If you know of someone that is looking for a dynamic and skilled career as a forestry equipment operator, or if you are a contractor in need of a harvester or forwarder operator, check out the program details on how to apply and participate in the program.

The specialized nature of forest equipment requires skilled operators with a focus on safe, environmentally sustainable, and viable commercial operations. The forestry equipment operator training program is designed to prepare students for entry-level positions as mechanized forest equipment operators.

The report, Forest and Fire Management in BC Toward Landscape Resilience, highlights an urgent need to change how B.C.’s forests and landscapes are managed.

“Fire prevention and suppression policies over the past century have led to a buildup of fuel in our forests, and have contributed to the loss of natural firebreaks in some areas,” said Keith Atkinson, chair, Forest Practices Board. “These shifts, combined with forestry policies and climate-change effects greatly increase the risk of catastrophic wildfire. We’re already seeing the consequences this year, with its unusually early start and record-setting wildfires.”

Provincial government data indicates that 45 per cent of public land in B.C. is at high or extreme threat of wildfire. Catastrophic wildfire impacts human health and safety, housing and infrastructure, wildlife, climate and the economy. The direct cost of suppressing wildfire is rising and now averages $1 billion annually in Western Canada.

“We can’t afford to continue the status quo,” Atkinson said. “We need the B.C. government, jointly with First Nations, to lead the development of a vision and action plan that will align provincial priorities and actions to restore landscape resilience and coexistence with fire. Landscape fire management is the way to achieve this.”

Landscape fire management can proactively reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires and restore landscape resilience through forest-fuel reduction strategies, such as creating fuel breaks, increasing the diversity of tree species, densities, and ages, and the use of cultural and prescribed burning. These strategies create a more resilient landscape that is less vulnerable to catastrophic wildfire.

“Implementing this scale of change to land management can only happen with strong leadership and collaboration,” Atkinson said. “This is not a task that can be accomplished by one agency, but will require all levels of government, industry, and the B.C. public to work together to do things differently. The payoff will be a reduced risk of catastrophic wildfire, and a more resilient landscape for future generations.”

The Forest Practices Board is B.C’s independent watchdog for sound forest and range practices, reporting its findings and recommendations directly to the public and government. The board audits forest and range practices on public lands and the appropriateness of government enforcement. It can also make recommendations for improvement to practices and legislation.

It was in early 1950s when Bernhard Fink, originally a gold miner in Barkerville, B.C., moved to the Hazelton area and started cutting timbers for the underground tunnel supports for local area mines. Along with his daughter Frances and son-in-law Myron Smaha, Bernhard went on to establish a small sawmill and log harvesting business in Smithers, B.C.

“My parents were both teachers, and at night and week-ends, my dad helped his father-in-law in the operations,” says Shari Smaha, Myron and Frances’ daughter. “Both my grandparents passed away at an early age and in the mid-1960s my parents took over the company.”

Not only did Fink’s Sawmill Ltd. celebrate its 60th anniversary last November, but Myron and Frances are celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary this August.

A true family affair

The company recently celebrated 60 years since incorporation on Nov. 26, 1962. Today, the sawmill is gone but the name Fink’s Sawmill Ltd. lives on as a stump-to-dump logging company. Almost the whole family is now involved, and the 84-year-old Myron is still active in the company, while his 83-year-old wife, Frances, helps in the office and gathers her family around her dinner table every Sunday night.

“My dad is out building roads! He’s always engaged, and his mind is always thinking about the business,” says Shari, who joined the company in 1993 after completing a diploma in financial management. She is currently the office manager. She is currently the office manager. Her brother-in-law, Ryan Klaver, who joined in 2002, holds the bush foreman position. Shari’s son Rylan takes on the heavy-duty mechanic role, along with experience as an operator in bunching, skidding and roadbuilding phases.

“We’re a four-generation family business working together with the goal of carrying on Fink’s Sawmill Ltd.’s existence in this challenging environment,” Shari says.

Six decades of business and busy-ness

Fink’s Sawmill does some 15-20 km of roadbuilding per year. Myron has arranged an impressive mix of roadbuilding equipment comprising a Link-Belt 350X3 excavator with a 72” clean-up bucket, a Cat D6R and a Cat 324D excavator, a Komatsu PC200LC-6, a John Deere D5H track skidder with grapple and a John Deere D5H track skidder with swing boom. The company also has a Komatsu D85 dozer with U-Blade.

Fink’s harvests a diversity of species – pine, spruce and balsam – totalling around 140,000 cubic metres annually. The company does full tree to roadside logging averaging around 0.50 cubic metre per tree of long and short sawlogs, pulp shorts and dry shorts. 

The pulp chips are sent to Pinnacle Renewable Energy’s nearby Smithers pellet plant, while the dry shorts are sent to neighbouring Seaton Forest Products, which produces dry balsam logs into cants and shipping them to a reman facility in Langley.

Fink’s supplies around 113,000 cubic metres annually to Pacific Inland Resources, a division of West Fraser Timber. The average haul distance from Smithers to Pacific Inland Resources has a five-hour cycle, Shari says, and the average skidding and forwarding distance is dependent by block. 

The distance from Smithers and the Pacific Inland Resources mill necessitates a camp situation for the loggers, according to Shari. 

“Our crew stays in individual campshack with camp allowance,” she explains. The crew works a 54-hour work week: 12-hour shifts from Monday to Thursday, and eight hours on Friday. The company employs 14 bush staff and truck drivers. In addition, it hires subcontractors for the trucking and loading phase.

Fink’s has two feller bunchers: a Tigercat 870C and Tigercat X870D. The company’s skidding workhorses are two John Deere 848Hs, one with wide tires; a Tigercat 625C six-wheel skidder, a new Tigercat 635H six-wheel skidder, a John Deere D5H track skidder with grapple, and a John Deere D5H track skidder with swing boom.

“In early 2023, we purchased a 2022 Tigercat 635H 6×6 skidder through Ritchie Bros. to replace existing old skidders and for use in deep snow.  We just picked it up in April, so time should tell how it works out in our operation,” Shari tells CFI.

The decking line-up includes a Tigercat 880 and a Link-Belt 290 log loaders. The log processing line-up at roadside consists of a new Tigercat 850 with a Tigercat head, two Link-Belt 210s with Southstar QS500 heads, and a Cat 320D, also with a Southstar QS500 head.

“We were in the market for a machine that could handle larger piece size, and Parker Pacific brought the Tigercat 850 out as a demo, and the machine ended up staying,” says Shari.  

“Bigger head, bigger machine, less downtime. According to Blair Morgan, our long-term operator who has been a part of Fink’s crew for 28 years, says it has lots of power, handles big wood with no problem, good visibility and the best machine he has ever ran.  There’s also easy access for repairs as compartments opens up to make it easier to work on,” she explains.

Loading is subcontracted out to meet the loads per day requirements. Fink’s Sawmill operates three new Kenworth tridem tractor logging trucks with two Freflyt tridem trailers and one Arctic tridem trailer, as well as a Kenworth and a K-Line lowbed. Fink’s has a fleet of Ford crew cabs and a Ford F550 with Brutus service box for other support duties.

Challenges a plenty

It is no secret that the forest industry, particularly in B.C., is full of challenges lately.Shari says the current low lumber market prices that resulted in mill curtailments are reducing the need for harvesting and thus creating uncertainty.

In addition, the B.C. policies concerning the stumpage system, adjustment in the allocation within the allowable annual cut, and old-growth deferral are having an effect on forestry companies like Fink’s Sawmill.

“We see the major licensees invest outside of BC in areas of Alberta and southern US which is very concerning.  Logging and hauling rates are not keeping up with increased costs and inflation creating further added pressure and uncertainty on contractors such as ourselves,” Shari says. 

“So many factors which are out of our control affect our ability to work, such as our mill’s ability to move their lumber to market is affected due to interruption in logistics, such as services provided by CN Rail,” she explains.  

Another challenge is labour shortage, which is crucial to the company’s operations, according to Shari.

“Skilled operators are the No. 1 asset in our company.”

Family values

The family is proud of their excellent relationship with their staff, suppliers and area contractors, which Shari says is the secret to Fink’s Sawmill’s longevity and success. 

“Open communication, good working and long-term relationship with our mill, our suppliers,  and our logging and trucking contractors are critical,” she adds.  

“The message that I would love to share with CFI readers is the success, determination, work ethic that my parents have. They are providing employment to many families, they are hardworking, honest, fair people. Their 60 years in business in this industry is quite a gem of accomplishment,” Shari shares.

Indeed, Myron and Frances’ 60 years of running the family business, and 60 years of togetherness is a massive feat and cause for a celebration. 

Under the new regulations, licensees will publish forest operations maps, including proposed cutblocks and roads, and make them available to public feedback.

The province has developed an optional web-based tool for companies to display maps and invite public feedback, and plans to launch it fully next year. BC Timber Sales as well as some forestry companies in the province are currently testing the mapping portal.

“Providing people with an easy, user-friendly tool to view maps of local forest operations will help to promote transparency and information sharing,” Jennifer Gunter, executive director of the BC Community Forest Association, said in the province’s news release. “Forest operations maps have the potential to improve public confidence in our sector across the province.”

A new regulation under the Forest and Range Practices Act will establish a new protected habitat category known as Ecological Communities, designed to increase protection for rare and endangered species and habitats.

B.C. Forests Minister Bruce Ralston said in the release the amendments to forest management are important to British Columbians. “We are boosting forest conservation to better support ecosystem health, including rare and critical habitat,” he said. “Opening the planning process to the public through the use of new digital tools will engender greater public trust and ensure forest resiliency.”

From supporting the uptake of caribou requirements and deepening knowledge around the implementation of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) – both part of the National Forest Stewardship Standard (NFSS) – to monitoring the performance and effectiveness of our Standard and showcasing its impacts – like those demonstrated in a collaboration between Indigenous-led social enterprise, Wahkohtowin Development, and GreenFirst Forest Products.

“In 2022, FSC Canada’s momentum was spurred by our diverse and growing network of engaged partners, each of whom is dedicated to building a landscape of sustainably managed forests. Their trust in our National Forest Management Standard demonstrates a collective commitment to support Indigenous rights, protect ecosystems, and combat climate change,” says Francois Dufresne, FSC Canada president.

This year’s report shares updates on the strategic vision for Climate and Ecosystems Services (CES), solid wood market expansion and FSC Canada’s five-year strategic plan. It also underscores the importance of marketing and communications to build and strengthen its community, especially through social media channels where it reached over 1.1 million people last year.

“Looking ahead, while the challenges are enormous, I am hopeful that FSC Canada’s values of inclusivity, collaboration, leadership, sustainability, success, and credibility will steer us in the right direction,” says Cliff Wallis, chair of the board of directors at FSC Canada.

As global temperatures rise, trees in colder areas are benefiting from an extended growing season. A longer growing season results in thicker growth rings and, as a result, higher overall wood production.

This article is part of La Conversation Canada’s series The boreal forest: A thousand secrets, a thousand dangers

La Conversation Canada invites you to take a virtual walk in the heart of the boreal forest. In this series, our experts focus on management and sustainable development issues, natural disturbances, the ecology of terrestrial wildlife and aquatic ecosystems, northern agriculture and the cultural and economic importance of the boreal forest for Indigenous peoples. We hope you have a pleasant — and informative — walk through the forest!

However, studies suggest that longer growing seasons contribute to weakening the wood, making trees structurally weaker. The poor quality of wood means that trunks break more easily.

We are forest ecologists who specialize in the anatomy and growth of wood. Let’s examine the most recent scientific studies available to try to map the future of our forests and analyze how the changing growing season is determining the characteristics of the wood produced.

Wood: What is it?

Wood is the product of the progressive accumulation of cells — xylem cells — in trees. The purpose of this accumulation is to renew the sap transport system and to provide mechanical support for the stem (trunk), branches and leaves.

A tree ring is the product of a growing season which, in temperate and boreal environments, runs from spring to autumn. Each year a new growth ring is formed. The thickness of a ring is dependent on a combination of factors inherent to the tree (its species and genetic factors) and environmental factors (such as soil type, sun exposure, climate and competition between neighbouring trees).

In some species, especially in conifers, it can be quite easy to distinguish the rings from each other. This is due to the fact that during the growing season the tree produces two types of wood, characterized by cells with different forms and functions.

In spring, the tree produces many large, light-coloured cells with a thin cell wall. This part of the annual ring is called “earlywood.” In late summer, growth slows down. The cells become smaller, but their walls become thicker. This “latewood” is the darker portion of the annual ring.

The characteristics of the cells of wood are particularly important and are of great interest in ecological and economic terms. First of all, wood cell walls stock most of the carbon assimilated from the atmosphere by trees. Thus, a thicker cell wall means the tree is absorbing a greater amount of carbon. Secondly, the ratio of the number of earlywood cells to latewood cells determines the density of the wood, and, therefore, its potential use and material value.

Trees are growing faster

Over the past century, in the temperate regions of North America and Europe, trees have shown a faster growth rate, up to 77 per cent higher than in the previous century. This increase is related to the production of thicker growth rings.

At first sight, faster growth could be interpreted as higher biomass production, which would lead to a higher carbon storage capacity and, therefore, a greater contribution of our forests to the fight against climate change. In other words, a higher growth rate could mean that more wood would be available for our different needs.

But as William Shakespeare wrote: “Oft expectation fails, and most oft there where most it promises.”

Trees die younger

A study by the Technical University of Munich in Germany analyzed the growth rate of trees and the characteristics of their wood over the last century. They found that as the growth rate increased, the density of the wood dropped by eight to 12 per cent.

Furthermore, as wood density decreased, their carbon content also decreased by about 50 per cent. This suggested that the trees extracted less carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere.

In addition to a reduced capacity to absorb and store atmospheric carbon, reduced wood density can weaken the structural strength of the stems. Wood fulfils the important function of supporting trees. Reducing its density is therefore accompanied by a lower resistance to mechanical stresses that might come from wind or the effect of gravity on steep slopes.

To complicate matters further, another recent study has shown an association between growth and lifespan in trees: fast-growing trees have a shorter life expectancy.

Too much is not enough

In our latest study, we quantified the relationships between the length of growing season, productivity and wood cell characteristics in balsam fir.

The study confirmed that trees with a longer growing season produce more wood cells and a thicker growth ring. However, higher growth also corresponds to a change in the ratio between the amount of earlywood and latewood. For every day that the growing season length increased, the trees produced one more cell of earlywood.

The increase in the ratio between earlywood and latewood is reflected in the decrease in wood density. This shows that an increase in volume growth does not necessarily correspond to a higher biomass production.

What does the future hold for our forests?

The global average temperature has exceeded the pre-industrial average by about 1.15°C (1850-1900), and is expected to rise further in the coming years. Warmer temperatures could lengthen the growing season of trees and consequently increase their growth rate.

While, on the one hand, this may lead to an expansion of forests globally, the rate of carbon uptake from forests is likely to decrease.

Although our forests will make a substantial contribution to the fight against climate change, the results of these studies are further evidence that environmental problems cannot be solved without taking direct action on the causes that trigger global change.

In the context of climate change, reducing the anthropogenic emissions that cause global warming is not something we can afford to negotiate or postpone.

Roberto Silvestro, PhD Candidate, Biology, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC) and Sergio Rossi, Professor, Département des Sciences Fondamentales, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC)

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Director Allan W. Bennett make the announcement in a memorandum on May 31, with the change beginning June 1.

Bennett said the monthly updates will reduce stumpage lags from six months to an average of 3.5 months, and improve rate responsiveness to actual market conditions, which will make planning easier for smaller licensees with infrequent harvests.

Over the last few decades, forests have become an increasingly important focus of international investment, in efforts to promote change in global deforestation and degradation trends, and as a means to reduce and remove atmospheric greenhouse gases (GHG). Additionally, various regulatory and voluntary markets utilizing forest-based carbon credits have gained traction in recent years. However, tensions remain in discussions around utilization versus conservation, issues with carbon commodification, and the potential for carbon credits to become a form of greenwashing primarily benefiting those entities most responsible for excess GHG emissions. The use of CSF and related terms, such as “climate-smart forest economy” or “climate-smart forest products,” seems to rely on an assumption that CSF has been adequately defined and is well understood. This leads to the term being adopted and used colloquially, without critical examination and robust scientific rationale, constituting a “science-practice gap”.

The current understanding of CSF can be summarized as encompassing three overarching objectives:

• Increasing carbon storage in forests and wood products, in conjunction with the provisioning of other ecosystem services,
• Enhancing human health and community resilience through adaptive forest management, and
• Using wood resources sustainably to substitute for non-renewable, carbon-intensive materials.

To close gaps in theory and practice, Cooper and MacFarlane propose an enhanced definition CSF that includes two additional goals:

• Protect natural places by avoiding loss of forests, intact forests, forest complexity, biodiversity, connectivity, or conversion to higher management intensity;
• Promote restoration of degraded landscapes, improved ecosystem function, and connectivity (e.g., through corridors).

Further, the authors identify an emerging emphasis on forest carbon sequestration rates over carbon storage, indicating a narrow understanding of climate benefits. A focus on carbon sequestration does not fully consider the long-term resilience of forests, other treed landscapes, and the benefits of stored carbon on the landscape. They propose augmenting traditional forestry metrics by defining and promoting additional CSF indicators – such as tree longevity and biomass residency time – to be included in analysis, used to appraise multiple forest types more appropriately, adequately assess higher storage/lower productivity forests, and bring attention to protecting the large and secure carbon pools that are currently in place.

Cooper and MacFarlane also note that forest carbon projects commonly omit carbon pools and GHGs which are considered “not significant” or too difficult to assess, though some (such as forested peat soils) have the potential to be immensely important. They point out that including even default values for these kinds of carbon pools can provide important insights to support decision-making. Additionally, the authors assert that CSF claims around the carbon stored in harvested wood products must be based in data-driven calculations to avoid overestimating substitution benefits or underestimating emissions and fossil fuel use related to current forestry practices.

Finally, this research recognizes that industry, investors, and governments are the entities most likely to benefit from current understandings of CSF which do not fully incorporate traditional ecological knowledge. Roughly 1.5 billion Indigenous and rural peoples depend on forests for food and livelihoods, occupying approximately 28 per cent of global land and nearly 20 per cent of global forests, with either formal or informal tenure rights. Forests cover more than 80 per cent of Indigenous land area, totalling over 330 million hectares representing some of the most ecologically important, carbon rich biodiversity hotspots on the planet. Of these, 173 million hectares are considered “intact forests” meaning they have had little to no human modifications in the last 60-80 years. Recent decades have seen a greater focus on indigenous and rural rights in relation to conservation and climate mitigation, which can be leveraged to reduce risk of CSF oversight.

In this paper, Cooper and MacFarlane delineate the following gaps in and risks associated with the current framing of CSF:

• Overly simplified relationships between carbon sequestration and forest management,
• Emphasis on above-ground tree volume as forest carbon stocks,
• “Carbonization” of forest values,
• Unintended social effects and unequal benefit distribution,
• Misinterpreting climate effects, and
• Overlooking efficiency gains and economic misalignments.

As the authors illustrate in the figure (above), an enhanced conceptualization of CSF allows for a broad umbrella under which additional forested or potentially forested landscapes may be assessed, particularly those that may not be managed primarily for timber. Cooper and MacFarlane also propose an expansion of current planning and implementation phases to include assessment of the broader impacts of CSF strategy across socio-cultural values, trade-offs for co-benefits and safeguards, and landscape-level ecological and economic considerations.

This research underscores the value of considering a diversity of land management and conservation practices beyond carbon, that are essential to adapting to climate, actively consider other species, and support resilient landscapes that will continue to provide for the full spectrum of social and economic human need.

“It’s the toughest time to be in the industry. I’ve been told, ‘you’re crazy for getting involved in logging – can’t you see what’s happening?’” Mazereeuw smiles as he recalls the company’s start over a cup of coffee. Mazereeuw sat down with Canadian Forest Industries in neighbouring Prince George, B.C., in April and spoke about the highs and lows of starting a logging company in today’s business climate.

From just an idea to reality

Mazereeuw is used to hard work, being raised on a ranch. His family has been involved in the logging and cattle industries since his grandfather moved to Canada from the Netherlands after World War II. His father, Matt Mazereeuw, 51, ventured into silviculture, introducing his son to logging at a young age.

“I started at 15, first with hand-slashing on power lines for Stephen Bros. Contracting, until I was old enough to get a driver’s license.”

That driver’s license allowed him to do an apprenticeship, which proved to be a game-changer, as he learned skills that then allowed him to spread his wings and work for other contractors. 

“It was a big learning curve. They run their own fleet of custom-built mowing machines, so I learned how to maintain those machines and be trained as a heavy-duty mechanic.”

He moved on to do repairs and maintenance work on a fleet of 30 pieces of logging equipment for Walter Neufeld Contracting (WNC). He then worked for Brandt Tractor, exposing him to more equipment used in other industries, while also learning about running a dealership business and acquiring people skills in the process.

A decade after, at the ripe age of 25 and supported by his wife Hannah Mazereeuw, he invested and bought logging and roadbuilding equipment from WNC to start Mazereeuw Timber in Nov. 2022.

Fleet and family

Mazereeuw’s fleet is impressive, consisting of a Tigercat 880 loader; a Tigercat 630E skidder; a Tigercat X870D buncher; a Hitachi 210 excavator with a WBM power clam, plus digging and cleanup buckets and rake;  a Hitachi 210 processor with a Waratah 622B head; a John Deere 1270G harvester; a John Deere 1910E forwarder; a Ponsse Scorpion harvester; a Ponsse Elephant King forwarder; a Caterpillar D7R XR2 crawler dozer; a 2019 Western Star 4900SB with a Peerless lowbed; and a 2018 Freightliner M2 rigged with Brutus service body.

“For operators, I have a guy for each machine. We do all our own low bedding and road building. My dad is the man behind all of that. Hauling distances are very dependent on the block – trucks make anywhere from one to three trips to the mill a day.”

Buying the equipment involved a massive investment, but where the huge savings come is in the upkeep of these expensive machines.

“Maintenance is a very big part of the cost of running a business, but I am very familiar with this fleet of equipment and the biggest advantage for me is that I can fix all of it myself.”

His wife Hannah is also very much involved in running the show, even in her current pregnancy phase. The 22-year-old is due to give birth to the couple’s first child in June, but is keeping herself busy supporting the logging business by handling paper works, safety matters, even manual labour sometimes and moral support at all times.

“My wife helps with running parts, piloting machines on the move, even helps me fix machines, and is a huge moral support.”

His army also includes his mother Barb, 45, who helps with banking and bookkeeping, among other duties. 

“She also details all the machines and pickups for me a couple times a year, and makes sure all our safety equipment is current and present in all the machinery and pickups.”

Lastly, he gets plenty of support, safeguarding and a lot of licks from Mae, his German shepherd, who he describes as the real boss.

Business at a glance

Mazereeuw’s target as far as volume is to move roughly 130,000 cubic metres a year in any form of wood, from 0.15-0.75 cubic metre per piece. The tree size that they harvest is usually from 6- to 30-in. in diameter, but more commonly on the lower end of the scale.

“This is more of a specialized take on logging. We are very focused on the finish product as far as what gets sent in, but more so what we leave the bush looking like. This needs to be a sustainable industry. How we leave these sites matters to us as much as anything. We’ll always be working in the cut-to-length sector, with max piece length at 33 ft.”

He adds, “That’s about the max that we will put on the forwarders. But lots of lengths are cut in the 12- to 20-ft. range as well. I log mostly pine and spruce. Some stands have pretty large amounts of balsam but that is about the big 3. We have done some blocks that go almost entirely to pulp.”

When in full production, an average day is “never really shorter than the 12-hour mark when driving is included.”

All the timber goes to Canfor’s Plateau sawmill in Vanderhoof. Sometimes the wood is sold through Canfor and winds up at other local mills.

Pulp goes to Arrow Group of Companies’ biomass power generation facility in Fort St James. Some goes to BC Custom Timber Products in Vanderhoof to be chipped. 

“The pulp outlet is a huge asset. It allows us to get maximum utilization out of every piece we handle and erases the need for burn piles, especially when we are using these harvesters and forwarders. All the limb debris is left where the tree is harvested to break down and get right back into the ecosystem.”

Business not as usual

Although he is excited for the future, he acknowledges that times are hard. 

“Now is a pretty rough time, especially with a startup – it’s a big load on the shoulders, that’s for sure,” he sighs. “I’m trying not to focus on all the negatives in the industry and the economy, however payments never cease to show up and the bank account always needs to be topped up.”

Mazereeuw says he has to keep options open for work – whatever it may be – to keep his company above water. 

“I’m relying heavily on my roots as a heavy-duty mechanic to pick up some income and stay busy while the world figures itself out. I think there’s a future in logging, not with clear cutting and leaving wide open acres in the bush, but with the selective approach we are taking with the harvesters and forwarders and focusing largely on retention,” he says.

“There is not a lot of guys logging in this style in the area, so it’s tough to get the idea of what can be done in the bush out there.”

As far as old growth trees, Mazereeuw says anyone who works in the bush can see that forests need to be managed. 

“Not clearcutting, but selectively picked through and groomed to something that will prevent the wildfires we’ve had. Also, to get rid of old rotten growth and blow down trees, which will only promote the growth of juvenile timbers, which is the future of our forests. It will also promote stewardship of the animals in these areas.”

While his main priorities will soon include his newborn, he is looking forward to continue building his business, with the goal of passing it on to his children in the future.

“This is the second year we’ve done a charity auction. This year, we want to raise awareness for the incredible work Fallen Patriots is doing,” said Mark Middendorf, Fecon’s executive vice-president of sales. “Their commitment to the education and success of the children of fallen troops drew us in immediately, and we hope the auction will direct attention and funds to this worthy cause.”

The auctioned BH74 mulcher attachment, a high-flow skid steer mulching attachment, will be custom painted with the colors and logo of Children of Fallen Patriots. One of the most popular attachments in the Fecon line, the BH74 features a heavy-duty design to withstand aggressive applications and easily mows down trees four to six inches in diameter. The auction will be conducted on eBay in early August, with complete details posted on the Fecon website and social media channels.

Children of Fallen Patriots provides scholarships and educational counseling to military children who have lost a parent in the line of duty. Fallen Patriots serves the families of service members from all branches of the armed forces who died as a result of combat casualties, military training accidents, service-related illnesses and other duty-related deaths as ruled by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

“Fecon, our dealers and our contractors are a patriotic group that strongly support the U.S. armed forces,” said Bob Dieckman, Fecon chief executive officer. “As a brand designed, built and supported in the USA in Lebanon, Ohio, we knew this foundation was the right fit for our team and our customers. They take care of the children of those who have dedicated their lives to protecting each one of us. We’re confident we can raise a nice sum money for this cause.”

Research done on behalf of Children of Fallen Patriots showed that nearly 25,000 dependents have been left behind by troops who have fallen in the line of duty in the last 35 years. Since 2002, Fallen Patriots has provided more than $69 million in scholarships and other assistance to more than 2,800 children of fallen service members. Loyal donors and corporate sponsors fund all scholarships and financial aid.

Recipient Abbie Wittwer is the daughter of U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander Frank Wittwer. Lt. Cmdr. Wittwer died at the age of 35 when his F/A-18C Hornet fighter crashed on January 18, 2006 near the Naval Air Station in El Centro. He was a 1994 graduate of the United States Naval Academy and had previously served as a pilot in Iraq. Abbie was just 5 years old when her father died.

“My dad was everything a kid wanted their dad to be. He was fun, kind, smart, strong, and loving,” Wittwer said. “My dad loved being a pilot and serving his country, but he also loved being a dad, and he was great at both.”

Abbie Wittwer graduated from the University of North Georgia in 2022 with a degree in accounting. She now serves as a development analyst supervisor and senior accountant for Fallen Patriots, working to extend the benefits to other children of fallen soldiers.

“The scholarship I received from Fallen Patriots let me pursue my degree full time, without worry about going into debt. I would not have been the student I was, or the person I am, without the support of Fallen Patriots,” said Wittwer, “I am so grateful to work for the foundation and see the impact we have on students’ lives.”

To learn more about Children of Fallen Patriots and their work, visit www.fallenpatriots.org/.

With a rich, impactful history dating back to 1911, Madill will now have a new lease on life after being acquired by DC Equipment last month. Ownership of the Madill brand, which is synonymous with cable logging across the globe—and is known to loggers across North America—has changed hands through a range of multiple ownership structures, from competing manufacturing equipment companies through to international investment groups over the last several decades.

Former owners Nicholson Manufacturing had owned Madill since 2011 and incorporated its equipment line-up into their current operation, including the manufacturing of their own debarker equipment range.

“On behalf of Nicholson, we are pleased to announce the sale of the Madill brand of forestry equipment manufacturing rights to DC Equipment,” said John Jennings, director of capital sales for Nicholson Manufacturing. “The divesture will allow Nicholson to concentrate activities on its debarker product line and ancillary equipment.”

“After a successful and fruitful relationship with our agents and distributors, we would like to express our deepest gratitude for their unwavering support over the past decade,” said Jennings.

“Their dedication to sales, parts, and service has been instrumental in reinforcing the Madill brand’s reputation for reliability and performance in the forestry industry. We have the utmost confidence that DC Equipment and agents will continue to provide customers with outstanding products and services. We look forward to the future growth and success of the Madill brand under DC Equipment’s stewardship.”

The owner and founder of DC Equipment, Dale Ewers, who is also a logger in New Zealand, has had a connection with the Madill brand dating back 40 years. “It was a childhood dream to own a Madill tower yarder,” said Ewers. “Madill is known for its durability, ability to perform and longevity, which is important in this industry—and those strong equipment features align with our current brand, Falcon.”

Ewers believes adding the Madill brand and intellectual property under the DC Equipment manufacturing umbrella provides an opportunity to achieve the company’s mission of “creating a safer and more productive steep-slope logging industry throughout the world,” and also opens up additional benefits to other industries.

Ewers sees this as a stepping stone to not only helping the forest industry progress but also providing customers with the solutions they need. “We’re not here to be the biggest manufacturer; we’re here to provide the best solution for our customers,” he said.

While more will be disclosed soon, Ewers was quick to mention that Madill will always be Madill: “There’s history, heritage and a heck of a lot of customer loyalty there that needs to be recognized.”

“We don’t plan to reinvent Madill products—we believe there’s tremendous heritage, and the Madill machines work exceptionally well in steep slope ground. However, we do see an opportunity to integrate some of DC Equipment’s current and future technology and innovation.”

Click here to learn more.

This compact, robust and energy-efficient equipment allows for on-site production of wood fibre. The patented technology applies high pressure to the raw materials, generating heat above 100 C, which produces and sanitizes fibre, meeting RHP standards.

With a production capacity of up to 12 cubic metres per hour, and an expansion ratio of up to 1:3, it consumes 30 per cent less energy per cubic metre produced than typical refiners, resulting in significant cost savings.

Various wood by-products can be used, including white softwood chips, forest residue, and compost wood. The produced fibre maintains its volume when mixed and has excellent water dispersion capacity for root development.

For more information visit, www.ptchronos.com.

Emil Forsblom, head of product development at Eco Log, is certain that the crane tip control system will be welcomed by the customers and that it will be a big asset in their daily work.

“It feels great to be able to offer our customers crane tip control on our forwarder models. That way we can facilitate and make their working day easier and more comfortable and at the same time give them the conditions for a more efficient and productive work,” says Forsblom.

The strengths of ETC are several, where Eco Log has focused on optimizing the function and placement of the sensors to make sure that the system works in the best possible way for the operator and to ensure a smoother and more precise crane movement and position. As an operator you can easily choose if the crane tip control should be activated or if you rather operate the crane manually with your regular settings.

“This is a big advantage that allows the operator to be flexible and to adapt the work to different situations and conditions. Also, you can avoid unnecessary down-time, for example if the crane tip control system is in need of servicing. Then you can operate the crane manually just as usual until a service technician arrives,” Forsblom explains.

The Komatsu 951XC is a new harvester for final logging in steep terrain and on soft ground. The eight-wheel design, combined with the stable Komatsu concept, ensures a machine with great stability, excellent manoeuvrability, and low ground pressure. The Komatsu 951XC is also optimised for use with the Komatsu C164 – a harvester head specially designed for logging large trees – although naturally it works just as well with a range of other heads.

For demanding conditions

The Komatsu 951XC is part of Komatsu Forest’s product series of machines specially designed for challenging conditions.

“Now we have a complete range of eight-wheeled machines, specially designed for demanding conditions,” Joakim Johansson, product manager harvesters at Komatsu Forest says.

Compact yet strong

The machine design is much like that of the Komatsu 951, although there are some differences. The Komatsu 951XC has the same wheel size as the 931XC, lending the machine a more compact design and giving the 951XC a total machine length that is shorter than that of the Komatsu 951.

The Komatsu 951XC has 242 kN of underlying tractive force and unique interaction between engine, control system and power transmission. The hydrostatic transmission enables engine power to be fully utilised, providing considerable advantages in difficult terrain as well as excellent climbing ability. This is much due to the machine’s large hydrostatic pump, which can maintain higher speeds at high tractive forces.

“What is special about the 951XC is that it combines the strength of a 951 with an extremely compact design. Since it has about the same dimensions as the 931XC it can be used in denser stands,” Johansson explains.

951XC is also equipped with hub reductions. They provide an advantage when working in challenging conditions, such as steep, snowy, or wet terrain, as they increase the life of the bogie and thereby machine reliability.

The Komatsu 951XC has new working hydraulics to better utilise the diesel engine. The new hydraulics also provide faster feeding from start to maximum speed and allow the saw motor to work even more efficiently.

“The new working hydraulics contribute to a feeling of an even stronger engine according to the test operators that have been working with 951XC,” Johansson states.

Although the working hydraulics are new, in all other respects the Komatsu 951XC shares the same proven design as other Komatsu harvesters, meaning 3PS.

“This enables several crane and head functions to be used simultaneously with retained maximum hydraulic power, all thanks to the machine’s hydraulic power coordination,” Johansson continues.

Powerful crane

All Komatsu harvesters are equipped with parallel cranes, this has been the case since 1999. With the Komatsu Forest design concept, the lifting booms and outer booms are linked, thereby eliminating an entire aspect of crane control. This concept simplifies crane operation by ensuring that the head is always in level regardless of crane cycle stage. The parallel crane is also cleverly designed to be fast in its outward movements, when the head is unloaded, and powerful in its return movements, when the head is heavily loaded.

Compared to the 951, the Komatsu 951XC has a significantly shorter distance from the centre of the crane to the front wheels. This creates a larger working area in front of the machine, that enables the operator to work at shorter reaches.

“The new larger working area in front of the machine means more powerful crane movements. And for those who equipes their machines with Smart Crane they get an even more easily manoeuvred crane with excellent precision,” Johansson explains.

Operator environment

The Komatsu 951XC, just like all other Komatsu harvesters, features a high-performance operator environment. Examples of the many advantages include the spacious cab, good visibility and comfortable cab climate.

Thanks to the machine’s stability and levelling cab, the operator is always seated level without the need to stretch and strain to maintain a good seating position. The 951XC is, as all Komatsu harvesters, based on the tried-and-tested Komatsu concept that offers favourable weight distribution and has a low centre of gravity. In addition, the eight-wheeled XC series harvesters have a double oscillating bogie on the rear frame giving the machines completely unique handling characteristics.

“Our double oscillating bogie on the rear frame is an innovation of which we’re very proud. As well as increasing stability by lowering the machine’s centre of gravity, the machine follows irregularities in the terrain in a forgiving manner while delivering excellent manoeuvrability in challenging terrain conditions,” Johansson ends.

The work to develop a new machine is a massive team effort. Before a new machine model is launched prototypes are thoroughly tested first with Komatsu’s own test operators and then by contractors working in environments suitable for the specific machine model. One of the contractors, Henrik Lysebäck at Lysebäcks Skogsentreprenad, tested a prototype of the 951XC in the fall of 2022 and concludes the test like this;

“The 951XC is a good machine, stable and comfortable to operate. It is a machine you can trust, and you feel secure working at a long reach. This is definitely a machine I would like to continue to work with.”

The basis for the upgrade is requests from users of the harvester head and the response to the improvements has been positive from customers who have tested.

“Continuous improvement is part of our DNA. One of our most popular heads, the Komatsu S92, will be even more reliable and productive in the forest,” says Mikael Forsberg, product manager for harvester heads at Komatsu Forest.

Among the new benefits, the improved measurement characteristics stand out. The new design enables the measuring wheel to follow the contours of the stem more closely, providing excellent measurement characteristics.

A major new feature is also the new intelligent saw motor controller, Constant Cut, which now becomes standard on the S92, and ensures that the head maintains a constant and high chain speed without the risk of overspeeding.

The Find End function now has a new design and together with new mechanical stops at the rear knife this extends the service life of the head. The new feed system reduces energy losses and enhances the head performance, and an improved hose routing simplifies servicing the feed system. For even better service friendliness, all lubrication points are now easily accessed with the head in an upright position.

The colour marking tanks have been redesigned to provide easier access for filling and the multi-tree handling function has a new, more durable design which results in a lower and more agile head.

“The response from customers who have tried the upgraded head has been positive only with comments such as that the feed speed is really good, the geometry of the saw box and the position of the saw bar makes the cutting much faster and increases production significantly, the new knife control on the lower knife is very good and the clamping of the stem is perfect, and that the entire head is much improved compared to previous versions,” says Forsberg.

In addition to the above and several other improvements, the head has also been equipped with a new head computer that enables future development opportunities.

Learn more: Komatsu Forest.

“Here at Eco Log, we are in constant dialogue with our customers and we try to listen to them and learn more about their requests and what they need to make their operations work as optimal as possible,” said Eco Log’s Emil Forsblom, head of product development.

“The development work is really a team-effort and the result of this is a spacious harvester cabin with good ergonomics, effective sound insulation, great visibility and a whole new system for cab climate and a well-planned work lightning. Also, we have put a lot of effort into the cabins interior, in everything from smart storage and broad charging options to modern palettes and a great sound system.”

The G-series pendulum arm harvesters includes the models 550, 560, 580 and 590. The new Eco Log 580G has now raised to yet another level and shares the same platform as Eco Log 590, which means it is an even stronger machine than before.

During the fall, Eco Log introduced several, large updates on the pendulum harvesters – from a new control system, new rear wheel transmission and anti-spin system to a simplified hydraulic system and several improvements regarding serviceability and safety through improved access. All of these updates are now implemented on the new G-series.

Learn more: Eco Log.

Many forestry companies struggle to prepare post-harvest sites for replanting with modified ag tractors. These machines are not up to the task, often suffering from insufficient power, cooling capacity and structural durability. The 630H was launched to address these deficiencies.

Based on Tigercat’s skidder platform, the machine is equipped with hydraulic connectors and several drawbar receiver variations to adapt to a variety of plow or mounding implement connection points. In addition, the carrier can be equipped with an optional winch and bolt-on fairlead system. The whole package is factory-equipped and ready to work.

Initial studies conducted by Mexican forestry company, Proteak indicate that the 630H carriers are quicker, more productive, and more fuel efficient than the ag tractors that they are replacing. Operators are safe and comfortable in a climate controlled cab equipped with an air ride suspension seat and ergonomic armrest mounted controls.

Tigercat, a company that has contributed significantly to increased efficiencies in timber harvesting operations, is putting focus on gaining efficiencies in the silviculture side of the forest industry.

Investing in equipment that can be rebuilt, leveraging new technologies and partnering with trusted, informed dealers can all help support your current and future business needs. With the right maintenance and fleet strategy you can leverage your equipment to help retain and attract operators, improve productivity, reduce costs, and increase safety, all while meeting current and future sustainability goals. 

Replace inventory with information

Improving productivity and reducing expenses are top goals for any logger. But knowing how to get there can be the biggest challenge. Technology advancements in forestry equipment, like telematics, can capture real-time data – helping you complete projects with greater insight, collaboration and efficiency. And as technology continues to improve, connectivity for remote forestry locations is easier than ever before. Software updates can be sent directly to the machine on the jobsite without having to wait for a technician to arrive.  

When leveraged properly, data has enormous potential – it can unlock meaningful insight to help reduce costs, minimize downtime and identify problem areas or operator-induced fault codes on your equipment. The right dealer can support you on this journey by setting up instant alerts, monthly reports and identifying areas of opportunity or improvement. 

As technology has advanced, so has the quality of equipment. Longer oil change intervals and filter quality is extending machine life, helping to lower operating costs. And as fuel costs soar, more manufacturers and dealers are investing in hybrid and electric machines that can support alternative fuels such as diesel blends to help lower operating costs. Hydraulics are also getting smarter. These new enhancements are making good operators great, while also keeping them safe, comfortable and happy. 

The right equipment can help you stay productive, but it can also help attract and retain operators by improving working conditions and safety. And in a time where every industry is experiencing labour challenges, keeping employees safe and happy is an important part of your recruitment and retention strategy. 

Improving productivity and reducing expenses are top goals for any logger.

Getting the most out of your equipment

Ever increasing environmental regulations and stricter emissions standards mean companies need to work smarter to achieve sustainability targets. Gone are the days of trading in machines for a shiny new piece of equipment earlier than needed. Forestry companies of all sizes can make a big impact by opting to rebuild equipment, instead of buying new. A rebuild involves replacing parts, changing out components, calibration and adjustments, with the end result being a like-new machine.

Rebuilds reduce overall waste and minimize raw material used to produce new parts and equipment. This is crucial as companies are accounting for the carbon output that’s the result of purchasing a new machine. Plus, equipment can be rebuilt multiple times and owners have the choice of keeping legacy tier emission standards or rebuilding to a higher tier emission standard. This means equipment stays in production for multiple lives and it saves non-renewable resources from the landfill, while reducing equipment costs and contributing towards sustainability goals.

New machine availability and machine value prior to the rebuild also play a factor in your decision. Understanding your equipment’s history, its condition and what maintenance it may or may not need, can provide both cost savings and environmental benefits. A dealer can work with you to understand machine analytics, value, overall condition and whether a rebuild is worth the cost. 

Timing is also an important consideration if you’re considering a rebuild. Supply chain disruptions combined with labour shortages are increasing lead times for new equipment across the globe. This is especially challenging in an industry like forestry where customers are accustomed to walking into a dealer and buying new equipment on the spot for whatever job they have coming up. So, planning ahead and creating an equipment strategy is as important as ever. 

Maintaining or growing a logging business has always been hard – and today, it’s even harder.

Relationship with dealer is important

The forestry industry is no stranger to hardships and has always had to adapt to the ever-changing economy. Just when one crisis seems over, another one hits. If it’s not a beetle outbreak or forest fire then it’s a looming recession, mill closures or supply chain issues. Maintaining or growing a logging business has always been hard – and today, it’s even harder.  

But, imagine a world where you’re better equipped to meet current and future challenges. Your business is productive, efficient and profitable. Having a dealer that works with you means everyone – financing, parts, technology, service and sales – is working together to find the right solutions for your business. Today’s dealers have evolved beyond simply supplying equipment to customers. End-to-end solutions are helping to provide advanced data insights, driving value and return on investment.

Now is the time to think about your relationship with your dealer. Is it meeting your business needs in an open and transparent way? Does it help prepare you for future growth while mitigating risks? Although there doesn’t appear to be a light at the end of the tunnel just yet, evolving and adapting to a new way of doing business can help ensure a bright future for Canada’s forestry industry. That means investing in quality equipment that can be rebuilt, while leveraging new technologies to help drive efficiency and increase productivity, while keeping costs down.

Mike Friederici is the industry manager, forestry and earthmoving at Finning Canada.

SSAB and Ponsse Plc, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of cut-to-length forest machines, have joined forces in a partnership in which SSAB is to deliver fossil-free steel to Ponsse gradually beginning in 2026.

“Sustainability is about multiple factors. It’s safeguarding and recognizing the team, ensuring there is fibre for tomorrow through stewarding the lands we work on today, and advancing partnerships with First Nations and local communities,” said Mosaic president and CEO Rob Gough. “We’ve made exciting progress in 2022 with accomplishments like the launch of the BigCoast Forest Climate Initiative, which recently issued its first carbon credits under Verra’s Verified Carbon Standard.”

Key achievements highlighted in the 2022 Sustainability Progress Report include:

• Achieved a medical incident rate of 1.36 on 2.5 million hours worked, resulting in a 15 per cent reduction over 2021

• Recognized as one of BC’s Top Employers

• Continued progress on becoming net-zero by 2035

• Announced the BigCoast Forest Climate Initiative that will defer harvest on over 40,000 hectares for 25 years, storing more than 20 million tonnes of carbon dioxide over the project’s life

• Planted 9.1 million seedlings of local species

• Began our transition to electric vehicles, which will reduce CO2 emissions by four tonnes per year per vehicle

• Donated $676,000 to community organizations across Coastal BC

• Increased investment in First Nations participation in the forest economy, scholarship and training programs and language revitalization

• Launched a new partnership with Way Key Ventures, a new company formed by We Wai Kai Nation and Roga Contracting

• Invested $124,000 in First Nations scholarships and training programs, including supporting the Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCA) Planning Advanced Certificate at Vancouver Island University

• Supported Indigenous youth by directing $100,000 to Kw’umut Lelum Foundation for scholarships and language revitalization

• Contributed $20,000 to Tsow-Tun Le Lum Society towards the construction of their new Helping House

“Taking care of our team of employees and contractors is a key value at Mosaic and plays an important role in ensuring our talented workforce is ready for the jobs at hand today and tomorrow,” added Gough. “It’s an honour that our commitment to First Nations partnerships, sustainable forest stewardship, collaborative, non-hierarchical culture, and support for community organizations across Coastal B.C. earned us recognition as one of BC’s Top Employers. I’m proud of what we accomplished and look forward to continuing to advance the company as a leader in sustainable timberland management.”

Mosaic’s 2022 Sustainability Progress Report is available at MosaicForests.com/SustainabilityReport.

Designed to offer the highest productivity, durability, visibility and ease of maintenance for the operator, the BL4/SSL features the most powerful bite limiter system currently available in the market, complete with the new, ultra-high performing BL MAX blade.

This head delivers high productivity and unmatched shredding capacity in vegetation management and is ideal where the agility and compactness of a skid steer is required.

The BL4/SSL is available in VT version and with FAE’s exclusive Sonic technology, which optimizes performance by up to 30% and offers easy calibration, setting and monitoring through a dedicated FAE App for smartphones.

Main applications for the new BL4/SSL include heavy vegetation management in woods and forests, roadside and railway vegetation maintenance, canals, rivers and pond overgrowth cleanup, wildlife habitat protection & food plots, orchard & vineyards maintenance and restoration, maintenance of commercial and residential green areas, parks, trails and green recreational areas.

• For skid steers from 90-135 hp
• Available in 2 working widths: 62” and 72”
• 12” shredding diameter
• Bite limiter technology with BL MAX blade
• Available in VT and Sonic versions

The new top-handle T540 XP^® Mark III was redesigned following consumer feedback resulting in a lightweight, balanced, and agile chainsaw for climbing and cutting. With a high cutting capacity, the T540 XP^® Mark III was redeveloped to ensure maximum reliability and trusted performance over hours of use. Its lightweight ergonomic design aids operator comfort and AutoTune 3.0 technology enables simple start technology and ensures peak performance even in the toughest of environments. This chainsaw represents the next generation of products designed with—and for—professional arborists.

“We listened to the feedback given by arborists and redesigned the T540 XP® Mark III specifically with their needs in mind,” said Carlos Haddad, Vice President of North America, Professional Products at Husqvarna Group. “Our top handle 40cc chainsaw offers maximum performance and precision in a durable package to enable the arborist to get the job done efficiently and effectively.”

The engine power of the T540 XP® Mark III is enhanced with Husqvarna’s SP21G X-CUT chain, maximizing precision and productivity. AutoTune 3.0 technology allows tree pros to use the same starting procedure on hot or cold starts, with no risk of flooding. Husqvarna’s X-Torq engine design delivers impressive power and LowVib technology reduces handle vibration. Added versatility comes from double eyelets that make it easy to attach and remove from the climbing harness keeping it closer to the body while climbing.

Additionally, Husqvarna’s new range of arborist climbing gear designed in collaboration with industry leader Teufelberger offers the ultimate in performance, durability, and reliability. High quality meets functional design in the form of a climbing harness, positioning lanyard, anti-shock chainsaw lanyard and mini-carabiners. Husqvarna also designed and created a new gear bag to keep gear organized. Rigorously tested, Husqvarna climbing gear products meet or exceed global safety standards and are built to last.

“Tree care professionals require durability and smart design in the gear they use day in and day out, and we’ve worked to meet those needs and provide additional comfort to improve the quality of their working lives,” added Haddad. “We’re proud to partner with Teufelberger to create a complete ecosystem of high-quality products for our customers.”

The T540 XP® Mark III and arborist gear are available at your local dealer and online. Husqvarna’s new rear-handled 540 XP® Mark III chainsaw will be available this summer.

Learn more: Husqvarna.com.

In U.S. dollar terms, global wood fibre prices have generally increased less than in local currencies the past year because of the strengthening dollar. Pulp mills have grappled with some of the highest wood costs in over 10 years. WRI’s two global wood fibre price indices have trended upward for 2.5 years and were at eight-year highs in the 4Q/22. The Global Hardwood Fiber Price Index (HFPI) has increased the most over the past few years, from US$78.79/bdmt in the 3Q/20 to US$100.07/bdmt in the 4Q/22, a 27% increase. The Global Softwood Fiber Price Index (SFPI) rose during the same period, about 13 per cent, from $93.13/bdmt to reach US$104.79/bdmt in the 4Q/22.

Wood fibre costs are, by far, the highest cost component when manufacturing wood pulp. In the 4Q/22, wood costs accounted for almost 60 per cent of the cash cost for pulp produced worldwide, according to FisherSolve from ResourceWise. The other cost shares were energy (17%), chemicals (14%), materials (5%), and labour (5%). There is a significant variation in wood cost percentages depending on the country, ranging between 45-75 per cent. The Nordic countries and Germany are at the low end of the range for wood costs, with energy accounting for a relatively high percentage. The highest wood cost shares are typically in Asia, including China and Japan, with the energy and chemicals shares often below 10 per cent of total cash costs.

Wood Resource Quarterly has been digitized and is now available as an interactive online business intelligence platform, WoodMarket Prices (WMP). The pricing data service, established in 1988, has subscribers in over 30 countries. The WMP tracks prices for sawlog, pulpwood, lumber & pellets and reports on trade and wood market developments in most key regions worldwide. For more insights on the WMP platform, a unique and valuable tool for every organization that requires updates on the latest developments of global forest products markets, go to Global Wood Prices.

Speakers at the Canadian Woodland Forum’s 2023 Spring Meeting outlined the labour shortage forecast over the next decade in Atlantic Canada, and offered solutions through business best practices, partnerships, government support, and technology.

Patrick Brannon with Atlantic Provinces Economic Council – an independent, non-profit economic and policy research organization – set the stage for the labour discussions with an overview of the skills challenge in Atlantic Canada.

Patrick Brannon with Atlantic Provinces Economic Council. Photo: Annex Business Media.

The pandemic, Brannon noted, made dramatic changes to the general labour market with work-from-home orders, but the forest industry’s size and labour force was less affected, remaining steady since 2009. However, there is a “reckoning” to come over the next decade, he cautioned, with more than 50 per cent of forestry and manufacturing workers over 45, and around 30 per cent over 55. Those retirements will lead to large vacancies by 2030 in all forestry occupations.

Among his recommended solutions for the forest industry, Brannon dug into automation, noting 2019 data shows Atlantic solid wood product firms lag in technology adoption compared to the Canadian average. Twenty-eight per cent of Atlantic mills were using some form of advanced technology in 2019, compared to 45 per cent Canada-wide, and just four per cent in Atlantic Canada were using emerging technology compared to 10 per cent across the country.

In surveys, Atlantic wood products companies often point to lack of information as a reason they’re not investing in autonomation, as well as doubt it will help the bottom line, Brannon said. Yet research shows automation improves productivity, quality and consistency, as well as improves attraction and retention of workers and leads to new, more desirable jobs.

Brannon acknowledged Atlantic companies are generally smaller than their Canadian counterparts, which means fewer opportunities and less capital for expensive solutions such as cleantech and artificial intelligence. He also noted paper firms in Atlantic Canada were above the national average in technology adoption.

Among Brannon’s other suggestions to address workforce challenges were labour market co-ordination, drawing from underrepresented groups, social infrastructure to attract new workers, better training and wages, and refining the employment insurance program.

Several forestry companies took to the stage to share their business and productivity strategies with peers, among them Terry Mallais with Aurèle Mallais & Fils Ltée (AFM). AFM is a family owned and operated forestry, trucking and civil construction company out of St-Isidore, N.B.

Terry Mallais with Aurèle Mallais & Fils Ltée (left) and J.D. Irving’s Brian Williams (right). Photo: Annex Business Media.

Mallais – the self-described “bean counter” for the company – credited standardization as the first component of their success. When his generation purchased and took over the company, he said it took them five years to standardize their inherited 140 pieces of equipment and narrow in on “the bleeding.” Having the same pieces of equipment allows them to run one training program, compare machine data, forecast costs, and balance the budget, Mallais said.

“Sitting at the desk,” and not in the cabs allows him the time to strategize for the business and set up and renew targets, he said. “You need to know where you want to go with the business.” AFM recently took on snow plowing and crushing and screening services.

J.D. Irving’s Brian Williams took to the stage after Mallais to share their strategy for growing their workforce. Growing the capacity within their current workforce through skills development and technology adoption is one strategy, he said. Another is international recruitment. In 2022, J.D. Irving recruited 77 people from other countries.

Forestry trade designations

Jim Ketterling with J.D. Irving Woodlands Division. Photo: Annex Business Media.

Jim Ketterling with J.D. Irving Woodlands Division updated the CWF members on New Brunswick’s introduction of two new trade accreditations: harvesting equipment operator and forwarder equipment operator.

After years of work among many partners to create the designations, and the first certifications were given out in December, making those operators the first in Canada to hold a forestry equipment operator trade certificate.

“This is all really driven by the operator,” Ketterling said. “You’re the ones applying for it.”

He noted the new designation will likely help with retention of existing operators, as well as recruitment both of trusted experienced operators and new operators.

Julia McMillan with MacMillan Forest Inc. Photo: Annex Business Media.

Nova Scotia is developing its own similar trade designations.

Julia McMillan with MacMillan Forest Inc. in Nova Scotia is on the trade advisory committee along with three other contractors in the province. McMillian said they are heading into the contractor consultation phase of the process, and noted they are looking to be consistent with New Brunswick’s designation.

“We are going to be able to show we have skilled operators – recognized and respected,” she said.

Technology updates

Some forestry equipment and software suppliers took to the Spring Meeting stage to introduce new products and services to current and potential customers.

Groupe Système Forêt introduced their new GSFLog, a time clock tool for forestry and road machinery. Gaby Dubuc presented the system, noting it replaces a paper log book, wirelessly transferring machine activity data, including accelerometer data and GPS positioning, to the office. It also allows the office to send updates to operators.

Forsite’s Maurice Leblanc shared how the company’s individual tree species identifier has been used at commercial scale with customer case studies in Ontario and the U.S. South. The tool uses machine learning to interpret LiDAR data, verified by photo interpretation.

Francis Landry with A.L.P.A. Equipment gave us a look at the brand-new 63,000 square-foot Landrich production facility in Eel River Crossing, N.B. The facility’s new manufacturing and assembly line has state-of-the-art tools to increase production of their purpose-built track harvesters. As the Atlantic Canadian dealer for Ponsse, Landry also shared an overview of Ponsse’s R&D projects, noting their goal is to simplify technology to improve new or mid-tier operators faster.

Jim O’Halloran with John Deere and Allain Santerre with Brandt Tractor spoke on the latest introduction of Intelligent Boom Control (IBC) for John Deere’s tracked harvesters. Early customer feedback found the IBC was an easy adoption to simplify operation of boom, and to reduce operator fatigue.

Weiler Forestry’s Dirk Neilsen gave an overview of the company’s 17 new models they’ve introduced since purchasing CAT Forestry in 2019. Another 17 models are on the way, he said. Among the new models is the new H157 tracked harvester, which replaces the CAT501 as a low-impact, small foot-print machine. With equipment offerings spanning the full range of forestry machines, the company recently hit the 1,000-machine milestone since the CAT takeover.

Outstanding contractors

CWF executive director Peter Robichaud announced the latest winners of the Outstanding Forestry Contractor of the Year. For the trucking award, Aurèle Mallais & Fils Ltée took home the prize. The logger award went to Noble Resources in Newfoundland.

Learn more about the award here. cwfcof.org/Outstanding-Forestry-Contractor

“Our goal is to change the world’s understanding of forests by providing the most accurate, scalable and timely forest analytics possible,” said CollectiveCrunch co-founder Rolf Schmitz. “Through solutions like Linda Planet, we can enable sustainable forestry, assist in the mitigation of carbon losses, and bring transparency to forest carbon markets to spearhead the fight against climate change.”

The urgent need for transparency in the carbon market

The AI-based Linda Planet solution eliminates the uncertainty and subjectivity associated with forest carbon assessments by providing a scientific and data-driven approach to forest carbon management. It does this by helping mitigate forest carbon value loss by tracking changes and potential damages in near real-time, and assists in forecasting the growth and loss of forest carbon stocks.

Linda Planet ensures the accountability of carbon assets behind an offset and provides the transparency necessary for credible carbon development through the AI backbone of the Linda platform. Nominal check-ups with five-year manual auditing cycles of forest carbon assets have proven to be insufficient. In order to have foolproof understanding of the progress and permanence of the natural capital, continuous and accurate visibility into the assets is essential – which is what Linda offers.

Linda Planet is uniquely positioned to bring credible baselines to the market at large scale. Credible baselines are necessary to build a strong foundation for the future of carbon offsets. A data-driven forest carbon inventory helps to define stored carbon and rates of sequestration throughout the forested lands, and assists forest management efforts with precision and high quality.

Tracking biodiversity unveils the reality behind biodiversity loss

A transition to sustainable forestry at a global scale requires analytics ranging from deforestation and carbon stock changes to habitat destruction and biodiversity loss. Ensuring that the world’s forests are on a path towards increased resilience and enhanced biodiversity requires access to the best available intelligence. Resilient forests better withstand natural disturbances and require less time for recovery, reducing the need for clearing trees. Biodiverse forests provide habitats for a wide range of species and ensure that ecosystems remain intact. The ability to track changes in resilience and biodiversity at scale is necessary to address the environmental challenges on the road towards global sustainable forestry.

“The dramatic loss of biodiversity in the forestry ecosystem is a serious global challenge. Linda Planet provides continuous visibility into the forest status and timely assessment of disturbances,” said Schmitz. “We’re thrilled to launch this product to the market to fundamentally change how the forestry industry monitors forest health.”

CollectiveCrunch is a solutions provider that is approved by Verra, a nonprofit organization that operates standards in environmental and social markets, including the world’s leading carbon crediting program, the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) Program. CollectiveCrunch’s involvement in the Verra carbon accreditation program will further solidify the organization’s methodologies and add a baseline for near-real time carbon-storing data to support the program.

CollectiveCrunch has been developing state-of-the-art AI-based technologies for the forest sector since 2016. Linda Forest today covers 23 million hectares of forest. Continuous monitoring is an essential part of understanding the changes in the sensitive ecosystem of forests and providing visibility into biodiversity and the changes in the forest carbon storages near real-time.

“We are excited to bring our partnership with Forests Ontario to the next level,” Matt Hill, founder and chief environmental optimist, One Tree Planted, says. “Together, we will plant millions of trees across Canada over the next five years. We look forward to everything we will be able to accomplish for forests, biodiversity, and communities.”

One Tree Planted is a non-profit that is focused on global reforestation. Since 2014, they have planted over 92 million trees in 80+ countries across North America, Latin America, Africa, Asia, Europe and the Pacific. Their work is done in partnership with local communities and knowledgeable experts to create lasting impact for nature, people, and wildlife.

Forests Ontario and its partners have developed the expertise and infrastructure to grow and track tree planting from seed to healthy forest. Through its comprehensive network of partners and programs, Forests Ontario and Forest Recovery Canada have planted more than 41 million trees, resulting in 20,500 hectares of new forest created across more than 8,300 project sites.

“Our earliest work with One Tree Planted was identifying one-off planting sites for support and we are excited to grow that partnership into a collaboration that will see the creation of healthy forests across our country,” Rob Keen, chief executive officer of Forests Ontario, and registered professional forester, says. “We are very proud of this partnership with One Tree Planted and that Forests Ontario is an integral part of our combined efforts to plant new forests in Canada.”

Creating healthy, new forests is one of the most effective, nature-based solutions in combating climate change and over their lifetime, these trees will sequester significant amounts of carbon and mitigate the impacts of climate change, including extreme weather and flooding while reducing biodiversity loss.

“This partnership with Forests Ontario is an incredible opportunity to elevate restoration and reforestation in Canada to new levels,” Stephanie Clement, Canada project manager at One Tree Planted, says. “We are thrilled to be supporting Forests Ontario in planting millions of trees, restoring Canada’s forests, and making a positive impact for local communities on the ground.”

“The benefits locally are really quite extraordinary,” Elizabeth Celanowicz, chief operating officer, Forests Ontario, says. “Ensuring successful tree planting requires the integration and support from highly skilled individuals along the entire tree planting supply chain, including seed collectors, nursery workers and professional tree planters providing green jobs in rural communities. We can’t wait to start our new planting season.”

The article highlights the work of the Osoyoos Indian Band (OIB) with partner Vaagen Fibre Canada and the collaborative efforts taken to restore the burned areas plus important lessons learned from the ongoing wildfire recovery project.

“When the Nk’Mip Creek Wildfire burned such a large area of land within the OIB’s traditional territory in the summer of 2021, there was motivation to act quickly to give the land a better opportunity to recover. A plan was developed that prioritized cultural values, historical uses of the land, and ecological recovery,” said Peter Flett, RPF with Vaagen Fibre Canada and the Osoyoos Indian Band.

This article follows the work done for the Nk’Mip Creek wildfire recovery and restoration project. The project’s approach to restoration has been more holistic than a typical wildfire salvage operation, with extensive field reviews with community members, protection of cultural use areas, and identification of areas suitable for salvage and others left to recover naturally. Planting native shrubs in conjunction with fire-resistant deciduous and coniferous tree species will revegetate ecosystems and provide wildlife and cultural values sooner than without human intervention.

“We are proud of this collaboration to improve forest recovery post-wildfire,” noted Flett. “We are grateful for the opportunity to share this local story in a provincial magazine as we hope it inspires others in the forest industry to prioritize collaboration during planning and implementation in their recovery efforts too.”

To view the story online, click here.

“Despite the weather, Missionites showed their passion for the forest once again,” said Mayor Paul Horn. “It was wonderful to experience an event in the Stave Falls area and to remind people of the beauty of our forests.”

Over 130 trees were planted in the cutblock by families and approximately 300 people attended the event. Activities included an art table, axe throwing, a guided hike, and a sawing area. Residents also took home seedlings to plant on their own.

“This fun community event was a great opportunity to educate our residents about our reforestation program,” said Kelly Kitsch, senior forest technologist. “Our professional contract tree planters plant about 80,000 seedlings every spring, right after harvesting is completed. We plant western red cedar, Douglas-fir and western white pine seedlings, which are monitored closely for the next decade.”

See photos of the celebration here.

Business Finland has granted EUR 10 million in funding to Ponsse’s FORWARD’27 programme in its challenge competition for leading companies. The funding is used to accelerate the product development of mobile work machines.

The aim of Ponsse’s FORWARD’27 programme is to significantly reduce emissions from mobile work machines, reduce their energy consumption and improve productivity. Improving operator working conditions with auxiliary functions and automation are also among the key components of the programme.

“Ponsse aims to be a technological pioneer in CTL forest machines and it aims at producing carbon neutral, sustainable and increasingly competitive solutions. With funding granted by Business Finland to leading companies, we can accelerate our development of sustainable and digital solutions for mobile work machines,” says Juho Nummela, Ponsse’s president and CEO.

In addition, Business Finland has granted EUR 20 million in funding to the ecosystem companies associated with the programme.

Towards sustainable mobile work machines

Ponsse and Epec will implement the FORWARD’27 together and will invest more than EUR 25 million to developing sustainable mobile work machines in the next few years.

The companies will create an extensive ecosystem around the development work. The first partners have already been selected.

“Epec innovates and develops technological solutions for future work machines to enable zero emission. The joint competence of Ponsse and Epec develops continuously and FORWARD’27 programme will take our abilities even further. The group of companies and partners included in the ecosystem created also play a key part”, says Jyri Kylä-Kaila, Epec’s managing director.

The Tigercat 612 series skidder platform was created to manage the extraction function in challenging terrain selective felling applications, while preserving the value and quality of the residual stand. The machine can be equipped with a dual winch, a movable back shield and fairlead system, as well as a crane, and front blade tongs.

The 612 is equipped with the Tigercat FPT N67 Stage V engine, delivering 155 kW (208 hp). Combined with Tigercat’s efficient drive system, the 612 impressively handles adverse terrain while minimizing wheel spin.

A narrow stance allows easy navigation through tight trails and rough ground conditions. The movable shield can be used as an anchor while winching. The dual winch and moving fairlead system allow the operator independent control over two separate cables when operating in tight stand conditions. The optional heavy-duty crane and blade tongs offer even more versatility for extracting, maneuvering and sorting logs.

The operator’s cab is spacious with generous sized windows providing clear sightlines. Creature comforts include a climate-controlled cup holder and dedicated storage. Key to ergonomics and operating the machine effectively is the Turnaround seat. Turnaround provides increased comfort, clear sightlines, and easy entry and exit from either side of the machine. The operator enjoys full control of all machine functions in any position within the 220° range.

Its impact is broad and burgeoning. A recent article and survey by McKinsey & Company found that AI adoption continues to grow across industries, with impacts both on revenue and cost. There was a significant increase in respondents who reported using AI for at least one function in their business, up 50 per cent from 2020, with use cases ranging from service operations, supply chain management and product development, to manufacturing and corporate finance.

Applying AI

While AI has broad applicability across the forest sector, of particular interest to operational forestry is its potential to improve the forest-to-mill supply chain by leveraging the volume of data already being collected daily. For example, AI can improve the inventory estimates at a stand- and unit-level by augmenting growth and yield models with actuals from the field. It can also use the hourly and daily data from the harvest to make more precise predictions about productivity.

Increasing the accuracy of unit volume and productivity predictions by five or 10 per cent can have a considerable impact on the overall schedule. 

This can lead to cost-savings by reducing the effort generated by the constant need to react to volume shortfalls or crews that complete their assignments earlier or later than expected. More critically, it also decreases the risk of not meeting client commitments, missing the window to load a ship at berth, or needing to shut down a mill due to lack of volume. 

This will ultimately give planners more confidence in their schedules and alert them to delays that could jeopardize deliveries.

Using AI to generate harvest volume and productivity predictions on-demand.

Predictive analytics and insights

Artificial intelligence is a broad domain that includes topics like machine learning, machine vision, speech recognition, natural language processing, amongst other capabilities. 

Machine learning relies upon the use of historical data to train a model and use it to make some prediction about the future. There are several algorithms used in machine learning, all of which allow the computer to learn from the data without being explicitly programmed.

It is due to the predictive nature of machine learning that the term “predictive analytics” is often used alongside it. However, a useful side effect of creating predictive AI models is that compelling diagnostic information is also generated. 

These insights can help inform planners as to the specific factors and attributes that are driving the predictions, answering questions such as “what are the attributes that impact productivity?” and “what factors caused our planned volumes to differ from our actuals by 20 per cent?” 

This is referred to as feature importance and can be more broadly understood in the context of model explainability (XAI), a concept focused on understanding and analyzing the predictions and results of an AI model. By answering these questions and understanding the importance of each attribute, the AI models can be further enhanced as part of the overall continuous improvement cycle.

An appetite for data

Regardless of the approach or algorithm used, machine learning is hungry for data and thrives on platforms that make data accessible. It also benefits from adding further data to the model as it becomes available. 

Certainly not all data will be useful or drive the predictions being made, but this cannot always be known until the model has been trained and the feature importance has been evaluated. 

And while most experienced foresters can accurately describe most of the attributes that impact the production rate of a harvest unit in their forestland, there will always be some surprises. 

As such, it is good practice to use as much data as is available when training an AI model and refine it as the results are analyzed. Fortunately, in operational forestry, there is a significant volume of information coming off a harvest unit every day.

To truly bring value to a forest operation, AI models need to be brought out of the lab and into the hands of the planners as they are making crucial day-to-day decisions. 

This “just-in-time” availability is frequently the difference between AI being seen as an internal academic exercise undertaken once a year and it truly becoming an integral part of operational planning. 

As such, trained AI models should be deployed in environments where operational planners can use them to generate predictions on-demand and in the context of their harvest scheduling practice.

Predictions to results

Putting it all together, when a trained AI model is deployed in an environment where predictions can be generated on-demand, the results can be significant.

“The joy of forestry in the style of cubism”, AI generated image by DALL-E. Photos courtesy Remsoft.

Increased accuracy in predicting harvest volume and productivity leads to an overall improvement in the harvest schedule and can be measured in days saved/improved, which is the absolute
delta between the number of days planned for a harvest assignment and the actual number of days it took.

An increase in accuracy of 10 per cent can result in several hundred days difference between planned and actual days over a year.

This can also be looked at using volume as a measure, since every day that an assignment is late or early is a day that more or less volume was generated than expected. This can be thought of as noise in the system, since it often generates activity to account for the difference, either in the form of shifting volume from one destination to another or modifying targets and bringing a new harvest unit forward in the schedule.

For a forest operation generating 6 million m³ over 10,000 combined days of harvest, a 10 per cent improvement from the effective use of AI can result in more than 1,000 days saved and 600,000 m³ of noise removed from the operation. The time savings alone from reducing the number of schedule changes is significant.

The way forward

It’s clear that AI and machine learning has an important role to play in operational planning, and in improving the accuracy of volume estimates on a block, production rates, and the overall harvest schedule. The key to realizing these benefits is to leverage all the data available and to ensure that the predictions made by the model are available on-demand to the harvest planner as they face the pressure of meeting demands and ensuring the volume of wood flows.

Elliot Sullivan is the director of product management for cloud solutions at Remsoft Inc.

A chance decision to join the forestry program in university led her to become a passionate advocate for sustainable forestry practices and bringing in more women to the industry.

CFI: What drew you to forestry and your job in silviculture?  

Olivia: I had no idea forestry existed. I grew up thinking that forestry was just logging like a lot of people do because we don’t necessarily see the other side of it. But I ended up working for a forestry college, MCFT [Maritime College of Forest Technology], and in the summers they would have us work with local NGOs so I was doing a lot of plot sampling, tree planting, different things, and learned about forestry. I was on a team of almost all females, including a single mom with two kids, so I had a pretty strong start to getting to see some very admirable women working in the field.

I was at school [University of New Brunswick] for physics at the time and a friend went into forestry and I was like, “I think I’ll do it!” We had no idea how awesome of a group it was until we got in there. Coming from the science program, we faced that point where we asked what was coming next, and in a science degree its often onto a masters. At that point, more school didn’t really excite me, so hearing about the job opportunities we would have after just an undergrad in forestry it was really a no-brainer. My friend found herself in a silviculture position out west now, so it’s been really neat to be able to catch up and chat about the similarities and differences of the land and programs we’re managing.

I think my passion for silviculture now comes from how diverse of a field it is. Nothing is set in stone, it’s very open to interpretation and it requires a lot of out-of-the-box thinking and long-term planning. I’m very much so problem solver so I’ve always liked that aspect.

Today I’m in sort of a hybrid role. I’m quite involved with planning right now so I’m in the field, validating data or I’m collecting inventory. I’ve been auditing quality on the ground and planning out treatments at my computer in the offseason. There’s definitely no two days that are the same.

CFI: What do you enjoy about your job? 

There’s so much I love about forestry it’s hard to answer these questions! I’m such an advocate, it’s ridiculous.

I think my passion comes from stewardship for the land. And I think the people in the workplace make it a lot easier to feel that. I love getting to bounce ideas off other people. Silviculture is such a puzzle and every site is so different. Getting to have those conversations about perspectives on decisions for a site that are impacting 50 years down the road are important. I think the camaraderie and the teamwork makes that happen.

The concept of there being no one right answer motivates me everyday. We’re working on huge time scales – I’m preparing for a harvest 40 or 50 years down the road. It’s about making an informed decision based on the resources that you have available and ongoing research.

Talking about social license has been a big factor in my role as a supervisor. We’re out day to day in the woods, talking with contractors, woodlot owners and public land users. It’s probably one of the most rewarding parts of the job, getting to educate the public and have those conversations. I think the whole industry is shifting towards not beating around the bush. We’re being direct with what’s happening and I think that’s the only way that things are going to change, when people are going out on tours and seeing what we’re doing day-to-day in the operations. Until people are out there or talk to foresters, I don’t think they realize that we all share the same values.

CFI: Do you find there are certain challenges or hurdles for women to enter or stay in the industry? 

I’ve been part of the fortunate generation in that we had a lot of trailblazers before us. We’ve got our foot in the door, and now it’s about opening that doorway for everyone.

I think we’re tackling a lot of major issues and, if not, they are being discussed and speaking from my experience I feel like women have the resources to voice those concerns that they might have. But now I find day-to-day it’s more about the little things. It’s framing the culture, creating a more supportive workplace, allowing women those opportunities and removing the little monotonous barriers – not the big glass ceiling-style ones.

Now it’s about pushing women to excel and giving them opportunities to be more visible. That’s one thing that I’ve noticed is there’s a lot of women in forestry, but you don’t necessarily see them running companies. So it’s getting women to that point and encouraging more women to fill the gaps we’ll be seeing with upcoming retirements.

CFI: What can companies do to attract and retain women?

My experience is definitely that comfort lies in numbers. I think having more and more representation is going to bring in more of those diverse perspectives and really create that inclusive workplace.

I had a female forester join my team this year in a leadership role and the change in my motivation – having that strong role model to look up to – was huge. I think it’s about having women in leadership positions and really giving them the opportunity to develop as a leader as they progress in their careers. Where it is a male-dominated industry, a radical shift to a diverse workplace isn’t necessarily realistic. It’s important to try to encourage women to shift into these roles, while also offering them ample support to really set them up for success.

I think we’re a good example of that. Her and I started a women’s group in the company that allows women in operational roles to get leadership opportunities and get those informal mentorships that really push you to the next level as an employee. After she joined and I realized the difference it makes having a female leader you can turn to for advice or feedback, it really motivated me to share that experience with other employees, especially young females who might need the additional confidence. Everyone has been super supportive of getting the group off the ground and all the participants are really looking forward to what’s to come.

In our field it’s rare to be in a group that’s only women in a room so to get that experience and to be able to talk freely and openly about our experiences and what we want to achieve as a group and where we see it going was really exciting.

CFI: What advice do you have for those considering a career the forest industry?  

Just do it first off. Even now I’m learning daily about more and more jobs that are under the umbrella of forestry that I never would have thought of.  You can go anywhere with it. I think there’s a big perspective that being in forestry means you’re going to be outside 24/7, which isn’t necessarily required. In theory you can be a forester and never leave your office. I think for a lot of people that might be a hurdle that they expect to face, but it’s not necessarily the case.

It’s now a time when creativity is really valued, especially in silviculture where those practices aren’t set in stone. There’s no blanket prescription and you can’t follow a regime perfectly, it’s always going to be variable. We need out-of-the-box thinkers in strategic planning and those diverse perspectives that oftentimes come from women. That’s definitely a big thing that I’ve noticed and really appreciated since joining the workforce.

This article is part of CFI, Pulp & Paper Canada and Canadian Biomass’ Women in Forestry series, an annual celebration of women in the industry. Find more content here and follow us on social media with the hashtag: #WomeninForestry.

Remember to join us for the Women in Forestry Virtual Summit on Mar. 7 at 11 am ET/8 am PT! It’s FREE to register. Sign up now!