BOB BRASH
BRITISH COLUMBIA – Over the last few months, the BC forest sector has increasingly been the beneficiary of broad proclamations by many who work outside of the sector about an upcoming “paradigm shift” and “transformative future” in the management of BC’s forests. For some, these are apparently new and wise revelations worthy of our everlasting gratitude.
The reality is that many of us have been around long enough to know that for decades, these terms have been bandied around repeatedly when each generation believes they have found, in their separate and isolated worlds, the
grand solution to the forestry issues of the day. These many decades have also seen the ebb and flow of the lobbying influence each faction in the debates can harness for their agendas dependent upon the government’s leanings in any particular election cycle. Today, many would say the pendulum is weighted towards environmental influences, while others will argue the industry’s influences were dominant in previous times. There is probably merit on both sides of the argument.
Perhaps this is the core problem facing us; a whole bunch of people and groups with separate and competing agendas doing their best to lobby our politicians and society for the “true” answer to our challenges in moving BC and the forest sector forward.
Ask yourself honestly, when was the last time all of those with a stake in our province’s forests collaborated on the development of a true vision for the future of BC’s forests? On a provincial level, I’m having difficulty thinking of a time that has truly happened during the course of my career.
Perhaps Pearse’s Royal Commission qualifies, but even if it does, that was 47 years ago. I think it’s fair to say things have changed a bit since then.
Having said that, people in many localized areas of the province are making their best attempt to construct those longer-term visions. However, they are essentially doing it without the big-picture thinking or overarching context of where we want forestry to head provincially.
Some point to the work done under the old growth strategic review to be that vision and basis for this proclaimed paradigm shift. I disagree; the review is only one component of a far broader discussion that is required. Today, especially within the omnipotent world of social media, complaints and isolated visions are a dime a dozen. Without such visions backed by solid and actionable plans, they are basically meaningless. Talk is cheap but real strategy and successful execution takes time, work, and realistic plans along with the dedicated people to execute it.
What would those broader discussions and the development of a collaborative vision entail? Each stakeholder in our province will have their own ideas about that list and none of us should be so presumptuous to assume we know the complete list. But from our perspective, here are some strategies we would want included:
- Forests play a critical role in mitigating climate change by sequestering carbon from the atmosphere. A paradigm shift in forest management would require acknowledging forests and active management are critical in optimizing carbon sequestration. This involves moving beyond the current, simplistic yes or no debate about logging in any particular area.
- Shifting forest management practices will require increased, improved, and facilitated collaboration towards a far more inclusive vision for our forests involving governments, First Nations, communities, and other stakeholders in developing effective and feasible strategies.
- Significant investment in research to identify best practices for managing forests in the context of climate change. This will include research on forest ecology, carbon sequestration, forest management techniques, and the impacts of climate change on forest ecosystems.
- Policy and regulatory changes to support the shift in forest management practices towards encouraging innovation and significantly improved competitiveness of BC’s forest sector.
- Adoption of new technologies and streamlined regulatory environments to help optimize forest management practices.
- Adequate funding and financial mechanisms to support the shift towards sustainable forest management practices including public funding, equitable carbon pricing, and other financial incentives.
- Long-term assurances on the land base available to forestry in BC along with the rules by which the industry must adhere to.
A far better transition strategy to allow time for the sector to make the changes and capital investments required to meet government and society’s objectives. The last strategy is the most important one. Currently, the breadth and speed of government’s imposed changes on the sector are decidedly negative towards both the current state of affairs and the potential future success of it. Frankly, they’re outright discouraging.
The math is simple in terms of being able to reach a realistic transition strategy that allows for the forest sector to adjust to the obviously changing expectations demanded by society. The question is whether all of those involved want to work on that solution to the broader benefit of all of us collectively or continue the current course of trying to outgun each other with lobbyists to Victoria.
Those who actually work in the woods know what happens to a hollow log: because it’s not of much value, it might make for a lowly pulp log or get left behind because it has too many defects.
Hopefully this promised “paradigm shift” isn’t a hollow log.
Bob Brash, RPF, MBA is the Executive Director the Truck Loggers Association.
