January 6, 2017
Volume 17, Issue 1
Warning: Repetitive jokes about facts at the heading of this publication will continue in an attempt to establish some editorial defense against the drift towards a post-fact era noticed in certain political and media affairs lately.
WSCA Conference: Forest Restoration and Carbon Sequestration Programs; What Will They Look Like?
Our government has been running commercials promoting its commitment to restoring forests and addressing climate change through forestry following encouraging announcements made last year. But just what will those programs look like in terms of budget, activities and schedule? This is one of the main themes to this year’s WSCA Annual Conference, Trade Show and AGM, February 1st to 3rd, 2017 in Victoria. And well it should be, given the impact these programs will have on our sector. Our plenary session on Thursday morning will feature presenters and panelists from our government’s key agencies involved in implementing the restoration program along with perspectives from First Nations and the independent Forest Enhancement Society of BC. This session, supported by other speakers during the day, and at the banquet, should give everyone a framework for viewing the future of forestry in this province. For more information on the complete conference program including safety on Wednesday and strategy on Friday, plus how to register, go to www.wfca.ca.
Training Courses Available Prior to Conference
Resource Road Light Truck Driver (2-day classroom & field course) Mon & Tues January 30th & 31st, 2017 – Cost: $635 per person. To register, please email: admin@wfca.ca
ATV/UTV Operator (1-day classroom & field course) Tues January 31st, 2017 – Cost: $325 per person. To register, please email: admin@wfca.ca
Wildlife Danger Tree Assessor (2-day classroom & field course) Mon & Tues January 30th & 31st, 2017 – Cost: $455 per person; Recertification $435 per person. To register, please email: Troy.Lee@unbc.ca
Note: The above training tuition costs are eligible for subsidies of 66% through the Canada-BC Job Grant program.
Plant Wizard Training Workshop Tues January 31st, 2017 9:00 am to 12:00 noon – Cost: No Charge. To register, please email: support@jrpltd.com
SNAP! BC Surveys Training WorkshopTues January 31st, 20171:00 pm to 4:00 pm – Cost: No Charge. To register, please email: support@jrpltd.com
Cabinet Approves Silviculture Amendments to Forestry Service Providers Compensation Fund
Forest Minister Steve Thomson signed an order in council in December promulgating his promise made last spring to make silviculture services eligible for compensation through the Forestry Service Providers Compensation Fund. Under the regulatory amendment Silviculture contracting, seedling production and some consulting activities now qualify as forestry services recognized by the Compensation Fund. Service providers can make claims for contract forestry services that go unpaid because a license holder became insolvent. The silviculture sector compensation fund exists in a separate sub-fund of $500,000 managed by an independent administrator. The Order in Council provides the following neat definition:
“Section 3 (1) For the purposes of the definition of “services” in section 1 (1) in the Act, the following are prescribed:
- activities relating to growing seedlings:
- silviculture activities that are necessary, or required under the Forest and Range Practices Act, to establish free growing stands.”
For more on the fund go to http://fspcf.com.
Is the Forestry Management Free-Growing Concept Working for the Best Results? Join a UBC Forum to Discuss.
Is the free-growing concept working to deliver the best value and resilient future forests? We have heard this question and its versions before. We’ve talked about it at previous WSCA conferences. It has taken panel and presentation time at the Association of BC Forest Professional annual conferences regularly. Regional silviculture committees ask it too in various forms. And now the UBC Faculty of Forestry wants to establish an on-line forum to deal with it as well. Why does it keep coming up? One theory is that the question is actually a stand-in for a much larger question. It’s a synecdoche: a figure of speech where part of something is used to represent the larger whole. In this case the question about free growing is actually standing in for the much larger question of whether we are managing our forests for best results under the present regime. Questions about free growing, stocking standards, the appraisal system and the holy of holies, the tenure system, are constantly being asked it seems. Maybe this is a sign of general health. These fundamentals should be discussed ongoing. Or maybe it is a sign of chronic doubt about the principal tenets that our forest management is based on that suggests serious deficiencies going unaddressed. Perhaps these will be some of the questions/doubts the forum tries to sort. If you wish to participate in this discussion please go to: https://blogs.ubc.ca/silviculturediscussion/