WSCA Conference:Every so many years forest policy needs to re-evaluate its assumptions and conventions to keep in step with the changing landscape and society’s management expectations.
Usually this process takes the shape of a Royal Commission. We are at the stage now says forestry veteran Mike Apsey. But we don’t need a royal commission. We need something more. Apsey’s fifty years in forestry on both the government’s and industry’s sides have shown him that royal commissions and their results can hardly be put into effect before they are outdated by the pace of history. That problem is more acute now than before and we need a permanent board of enquiry with the powers of a royal commission, the processes of a round table and the resources of a think tank. Apsey reminded silviculture contractors of their sector’s considerable accomplishments and urged them to become active and effective in influencing forest policy across Canada.