Before moving to government 10 years ago, Diane Nicholls, B.C.’s new chief forester, had a full career on the private-sector side of forest management. As she tackles the major decisions ahead, she will undoubtedly draw on that breadth of experience. Nicholls, who was named permanently to the post Feb. 26, is taking over as the province grapples with a shrinking…
Forestry. Since B.C.’s inception, it’s been one of our province’s driving industries. But in the 21st century is it still relevant? For the next part of CKNW’s series, Putting BC To Work, The Drex Live Show highlights the pros and cons of getting into the forestry sector. “We’re looking at recruiting about 2,700 people a…
About 500 residents have been allowed to return home in northern Alberta after a wildfire forced them out on the weekend. Melissa Blake, mayor of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, said Monday evening the mandatory evacuation order was lifted for residents in the Prairie Creek neighbourhoods just south of Fort McMurray. However, Blake said…
Large swaths of red — meaning extreme risk — cover Alberta and Saskatchewan on the latest fire danger map from Natural Resources Canada. Many other areas are considered high or very high risk in the two Prairie provinces, where there’s been below average snowfall and above normal temperatures in much of Western Canada. Kerry Anderson, a fire…
It’s been feared that the many millions of dead trees left in the wake of pine beetles infestations would lead to more severe wildfires, but new research suggests that is not the case. A study that examined more than 80 fires over the last 25 years in the Pacific Northwest region of the U.S. concluded…
Grande Prairie’s Weyerhaeuser pulp mill will soon be under new ownership. Weyerhaeuser recently announced a $2.2 billion deal with International Paper for its cellulose fibers mills, which includes the mill in Grande Prairie. Wayne Roznowsky, public affairs manager for Weyerhaeuser Canada, said the sale came out of a recent strategic review of the company’s cellulose…
Saturday marked a sombre anniversary in Nanaimo as it was two years to the day that a shooting occurred at the now-closed Western Forest Products mill. Tony Sudar and Earl Kelly were injured in the April 30 incident, while Michael John Lunn and Fred James McEachern were killed. Lorraine McEachern, Fred’s wife, said her family…
Four former Sino-Forest executives accused of fraud did not deceive anyone or shirk responsibility for their actions while they worked for the forestry company, a securities tribunal heard Monday. To the contrary, Albert Ip, one of the four accused, agreed to be examined by law firm Bennett Jones while he was hospitalized in critical condition,…
Canada’s forest products industry is aiming to be a major contributor to Canada’s 2030 climate goal, but is touting better forest management and increased use of wood products – rather than emissions reductions at its operations – as the key strategies. In a statement Monday, the Forest Products Association of Canada said its companies aim…
Canada’s forest products industry is committing to cut its emissions of greenhouse gases by 30 million tonnes a year by 2030. The industry association says about half the promised reductions will come from improved forest practices, including using the slash from downed trees rather than burning it or letting it rot and emit methane. Improved…