september 27, 2013

www.pgfreepress.com

Serving Northern British Columbia SEPTEMBER 2013SEPTEMBER 2013

OUR FORESTS

The Greenest WorkforceCelebrating National Forest Week

2 Prince George Free Press - SEPTEMBER 2013 Special Edition: The Northern Report

Th e Association of BC Forest Profes-sionals (ABCFP) and the Truck Loggers Association (TLA) are holding an art competition from September 17 to Octo-ber 15 to celebrate National Forest Week.

Th e art competition is open to kids aged four to 12 years old. Parents can submit their own kids’ artwork or teach-ers can enter the work of the whole classroom.

Children from across the province are invited to draw a picture of what the for-ests in their communities mean to them.

Th ere will be three winners – one from each age group. Winners will receive a $50 gift certifi cate to Chapters and will have their pictures published in the AB-CFP and TLA magazines and posted on the websites of both organizations.

“As a forest professional, I spend my days with policies, laws and permits and sometimes forget about the fun side of forests,” says Christine Gelowitz, RPF, president of the ABCFP. “It is always fantastic to be reminded about the fun factor when we see how children interpret forests.”

“Children have a unique perspective of our world,” said Dwight Yochim, RPF, executive director of the TLA. “And they have an ability to capture that perspective and share with us a glimpse of what they see each and every day. What they per-ceive and how they interpret it reminds us of our own childhood when everything was new.”

Pick up your pencil crayons and visit the ABCFP or the TLA websites to

download the art competition entry form, www.abcfp.ca or www.tla.ca.

Th e Association of BC Forest Profes-sionals, established in 1947, is the largest professional forestry association in Canada with more than 5,400 members. Th e association registers and regulates professional foresters and forest technolo-gists under authority of the provincial Foresters Act.

Th e TLA (Truck Loggers Association) represents over 400 independent coastal forest contractors and their suppliers in British Columbia.

Th e TLA promotes a thriving, sustain-able forest industry in BC, and fosters communication and education within resource communities, urban centres and governments.

Picture the forest

Th e Association of BC Forest Professionals (ABCFP) wants young people to celebrate National Forest Week so it is hosting an essay contest.

Th e essay contest is open to students aged 13 to 18 and carries a top prize of $300 (as well as two runner-up prizes of $150 each). Students are invited to write a short essay about what the forest means to them or to the province of BC. Th ey might choose to write about recreational opportu-nities, the environment, the economic benefi ts or the cultural aspects of the forests or a combination of these factors.

Young people can also sign up for the ABCFP’s START program which is designed to give high school and post-secondary students a head START on their way to becoming forest professionals. Th is free subscription gives students the ABCFP’s magazine, BC Forest Professional, and the e-newsletter, Th e Increment, in addition to getting a discount on some association training events such as the annual conference.

“I’ve learned that young people care deeply about the forest and the health of our environ-ment,” says Christine Gelowitz, RPF, president of the ABCFP. “Th e essay contest gives youth a way of expressing their feelings on forests and gives the ABCFP the opportunity to learn what is important to them.”

Visit the ABCFP website to fi nd the essay con-test rules or to sign up for a free START subscrip-tion, www.abcfp.ca.

Th e Association of BC Forest Professionals, established in 1947, is the largest professional for-estry association in Canada with more than 5,400 members. Th e association registers and regulates professional foresters and forest technologists un-der authority of the provincial Foresters Act.

Write onabout the forest

Teresa MALLAM/Northern ReportA bear carving by Prince George chainsaw carver John Rogers greets visitors to Studio 2880.

Prince George Free Press - SEPTEMBER 2013 3 Special Edition: The Northern Report

Prince George - Sales, Parts & Service9341 Rock Island Rd250-562-74221-877-888-7422

BBBAAABBBIIINNNEEE TTTRRRUUUCCCKKK &&& EEEQQQQUUUIIIPPPMMMEEENNNTTT LLLTTTDDD.Contact your local Mack Dealer for more information

Smithers - Parts & Service3364 Yellowhead Hwy

250-847-39811-888-847-3981

See us at the

Picture the forest – a contest for Forestry Week ......................................................................................................2

Write on - Forest professionals conducting a writing contest for Forestry Week...........................................................2

Droning on about the forest industry – Drones used for research..................................................................4-5

Forest professionals help students with some cash............................................................................................6

Canfor celebrates Forest Week – A message from CEO Don Kayne..................................................................8

New president for the Council of Forest Industires.....................................................................................................10

Woodlot owners hold annual general meeting...........................................................................................................11

Association of British Columbia Forest Professionals celebrate Forest Week.............................................................12

Fewer forest fi res even though it was a hot, dry summer...........................................................................................13

Forest tent caterpillars can damage the forest...........................................................................................................14

Take a Walk in the Woods at the Willow River Interpretive Trail..................................................................................15

Wood is a natural inspiration for a lot of artists around Prince George.....................................................16-17

Three northern artists present forest show at international exhibit in Banff.............................................18-19

What’s Inside 20134

18

66

8

1616

We welcome you to join us for your business stay

PH: 250.562.4131 | TF: [email protected] | www.esthersinn.com1151 Commercial Cres. Prince George, BCSpacious & Secure Parking

Ask about our corporate rates.Newly renovated rooms

Relaxing Pools and Hot Tubs

Tropical Gardens

Esther’s Inn Bistro (breakfast, lunch & dinner)

Get Get RefreshedRefreshed


It’s a pilot project without pilots.Th e CNC Applied Research and Innovation Department is teaming up with J.R. Cana-

dian Mapping, a Prince George company, on a new way to map forests.J.R. Canadian Mapping is using

drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), to map a portion of CNC’s research forest.

“What we’re trying to do is assess the feasibility of this method,” says Hardy Griesbauer, director of the department. “By this fall, we will be able to analyze the data collected.”

John Rankin, J.R. Canadian Mapping president, says the mapping was not the original intent of the company ap-proaching CNC.

“We had no intention of doing any-thing like this in conjunction with CNC. With the cost of a commercial UAV anywhere between $30,000 and $50,000, we wanted to create our own, and went to CNC to see if there was a way to work together.”

However, the company was able to create its own UAV in house (“Th ere’s a lot of information on the Internet,” Rankin says) and decided to work with CNC on the mapping.

“We thought it would be a good way to test the systems we have in place and validate our claims for what the process could do.”

Griesbauer says students at CNC are working on the ground as part of the same project.“Our students are mapping the same areas as the planes are fl ying over. Th at will give us

data to compare to the photos, which will show how accurate the program is.”Rankin says there will be no cross-comparison of data until the end of the project.“We won’t have any information from Hardy. When we’re fi nished, we’ll give him our

data and they will compare it to what they have.”Th e project sees a drone travel about 15 metres a second, taking one high-resolution

photo every second. Th e plane is able to cover about 250 hectares in a 45-minuyte fl ight.Rankin says there have been

some minor weather problems.“We want to be able to fl y when

the sun is at the highest angle, which unfortunately is also when the winds usually pick up. We have a great number of redundant images though, so we can pick the best ones of each section.”

According to Transport Canada regulations, the UAV can only fl y at heights up to 120 metres, which Rankin says is a good height for the project.

In a press release announcing the project, Rankin said he was excited about the idea.

“Th is study is very important to us because if we can prove our methodology is productive, it will be a great boon to our company and the forest industry.”

Th e images should allow re-searchers to predict tree heights, numbers and types of trees, the location of streams and slopes, and the health of the forest.

We want to be able to fly when the sun is at its high-

est angle, which, unfor-tunately, is also when the

winds usually pick up.-John Rankin

Droning on about dronesit’s all about mapping B.C.’s forestsAllan WishartNorthern Report

1995 Quinn Street, Prince George250-562-8171 • 1-888-552-5532

16 locations to serve British Columbia

Prince George Free Press - SEPTEMBER 2013 5Special Edition: The Northern Report

Photo courtesy of J.R. Canadian MappingJ.R. Canadian Mapping project development manager Christina Tennant and president John Rankin show the size of one of the unmanned aerial vehicles they are using in a mapping project at CNC’s research forest.

DRONE MAPPING

Phone 250.563.5555 Phone 250.563.5555

Toll free 1.877.563.5255Toll free 1.877.563.5255

Dan Vandenbrink, Dan Vandenbrink, Regional SalesRegional Sales

cell 250-301-7900cell [email protected]@kodiakchrome.ca

1045 Great Street Prince George 1045 Great Street Prince George

kodiakchrome.cakodiakchrome.ca

Hydraulic Hydraulic Cylinder Cylinder

SpecialistsSpecialists

Hydraulic RepairsHydraulic RepairsHard Chrome PlatingHard Chrome Plating

Hydraulic & Pneumatic SealsHydraulic & Pneumatic SealsCustom Cylinder ManufacturingCustom Cylinder Manufacturing

Full Service Machine ShopFull Service Machine ShopPortable Line BoringPortable Line Boring

WeldingWelding

Natural Resources and EnvironmentalTechnology Diploma (NRET)

• Acquire invaluable fieldwork experience

• Gain hands-on research experience

• Many generous awards available

• Have the opportunity to participate ininternational field schools in places like China and Costa Rica

• Travel to remote locations in BC andapply practical solutions in the field

• Take advantage of strong governmentand industry ties

NRET students in Costa Rica in 2013

Make your mark in the forest

Make your mark in the world


It wasn’t supposed to make any money.But when the annual conference of the Association of BC

Forest Professionals (ABCFP) was held in February, there was some money left over at the end.

“We never try and make a profi t,” said Ed Morrice, an instructor in the Natural Resources Environmental Tech-nology program at CNC and one of the organizers of the conference. “We were very well-supported by the commu-nity and by the industry, and we had some left over at the end of the day.”

Th e money, slightly more than $6,000, was donated the ABCFP’s charity arm, ForesTrust, and set aside for bursaries and scholarships for CNC and UNBC. Th e presentation was made Sept. 9.

Kathy Lewis, a forestry instructor at UNBC, said it was nearly impossible to overstate the importance of this kind of funding.

“When I was a student in the program some years ago, I was lucky to have parents who could help me get through the fi rst year. Th en I got a good summer job each year to pay for my education the following year.”

Now, she said, things are diff erent.“Many students struggle to make ends meet. Th e tu-

ition and rent and other costs have gone up faster than the money earned at the summer job. You’ve also got more students coming back to school, and they face a diff erent set of diffi culties.

“Th ese bursaries and scholarships do make a diff erence.”CNC instructor John Neumann agreed, but said the aid

available helped students and schools in another way as well.

“It attracts the students to the schools to start with. Th ey go through the calendar, and they see how many scholar-

ships and bursaries are available, and they fi gure this must be a good program to get into.”

He acknowledged they sometimes need that help attract-ing students these days.

“When I started at CNC in 1997, we had about fi ve appli-cations for each seat available in the program. Now, we have to fi nd ways to attract students.”

Morrice said the conference this year had been designed with young people – in and out of the industry – in mind.

“We took it upon ourselves to make an impact on young students and young people. We designed it to appeal to young professionals, and we reached out to non-traditional industries, like oil and gas, where they have need of forestry professionals.”

Th e group also partnered with the Council of Forest In-dustries to bring high-school students to the conference.

“Th ey came to a couple of our sessions, and then did tours of UNBC and CNC.

“I heard one of them say, ‘Best fi eld trip ever!’”

Allan WishartNorthern Report

Allan WISHART/Northern ReportJohn Neumann, left, of CNC and Kathy Lewis of UNBC accept a cheque from Ed Morrice of the Association of BC Forest Professionals. The money will go to bursaries and scholarships at the two schools for students in forestry and natural resource programs.

Forest professionals help students

A U T H O R I Z E D F A C T O R YWA R R A N T Y D E P O T

Repairs To Al l Makes of Welders

MILLER, HOBART, L INCOLN,ALW, THERMAL DYNAMICS

250.562.27281.800.374.6766

1846 Quinn St.,Prince George

DEUTZ - PERKINS - VOLVO7 H.P. TO 9800 H.P. AIR & WATER COOLED

SALES - SERVICE - PARTS

LARGEST SPRING INVENTORY in Central BCLARGEST SPRING INVENTORY in Central BC

40 YEARS SERVING THE NORTH40 YEARS SERVING THE NORTH

Over 40 Years of Experience “Full Service Spring Shop”

We Specialize In:• Custom Built Trailer Axles • Leaf Springs For Cars, Trucks & Trailers• Overload Springs • Trailer Axles & Suspensions • Trailer Hubs, Brakes, Etc.• U-bolts Made to Order • Coil Springs • RV Brake Services

Services:• Spring – Rebuilding & Repairs • Custom Leaf Spring Mfg. • Hitch Installations• Trailer Wiring • Welding & Fabricating • Axle Sales & Service

250-562-9090 • 1-800-663-3228Out of Town Customers Call No Charge • We Will Ship Anywhere

Open Mon - Fri 8am - 5pm1936 S. Quinn, Prince George, BC V2N 1X5

www.inlandsprings.com


At A.J. Forsyth we carry a wide variety of bar, structural, plate, coil, tube, pipe and alloy bar products, warehoused strategically at 9 locations throughout British Columbia. We are a full line service centre with modern, ef cient processing capabilities.

Heavy metal. Real heavy.• Largest steel and aluminum inventory in

Northern BC• Saw Cutting up to 20” high x 30” wide• Shearing up to 1/2” x 20-0 long• Forming up to 1/2” x 24-0 long

• Rolling up to 1/2” x 10-0 wide• Plate and Sheet Coil Cut to Length Line• Hi De nition Plasma / Drilling

Combination Machine• Delivery Service to all of Northern BC

Our PeopleOur PeopleMake The Difference!Make The Difference!

Call toll free 1-800-667-1274VANCOUVER PRINCE GEORGE KELOWNA CAMPBELL RIVER NANAIMO FORT ST. JOHN KITIMAT PRINCE RUPERT


September 22 to 28 is National Forest Week in Canada. It can be easy to take our vast natural resources for granted, but our forests provide us with security and sustainability unmatched any-where else on Earth.

As one of the world’s largest forest products manufacturers, our company’s current and future success depends on sound forest management, and National Forest Week is a great opportunity to refl ect on how we all rely and benefi t from our vast forest resources.

Our forests have a big part to play in providing for our expanding world, and Canfor is proud to be producing truly sustainable building products for markets around the world. As global popula-tions continue to grow, governments will need to meet those housing needs in a way that is aff ord-able, renewable and safe – and lumber is the only building material that meets all three criteria. B.C. lumber is shipping across North America and across the Pacifi c to fi ll these needs already, and that’s good news for our future in British Colum-bia.

A thriving forest products industry can meet building needs around the world, but here in Canada it opens doors for young people and families to create rewarding lifestyles in their own communities. Lumberjacks are a thing of the past – at Canfor, biologists, professional foresters and nursery specialists are all part of how we manage

forest sustainably. Our success depends on sustainable forest

management to keep our woodlands strong and vibrant, and we are proud of the high standards we’ve put in place over the last decade. Th ird-par-ty certifi cation of best practices ensures that our forests are benefi tting from rigorous re-planting, robust measures protecting wildlife habitat and diversity, and conserving recreation opportuni-ties for our communities. Canfor is one of the few companies in the world able to off er products certifi ed under all three of the major certifi ca-tion programs in North America – the Canadian Standards Association, the Forest Stewardship Council and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative. We are proud of our commitment to forest certi-fi cation, and the opportunities it provides for the public to participate in and understand how we manage our forestlands.

Innovation is leading the forest industry into the future, as leaps in technology and new ways of thinking allow us to make more out of less, cut down on waste, and convert wood by-products into clean-burning biofuel. Th ese are the fi rst steps forward as we continue to be more sustain-able, more adaptable, and more resilient to chang-es in our forests and in the world economy.≠

Canadian forests build our homes, provide jobs in our communities, store carbon from our atmosphere, and are naturally renewable – so they’ll continue doing all that and more for gen-erations to come. Th is National Forest Week, take a moment to appreciate our gift ed place amongst the greenest forests in the world.

Canforcelebrates Forest WeekDon KayneCanfor

Don Kayne, President and CEO of Canfor.

1601 Central Street, Prince George, BC250-563-3641 or 1-800-225-8247

Welding and Cutting Equipment, Gases and SuppliesMetal fabricators around the world rely on Praxair pure gases and blends and they trust us to supply high quality welding and cutting products and accessories.

We can even provide a full-shop analysis to help you increase your productivity and improve your bottom line.

Making our planet more productive


ENHANCED IN ALL THE RIGHT PLACES.

vermeerbc.com / 800.563.7313

Available at 8 locations

Williams Machinery / Prince George.

FEATURES>> Replaceable wear components.>> Dual-knife options.>> Compact design.>> Chain tensioning system>> Remote control>> EcoIdleTM Engine Control System>> SmartCrush>> Sloped infeed table

Need a machine that moves with you? No problem. The WC2300XL has a compact design and built-in skidder grab on the tongue allowing it to be transported by a skidder or excavator.

This is our second generation of whole-tree chipper.

BUT with a lot more bite.

The 3-year / 3,000-hour extended limited warranty on drum housing,cutter drum, shaft and ring feederhubs offers you peace of mind, inaddition to the 1-year/1,000-hour Vermeer equipment limited warranty.


The Council of Forest Industries (COFI) Board of Directors is pleased to an-nounce the appointment of James Gorman as President and Chief Executive Of-ficer effective September 23, 2013.

Gorman brings extensive public policy and senior management experience to his new role.

He most recently served the Government of British Columbia as the Deputy Minister of Advanced Education and prior to that as Deputy of Education (K-12) and the BC Public Service Agency.

His accomplishments include transforming the BC Public Service into a top employer; expanding the province’s K-12 education brand into international mar-kets; and managing complex labor relations files on behalf of government.

“We are exceptionally pleased to have James joining us”, stated Nick Arkle, COFI Board Chair, “as his experience at the highest levels of the public service will be instrumental in helping us shape an exciting and productive future for our forest industry and the employees and communities that depend upon it.”

Gorman has a Masters Degree in Political Science from McGill University and a Bachelors Degree from the University of British Columbia.

The Council of Forest Industries (COFI) is the voice of the BC interior forest industry. COFI members vary in size and produce lumber, pulp and paper, panels and engineered wood products at more than 60 facilities across the interior.

All share a commitment to a future based on employee safety, sustainable for-estry and manufacturing practices, and innovative product development.

COFI gets a new boss

It is our goal to direct a network of waste and recycling operations that generate positive results

for both your business and the environment.

9211 National St., Prince George1.888.564.3446 | csharko@gfl env.comwww.gflenv.com

Clayton SharkoOperations Manager

Collection of Waste Oil & Waste Oil FiltersContaminated Soils | Parts Washers & ServiceOily Water | Anti Freeze | Solvents | Gunwash

8901 Penn Road Prince George

www.banningequipment.com

[email protected]

Full Inventory Online atFull Inventory Online at

2008 Linkbelt LX330LC c/w Genesis LXP300 Concrete Pulverizer and the Genesis Q/A LXP300 Shear attachment. 5500 Hours.

$175,000

250-564-7226

Best Prices on Best Prices on Premiuim Quality Premiuim Quality Used EquipmentUsed Equipment

What it’s all about. Dave Ebbett’s logging truck carved out of wood, is an actual working model. It is in display at Studio 2880.

Teresa MALLAM/Free Press

Prince George Free Press - SEPTEMBER 2013 11Special Edition: The Northern Report

Woodlot licensees and owners from around the province met between Septem-ber 19 and 22, on Quadra Island and in Campbell River.

Th e North Island Woodlot Association hosted the three-day meeting where they showcased “Woodlots – Th e Island Way - Community Friendly Forestry” through workshops, meetings and fi eldtrips on Quadra Island.

Woodlotters include private forest land owners, called woodlot owners and Wood-lot Licencees, managers of an alternative tenure to managing Crown forest lands in the province. Woodlot licences are B.C.’s smallest Crown tenure managed for timber, being anywhere from 400 to 1,200 hectares in size and are oft en combined with private forest land. Th e people managing these forest lands are the stewards of the land employing foresters and contractors in their local community to ensure the forest lands are well managed.

Th ere are 74 woodlot licences and many woodlots on Vancouver Island from Victoria to Port Hardy. Many are close to urban communities, rural subdivisions and sensitive forest areas. Wolfram Wollenheit, professional forester and president of the North Island Woodlot Association, says: “Th e woodlot program connects people and forests. Th rough woodlots, local communi-

ties experience the direct benefi ts of their adjacent forests.”

Forests Minister Steve Th omson spoke to a full house Friday night at April Point Lodge.

“Th is is a great way for woodlotters to pool their considerable knowledge on re-sponsible forest stewardship. It is encourag-ing to see local communities embrace this program and subsequently benefi t from the jobs it creates,” said Th omson.

Other presenters included:• Judi Cunningham – UBC Sauder Busi-

ness School, “Family Forests.”• Rick Monchak, – Timberwest, “Wood-

lot Forestry on a TFL.”• Bill Markvoort and Terry Basso, –

Probyn Log Group, “Log Markets: Opportu-nities & Planning for Future Cycles”.

Th e Federtion of BC Woodlot Associa-tions was founded in 1988. Th e FBCWA represents 23 woodlot associations, whose membership includes woodlot licensees and small private woodland owners from throughout British Columbia, united in an eff ort to demonstrate exemplary forest and natural resource management. Th e NIWA is a member of the FBCWA and represents 32 woodlot licensees and more than 20 woodlots. To fi nd out more about woodlots in British Columbia go to www.woodlot.bc.ca.

Woodlotowners meet

File PhotoStudents of the Sunny Day Preschool lead the charge up a trail at Forests for the World last year. The school made a hiking trip to the site, and enjoyed some beautiful weather.

Commercial industrialmaintenance supplies

1501 W Central Street • Prince George, BC • Tel: 250-563-1538

Find us on

JANITORIAL, MATERIAL HANDLINGSTORAGE, OUTDOOR

HAND & POWER TOOLS CONSTRUCTION

BUILDING MATERIALSADHESIVES, SEALANTS

PAINTS & SUNDRIESLIGHTING, ELECTRICAL

HARDWARE

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

TREATED LUMBERDIMENSIONAL LUMBER

PLYWOOD

We’ve gotyour lumber.

&


Proven dependability with a longer economical machine life

Environmentally friendly

Optional “Hi-Volume Carriage” on all models

Lift capacities from 70,000 to 110,000 lbs

Troutdale, OR

(503) 669-1276Prince George, BC

(250) 649-0679

www.letourneautechnologies.com/forestry

LETOURNEAU LOG STACKERS

JOYSTICK CONTROL SYSTEM Universal 180 degree powered console

with an air ride Isringhausen seat

Easy access to controls and gauges

Ergonomically friendlyy

Drive systems from 35 to 55 ton

Two speed hoist improves productivity and cycle times

Lowest maintenance cost and fuel consumption of comparable sized machines

Short log handling capabilities

During National Forest Week, September 22-28, British Columbians are invited to join Canadians nationwide in celebrating and learning more about our spectacular forests and all they have to off er.

Since its creation in the 1920s, National Forest Week provides an opportunity to learn more about the importance of our forests and their contribution to our economy, culture, history and future.

Th is year’s theme, Th e Greenest Workforce, highlights forestry as a “green” career choice. From sustainable resource management and water stewardship to wildlife protection and habitat conservation, forestry off ers a wide range of opportunities for individuals want-ing to contribute to a sustainable, healthy environment.

Careers ranging from biologist, silviculture specialist, lab technician, tenures forester, lands offi cer, forest health technician and species at risk specialist – just to name a few – provide numerous opportunities for an excit-

ing and rewarding career in the forest sector. You can participate in National Forest

Week in multiple ways, including:• Plant a tree.• Tour a local mill, tree farm, woodlot or

nursery.• Use wood to create fun items such as bird

and bat houses.• Learn about organizations that demon-

strate sustainable forest management.• Take a walk in the woods nearby and get

to know your forest.• Learn how First Nations use the forest for

shelter, medicine and food.For more information about National For-

est Week, including events happening around the province, resources for teachers and students, and additional ideas for how to cel-ebrate visit the National Forest Week webpage (www.abcfp.ca/about_us/events/national_for-est_week.asp).

Our forests play a signifi cant role in the daily lives of all British Columbians. Millions of trips are made into B.C.’s forests each year for work and recreation. During National Forest Week, get out into the woods and take time to enjoy our forests fi rsthand.

Amanda BrittainAssoc. B.C. Forest Professionals

CelebrateNational Forest Week

Submitted PhotoAmanda Brittain of the Association of British Columbia Forest Professionals urges everyone to get out and celerate National Forest Week.

www.premiumtruck.ca

Prince George1015 Great StreetPrince George, BC

V2N 2K8250-563-0696

1-800-595-4411

Kelowna103-2485 Ross Road

West Kelowna, BCV1Z 1M2

250-769-72551-888-878-2511

Williams Lake1100 S. Lakeside Dr.

Williams Lake, BCV2G 3A6

250-398-74111-877-878-2516

Terrace5408 Hwy 16 West

Terrace, BCV8G 0C6

250-635-49381-800-663-7766

• SALES• SERVICE• PARTS

TRUCKS & TRAILERSTRUCKS & TRAILERS


B.C. has emerged from one of its sunnier summers in recent years with a below-average number of forest fi res.

As of Sept. 1, the B.C. government’s wildfi re management branch record 1,687 reported wildfi res for the season, compared to an average year of nearly 2,000 fi res. Th is year’s fi res burned a total of 11,434 hectares, far less than the average damage of more than 130,000 hectares.

Wet weather returned with school to large parts of the province, aft er a sunny summer that saw several dry-weather records set. For the fi rst time since records were kept, Vancou-

ver airport recorded no rain for the entire month of July.Th e number of reported fi res so far this year is slightly higher than the total for last year,

but the total area burned in 2012 was nearly 10 times greater. Th e province spent $133 mil-lion on fi refi ghting last year, a total that should be much lower when the bills are added up for 2013.

Open burning remains banned for the Southeast Fire Centre region until as late as Sept. 20. Campfi re bans were lift ed Aug. 26 for the Kamloops and Coastal Fire Centre regions, and earlier in the month for the Northwest, Cariboo and Prince George regions as dry con-ditions were relieved. Despite public information campaigns and open burning restrictions, provincial statistics continue to show about 40 per cent of wildfi res are human caused, with most of the rest sparked by lightning. Th e relatively quiet fi re season allowed B.C. to send crews to help battle wildfi res in Washington, Montana and Idaho during August.

Tom FletcherNorthern Report

Fewer forest fires in sunny summer


Forest tent caterpillar (Malacosoma disstria), an insect pest native to North America, has historically caused ex-tensive defoliation of trembling aspen, oak, ash, maple and white birch.

Th e area defoliated by forest tent caterpillar ranged from 14.3 million hectares in 2001 to 150,000 hectares in 2009. Widespread outbreaks have occurred in much of the boreal forest at intervals of 10 to 12 years and typically last 3 years or less at the stand level and up to six years at the landscape level, depending on natural control factors such as weather, host-parasitoid interactions and forest structure.

Trees are weakened by repeated defoliation, which makes them more susceptible to stresses such as drought or other pests.

Two or more years of heavy defolia-tion can also result in a severe reduction in the radial growth of trees and may cause considerable branch and twig mortality. Forest tent caterpillar is one of the causes of aspen decline reported in Alberta and Ontario, and tree mortal-ity has been shown to increase with the duration of sustained defoliation.

Population outbreaks of forest tent caterpillar have not been as widely stud-ied as those of other cyclic insects, such as the spruce budworm and gypsy moth.

However, forest tent caterpillar outbreaks represent a model system of forest insect disturbance ecology. In addition, from a timber supply perspective, the decline caused by forest tent caterpillar defoliation could have important implications for management planning. Furthermore, if climate change al-ters the pattern of future outbreaks, the overall health of the boreal forest in Canada could be aff ected, with potentially serious environmental and economic impacts.

For these reasons, researchers at Natural Resources Canada’s Canadian Forest Service have been working with collaborators to improve our understanding of the distur-bance ecology of the forest tent caterpillar by examining

historical records of outbreaks. Th is will help resource managers develop eff ective pest management strategies. Th e information will be further used in predicting the infl uence of climate change on outbreaks and the eff ects of insect outbreaks on carbon budget estimates.

PATTERNS OF OUTBREAKSRecords of forest insect defoliation in Ontario and Que-

bec have been maintained since the 1930s. Th e researchers used Natural Resources Canada defoliation maps from 1938 to 2002 to study the frequency, severity and return interval of forest tent caterpillar outbreaks at a broad scale, in order

to better understand the processes driving these outbreaks.

Th e maps showed that six major outbreaks had occurred, with the in-festations lasting two to fi ve years and recurring every seven to 11 years. Th e largest average intensity of defoliation occurred during the period 1951–54.

DEGREE OF SYNCHRONIZATION BETWEEN OUTBREAKS

Th e researchers also wanted to determine to what degree outbreaks were synchronized among the various regions, as well as the patterns and pro-

cesses governing synchronization among populations.Th e outbreaks recurred periodically and somewhat syn-

chronously among regions of Ontario and Quebec.Th ree regions—northwestern Ontario, eastern Ontario/

western Quebec and southeastern Quebec—showed the strongest large-scale, synchronized fl uctuations. However, defoliation in the vast surrounding hinterlands tended to be infrequent and sporadic. In addition, there was one area in northeastern Ontario that stood out as having experienced persistent defoliation between 1992 and 1999.

FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE OUTBREAKS

Previous studies that analyzed data from Ontario found that outbreak cycles of forest tent caterpillar were sensitive to local climate, which can infl uence temporal processes governing population growth and host-parasitoid interac-tions.

Th e Canadian Forest Service researchers and their col-laborators sought to determine whether topography or cli-matic factors had a greater infl uence on the synchronization of outbreaks. Th ey hypothesized that the ability of insects to disperse in the landscape was more important, with the rel-atively fl at topography of Ontario and Quebec allowing for greater dispersal than the mountainous regions of the west, where there has been less synchronization. Understanding this eff ect is important in management eff orts, because it could help determine the survey range required around new infestations to accurately detect their extent.

EFFECTS ON OVERALL HEALTH OF ASPEN

Repeated defoliation by forest tent caterpillar may not allow trees to recover to a normal state of health, which can lead to decline.

Th is appeared to be the case in northeastern Ontario, where an area that experienced eight consecutive years of defoliation starting in 1992 was subsequently mapped as in decline in the early 2000s.

Th e researchers wanted to know if this pattern of out-break was consistent with the other populations in the insect’s range and if there was an increasing trend in outbreak severity over the entire northeastern region. Th ey concluded that this particular population occupied a region of marginal habitat for forest tent caterpillar and that the population fl uctuations followed those of the other popu-lations only if weather and tree health at the time of the outbreak were conducive.

Caterpillars impact the forests


780-833-9870 x1www.CARIBOUSOFTWARE.com

Th e Cariboo Section of the Canadian Institute of For-estry (CIF), in its annual tradition of celebrating National Forestry Week, will take over 600 Prince George school children on a Walk in the Woods Tour to the Willow River Interpretive Trail, between September 23 and 27.

In 2013 not only will elementary students and their teach-ers have an opportunity to take this “Walk in the Woods” Tour, but so will the general public. Bus transportation will be provided at no charge, however pre-registration to reserve a seat is required.

Forest professionals will be acting as tour guides and will provide a knowledgeable and entertaining hour long trek along the Willow River Interpretive Trails, which are located east of Prince George.

Th is event is part of the local celebrations for National Forestry Week. Th e CIF theme this year is Th e Greenest Work Force which is intended to highlight the important work of forest practitioners and to promote the value in choosing forestry as a career. People recreate in the forest, they collect berries in the forest, and they work in the for-est. Th e event also addresses a challenge of National Forest Week that is to fi rst and foremost encourage learning about our forest heritage and to support greater recognition of this valuable resource.

Th e tour takes place at the Willow River highway pullout on Highway 16 East. Th is is the starting point for a forest trail maintained by the Willow River Demonstration For-est Society. Most of the year it provides an opportunity for hikers to take a self-guided tour of a typical forest site of the Sub-boreal forest that surrounds Prince George. Th e site is located on the edge of the 1961 Grove fi re and also was more recently attacked by mountain pine beetle. Th e site illustrates the changing nature of the forests whether by the hand of man or by nature. Th e site is in a state of “collapse and rebirth” that is illustrated in the short 45 – 60 minute

walk in the woods. Th e tour will leave Prince

George on Friday September 27 at 11:30 a.m., returning at approximately 2:30 p.m.

For more information and/or to reserve a seat on the bus, please contact Peter Forsythe at 250-563-9158.

Th e CIF/IFC has been the national voice of forest practitioners since 1908. Our mission is to advance the stewardship of Canada’s forest resources, provide national leadership in forestry, promote competence among forestry professionals, and fos-ter public awareness of Canadian and international forestry issues.

Its membership includes foresters, forest technicians and technologists, educators, scientists and others with a profes-sional interest in forestry. We work in government, industry, research, education and consulting and represent one of the largest professional voices for forestry in Canada.

Th e Cariboo Section is based in Prince George and is one of eighteen Sections that cover the country. Each Section organizes a variety of activities involving the sponsoring of regular meetings and programs, fi eld trips, participa-tion in public awareness programs and the preparation of briefs and policy statements. Th e Sections provide the basic linkage with provincial governments and provincial forestry issues.

Th e Association of BC Forest Professionals (established 1947) ensures that British Columbia’s forests are in good hands. It registers and regulates professional foresters and forest technologists under authority of the Foresters Act. It

has more than 4,300 members, including registered profes-sional foresters, registered forest technologists and those working towards registration in BC. It is the largest profes-sional forestry association in Canada and the fi rst to include forest technologists.

Locally the association is represented by a Network of Forest Professionals (NFPs) and their purpose is to:

1. Raise local public awareness regarding the profession and the role of professional foresters.

2. Promote good forest stewardship at the local level. 3. Contribute to the ABCFP’s provincial eff ort to promote

good forest stewardship. 4. Act as a forum for professional development activities

and open discussions of professional issues. 5. Promote good professional/social relations within the

membership (between age groups and employment sectors) as well as with other professional and technical groups.

6. Be a conduit for internal association communications to local members regarding association and professional matters.

7. Develop local media relations to respond to local and provincial issues.

Take a walk in the woodsat the Willow River Interpretive Trail

100% Western Canadian Company

250.564.7368 | F:250.562.2173

TF:1-877-875-WEST (9378)

931 Great St. Prince George, BC, V2N 5R7

www.westernone.ca

Specializing in:

Temporary Heat

& Power Solutions (with trained professionals to assist you)

ON-SITE Refueling (Propane & Diesel delivery service)

Elevated Work

Platform Solutions

Serving Construction Sites

Throughout BC & Alberta

TTTTTTT

OO

EEEEEEE


Teresa MALLAM/Northern ReportNatural cracks in the wood become facial lines in a beautifully detailed face carving set among other large sculptures outside Studio 2880. The work of art is by local wood carver Elmer Gunderson, who created other enigmatic faces in trees along the Cottonwood Trails.


SMS Equipment holds a unique position in the industry as a one-stop supplier of the most complete range of equipment. We offer only world-renowned brand names that meet your standards of reliability and productivity. With various locations to serve you across Canada, SMS Equipment is your local equipment and solutions provider.

smsequip.com

Western Region: 1 866 458-0101Eastern Region: 1 800 881-9828

Artists have always found inspiration in nature.

In the North our forests have much to off er not just with employment for people working directly in the indus-try but also for our region’s talented artisans. For many of them wood is just an-other medium, a canvas upon which to express their talent and creativity. Members of the Prince George Wood Turners Guild and individ-ual artists such as chainsaw carver John Rogers or wood-worker Elmer Gunderson have turned raw “stumps” of wood into beautiful pieces of art.

Many artisans in recent years have also made use of beetle kill wood with its dis-tinctive blue stains to make beautiful bowls and other gift ware. Some people may not be able to see the forest for the trees – but innova-tive artisans see harvested trees and fallen branches as potential art: museum quality wildlife sculptures, wooden chests, childrens’ toys, bird houses, ornate walking sticks, hand-carved chess pieces and even tiny tea light holders.

Teresa MallamNorthern Report

Natural inspiration

Teresa MALLAM/Free PressA grove of wood sculptures outside the Studio 2880 complex displays just-completed works by Keith Carlson who carved masks, musi-cal instruments, pots and paintbrushes to represent local guilds and arts groups (PGSO, PG Potters Guild, etc.) along with a black bear sculpture by chainsaw carver John Rogers and a face sculpture by Elmer Gunderson.


Th ree northern artists exhibited thie work at an international forest science conference in Banff .

Claire Kujundzic and Bill Horne of Wells and Annerose Georgeson of Vanderhoof exhibited their pine beetle-based art at the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) conference in Banff from September 15-19.

Forest scientists from around the world gather periodically at various IUFRO work-ing groups. Th e Banff conference brought together the Ecology and Management of Bark and Wood Boring Insects group with the Population Dynamics of Forest Insects

group. Th e conference partners were IUFRO, the University of British Columbia’s Depart-ment of Forestry, Natural Resources Canada, and the Government of Alberta. Th eir topic was Forest Insect Disturbance in a Warming Environment.

Kujundzic and Georgeson both appear in a chapter about mountain pine beetle-inspired art in Andrew Nikiforuk’s book, Empire of the Beetle. Georgeson organized the fi rst “Red and Blue” group exhibition of beetle art at the Saik’uz First Nation near Vanderhoof, in 2007, which went on to tour many com-munities in north central British Columbia.CONTINUED ON PAGE 19

File PhotoWells artists Claire Kujundzic and Bill Horne, partners in Amazing Space Studio and Gallery, at Studio Fair last year.

Forest art

Financing Available, OAC.

www.northernoutdoor.ca11675 F ge

5 56 5771 1 66 56 5771


Proud supplier of...

Trygg Tire

Chain

Trygg Skidder Chain

Whitmore Lubicants

Bucket Wearparts

Sharq Edges

Black Cat

Blades

1867 1st Avenue, Prince George, B.C.TOLL FREE 1-800-372-3386 • 250-564-3391 or 250-961-0401 • FAX 250-564-3361

www.morfcosupply.ca

“I’m very excited to have this opportunity to share my work with an international audience,” said Kujundzic, who created an installation of torn, stained canvas “trees” for the athletes’ villages in Vancouver and Whistler during the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. She also exhibited her paintings and “trees” at IUFRO conferences in Montes-claros, Spain and in Sopron, Hungary in 2011.

Horne was looking forward to sharing his silkscreen investigations of mountain pine beetle galleries and hearing the latest research at the conference.

Forest insects and pathogens aff ect all of us.Th e mountain pine beetle infestation has aff ected

over16.3 million hectares of forest and 675 million cubic metres of wood in BC, making it one of the most criti-cal outbreaks in the world. Devastation on this scale has impacted the economy, culture and environment of every community in the Cariboo-Chilcotin-Nechako Region.

Dead pines have become a potent symbol of the fragility of the environment, and the artists have used a variety of techniques in their art to depict what it feels like to live in the midst of such rapidly changing forests. Th e result is an

evocative, diverse series of work. To cover their travel and conference accomodation costs,

the artists embarked on a special fundraising initiative – making a selection of their art available for sale.

Among the pieces available is a unique silkscreen print edition of mountain pine beetle “galleries” that the three artists produced together on used, reclaimed denim mate-rial - a reference to “denim pines.”

Other artworks range from semi-abstraction to repre-sentational, from vivid to muted colour palettes, and from small to large sizes.

FROM PAGE 18

Three picked for international showFile Photo

Vanderhoof artist Annerose Georgeson is one of three artists picked to display art featuring our forests at an international show in Banff.


Rick FaganStructural / Processing [email protected]

Julie Umpherville Auto Cad Specialist / Processing Sales [email protected]

Colin H. BecenkoBranch [email protected]

Don Thackray Outside Sales [email protected]

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

Bob [email protected] Foreman

september 27, 2013

Documents

th e association registers

th e increment

th e art competition

th e essay contest

forest technologists

able forest industry

truck loggers association

province of bc