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Woodlot licensees from around British Columbia met at Sun Peaks Resort on Oct. 1-3 for the 30th annual Federation of BC Woodlot Associations and 20th annual Woodlot Product Development Council general meetings and conference.
This year’s theme, which marked two important anniversaries but was also shadowed by an unprecedented wildfire season in the province, was “Achieving Peak Performance.”
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The event was opened by decorated Olympic athlete and director of skiing at Sun Peaks Resort, the Honorable Nancy Greene-Raine.
She shared her insight and experience as a peak performer, not only as an athlete but also as a businesswoman and senator.
The conference explored the concept of “social license,” and how woodlot licensees can achieve it when undertaking stewardship of the province’s Crown forests for the good of the public.
Representatives from municipal and provincial governments, stakeholders in agriculture and forestry met to consider the increasing demands facing B.C.’s forests and share ideas on upholding the social license by balancing sustainable forest management with environmental, social and economic values.
Jenn Davis, Resource Practices Branch executive director, Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Regional Development (FLNR&RD) spoke on how the Forest, Range and Practices Act helps achieve social license.
Dave Peterson, assistant deputy minister for tenures, competitiveness and innovation, FLNR&RD, talked on the Industry Competitiveness Initiative.
He focused on streamlining operations within the government to aid the resource sector, specifically forest tenures in the province.
The FBCWA was founded in 1988. The FBCWA represents 25 woodlot associations, whose membership includes woodlot licensees and small private woodland owners from throughout British Columbia, united in an effort to demonstrate exemplary forest and natural resource management.
To find out more about woodlots in British Columbia go to woodlot.bc.ca.