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By Adam Berls

forest practices

Changes in forestry sector leading to changes in forest practices

Apr 15, 2023 | 4:11 PM

PRINCE GEORGE — The 2023 COFI convention wrapped up on Friday, but the conversation regarding current and future forest practices will continue

With curtailments and mill closures in recent months, the topic of discussion among different levels of government, communities and its citizens is the future of forestry. An important caveat when talking about the future of the industry is forest practices, past, present and future. One organization that looks at all this is the BC Forest Practices Board.

One of the mandates of the board is to look at and investigate the work that is currently happening not only within the forestry sector but with government as well, with the ultimate goal of improving forest practices.

“A rigorous process that investigates the work that’s been done sheds a light on it, shows what’s going on both for the industry itself and government in their decision making so that they can consider what’s happened and evaluate it. And hopefully it will lead to improvements in forest practices.” – Keith Atkinson, Chair, B.C. Forest Practices Board

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The transition within the industry has also changed and dictated what government’s response is and in turn, what dictates sound forest practices.

“Society’s interest in the values that the forests offer beyond strictly timber are becoming much more apparent and obvious. That dictates a change in government changing legislation.” – Keith Atkinson, Chair, B.C. Forest Practices Board

As well as biodiversity, the forest practices board is also looking at landscape fire management and wildfire risk reduction, and through these projects will review whether current practices are working and if there needs to be changes made, for the benefit of everyone involved, in an industry that is going through a lot of changes right now.