Two Williams Lake foresters have been elected to the Association of BC Forest Professionals council.
West Fraser’s planning and GIS supervisor Mauro Calabrese and Tolko’s Woodland regional manager Tom Hoffman were both elected on the association’s 67th council during its annual conference held in Kelowna last week.
Calabrese said he’s looking forward to learning more about the association and how it runs, and trying to get more member engagement and involvement in the association.
Professional foresters and technicians in the Cariboo-Chilcotin and other interior communities have extra challenges around the mountain pine beetle epidemic and resulting salvage harvesting, he added.
“Hopefully I will be able to represent those issues that foresters face on the council.”
Hoffman said the council represents all the foresters and forestry technicians in the province and B.C.’s forests.
“There’s a strong sense of stewardship as well as ownership to the constituents. My vision is that the council thrive on collaboration and engagement with the membership and specifically I’m concerned about the lack of young people entering into forestry.”
The attention to environmental stewardship will lack without new young people entering into the profession, he added.
Both Calabrese and Hoffman enjoyed the conference and presentations from various speakers, including the minister of forests, lands and natural operations.
“We also had presentations on First Nations tenure and consultation, social media and social license,” Hoffman said, adding the highlight is always networking with other forest professionals to hear about their issues and opportunities.
This year’s president is Dan Graham, a Registered Professional Forester (RPF) and lawyer (LLB), from Victoria, B.C.
The 67th council includes forest professionals from around the province who have a variety of backgrounds that will enhance the work of the ABCFP.
This year’s council includes representatives from government, large forest companies and independent consultants.The ABCFP council governs the affairs of the association and works to fulfill the ABCFP’s mandate as defined in the Foresters Act.
The ABCFP council is made up of 10 elected councillors and two lay councillors who are appointed by the provincial government.