Forestry in Transition – Coastforest.org
July 14, 2015
The forest industry, much like the forests we rely on, is in a perpetual state of transition. Markets swing, customer demands shift, new research and experience informs, practices and technology evolve, climate patterns change, and people, politics and the law transform. This myriad of factors means the industry is in a perpetual state of adaptation. Innovation is a necessity – not a luxury.
Some transitions are bigger than others. Most people recognize that the pine beetle epidemic is driving extraordinary changes to the structure, size and competitiveness of the Interior forest sector. As a result, the Interior sector is embarking on a profound rationalization. What is less readily apparent is that the Coastal forest sector is facing a transition of similar scope and size. Several factors contribute to this transition.
The forest industry has been operating on the Coast for over a hundred years, evolving from European style sustained yield management to a made-in-BC system that requires we manage for a full range of values from aquatic to biodiversity to scenic, wildlife and cultural. The law requires the regeneration and regrowth of the forests we harvest. Our practices and regulatory framework reflect leading-edge research and a deep stewardship ethos.
Read more: http://www.coastforest.org/forestry-in-transition/
