open for applications until midnight October 16, 2020.
“The Forest Enhancement Society of BC is pleased to invite applications from all over British Columbia,” said Steve Kozuki, Executive Director, FESBC. “Projects being considered for Intake 7 will be for increased utilization of wood fibre that would normally be left as waste or the rehabilitation of forests where low value or damaged areas can be cleared to then be reforested to grow healthier forests. These projects not only provide strong environmental benefits, they also generate much-needed economic benefits locally by creating and maintaining jobs.”
Funding applications will be required to clearly demonstrate that all activities under the proposal will be fully completed and invoiced by March 31, 2021. Interested proponents are encouraged to click the Applying for Fundingtab for details on how to apply through the FESIMS system.
“The FESBC website also showcases the diversity of previously successful proponents such as First Nations forest companies, small woodlots, community forests and others,” said Kozuki. “We hopethese stories inspire others to apply.”
All applications must be submitted through FESIMS and there are limited funds available.
The Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) has launched its 2020 Accomplishments Report to coincide with Canada’s National Forest Week “healthy forests, healthy future” celebrations. There are two-hundred and fifty FESBC-funded projects throughout British Columbia featured in the Accomplishments Report. These projects were proposed by First Nations, woodlot owners, community forests, and many others to enhance B.C.’s forests for today and generations to come.
“FESBC is helping many communities in B.C.,” said Steve Kozuki, Executive Director of FESBC. “We are putting $233 million in the hands of local experts for projects across the province to reduce wildfire risks to protect people and communities, to enhance wildlife habitat, to improve low value and damaged forests, to re-plant damaged forests, and to use waste wood that otherwise would have been slash burned.”
The 36-page Report not only outlines the 250 projects by their purposes, ie: wildfire risk reduction, but also features projects by community so British Columbians can at a glance see the projects that have occurred, or are occurring, in their own backyard.
“These projects are taking action to improve not only the health of our environment but are also creating many social and economic benefits for the people and communities where these projects are occurring.”
Steve Kozuki, Executive Director, FESBC
Since the inception of the government agency in 2016, FESBC has generated significant benefits from the 250 projects including:
The creation of 2,124 full time equivalent jobs
$357 million in economic activity created from the $233 million investment
60 projects led by First Nations plus 22 with significant First Nations involvement
“With support from the governments of B.C. and Canada, FESBC has been enabling others to reduce greenhouse gases, protect communities from wildfire, improve wildlife habitat, and create jobs for British Columbians,” said Jim Snetsinger, FESBC Board Chair and former Chief Forester for the Province of BC. “This work generates immense social, economic, and environmental benefits, now and into the future.”
Although FESBC is immensely proud of the progress, Kozuki acknowledges there is much more to be done.
“FESBC is well-positioned to continue the successful delivery of a carefully crafted program of initiatives that serve the needs of British Columbians. With so many people in every community committed to forest enhancement, there is no doubt we will achieve our shared vision of enhanced forest resilience for the lasting benefit of B.C.’s environment, wildlife, forest health, and communities.”
Grants of $3.9 million provided to Pinnacle Renewable Energy by the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) are helping support jobs throughout the Interior and recover about 300,000 cubic metres of wood waste that otherwise would have been burned in slash piles.
A $500,000 allocation from those grants made it economical for Lavington Pellet Limited Partnership to recover 38,000 cubic metres of residual wood fibre (also known as “bio-logs”) from harvesting areas in the Monashee Mountains. The area’s steep terrain makes it difficult for wood grinders and traditional chip trucks to reach harvesting sites after logging is finished. However, with this funding, the uneconomic waste wood fibre could be hauled out at minimal additional cost by logging contractors already working in the area.
Lavington Pellet Limited Partnership in the Okanagan Valley is a joint venture between Pinnacle Renewable Energy and Tolko Industries Ltd. The project began in the winter of 2019-20 and is expected to last until March 2022.
“These companies are working together to support local jobs and produce a marketable wood product from residual fibre, while also reducing carbon emissions,” said Doug Donaldson, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development.
“The crucial financial support provided by the Forest Enhancement Society of BC made this innovative project possible.”
Doug Donaldson, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development
The collaboration between FESBC and local forestry companies not only helps improve air quality by burning less wood waste, but also supports good-quality jobs for British Columbians in their communities. The strategy has resulted in a consistent supply of wood fibre for Lavington Pellet Limited Partnership.
“This funding allowed us to reduce carbon emissions through the utilization of harvest waste,” said Jason Fisher, vice-president fibre, Pinnacle Renewable Energy. “Harvest residuals are more costly to handle, process and transport than mill residuals, especially in areas with challenging geography like the regions around Lavington. FESBC’s support for this project turned into local benefits and helps us turn B.C. wood waste into a global carbon solution.”
The residual waste recovered by Lavington Pellet Limited Partnership was stored in Lumby and processed in the spring, when mill curtailments and road use bans were in effect. Having the additional waste fibre available for processing reduced layoffs for 35 direct employees and 80 truck drivers.
“It’s a win-win project that supports the environment, local industries and the economy by providing employment opportunities for local contractors,” said Dave Conly, operations manager, FESBC.
To learn more, visit the FESBC project pages or the BC Government website:news.gov.bc.ca
Contacts:
Aleece Laird Communications Liaison Forest Enhancement Society of BC communications@fesbc.ca 250 574-0221
Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development Media Relations 250 213-8172
Roderick Island, B.C.: many British Columbians may not have heard of Roderick Island located near Klemtu in the Great Bear Rainforest in the Central Coast District. Nor have they visited the area only accessible by a one hour 45-minute float plane flight from Campbell River, but a collaborative initiative is underway to both enhance the utilization of wood fibre and create more room for trees to grow.
Ironside Contracting Ltd., based out of Campbell River, operates a 42-person logging camp working on road building and logging in the Jackson Lake area where Kitasoo Forest Company (KFC), a company 100% owned by the Kitasoo/Xai’xais First Nation, and Western Forest Products (WFP) do the harvesting. Typically, low value wood has been left behind in the area because the costs of transporting it to facilities that could use it far exceeded the sale price of that wood when delivered by barge to the south coast. Now, with funding from the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC), more wood fibre is being moved out of the area for use by local pulp mills.
“We were very pleased to receive funding from FESBC,” said Tim Walley, MBA, Domestic Sales and Cedar Sales Specialist with Storey Creek Trading, the company that does the marketing, quality control, and log sales for the KFC and WFP joint venture. “This funding has meant the difference between leaving the uneconomic wood fibre in the area, spread out in small piles at roadside to allow for reforestation activities, to this new opportunity to ship these lower value logs to market. It’s a win-win project with economic benefits to the area’s First Nations people and B.C. companies.”
Overall, the amount of available wood in the area presents a challenge for harvesting as there are lower volumes of trees per hectare and the general quality of the timber is average or poor. When trees are harvested, they are trucked approximately 15 kilometers to the ocean where they are put into the water, bundled, and loaded on to a barge for shipping. The pulp and other uneconomic logs are then chipped in the south coast of B.C.
“FESBC funding has assisted us in being able to bring out more of the lower value wood fibre,” said Walley. “The opportunity to harvest more wood from the forest helps with overall fibre supply.”
Tim Walley, Storey Creek Trading
To Dave Conly, RPF, Operations Manager of FESBC, the project is assisting in the recovery of low value wood that traditionally is unable to be utilized, thus creating more opportunities for employment and for fibre to secondary manufacturing facilities such as pulp mills that would otherwise not have been possible. The project was originally approved as it meets several of FESBC purposes, in particular Improving Low Value or Damaged Forests and Recovery of Fibre. Environmentally, the project reduces wood waste which results in increased plantable spots for a healthy new forest.
“The remoteness of this area presents unique challenges for harvesting,” said Conly. “Severe weather, limited hours of daylight, and seasonal conditions can all play a role. The funding provided by FESBC means several different companies, each of whom is committed to good forest management and sustainable timber harvesting practices, are able to enhance fibre utilization and set the stage for planting the forests for our children and grandchildren. This collaboration helps create jobs, benefits both remote communities who rely on forestry and coastal pulp mills who rely on a robust fibre supply and enhances the management of our most important natural renewable resources – our forests.”
For more information or to arrange interviews:
Aleece Laird,
Communications Liaison Forest Enhancement Society of BC
A partnership between the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) and 100 Mile House Development Corporation is reducing the risk of wildfires for people living in and around 100 Mile House.
Manual and machine clearing of forested areas for fuel breaks is focused on neighbourhoods and areas near the community, with the goal of reducing wildfire risk to homes and recreational areas.
“This partnership is supporting the economy by creating opportunities for people from local communities, including the Canim Lake Band, as well as local contractors,” said Doug Donaldson, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development. “It’s also benefiting people living in and near 100 Mile House, and all British Columbians, by reducing wildfire risk.”
The project is contributing to an estimated 10 full-time jobs and is providing opportunities for local contract work. It includes machine and hand clearing, as well as prescribed burns.
Log deck – 100 Mile
Post Harvest
Final Decking Pile Clean-up
Debris Piles with 6 m Crown Gap on Trees
“People are facing the risks connected to climate change and preparing their communities to respond. Reducing the risk of wildfires is one of the actions communities can take to safeguard public health and safety,” said George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy. “This project and others like it create opportunity and provide jobs through economic recovery from COVID-19.”
FESBC funding of nearly $1.3 million in 2019 has allowed the corporation to clear close to 240 hectares since the project began last fall.
“The contractor is working with experienced crews from local First Nations communities, and with the slowing of the local forest economy, they also employed laid-off loggers,” said Joanne Doddridge, director of economic development and planning, District of 100 Mile House. “The public has been, overall, supportive. The development corporation is aware of the impact of implementing the treatments so close to residences. We are striving to minimize the impact on these neighbourhoods, while creating fuel breaks to enhance public safety and reduce wildfire risk.”
Much of 2019 was spent doing mechanical harvesting and piling treatments, followed by manual work where crews prune trees, thin out small stems and pile debris. This summer, crews laid out areas for prescribed burns and prepared for mechanical clearing. Manual treatment options may be delayed due to COVID-19 related restrictions.
Activities for this field season will take place north and south of Horse Lake. Work will also include the completion of activities in areas treated last fall east of 100 Mile and properties on the north side of Horse Lake Road and the Ranchette subdivision.
It is hoped that material removed this year to create the fuel breaks can be used as biomass in the form of pulp or ground for pellets, minimizing the amount of material that needs to be burned. All the pulp fibre and a significant portion of the residual fibre removed last year was used.
The project is expected to continue through March 2022.
“This project has been innovative in maximizing the use of mechanical treatments, which reduces overall costs and allows more area to be treated. The success of this project has been due to the collaborative efforts of all the parties involved to achieve a successful outcome.”
Ray Raatz, Operations Manager, Forest Enhancement Society of BC
“Funding from FESBC has been critical in all phases of this project. Assessing, developing prescriptions and treating these fuel treatment blocks to enhance community safety would not be possible without the assistance of FESBC.”
Mitch Campsall, mayor of 100 Mile House
To learn more, visit the BC Government website, here or the FESBC projects pages: www.fesbc.ca/projects
Smithers is contributing to the achievement of Canada’s and B.C’s climate change targets by diverting residual fibre from the Bulkley Timber Supply Area that would otherwise be burned due to the uneconomic haul distance to Pinnacle Renewable Energy’s newly developed Smithers Pellet Facility. This is a good example of what the transition to green sustainable bioeconomy looks like.
$1.2 million in funding from the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) helped to bridge haul costs, meaning the residual fibre is now being delivered to the pellet facility as raw material to create a marketable product, instead of being piled and burned in a cut block in the forest. As a result, air quality is better protected because incineration of biomass is cleaner than open burning of wood piles, Pinnacle Renewable Energy’s customers are able to reduce their overall fossil fuel consumption, all the while creating family-supporting jobs.
“In recent years in the Bulkley Valley, there has been no feasible end destination for any pulp-logs or bio-logs , forcing licensees to burn high amounts of fibre that could have been used to produce energy,” said Josh McQuillin, Superintendent of Biomass, Pinnacle Renewable Energy. “Through this funding we were able to utilize nearly 90,000 cubic metres of fibre that would otherwise have been piled and burned.”
Pinnacle Renewable Energy has a log supply agreement with Pacific Inland Resources, a division of West Fraser and partners with them to recover residual material left behind after timber harvesting within West Fraser’s license area.
“Harvest residuals can add challenges where the logistics costs of transporting fibre from cut blocks to our plant are difficult, or where storage space is limited, as is the case with Smithers,” said Jason Fisher, Vice President Fibre, Pinnacle Renewable Energy. “We know that by turning harvest residuals into pellets we are putting the carbon in that fibre to good use.”
Pinnacle Renewable Energy applied for FESBC funding to help offset any incremental haul costs associated with hauling fibre from greater than five hours away, allowing for the recovery and utilization of fibre that would otherwise not be economically feasible.
“FESBC funding enables Pinnacle to utilize fibre otherwise too expensive to haul to their facility which helps Pinnacle reduce greenhouse gas emissions by avoiding the burning of that residual fibre,” said Gord Pratt, RPF, Operations Manager, FESBC. “We are pleased to support Pinnacle in reducing those emissions.”
Fisher said Pinnacle Renewable Energy recognizes the importance of reducing carbon emissions.
“Our customers buy our pellets to reduce their carbon emissions. FESBC funding allowed us to achieve that goal through enhanced fibre utilization,” said Fisher. “FESBC support turns into local benefits and helps us turn BC harvest residuals into a global carbon solution.”
McQuillin said additional community benefits include improved local air quality and employment opportunities for local contractors. The funding allowed Pinnacle Renewable Energy to find longer-term storage for a surge of fibre supply, resulting in employment continuity.
“We were able to divert fibre being produced by local contractors to an offsite storage facility where it was stored and then hauled to a pellet plant over break-up,” said McQuillin. “Without FESBC, our fibre supply needs in both Burns Lake and Smithers were challenged. Initiatives such as this help balance fibre needs as well as create and sustain several local jobs.”
This project is funded in part by the Government of Canada.
To find projects in your area, visit the FESBC projects pages: www.fesbc.ca/projects
For more information or to arrange interviews: Aleece Laird, Communications Liaison Forest Enhancement Society of BC communications@fesbc.ca | 250.574.0221
SMITHERS – Funding from the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) is helping a small mill in the Bulkley Valley turn wood waste into products it can sell, reduce carbon emissions and create local jobs.
Seaton Forest Products, located nine kilometres west of the Wet’suwet’en village of Witset (formerly Moricetown) and 30 kilometres west of Smithers, received $2.5 million from FESBC in 2018. It is two years into a three-and-a-half-year project funding the diversion of 170,000 cubic metres of fibre from distant cutblocks to manufacture into lumber and wood chips.
“This FESBC project supports the use of fibre that would otherwise go to waste, while creating jobs for local communities, including Indigenous communities,” said Doug Donaldson, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development. “It’s great to see this funding already making a difference by reducing wildfire risk and carbon emissions, while building up local economies.”
The FESBC grant is funding 22 in-forest fibre-recovery jobs over the project. Meanwhile, the Seaton mill employs another 22 people, including approximately 15 from local Indigenous communities.
About half the recovered fibre is manufactured into cants – large squared-off logs that can be processed into smaller lumber products – and exported to China. The rest is chipped, sold to Pinnacle Renewable Energy in Smithers and processed into pellets.
“This funding improves our ability to have consistent access to wood and become part of the supply chain, as we use half the log for product and chip and ship the rest to be processed into pellets,” said Andy Thompson, manager, Seaton Forest Products. “While most larger mills require more wood and green wood, we are able to take the logs others cannot utilize and would have normally been either left in the bush and/or burnt.”
Including the FESBC-funded fibre recovery, Seaton is able to secure a total of 80,000 cubic metres of wood waste a year. Using the wood waste means it won’t be burnt to release carbon or left on site where it can be a wildfire risk.
“FESBC is excited to provide funding to enable operations like Seaton Forest Products to utilize fibre outside their current economic radius that would traditionally have been burned at the cutblock,” said Gord Pratt, operations manager, FESBC. “FESBC is pleased to assist the Province in meeting its goals of increasing fibre utilization and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by funding projects like this one with Seaton. Projects like this also often create much-needed local employment opportunities.”
This project is funded in part by the Government of Canada.
“There are very few employment opportunities in this area, so to provide up to 22 jobs is pretty significant. If we have a good wood supply, it supports one shift year-round. If the markets are down, then we can have some down time. It’s beneficial for us to use what we can and send the rest to the pellet plant. Here, we’re able to put more people to work and support the economy with an annual supply of 80,000 cubic metres.”
To learn more, visit the BC Government website, here or the FESBC projects pages: www.fesbc.ca/projects
GRANISLE – People living in the Village of Granisle will benefit from reduced wildfire risk when a buffer of birch and cottonwood trees are planted around the community.
Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) funding of approximately $400,000 is supporting the Babine Lake Community Forest (BLCF) to surround the village with a mixed stand of trees, mostly made up of deciduous trees, which are less susceptible to forest fires than conifers.
“It’s great to see communities and First Nations like the Village of Granisle and Lake Babine Nation working together to reduce the risk of wildfires on their doorsteps,” said Doug Donaldson, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development. “Provincial funding to FESBC allowed it to support these projects and now it’s making a difference on the ground, protecting communities and creating local employment opportunities.”
As part of the project, BLCF has cut 36,000 cubic metres of existing conifers in the forest, which were then delivered to Hampton Mills in Burns Lake where they will be used to produce lumber. Planting of the buffer of 225,000 trees will begin next year.
The community forest is held in equal partnership between Lake Babine Nation and the Village of Granisle, which has a population of about 350 and could not afford to take the project on alone.
The FESBC funding was approved in 2018 to assist BLCF with its long-term wildfire mitigation, including community consultation and long-term site plans that integrate wildlife values. It is part of the larger project, to which BLCF is contributing $1.7 million.
As part of the project, conifers were logged last year. Fuel management is planned this year (the piling and burning of surface fuels) and planting will take place next year.
“The Village of Granisle and Lake Babine Nation have both been incredibly supportive,” said Peter Tweedie, general manager, BLCF, and owner of Tyhee Forestry Consultants, which conducted the work on behalf of BLCF. “In our public-input meetings, they were diligent in providing information. We’ve had almost unanimous buy-in from attendees who have felt anxious about the existing wildfire risk – especially since the 2017 and 2018 wildfire seasons.”
A review by the BLCF and the BC Wildfire Service indicated that replacing the dense conifer stand around the community with deciduous trees would be a low-maintenance, long-term solution to creating a wildfire buffer around the community.
“Our community is extremely grateful for the time and direction by our community forest board of directors in addressing the wildfire mitigation surrounding our town,” said Linda McGuire, mayor, Village of Granisle. “Daily, we have been observing the progress of this project and have every confidence it will be completed in the coming months and the board will have achieved their goal on a successful endeavour.”
The project is also enhancing skills training opportunities and providing employment to residents of both Lake Babine Nation and the Village of Granisle. FESBC funding is creating about four jobs.
Quotes:
Gord Pratt, operations manager, FESBC –
“FESBC is excited to assist the BLCF meet multiple objectives. This includes reducing the wildfire risk to the Village of Granisle and improving the forest by taking an innovative approach to diversifying the species in the community forest, allowing them to market hardwood fibre in the future.”
Gordon Alec, Chief of Babine Lake First Nation –
“Having worked in the forest industry for 43 years, I know managing and sustaining the forest and economy is vitally important. I fully support the Babine Lake Community Forest. I am quite confident that this venture will go a very long way in benefiting all of the communities involved. Let’s keep these positive initiatives going. Thank you all.”
To learn more, visit the BC Government website, here or the FESBC projects pages: www.fesbc.ca/projects
TERRACE – A grant of $443,400 from the Forest Enhancement Society of BC to the Terrace Community Forest (TCF) is helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions and use wood fibre that would otherwise be burned.
The project, which got underway on June 1, 2020, will support an estimated four (full-time equivalent) jobs, through the grinding and trucking of waste wood fibre. The grant will allow TCF to ship the ground waste wood to Skeena Bioenergy’s new pellet plant in Terrace, where it will be used to manufacture wood pellets.
“One of the Forest Enhancement Society of BC’s goals is to support increased use of fibre from damaged or low-value forests,” said Doug Donaldson, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development. “This project is a great example of how waste wood fibre can be redirected to support the production of high-quality wood pellets.”
The TCF has been thinning second-growth tree stands over the past few years within its tenure area, with white wood waste (hemlock and balsam) being brought to a processing area to be delimbed and cut to log length. About 15,000 cubic metres of hemlock and balsam were piled up to allow the wood to dry for two years. This curing period reduces the moisture content of the wood and decreases its weight, allowing more of it to be transported per truckload and lowering drying costs at the pellet plant.
TCF had stockpiled the wood waste for two years instead of burning it, hoping to find another way to utilize the fibre. The grant from the Forest Enhancement Society of BC, which is supported by the B.C. government and the federal government, will help meet that objective.
Pellet plants often mix white wood with “hog fuel”, which is an unrefined mix of coarse chips of bark and wood fibre, to produce higher-quality pellets.
Waste pile at Terrace Community Forest – Photo by Kim Haworth
Slash piles post grind – ready for shipping – Photo by Kim Haworth
“Without this funding, we would be burning this fibre since it is otherwise uneconomical to transport it,” said Kim Haworth, general manager, TCF. “Now we can grind and store the white wood on site and supply the fibre to the pellet plant on an as-needed basis. We would rather see the fibre used, generate some revenue and provide economic, social and environmental benefits to our community.”
TCF is a company owned by the City of Terrace. It is managed by an appointed board that directs the general operation of the forest tenure. Its primary mandate is to create employment opportunities in the Terrace area, while financially supporting recreation and community groups that provide recreational activities within the Terrace Community Forest and the community.
“We are pleased to fund the Terrace Community Forest project,” said Gord Pratt, RPF, operations manager for the Forest Enhancement Society of BC. “In the long run, it will help improve future forest practices to increase fibre utilization and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the burning of residual fibre.”
To learn more, visit the BC Government website, here or the FESBC projects pages: www.fesbc.ca/projects
Kelowna, BC: The Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation (HCTF) has announced $9.2 million in funding for more than 180 individual wildlife, freshwater fish, and habitat conservation projects across British Columbia this year.
“This is no small feat,” said Dan Buffett, CEO of HCTF. “It reflects a diversity of funding from our core contributors [hunters, anglers, trappers and guides], court awards, provincial government contributions and endowments, and our partners such as the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC).”
Through cooperation with partners such as the FESBC, HCTF is able to support conservation projects like the Southern Interior Mule Deer Project in studying how mule deer population respond to wildlife and habitat change. Conducting research in the Boundary Region, West Okanagan, and Bonaparte Plateau the project hopes to reveal why mule deer populations are declining in BC’s southern interior and provide recommendation on how to restore their abundance in the area.
“What we have heard from Indigenous communities, ecologists, and resident hunters is that the decline of mule deer matters to them and the status quo is no longer sufficient. It is time we bring more science to bear on issues affecting wildlife in BC,” said Dr. Adam T. Ford, Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia.
A combination of GPS tracking collars, trail cameras and pregnancy checks on wild doe deer are being used by researchers to assess changes in deer populations at the study sites. These research activities are helping to reveal how wildlife along with fire suppression efforts, timber extractions, highways and urban development are changing the movement and size of deer populations in BC’s southern interior. Bringing together conservation organizations, government agencies, and universities in both Canada and the USA, this project combines cutting-edge research on deer ecology with on-the-ground partnerships with First Nations, industry experts and local communities to investigate and develop solutions for mule deer conservation.
Other funded projects taking place in the Okanagan Region include:
$28,500 to support the South Okanagan Similkameen Conservation Program to protect fish and wildlife habitat. Co-funded with FESBC.
$47,129 for assessing the bull trout population in the Upper Shuswap.
$53,080 for habitat restoration of Black Cottonwood ecosystems in the Kettle River Watershed to help conserve species-at-risk such as the Lewis’s Woodpecker.
FESBC’s Executive Director Steve Kozuki is “thrilled to partner with the trusted and respected Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation to improve wildlife habitat. With their first-in-class management of funds and projects by talented and professional staff, we know that we are maximizing benefits for wildlife in British Columbia.”
Each project funded through HCTF is reviewed by a multi-level, objective technical review process prior to final Board review and decision. HCTF’s Board of Directors ensures that species important to BC anglers and hunters are supported but also place a great deal of importance on conserving whole ecosystems, species-at-risk and investing in environmental education across the province.
BURNS LAKE – With the help of a $1.25-million grant from the Forest Enhancement Society of BC, the Cheslatta Carrier Nation is rehabilitating tree stands that were severely damaged by wildfires in 2018 and re-establishing productive forest ecosystems.
“This project is an excellent example of how partnerships are improving the health of B.C.’s forests,” said Doug Donaldson, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development. “The funding that the Province provided to back the society’s projects is making a difference and supporting jobs in many parts of British Columbia.”
Work on this project started in May 2020 on the south side of François Lake between Grassy Plains, Ootsa and Cheslatta Lakes, about 65 kilometres south of the Village of Burns Lake.
Fire-damaged trees are being removed so the wood can be used, instead of burning fibre that would otherwise be uneconomical to deliver to a processing facility. The grant from the Forest Enhancement Society of BC will help Cheslatta Forest Products (which is 100% owned by the Cheslatta Carrier Nation) cover the costs of shipping the residual fibre to a pellet plant or bioenergy facility. Diverting this fibre from burn piles will result in a net reduction of carbon emissions.
The logging operations were planned with the needs of wildlife in mind, ensuring high-value habitat areas and trees will be preserved. Rehabilitation of these fire-damaged stands will improve wildlife habitat in areas heavily impacted by the 2018 wildfires. The treated areas will be reforested, primarily with spruce seedlings.
“The wildfires of 2018 burned 75% of the Cheslatta Community Forest and even more overall on the territory,” said Ben Wilson, forestry co-ordinator, Cheslatta Carrier Nation. “At Cheslatta, we were proportionally impacted along with everyone else, and our goal was to clean the burned wood off the land base and get it growing green again.”
The Cheslatta Carrier Nation has a proven history in the forest industry. Its members depend on forests not only for cultural well-being, but also to provide financial opportunities. Logging had just begun in its harvest permit area when wildfires burned through much of it in the summer of 2018, resulting is a substantial loss of revenue. This project supports local employment and makes use of community-owned equipment to remove dead wood, providing benefits to the larger community and support for the local economy.
“The Forest Enhancement Society of BC is excited to fund this project to improve forest stands heavily impacted by the 2018 wildfires,” said Gord Pratt, operations manager, Forest Enhancement Society of BC. “The rehabilitation of the ecosystem to pre-fire conditions will improve the damaged forests by creating diverse, healthy stands. It will contribute to the future timber supply and improve many forest values, including wildlife habitat.”
Read more on the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development website:https://news.gov.bc.ca/22573
Smithers, BC: the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation (HCTF) has announced $9.2 million in funding for more than 180 individual wildlife, freshwater fish, and habitat conservation projects across British Columbia this year.
“This is no small feat,” said Dan Buffett, CEO of HCTF. “It reflects a diversity of funding from our core contributors [hunters, anglers, trappers and guides], court awards, provincial government contributions and endowments, and our partners such as the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC).”
Tree planting – Sybille Haeussler Photo
Through cooperation with partners such as FESBC, HCTF is able to support conservation organizations like the Bulkley Valley Centre for Natural Resources Research and Management in their efforts to restore endangered whitebark pine ecosystems in the Skeena region. As western Canada’s first officially endangered tree species, the whitebark pine, and the ecosystems they support, are of critical importance to high elevation grizzly bears, birds and other wildlife species that rely on their oil-rich seeds for energy in cold climates.
The centre has been restoring remote whitebark pine ecosystems across the Skeena Region since 2011, contributing to the restoration and conservation of biodiversity, carbon storage and beauty of the region’s scenic mountain ecosystems. Working along-side BC provincial parks, community forests and the forestry industry, the centre collects seeds from healthy parent trees, grows and plants seedlings in disturbed ecosystems and assists breeding efforts to improve resistance to the deadly white pine blister rust disease. Recently, the centre received word that one of their parent trees was found to produce the most disease-resistant seedlings ever tested in BC.
Sybille Haeussler, an adjunct professor at the University of Northern BC and project lead, is hopeful that the 25,000 seedlings currently being grown in a local nursery will contribute to ongoing efforts that see the restoration and persistence of whitebark pine ecosystems across their northeastern range.
“We continue to monitor the growth and survival of restoration trials established across northern BC and are learning much more about how and when the white pine blister rust attacks and kills trees and how to ensure that seedlings are planted in the best possible sites to ensure future survival under climate change. It will be a long time before these young trees start to produce cones and seeds that will support healthy wildlife populations, but we are in this project for the long run,” says Haeussler.
6 year old planted whitebark pine at Morice Lake – Sybille Haeussler photo
Other HCTF funded projects taking place in the Skeena region:
$29,900 for research into Mountain Goat range boundaries, habitat selection and population dynamics, co-funded by FESBC.
$43,788 for Northern Goshawk nest and habitat assessment led by the Kitasoo Xai’xais First Nation that will inform the implementation of the provincial Northern Goshawk recovery plan.
$113,000 for fisheries development, planning and stock assessment activities on the Skeena, Kitwanga, Bulkley, Kispiox and Morice Rivers.
FESBC’s Executive Director Steve Kozuki is “thrilled to partner with the trusted and respected Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation to improve wildlife habitat. With their first-in-class management of funds and projects by talented and professional staff, we know that we are maximizing benefits for wildlife in British Columbia.”
Each project funded through HCTF is reviewed by a multi-level, objective technical review process prior to final Board review and decision. HCTF’s Board of Directors ensures that species important to BC anglers and hunters are supported but also place a great deal of importance on conserving whole ecosystems, species-at-risk and investing in environmental education across the province.
The Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation (HCTF) has announced $9.2 million in funding for more than 180 individual wildlife, freshwater fish, and habitat conservation projects across British Columbia this year.
“This is no small feat,” said Dan Buffett, CEO
of HCTF. “It reflects a diversity of funding from our core contributors (hunters,
anglers, trappers and guides), court awards, provincial government
contributions and endowments, and our partners such as the Forest Enhancement
Society of BC (FESBC).”
Through cooperation with partners like the
FESBC, HCTF is able to support conservation projects such as the Ministry of
Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development’s (FLNRORD)
study of Northern Goshawk in South Coastal BC. The project, occurring among
coastal and transitional forests of the Lower Mainland region, aims to
investigate breeding success and habitat requirements of at-risk Northern
Goshawk populations in coastal and transitional forest landscapes.
The Northern Goshawk’s short but powerful wings and long tail feathers make the species expertly adapted to maneuvering through forest canopies in search of prey such as squirrels, hares, and grouse. Because of these adaptations the birds require structurally mature forest stands to support both the breeding pair and their chicks, however this habitat type is increasingly becoming fragmented due to forest harvesting activities. As a result, the species has been recognized as threatened by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada and has been placed on BC’s provincial red list. To ensure the survival of the species, it is necessary to fill in some gaps in the scientific understanding of the species and pinpoint crucial habitat areas within their range.
This is where Melanie Wilson, FLNRORD Wildlife Biologist, and her team come in. Utilizing modern tracking technology, fitting birds with telemetry backpacks and placing motion cameras to monitor nest sites, researchers can identify highly valuable foraging areas and better understand the types of prey species being delivered to the nests.
“This research provides a unique opportunity
to investigate the ecology of this threatened forest raptor and will provide
valuable data to inform provincial management recommendations and ensure
species recovery,” said Wilson.
Other HCTF funded
projects taking place in the Lower Mainland region:
$29,593 for habitat restoration and invasive
species removal, restoring and reconnecting a floodplain forest with the Fraser
River, co-funded by FESBC.
$36,000 for research into grizzly bear
ecology, habitat use and movement relative to landscape features and human
activity, co-funded by FESBC.
$47,804 to facilitate a Bull Trout fishery
assessment on Chilliwack Lake, utilizing a tag-return study to assess
conservation and management priorities.
FESBC’s Executive Director Steve Kozuki is
“thrilled to partner with the trusted and respected Habitat Conservation Trust
Foundation to improve wildlife habitat. With their first-in-class management of
funds and projects by talented and professional staff, we know that we are
maximizing benefits for wildlife in British Columbia.”
Each project funded through HCTF is reviewed
by a multi-level, objective technical review process prior to final Board
review and decision. HCTF’s Board of Directors ensures that species important
to BC anglers and hunters are supported but also place a great deal of
importance on conserving whole ecosystems, species-at-risk and investing in
environmental education across the province.
