 Partnership Working To Educate Albertans About Forestry Activities
For over 100 years, forestry companies have been quietly at work in the forest, using science and technology to plan harvesting activities. While not an exact or perfect science, great strides have been made to ensure the forest continues to thrive for generations to come. The only component missing from a state-of-the-art industry, was a plan to tell everyone about all the good work happening deep in the forest.
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 Graduates of forestry programs needed and in demand
Proactive and immediate attention is needed in order to ensure the next generation of forest practitioners and other qualified, trained modern forest workers are available for the workforce, says a news release heralding a new report from the Canadian Institute of Forestry. According to Alex Drummond, professor at the University of Alberta, the large number of retirements in the forest sector coincidental with lowered enrollment has created an employment gap.
Enrollment in the over 25 post-secondary forestry programs at technical/technologist and university levels has been in dramatic decline for the last decade. A crisis will soon be in our forests, if the supply of professional and technical forest practitioners managing Canada's forests continues to decline.
"The forest sector plays an important role in the stewardship of Canada's forests as well as its modern and technologically advanced outlook, a role that is often misunderstood. There is also a misconception about jobs and career opportunities in forestry", noted Professor Drummond. "Graduates of forestry programs are needed and, in demand".
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Recreation Corridors Committee Has AFPA Rep
On January 31, 2005, the Government of Alberta announced the creation of a new committee to develop a designation program for Alberta's recreational trails. Members of the Alberta Recreation Corridors Coordinating Committee were selected for their knowledge of the various aspects of recreation trail planning, design and operation, and have a range of perspectives on who uses and operates the trails, as well as those who may be impacted by them. One of the committee members is the AFPA's forestry director, Jeff Reynolds.
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Alberta Forest Usage Survey Update
On February 10, AFPA President Rob Layton sent a letter to more than 1600 persons who requested further communications about the Alberta Forest Usage Survey.
In his letter, President Layton provided an update on the process, some of the preliminary results on what Albertans value about their forest lands, and committed to communicating further with this stakeholder group and all Albertans as the results are made available.
Layton also stated, "the forest industry needs to improve the way it communicates - how it talks and how it listens to Albertans. We've received that message loud and clear, and the AFPA will be forthright with you - and with all Albertans - about what the industry is doing, and where we are heading."
The AFPA expects to have final results and recommendations for next steps ready for public release by the end of March 2006. To view a copy of the letter, click below.
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 A Tale of Two Cultures - forestry safety stats in BC and Alberta
Why are forestry safety stats so different in British Columbia and Alberta?
By Kerry Tremblay
Originally published in Tracks & Treads magazine. Reprinted with the permission of the publisher.
You're working on rough, isolated terrain. In hostile weather. Surrounded by insects and potentially dangerous wild animals. Now try manoeuvering equipment - on that terrain, in that weather, surrounded by those pests and predators.
People who work in the forest sector face many external challenges. But health and safety issues, and attitudes, are no less of a concern. In forestry, as in most heavy industries, losing your focus for a minute can cause serious injury or death.
Neighbouring provinces British Columbia and Alberta, however, with distinct topographies, government regimes and workforce composition, have vastly different forestry health and safety experiences.
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WCB Offers New Online Services
You know that WCB's online tools are great for tracking your claims costs and reporting performance, verifying the WCB status of your contractors, and filing injury reports quickly and securely. In fact, last year we processed 1.4 million transactions online!
The WCB has added three new applications to its suite of eBusiness tools to assist users.
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NOTES and EVENTS
NOTES
Liberal Opposition Releases Position Paper on Alberta Land Strategy
EVENTS
2006 ForestLeadership Conference - The Sustainability Challenge
Alberta Summit on Environmental Education - March 6, 2006, Red and White Club/Olympic Volunteer Centre, Calgary
The Forest History Association of Alberta - Annual General Meeting March 14, 2006, 7pm, Best Western Westwood Inn, Edmonton
AFPA Grade Schools - Spring 2006
Alberta Wood WORKS! Awards Gala - April 18, 2006, Royal Glenora Club, Edmonton
Metafore Forest Leadership Forum 2006 - May 3-6, 2006, Oregon Convention Center, Portland, Oregon
Second International Symposium on Veneer and Processing Products, May 9-10, Renaissance Vancouver Hotel Harborside, Vancouver BC
19th Annual PWC Global Forest and Paper Industry Conference, May 11, 2006 - Sheraton Wall Centre Hotel, Vancouver, BC
Provincial Forest Advisory Committee Meeting - June 2-4, 2006 Whitecourt Forestry Interpretative Centre, Whitecourt, Alberta
2006 AFPA Annual General Meeting and Conference - September 27-30, 2006 Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, Jasper Alberta
A Conference For the Boreal - In the Boreal
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