Company of the Year: Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation Ltd. – Canadian Biomass

In 2017, the Elephant Hill wildfire burned over 190,000 hectares in the South Cariboo. On November 12, 2023, Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation Ltd. (CCR) embarked on the first phase of its largest wildfire rehabilitation project – the Pressy Lake Pilot Project. This innovative project challenged long-held beliefs in the forest industry about wildfire salvage logging, reflecting a paradigm shift from the prevailing attitude that burnt wood is detrimental to pulping.

CCR’s forestry superintendent Daniel Persson explains how this opportunity was nearly missed.

“Another license owner abandoned the cutting permit because they saw no prospects. The fibre, having no perceived economic value, was left to degrade and was condemned to remain an impaired forest with limited possibilities for regeneration,” Persson said.