McBride, BC June 1-3 2007
Hosted by the McBride Community Forest
The 2007 BCCFA Conference was designed to explore opportunities for economic diversification in community forests. Speakers, panels and workshops addressed the possibilities for innovation available in value added wood products, non-timber forest products and bio-energy. With an outcome on the pricing issue now clarified for community forest agreements, community forests confirmed their readiness to maximize the benefits and job creation potential from our long term, area based tenures.
The annual BCCFA conference is the primary annual community forestry event in BC. 70 people participated in the informative sessions and the lively exchange based on the on-the-ground experiences of community forestry practitioners. Participants included communities and individuals involved or interested in community forests, community forest managers and board members, Ministry of Forest and Range staff involved at the provincial, regional and district levels with community forest agreements, academics, community economic development and forestry professionals.
Conference sponsors included our excellent 2007 hosts, the McBride Community Forest Corporation, the Forest Research Extension Partnership (FORREX), and the Ford Foundation.
Community Forest Agreement Showcase
District of Fort St James – Ross Hamilton, RPF
Prince George – Mark Fercho, Environment Manager, City of Prince George
Bella Coola – Hans Granander, Bella Coola Resource Society
Conference Summary
Speaker Presentations
Summary of 2006-2007 BCCFA Activities – Jennifer Gunter and Robin Hood Presentation
Forest Safety Certification – Tanner Elton, CEO, Forest Safety Council
Ministry of Forests and Range Update – Jim Langridge, MOFR, Director, Tenures Branch
Update of the CFA Program – Ron Greschner, MOFR
Value Added Wood Products: Global Context – David H. Cohen, UBC, Wood Science Program
How to Choose the Right Dessert – John Lerner, John Lerner and Associates
Turning Residual Wood into Energy – Ray Greene, Arrow Park
Micro-Hydro – Don Scarlett, Kaslo
Working Beneath the Trees: Non-Timber Resources – Wendy Cocksedge, Centre for Non-Timber Resources, Royal Roads University
Ted Traer, Moose Meadows Farm, Quesnel