Note: This story appeared in our July 6 issue as part of our Timber Days LITE supplement. Timber Days Lite is this Saturday, July 9 at Centennial Park.
Chairman’s Report for 2010
By Shawn O’Brien, Chairman of the Revelstoke Forest Workers Society
With the continued downturn in the timber industry during 2010, the Revelstoke Forest Workers Society kept our operations at a bare minimum again this year. We continued to support the local forest industry by ensuring training and information was readily available. We especially made sure that the community and all levels of government were informed about the issues facing local forest workers.
Operational highlights for the past year include:
– continuing our focus on safety by monitoring local incidents and provincial information, understanding the new WCB avalanche safety regulation and seeking solutions to the communications gaps in the mountains that hinder swift response to accidents
– continued membership in the City’s Environment Advisory Committee and the Community Wildland Fire Protection Committee
– supporting wood construction in the community, in the new schools project and by encouraging the City to adopt a strong commitment to wood construction
– informing the provincial government about the importance of maintaining mapping and front counter services at the Big Eddy Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations office
– maintaining contact with the BC Wildfire Management Branch, especially to support local opportunities for fire suppression contracts and with Parks Canada to learn more about their use of fire to avoid large, uncontrollable wildfires
– publishing one newsletter
– hosting the 12th Timber Days celebration of our forestry heritage – this year as a one day event with a new birling pond
The timber industry continues to be challenged by low log prices and rising costs. We will continue to operate at a minimal level to respect the industry challenges and hope that resources will be available in the future to allow us to consider expanding our activities.
I have enjoyed being the Chairman of the Society since it began in 2002. This will be my last Chairman’s report. I wish the new Chairperson, Directors and the Society as a whole the best in the future.
