KELOWNA – Woodlotters and the Federation of BC Woodlot Associations are pleased to welcome Gord Chipman as their new General Manager. He takes over the reins from Brian McNaughton, who has tirelessly served for 22 years, ensuring the woodlot program was in good hands. Brian will still be sharing his knowledge through his company, Lone Tree Consulting, and will also be enjoying more time with his grandchildren!
Gord is a Registered Professional Forester (RPF) with extensive experience working in the BC forest sector including the North Coast, Northern Interior and Central Interior. He has his own consulting company – Xylem Resource Management Ltd.
For the past 12½ years, Gord has managed Alkali Resource Management Ltd. (ARM) – an integrated forest management company established to manage the Esk’etemc (Alkali Lake) First Nations’ woodlot licence, community forest (27,000ha), woodland tenure (60,000ha), and several forest licences. Under Gord’s management ARM has trained fire crews and carried out burning services, fire hazard reduction projects and tree spacing, including implementation of a landscape level Wildfire Risk Management plan by utilising provincial funding to alleviate wildfire risk around the Alkali Lake community.
Prior to his work with ARM, Gord worked for over 20 years as an area supervisor, operations manager, and log buyer for major forest companies in the Williams Lake area, where he lives with his wife Georgina.
In addition, he has experience working with numerous Boards of Directors, having served as a director for the BC Community Forest Association and President of the Cariboo Woodlot Association for many years.
Having been a forest manager of a woodlot licence, community forest and woodland tenure, Gord has a keen interest in small, area-based forest tenures in British Columbia. He’s looking forward to leading the Federation as it grapples with severe climate change and threat of wildfire. With 80% of woodlot licences within two kilometres of a community, interface fires are a pressing issue that must be addressed. He’s also eager to continue forging relationships with BC’s First Nations.
He’ll be making an effort to travel throughout the province to meet with woodlotters and familiarise himself with the unique challenges on the 845+ woodlots that are managed by a diverse range of licensees.
Welcome, Gord. We look forward to your thoughtful and passionate leadership, especially at this pivotal time for BC’s forests.
The Federation of BC Woodlot Associations was founded in 1988 and represents 17 woodlot associations, whose membership includes woodlot licensees and small private woodland owners throughout British Columbia who are committed to practicing exemplary forest and natural resource management.
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