I was asked by the Forest History Association of BC to provide an article on the MacMillan Bloedel Land Use Planning Advisory Team. It has been published by them in their Newsletter (Issue No 116. December 2023, pages 14-24) LUPAT article-final I found several components of the MB Designed Forest System and LUPAT that apply to our challenges of today. It is important we learn from the past in moving into the 21 century forest stewardship.
Category Archives: Diversified manufacturing sector
Forest landscape plan balancing forest values
Determining how to achieve community resiliency through balancing values within a Forest Landscape Plan area requires a sound methodology that also provides guidance to FLP implementation decision-makers as well. A suggested methodology is presented in Community resiliency-balancing decision-making.
Enhanced forest inventory-graphic presentations
Achieving government modernization goals requires identification and integration of key components with an enhanced forest inventory and LiDAR imagery. Related components included in:
Community resiliency-enhanced forest inventory importance
21st century BC forest asset vision powerpoint version
Building a value-added investment climate
BC forest renewal framework-landscape unit planning-action plan graphics
21st century forest stewardship model ppt
The following is a power point version of the proposed integrated and structured vision for the 21st century BC stewardship vision 21st century BC forest asset vision powerpoint version
Fort Nelson license transfer
Congratulations to Minister Conroy and others involved in the transfer of the Canfor Forest License to Peak Fort Nelson Properties Ltd (https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2021FLNRO0070-001629 ). The transfer includes a Peak “objective of each part of the total forest-stand profile will be used for its highest and best use.” This creates an opportunity to work with the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality and Fort Nelson First Nation to diversify the wood fibre economy contributing to resiliency of the communities. Now we need to create an investment climate that encourages investors to build facilities to utilize the quality wood in the region.
Increasing value-added from BC trees
A transitioning to more value-added wood products is required for the BC forest sector to contribute to Indigenous and Non-Indigenous 21st Century community resiliency and capitalize on the full value of the BC forest asset. The components to move forward are outlined in Increasing V-A products from BC trees.
Challenges in moving to new wood manufacturing sector
Moving to a new BC wood manufacturing sector will not be quick or easy! As outlined in Building a diversified mfg sector-challenges_1, there are challenges to overcome in this transition. It will be a journey, not an event requiring:
- Politicians thinking strategically beyond a one-term election period or political ideology,
- Politicians adopting a business environment that addresses the needs of investors, profitability of companies and acknowledging current and future markets,
- Companies committing support for a secondary wood manufacturing sector, and
- Communities being realistic and supporting local investments in secondary wood manufacturing.
New wood manufacturing sector
Government’s Forest Sector Revitalization initiative has generated a great deal of consultation, uncertainty and stress within the industry, investors, suppliers, communities and Government itself. It is fragmented without a vision for the wood manufacturing sector. Government has taken the approach “we are in a transition from the current forest sector to a new forest sector and it will take time to evolve.” The lack of a vision and counting on broad consultations to provide the leadership is problematic. Bill Bourgeois provides his comments and suggested actions to achieve a sustainable wood manufacturing sector that contributes toward achieving community resiliency in a New manufacturing sector-Action plan
Utilize logging residue-build community resiliency
A Letter to Minister Donaldson re community diversification was sent identifying the opportunity to utilize logging residue rather than burn it. At the same time increasing community economic development and diversification and reducing GHG emissions.
Innovative building design
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).