Now that the BC NDP has formed Government with support from the BC Greens, what can we expect from the new Government based on recent commitments compared to what is needed to move toward long-term forest stewardship and community resiliency? A discussion regarding this comparison and required actions are presented in Required Action-forest stewardship-community resiliency.
Spearhead http://www.spearhead.ca/company has created an amazing wood structure in the Kootenays http://archinect.com/features/article/150015839/after-being-destroyed-in-a-fire-canadian-firm-patkau-architects-rebuilds-the-temple-of-light We need more of this! The creation of clusters and encouraging innovative value-added manufacturing requires Government leadership, especially in the form of reducing barriers Building through clusters (1).
The dissatisfaction with the current forest management decision-making system has been actively discussed for over two decades, commonly in the form of tenure reform and more local/community control. These are not of interest to the key governing bodies (Government & industry) and consequently, discounted. A Governance model-a conceptual framework is presented as a more acceptable option within the existing system.
Local Governments CAN influence forest land management decision-making through both their mandates and access to existing instruments as the “keeper of the social license.” A mechanism for meaningful engagement on a continuous basis within the community and with decision-makers is essential for sustainable influence.
The lost opportunities in the current practice of creating and burning large roadside logging residue piles raises the question as to the appropriateness of this practice.
Logging residue-opportunities lost discusses the issue and provides an opinion regarding the argument of maintaining the status quo.
The recent Confidence and Supply Agreement between the BC NDP and the BC Greens includes three (3) forestry related items. These are discussed (NDP-BC Greens forestry agreements) relative to the previous community recommendations.
The US organization Walk in the Woods forest education organization has produced a useful description of the various forest management systems that might be of interest to non-foresters. Although clearcutting and single tree selection are the most common in BC, some foresters have chosen others to best achieve the objectives for the area being harvested. 
The results of the May 9, 2017 Provincial election suggest there is a high potential for a Minority Government with the BC Greens holding the deciding vote on legislative issues and supporting retention of power by either the BC Liberals or NDP. Negotiations are on-going between the BC Greens and both the BC Liberals and NDP regarding key issues of each Party. Forestry-related Party negotiations-recommended priorities are provided.
Here is an interesting article from a US economist that sheds light on the SLA issue and other trade issues http://tinyurl.com/l9vkft2
I (Bill Bourgeois) have learned over my career in the forest industry that the Softwood Lumber Agreement (SLA) with the US is complex involving detailed legal issues. My view is that if you are not directly involved you should be cautious in what you say due to, in effect, not knowing what you are talking about. However, a basic understanding of the issue is worthwhile. The US lumber broker A&A has published a good basic information piece that might be of interest http://tinyurl.com/los5w5s
The forestry and tourism sectors operating in the Discovery Islands located near Campbell River have developed a tool to improve communications regarding forest harvest planning http://tinyurl.com/n4oqp5k The tool was developed by the Discovery Islands Working Group to “build effective working relationships and improve communication between the forestry and tourism sectors in the Discovery Islands. The site includes an interactive map, definitions, contacts, harvest plans, planning data and maps, etc. This may be an option for use in other areas of BC.
