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This year’s BC forestry photos highlight sustainability of the sector

This photo represents a few things that I am proud to be a part of. First, it was taken at the Atli Chip Ltd chipping facility near Port McNeill BC, which is an Indigenous-owned business in a partnership between Atli Resources (‘Namgis First Nation), Wahkash Contracting and Paper Excellence. This facility utilizes waste wood from forest cutblocks, which would otherwise be burned in slash piles, thus providing a climate change solution. The women in the photo are professionals who are proud to work in the forest sector and this shows the growing gender diversity in our industry, even in male-dominated roles like log truck driving (from left to right: Kim Lefebvre, RPF – Manager of Indigenous Fibre Partnerships, Paper Excellence; Jill Telosky – Truck Driver, Wahkash Contracting; Nadine Bernard – Indigenous Advisor; Lana Wilhelm, RPF – Manager of Community and Indigenous Relations, Paper Excellence). This photo hits a lot of progressive points in BC’s forest industry today which lends to our long-term sustainability, including: climate change solutions, Indigenous partnerships and gender diversity. It also shows that we can have fun and be proud of what we do, because it’s good for the environment, good for women in business, and good for small Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. Photo by Kim Lefebvre, Port McNeill, B.C.

Early morning sun rise peaking through the trees in Great Central, British Columbia. Photo by Sara Decock, Nanaimo, B.C.

Taking a moment to admire this alluring cedar. Photo by Kristin Johnson, Black Creek, B.C.

Another day at the office in Northern BC Canada. Photo 1 by Brad Morgan, Merritt, B.C.

Falling. Photo 2 by Brad Morgan, Merritt, B.C.

A cute bunch of mushrooms peeking up from under a moss bed. I noticed them on a trail run near my house in Williams Lake (Dog Gone XC trail) and stopped to take a picture despite myself. Photo by Brian Marshall, Williams Lake, B.C.

Rare photo of a mid 90s Timber-jack skidder, recovering pieces of a barge for the Pacheedaht First Nations band that was destroyed during a powerful storm in port renfrew. I think this is a great forestry photo because community is such an integral part of forestry and this is a prime example of forestry workers helping their community to defend against B.C.’s stormy winters. I think it is rare to find a community so committed to helping one another but in Port Renfrew, at the Pacheedaht Reservation, it is common courtesy. Photo by Adrian Bealing, Duncan, B.C.

Pete’s manual brushing crew pauses work in front of a long forgotten steam donkey that was left behind 7 decades ago when the area was harvested for the first time. Haida Gwaii (formerly the Queen Charlotte Islands) saw extensive logging in the 20th century. With much of the highest value old growth having been harvested long ago, silviculture crews in Haida Gwaii frequently find themselves managing the third crop of west coast soft wood lumber. Photo by Peter Haeghaert, Queen Charlotte, B.C.

Watching the Earth breath. Photo 1 by Jennifer Lindley, Nanaimo, B.C.

Giving trees in Cathedral Grove some love. Photo 2 by Jennifer Lindley, Nanaimo, B.C.

Dead vanilla leaf or fairy wings? The forest floor always entertains. Photo 3 by Jennifer Lindley, Nanaimo, B.C.

A truck heads toward the mill in Prince George, B.C. Photo 1 by Mike Lane, Saanichton, B.C.

A sustainable logging site near Holberg on Vancouver Island. Photo 2 by Mike Lane, Saanichton, B.C.

Forestry is a community for today and for the whole family – taken at McLeese Lake, BC. Photo 1 by Brian La Pointe, Williams Lake, B.C.

Picking luscious blueberries in a reforested area following salvage logging of lodgepole pine infested with the mountain pine beetle on Woodlot 548. Photo 2 by Brian La Pointe.

Moving to wheeled harvesters allows lower harvesting carbon emissions as well as the chance to reduce fire hazard in selective logging which creates healthy large diameter trees critical for carbon storage. Photo by Liam Parfitt, Prince George, B.C.

A naturally regenerated Interior Douglas fir seedling that survived the drought and heat wave in a recently replanted cut block – outside of Vernon, B.C., September 2021. Photo 1 by Nikki-Karyssa Scott, Armstrong, B.C.

Interior lodgepole pine seedling after a snowfall waiting to be harvested for spring planting. Photo 2 by Nikki-Karyssa Scott, Armstrong, B.C.

This ‘Golden’ Interior Douglas fir is being grown at Eagle Rock Nursery as part of Tolko’s reforestation plans for 2022. A genetic mutation gives it a golden colour and makes it a standout in a sea of green seedlings. This seedling will find its home at the Kalamalka Research Station where it can be successfully grown out and studied. Photo 3 by Nikki-Karyssa Scott, Armstrong, B.C.

A beautiful day on a freshly harvested block on the Harper FSR. Located in the West Nass operating area in Northern British Columbia. Photo by Willow Ellsworth, Terrace, B.C.

No rain, no rainbows. After a stormy morning at the Rupert coastal sort yard, a gorgeous rainbow appeared. Prince Rupert is beautiful when the sun shines. Photo by Willow Ellsworth, Terrace, B.C.

A skidder, armed with a water tank, on contract with the BC Wildfire Service, moves up a dusty cat guard with a BCWS personnel following on foot. This photo was taken in mid-August of this year, amidst a brutal fire season, this particular shot was taken on the Tremont Creek wildfire, west of Kamloops, B.C. Photo by Joshua Skinner, Kamloops, B.C.

Completing a logging waste and residue survey in the Fraser Valley fibre recovery zone, Elske Von Hardenberg, RFT walks across the cutblock in Mission’s Tree Farm Licence 26 with the stunning Mt. Slesse and Mt. McGuire in the background and Hatzic Lake in the valley bottom below. TFL26 is a successful interface community based forestry operation managed by the city since 1958. Photo by Kelly Kitsch, Mission, B.C.

“Stumped” – Although not the same species as the original… a good example of how sustainably sourced timber products are renewable! Photo by Jon Moore, Vancouver, B.C.

2020 T800. An absolute beauty. Photo by Jeremy Murrell, New Hazelton, B.C.

A close up glimpse of wood fibre that is supporting circular economy with renewable and recyclable products and fighting climate change with sustainable forest management practices. Photo by Mithun Shetty, Vancouver, B.C.

A Tridem load of 3×10 Decking timbers cut from the shells of low-grade Hemlock logs and the cores of Beetle-kill Spruce logs from the Prince George/Omineca area. Cutting the sound fiber from the lower grade logs allows for increased/prolonged carbon sequestering of the resource. Lumber was cut at North Fraser Industries Ltd in Prince George, BC. Photo by Nick Gierc, Prince George, B.C.

Afternoon sun on forest trails. Photo by Bob Brash, Qualicum Beach, B.C.

Fire’s Balance – I took this photo looking up the inside of a burnt out tree south of 100 Mile House in a block getting planted the Elephant Hill fire for the Forest Carbon Initiative. I felt this was a powerful image as it appeared to make a sort of Yin and Yang symbol that could represent the destructive nature of fire and rebirth of the earth. For me it represents the importance of sustainability, to mitigate climate change, save our forests, and return balance to our ecosystems. Photo 1 by Erin Thomsen, Merritt, B.C.

Fungal Falls – I took this photo on a field trip with my Natural Resource Science class to Malcolm Knapp Research Forest. Photo 2 by Erin Thomsen, Merritt, B.C.

Atop Mahood Falls – I took this photo at the top of Mahood Falls, north of 100 Mile House. Photo 3 by Erin Thomsen, Merritt, B.C.

The Tsawwassen First Nation Youth Centre is a beautiful creation. A 21st century hybrid. Involving three different types of construction to make a masterpiece. Photo 1 by Mitchell Cheek, Kamloops, B.C.

Durfeld Log Homes constructed the skeleton of this beautiful Hybrid building, the Tsawwassen First Nation Youth Centre. The building is for the youth, installing the culture and creativity of the nation. Photo 2 by Mitchell Cheek, Kamloops, B.C.

The fine touch is everything. Durfeld Log Homes. Photo 3 by Mitchell Cheek, Kamloops, B.C.

If you want to build a masterpiece, you have to lay it out… Durfeld Log Homes. Photo 4 by Mitchell Cheek, Kamloops, B.C.

Rain or shine, the precision is always there… Durfeld Log homes. Photo 5 by Mitchell Cheek, Kamloops, B.C.

It’s about the people. Durfeld Log Homes. Photo 6 by Mitchell Cheek, Kamloops, B.C.

Details. Photo 7 by Mitchell Cheek, Kamloops, B.C.

A wooden playground… Durfeld Log Homes. Photo 8 by Mitchell Cheek, Kamloops, B.C.

Culture and connection. Photo 9 by Mitchell Cheek, Kamloops, B.C.

A snowy day measuring waste and residue. Rain or shine we aim to keep the industry sustainable. Photo 1 by Talia Klimmer, Burnaby, B.C.

Here I am with a beautiful western red cedar. This was taken summer 2021 during my first camp field season, this experience made me fall in love with my job even more. Photo 2 by Talia Klimmer, Burnaby, B.C.

These boots took me many places this summer, so I started including them in the view. Taking a quick 5 to admire the growth in the young balsam and hemlock stand and river below. Photo 3 by Talia Klimmer, Burnaby, B.C.

Standing in a field of Indian hellebore, while we catching our breath before heading into the burned spruce stand in northern BC. Photo 4 by Talia Klimmer, Burnaby, B.C.

A tree planter works his portion of a cutblock at the top of a ravine in British Columbia’s interior. In the distance a block road weaves in between intact forest, cleared land, and planted forest – evidence of the industry commitment to ensuring that forest products remain a renewable resource for future generations. Photo 1 by John Donoghue, Puslinch, Ont.

A tree planter works his land in the British Columbia interior not far from the Kluskus Forest Service Road. This particular block required the planting of over 300,000 seedlings. Planters dealt with the cold, snow, hail and sleet that is common in early May, as well as a mama bear with cubs. In the distance lies a vast plateau of overlapping cutblocks, intact forest, and good portion of planted forest – representative of the industry commitment to sustainability. Photo 2 by John Donoghue, Puslinch, Ont.