Read on for Winter 2013 issue

Submitted by kate@silvicult… on Thu, 2013-01-31 17:24

Hello readers!

Winter is still very much upon us (in some areas of the country more than others!) and so we provide you with some weekend reading; stay in where it's warm (or dry if you're on the west coast) and take a look at the latest issue of the magazine, here.

We have for you a great collection of articles including an honest and reflective account of one man's career in tropical forestry, not withholding the regrets and mistakes that shaped it, a look at biochar application on forest sta

Happy New Year!

Submitted by kate@silvicult… on Sat, 2013-01-05 09:51

Winter is upon us, a new year has begun and we're getting ready to launch the Winter 2013 issue this month! Sign up to receive the issue directly in your inbox, the easiest way to ensure you don't miss an issue.

Reminder that we welcome article and photo gallery submissions. Showcase your photography or writing in the next issue.

If you are an association or organization that would like to be included in the regional reports section of each issue, please email us for details.

Annual Western Silvicultural Contractors' Association Conference and Trade Show

Submitted by kate@silvicult… on Sat, 2012-12-08 19:16

Conference: Thursday, February 7 & Friday, February 8

Trade Show: Thursday, February 7th.

Course Portion: Tuesday, February 5th and Wednesday, Februrary 6.

Location:  Inn at Laural Point, Victoria BC.

Please visit www.wsca.ca for conference program, room rates, trade show information and course topics.

Nova Scotia Report

Issue

 

In May a group of contractors and forest management heads got together in Truro, N.S. to discuss reactivating the association. The impetus was the shortcomings of the Registered Buyers Program which historically provided silviculture funding for small private woodlots. It may not be known throughout Canada that 60-70% of N.S. woodlands are privately owned by 30,000 owners. Since 1998, funding has been generated by a combination of landowners paying a percentage of wood sold, receiving mills paying a percentage of wood bought and the province paying a percentage.

WSCA Report - It is time to get rid of payment deductions for quality

Issue

The BC silviculture sector has always worked with the threat and application of penalties for anything less than near perfect quality performance. Recently, after a few decades’ hiatus, the planting quality inspection guidelines were reviewed and updated by the MFLNRO and contractors. Subsequently there have been successful workshops on implementing them, run jointly by the WSCA and the Forest Practices Branch. More are planned.

Society of American Foresters Report: Seeing the forest for the tweets

Issue

I wish I could take credit for that headline, but it’s not mine. I borrowed it from my colleagues Carlin Starrs and Tom Davidson, who have written an article entitled, ‘Seeing the Forest for the Tweets: Making the Most Out of the Convention Using Twitter’; the convention being the Society of American Foresters’ National Convention, to be held October 24–28 in Spokane, Washington. Starrs’ is SAF’s social media guru; Davidson, a forester and leadership consultant (www.DavidsonLeadership.com), writes the SAF Leader Lab column for The Forestry Source, SAF’s newspaper.

 

Ontario Report - Can you see the forester through the trees?

Issue

Silviculture contractors know the importance of a good silvicultural prescription. In most provinces across Canada, the responsibility for that prescription falls to the professional forester.  In Ontario we are a licensed body with over 830 members. That number has declined by more than 17% over the last five years. The universities in Ontario that offer Forestry degrees have seen declining enrolment in the program for a number of years. In fact, in 1993 the University of Toronto closed its undergraduate program (Bachelor of Science in Forestry) due to low enrollment.