Forest ServicVolume 6. Number 10 • A Newsletter for Ministry of Fo

Clayoquot reinforcesneed for media relations

Marney Roberts of Prince George forest district was among LlM staff

from three regions who took part in the business design branch (BOB)

regionally centred modular training. Held at Cariboo College of New

Caledonia in Prince George, the training covered Microstation

applications and 3D mono-restitution training. The mono-restitution

component teaches techniques which allow the operator to digitize

information from aerial photographs. Camera distortion is corrected by

the software. The college has been the site of five modules of PAMAP

GlS training sponsored by BOB. (Jeff Elder photo.)

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doing what they said they woulddo," Matthews says.

His formula for success is simple.

"1 deal with them in an honestand forthright manner. 1 don'thesitate to show all sides,including the mistakes of thepast." He explains that showingpast and current examplesdemonstrates the improvements.

Matthews also ensures that otherplayers in the management of

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The battle for balance is notlimited to working withjournalists. Among the thousandsof visitors to Clayoquot Soundevery year are foreign dignitaries,political leaders and scientists, allof whom hold considerable swayover public and official opinionin their homelands.

"It's very important to

communicate that government is

tWith internationalmedia attentionrelentlessly

focused on Clayoquot Sound,Ken Matthews has been in thehotseat for over a year.

That's when the operationsmanager with the Port Alberniforest district was appointedproject manager for theimplementation of the ClayoquotSound Scientific Panel'srecommendations. Though notpart of his job description, mediaand public relations suddenlybecame a significant part ofMatthews's work.

He discovered a natural talent forthe practice, which is part science,part craft. With support frompublic affairs branch in Victoria,Matthews has, with fewexceptions, ensured that all sidesof the Clayoquot debate receive afair hearing. His success has alsodrawn praise from his colleaguesin the Vancouver forest region.

"The panel recommendations aresignificant," Matthews says. "It's anew attitude toward forestmanagement that combines localdecision-making with changes onthe ground."

"The changes are many, thoughnot easy to see," he explains,noting much of the new regime isbased on things that happen"behind the scenes."

Please distribute to all employees at their workstalions

Players tee up at the 24th annual Forest Service golf tournament.

• Cariboo Spur Trophy

Awarded for retirees' overall lowgross: Vince Hernandez, PowellRiver, 185;

• Chemonics Trophy

Awarded for women's overall lowgross: Irene Levesque, WilliamsLake, 189'

• Northern Mountain Trophy

Awarded for men's overall lownet: Herb Scheltens, AlexisCreek, 132; and

• Denny MacDonald AwardAwarded for retirees' overall lownet: Rai Thomas, Victoria, 150.

In the regional team competition,which matches three-memberteams from each region andheadquarters, the final standingswere Cariboo (Brian Bentley ofWilliams Lake, Rob Bowden ofQuesnel, and King Campbell ofAlexis Creek), with a score of450, Prince Rupert, 453;Vancouver, 465; Kamloops andPrince George tied with 467; andVictoria, 496. Nelson region wasunable to field a team.

Organizers in Williams Lake arealready planning next year's event,which will mark both the tourn­ament's and the Cariboo forestregion's 25th anniversary.

Other winners included:

• Wood Hamblin Trophy

Awarded for men's overall lowgross: Brian McNaughton ofWilliams Lake, at 161;

T he 24th annual ForestService ProvincialGolfTournament

drew 81 players from aroundB.C. to the course in WilliamsLake. Open to current and formerForest Service employees, theirspouses and children, the eventhas become a perennial favoritefor golfers.

Among the high-lights of thisyear's tournament was 13-year-oldBrittany Gillis's performance,which earned her the Conairtrophy for women's low net score.Larry Coles of Vancouver, who is81 years old, took the honor ofbeing the oldest player in thetournament.

Why seUle for a hockey pool?

Anothersuccessfulyear forprovincialtourney

Sure March is a long time away, but with heavy workloads and good

old fashioned procrastination, now is the time to register for the 1997

Forest Service provincial hockey tournament.

The event will be held in Sicamous, a 15-minute drive from Salmon

Arm, on March 22 to 24. Registration is $460 per team and limited to

eight teams. All teams are guaranteed four games.

All players (except goalies) must be Forest Service employees or

Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks staff who work in Forest

Service offices.

For more information or registration, contact Todd Smith at 832-1401,

fax 832-1696 or e-mail OV TASMITH.

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Fire fighters earn praisefrom U.5. colleagues

'96 fire seasonnear recordlow: stats

The Queen Charlotte Islands forest district won first prize for this

entry in the Community Days parade. Resource Technician Cory Rhett

took on the role of Smokey Bear while Brian Zollner, also a resource

technician, played himself. The district donated the prize of $100 to

the local Lions Club, which organized the event. In all, $1 0,000 was

raised for community projects.

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With a return of cool, damp

weather, B.C!s fire season is all

but officially over. A late spring

and cool September helped the

province record its third

quietest fire season in 35

years, reported Provincial Fire

Information Officer Wendy

Stewart. Up to mid-September,

1,329 fires were recorded in

B.C., burning 22,000 hectares.

In an average year, 3,000 fires

consume 57,000 hectares.

First Prize:

Malaysia has contracted the ForestService to help establish a fireprotection program. Otherjurisdictions, including Argentina,Korea, Chile and Italy, are allinterested in buying B.C. expertise.

"We have an ongoing dialoguewith about 23 countries,"Dunlop said. "These peoplecould go any place in the world,and the fact that they chose heremakes us proud."

"There's quite a market out therefor us to start earning somerevenue," he added. The protec­tion program's internationalstature also delivers spin-off

. benefits for B.C. producers of firefighting equipment.

tprotection program firefighters earned a glowingletter of commendation

from a Washington State officialfor their help in containing a latesummer fire near Omak, southofOsoyoos.

"It was indeed a pleasure to haveworked with such fine firefighters," said IncidentCommander James Furlong in aletter to protection programDirector Jim Dunlop. "Theirpositive attitude and resolve to

achieve the objective ... wasapparent in every way."

Forty-two firefighters from theSmithers and Kamloops centreswere dispatched to Washington inAugust to help state crews battlethe Timberline fire.

Furlong's letter came as littlesurprise to Dunlop. He receivedsimilar kudos from threejurisdictions that B.C. helped outthis year under the Mutual AidResource Sharing Agreement.

"The one thing that everybodycomments about is our safetyculture," noted Dunlop. "Safetyhas become part of our culture,not just rules." As well, he said,officials from the U.s. ForestService, Quebec and Ontario alsomentioned a "contagious, get-on­with-the-job attitude."

"Fire fighters the world over strivefor improvement, so we're usuallytelling each other what wentwrong. The fact that they'retelling us what went right meansthey really mean it."

That kind of reputation - andthe ability behind it - isbeginning to pay dividends.

3

a full-time job as zone technician in

Revelstoke forest district.

"I look forward to coming to work

every day," he says, explaining that

the variety keeps his work interesting.

But Smiley, who is originally from

the Okanagan, hadn't even planned a

career in forestry.

When he enrolled in BCIT's renewable

resources program in 1991, he hoped

to focus on fish and wildlife.

Overcrowded classes forced him into

the forestry stream. His initial

disappointment turned into

enthusiasm within four months.

"I hadn't had any exposure to

forestry before BCIT," he

recalls. "It turned out to be a

good thing." Now, Smiley

plans to build a career in the

Forest Service and is

contemplating a forestry

degree under the ministry's

pupil program.

With or without previous

experience, the newcomers

have faced the task of

acclimatizing to B.C.

"Coming here can be

intimidating," says Jim

Young. "But you take a step

back and realize 'tree planting

is tree planting'. You take the

attitude of using what you've got and

you can go anywhere."

For many new recruits, similarities

between the Ontario and B.C.

industries have eased the transition.

Mackenzie forest district Small

Business Forester Ross Knudson,

who worked 21 years for Ontario's

Ministry of Natural Resources,

admits he's on a "steep learning

curve." But much is the same, at least

in the boreal forest of B.C.'s interior:

"Lodgepole pine replaces jack pine.

Even the bugs are the same. Except

here I climb more hills."

- continued on fillowing page

importance of the industry to B.C.,

relative to Ontario, adds a critical

edge to the debate.

"Many things are the same: changing

social values and a changing wood

supply. But people here really valuethe forest," she says.

That awareness instills an infectious

enthusiasm among new Forest

Service staff, whether or not they

have outside experience on which to

base a comparison.

"It's an exciting time to be in the

forestry industry," says Lisa Young,

who joined the Horsefly district just

over a year after graduating from

UBC's Faculty of Forestry.

And an introduction to forestry in

B.C. was all it took to change at least

one person's way of thinking entirely.

The cross-Canada recruitment

enabled Trevor Smiley to convert an

auxiliary position in Williams Lake to

Jim Young and Madeline Maley: came in

search of career opportunities and a

"better place" to raise a family.

This is the secondpart ofa two partseries that examines the earlyimpressions ofafew ofthe people whorecently joined the Forest Serviceunder the cross-Canada recruit.

B.C. forestry careersexceed expectations

T he B.C. hills are alive

with the sound of

enthusiasm.

Despite all the diversity among the

Forest Service's new recruits, they all

agree on one thing: B.c.'s forest

industry is the place to be.

"Forestry is more interesting in

B.C.," says Maureen Scott, who

came to Lillooet forest district fromOntario last fall. "It's a hot issue. No

matter who you are, if you live in

B.C. you've got an opinion about

forestry. It's more relevant to

everyone's lives."

The Ontario industry is not without

its controversy, including what Port

Alberni Field Operations Supervisor

Jim Young calls its own version of

Clayoquot Sound. But "there's not as

much activism and polarity inOntario," he notes.

However, it's not Ontario's

management practices that have

prevented the industry from gaining

the notoriety it has here. Young, who

worked 15 years for the Ontario

Ministry of Natural Resources,

believes the forestry debate in B.C. is

fueled in part by the visibility of the

industry - its proximity to large

urban centres and the legions of

tourists who venture into every

corner of the province.

"If you live in Toronto, the forest

industry is not as visible," he says.

Madeline Maley, another former

Ontarian who now works at the Port

Alberni district, says the economic

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The developer's team finished first,followed by the inter-branch teamand then human resources.

The regatta was part of a celebra­tion hosted by Jawl Industries, the

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company behind Victoria's Selkirkwaterfront development, home toseveral Forest Service branches.

The protection, tech. and admin.,nursery and seed services, businessdesign, audit services andcompliance and enforcementbranches moved into the new ArcBuilding last summer.

staff disembark

after their

second-place

finish: (I. to r.)

Phil Taudin-

Chabot, David

Wegelin, Moira

Syring, Karah Lowry, Trevor Lum, Chris

Hennessy, Lorna Wollner, Tania McLean, and

Lisa Crumly. Guess who Olympic rowing

medalist Silken Laumann was cheering for?

Eighteen ForestService staff anted up$69 each to take acrash course inrowing the nine­person boats.Coached by membersof Canada's Olympicrowing team, whotrain with theVictoria RowingClub, they acquiredthe skills and team­work necessary topropel the "coxedeight" shells over the500-metre course.

The day featured tworaces, one for novicesand another for moreexperienced rowers.In the novice event,two Forest Serviceteams-onecomposed of humanresources branchstaff and the other acombination ofmembers ofprotection, tech. andadmin. services, andaudit services ­competed against thedeveloper's architectsand designers.

"I really enjoyed it," said PhilTaudin-Chabot, of protectionbranch. "But it's not as easy as itlooks."

1)on't quit your day job.That, perhaps, is thefinal word on a handful

of Forest Service staff who got anintroduction to competitive rowingat a recent celebration to mark theofficial opening of a Victoria realestate development.

Forestry careers, continued

Without exception, the recruits haveacquired a great respect for their newcolleagues and the Forest Service asan organization.

"There are very dedicated and clear­sighted people working here,"observes Joe Alcock, an earthscientist who joined the Goldenforest district last year.

Another newcomer realizedimmediately that the work ethicamong Forest Service staff defies thelong-standing - and archaic ­stereotype of government employees.

"I've never seen more dedicatedpeople in my life," says FrankHelier, a watershed restorationtechnician with the Merritt forestdistrict. HelIer worked for theGreater Vancouver Regional Districtparks department before the cross­Canada recruitment gave him thechance to fulfill his wish to moveout of the Lower Mainland.

"There's always the perception ofgovernment workers sitting backwith their feet up on their desks. Isee people putting in 110 per centevery day."

It's a healthy environment intowhich to welcome the new arrivals.

Regatta opens newVictoria onices

5

- Submitted by staffofthe Merritt fOrest district

Got anything to report, Larry?

andfamiliarize himselfwith theprovisions thereofregarding driverslicence, speed regulations, etc.

In the event ofa fOrest officerslicence being suspended, the officerconcerned must report the incident

to the Forest Branch, givingfullparticulars ofthe case.

Staff, friendsand relatives,includingMike'sparents Benand Bonnieof LiefRapids,Manitoba,attended amemorial inMerritt onAugust 26. In

his eulogy, District Manager RodDeBoice reflected on hiscolleague's contributions,especially to morale, and to hisfriendships throughout the ForestService. It was viewed as acelebration of his life. He was acatalyst, especially after hours: hehad a way of getting peopletogether, resulting in eitherdented trucks or, more often, fun.

He will be sadly missed. Staff inthe Merritt forest district areworking to establish a memorialin his honor.

Fawcett

drivers licence. Car drivers licences

must be obtained at the expense ofthe fOrest officer taking them out.

A supply ofthe copies oftheamendment is being sent to eachdistrict fOrester fOr distribution tothose members ofthe field staffwho

may be required to drive ForestBranch cars. Each fOrest officer willobtain a copy ofthis amendment

Merritt technician dies in accident.Merritt forest districtSilviculture TechnicianMichael Fawcett diedtragically on August 16while fishing on the SkeenaRiver near Hazelton.

Mike joined the district in1992, and was in Hazeltonin the Kispiox forest districton a six-month secondmentas silviculture fieldoperations supervisor. Whilein Hazelton, his contri-bution to the silvicultureprogram, and to the district as awhole, was significant. He had away of getting involved andsolving problems.

Mike's contribution in Merrittwas very much noticed. Heprogressed from learning thesilviculture program to runningthe program in the south zone ofthe district as a senior technician.

His commitment to progressand challenging the status quomade an impact that was felt byeveryone, including clerical staffwho deciphered his writingand spelling.

From the desk of thechief forester, circa 1920

Whew. That's a relief. And if youthink coping with changingtechnology is a pain, imagine howyou would feel if someone toldyou you need a licence to fire upthe 486. After all, people docompare the computer age to therevolution brought about by theautomobile.

YOU think you haveproblems? Sure theForest Practices Codeimplementation mayput us to the test, but

this April 18, 1920 "OfficeOrder" from the chief foresterreveals another kind of hassle.

The Atlas draughtsman is seriouslyhandicapped in his work because ofothers using his table fOr examining

blueprints on.

It is requested that in future anyonewishing to use the blueprints will doso at another table. An endeavor

will be made to provide onespecially fOr the use ofthe public.

December 22, 1924

To allfOrest officers:

The attention offOrest officers isdirected to the recent amendment to

the Motor Act, the provisions ofwhich require that every personoperating a motor vehicle on the

public highway take out a driverslicence. This amendment goes into

effect on January 1, 1925.

Every fOrest officer in charge ofaForest Branch motor car ormotorcycle, or who may be requiredto drive a Forest Branch motor

vehicle in the course ofhis duties,must obtain without delay a car

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Bonspiel hits 30th year

Good ideas earn cash

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anticipatecompanies'submission ofscale returns.

The form wasimplemented inthe Port Albernidistrict inFebruary, 1994,and becamepart of theVancouverforest region'sBillingProceduresManual in May,1995.

Duncan forest district FinancialOfficer Maureen Tilbury hasreceived an additional $1,323 forher idea to create a new electronicform that streamlines accountingprocedures.

Tilbury initially received $500 forher suggestion, which saves staffthe time and hassle of completinga hard copy and walking it to thefinancial officer. Based on anevaluation of the new form after ayear's use, Tilbury was awardedthe additional amount.

Port Alberni forest districtRevenue Clerk Tori Jones hasearned $2,400 under theEmployee Suggestion Program forher idea that simplifies scalingreconciliations.

Knowing that forest companiesmust keep their own scalingrecords, Jones designed a newform, the scale site activity report,that provides additionalinformation to complete thereconciliation process. The formenables district scalers to

Tori Jones receives her award from Port Alberni

District Manager Paul Pashnik, Scaling Supervisor

Ken Rolls and coast Check Scaler Larry Bone.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Forest Service provincial

bonspiel and organizers are working hard to make it a memorable one.

For more information or to register, call Sharon Berkey at 554-5523

or Bruce Noble at 554-5503, or write to 2985 Airport Road,

Kamloops, V2B 7W8.

Scheduled for February 7 to 9 at the Kamloops Curling Club, the event

is open to 72 teams. Registration of $140 per team guarantees three

games, trophies, prizes and the Saturday night banquet. Rumors of a

major door prize are also circulating. Registration deadline is

February 1.

Media relations, continued

Clayoquot Sound, such as FirstNations, get a chance to voicetheir views. When a reporter visitsthe area, he will arrangeinterviews with First Nationsrepresentatives.

He says he would also arrangesessions with environmentalists."But that's not necessary. They doa good job of getting theirmessage out themselves."

Another factor is persuadingjournalists to visit the area, ratherthan just do telephone interviews.

"The journalists who come outand spend the time usually giveus a fair shake," he says.

"Most people are open andwilling to listen. With them, it'ssatisfYing. You feel confident thatyou're getting the message across."

But there are exceptions. ''A smallnumber ofvisitors come withtheir minds made up. Whetherit's a journalist or somebody else,there's very little you can do orsay that will change that."

If a journalist gets the factswrong, Matthews will follow upand try to set the record straight.

"But if you don't like a storybecause of the way it wasrepresented, you may be out ofluck," he says.

Although being thrust into theinternational spotlight wouldintimidate many, Matthews is notuncomfortable with the role.

The critical lesson he has drawnfrom the past year's experience isthe importance of taking the timeto get the message out. He's alsodeveloped a new level of respectfor public relations practitioners.

"I appreciate how difficult it is toget the point across in the contextyou want."

QCI team paddles Haidacanoe to second place

This year, the district team took awide arc around the mark,increasing the distance butmaintaining speed.

Luck also played a role. Becauseonly one canoe was available, therace was run in solo heats. Eachof the 10 teams was timed todetermine the final standings. Butafter the district team completedtheir heat, the tide turned, forcingseveral of their opponents to buckthe current.

The canoe used in the race washand-carved from a single cedarlog by Haida. Designed by BillReid, the canoe took 20 carversthree months to complete.

Initially commissioned by theHong Kong Bank of Canada forExpo 86, the canoe was to bedisplayed in the bank's foyer afterthe fair. But it was returned to theHaida when the bank discoveredit was too big for the space.

"It was amazingly smooth andfast," said team memberDeGagne. "With everyoneworking together, we kept up afast pace."

The race was part of SkidegateDays, a two-day celebrationorganized by the Haida Nation.

The 13-personteam paddled atraditionalHaida canoe to asecond-placefinish, losing byjust four-tenthsof a second to anexperiencedHaida team.

Team memberFrank DeGagne,a forest planner,attributes the

,team s success to

experience andluck. ResourceTechnicianEngineer TonyRoss, whopaddled onprevious ForestService teams,rememberedtheir mistake lastyear. The teammade a sharp

turn to round the buoy markingone end of the course in amaneuver that slowed the 15­metre canoe considerably.

Queen Charlotte Islands forest district staff

celebrate after the race.

Staff from the QueenCharlotte Islands forestdistrict rattled their

opponents in a canoe race heldthis summer in Skidegate.

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The British Columbia Forest Service News is published on the third Monday of each

month by the public affairs branch.

Mailing Address:

PO Box 9517 Stn Provincial GovernmentVictoria, British Columbia V8W 9C2Phone: 387-5255 Fax: 387-8485

Contributions are welcome. Please send your comments, suggestions and contributions to:Paul Lackhoff, editor, (phone 953-3142, OV PTLACKHO) at public affairs branch orKen Kolba (360-2213, fax 382-7631 or Internet kolbacom@islandnet.com).

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