Quesnel re-thinks forestry

Mar 21, 2019 | 4:27 PM

QUESNEL – The City of Quesnel is taking a new lead on preparing for a downturn in forestry.

The Mayor of Quesnel Bob Simpson, calls his community the most forestry-dependent community in BC and has seen the writing on the wall when it comes to the traditional production of two-by-fours. But the traditional method of doing forestry is changing and the City of  Quesnel wants to be ahead of the game. It recently hired a Forestry Innovation Manager, Erin Robinson, whose job it is to find new ways of thinking about the forest and better ways to make use of every piece of a log.

“Quesnel is one of the most forest-dependent communities in BC, so it’s important that the City is taking an active role in advancing the Community Wildfire Protection Plan, working with the provincial government on rehabilitating the landscape, and working with the forest industry to diversify the economy,” states Erin Robinson, City of Quesnel Forestry Initiatives’ Manager.  “This does not mean stepping back from forestry, but rather finding innovative ways to utilize the available wood-fibre and types of manufacturing potential already here in the area.” 

The objective of the program is to build ‘home-grown’ solutions for Quesnel during it’s time of transition to be innovative, resilient and help grow a sustainable future for everyone who chooses to call the area home.