?CARRIEKELLY SpecialtotheSun Fromemploymenttorecreation,forestsplayahugerole inCanada'seconomy. Forest products are B.C.'s mostimportantexportcommodity,accountingformore than half of the value of the province'sinternationalgoods exports. InAlberta,theforestindustry contributes $9 billion to the economy, according to AlbertaSustainableResource Development, and employs 38,000 Albertans in primary andsecondaryforestproducts manufacturing. Manyworkingin the forest Everydaytheforestindustry is a big part of people's lives,oftenwithoutthemeven beingaware. Sittingat abreakfasttable, usingawoodencuttingboard, openingmailorputtingpaper intheprinterallinvolvetrees. To ensuretherewillalways be enough of this renewable resourceanditisbeingman- PHOTOCOURTESYCANADIANFORESTINDUSTRIESMAGAZINE industry are involvedin logging,fromoperatingmachinery, chainsaws and skidders todrivingtrucks. Th eforestindustryisavital partofmorethan50communitiesaroundAlberta,including Whitecourt, a town of about 10,000 people 175 km northwestofEdmonton. The community certainly benefits from the industry, acknowledges Whitecourt MayorTrevorTh ain. "InthetownofWhitecourt andsurroundingarea,40percentofthejobsaredirectlyor indirectly related to the forestryindustry,"hesays. "The average income we haveinourcommunityisvery high. The forestry industry providesgoodpayingjobs." Twosawmills,apulp agedinanenvironmentallyandsociallyresponsible way, several organizationshaveevolved. The Canadian Standards AssociationSustainableForestsManagementSystem,the Sustainable Forest Initiative andForestStewardshipCouncil (FSC) are among those workingtostrengthenforests. mill and paper mill all contributetoWhitecourt'seconomy,providingjobsandgivingbacktothecommunity. "They are good corporate citizens," saysTh ain."Wehave anewrecreationcentrewith a pool, gymnasium, walking trackandmorethatwouldn't be possible without the corporatesponsorship." OneofWhitecourt'smajor corporate citizens is Millar Western Forest Products, which has been part of the communitysince1922. Abioenergyprojectisinthe works there to turn organic materialfrompulpmillwastewaterintoelectricity,andthe provincial government says thepowergeneratedwillhelp operatethecompany'smillin Whitecourt. An FSC label provides assuranceproductsarefroma sustainableforest,andchain of custody is rigorously documented with an internationaldatabaserightthrough totheendproduct,saysMaia Becker, vice-presidentofFSC Canada. PrintcorbecameFSCcertifiedaboutfiveyearsagoand As a result, Millar Western will use 6.2 fewer megawattsfromthepowergrid- enough electricity to serve 6,500homesayear. The province has earmarked$17.5millioninfundingfortheproject. Tourists go to Whitecourt for a number of reasons, includingquaddingalongthe many cutlines and resource roadsinthearea. Many tourists also check out the demonstration forest. Located just a few minutesfromtown,theE.S.Huestis Demonstration Forest is a 10-sq.-km area that shows howaforestcansustainrecreation,wildlifeandharvestingoveranextendedperiod. The Alberta Newsprint CompanyinWhitecourtoffers isauditedeachyear. "We want to be doing the right thing and be responsible,"saysBrentRoberston,coownerofCalgaryPrintcor. "Wehadastafforientation soeveryonewasawareofthe importanceoftheprocessand followingguidelines." Printcorproducesavariety ofpaperproducts,frommag- PHOTOCOURTESYGOVERNMENTOFALBERTA FORESTRY FORESTRYaVITALpartofourLIVES public tours and - with the help of a multi-million-dollargrantfromtheprovince- istestingtechnologytotryto makepaperoutofmountain pinebeetle-infestedwood. Inadditiontolumber, pulp and saw mills, many more companiescontributetothe Canadian economy by servingtheforestindustry. Finning, which sells Caterpillar forest machinery, is seeing an increase this year inordersinB.C.,says Dardo Krueger, sales manager for FinninginPrinceGeorge. "Forestryremainsthedriver oftheB.C.economyandwhat has really made a difference istheAsianeconomy.China hassurpassedtheU.S. asthe numberonecustomerofB.C. lumber,"hesays. Standardsprovideproofofsustainability azinesandannualreportsto letterheadandenvelopes. "Being able to offer FSCcertifiedproductshasopened up a lot of opportunities for us," Robertsonsays. AddsBecker:"Manybuyers wantindependentassurance ofwhereaproductcamefrom andwhatimpactithashad." -CARRIEKELLY WORTH CELEBRATING Therearetwogreat reasonstocelebrate foreststhisyear. TheUnitedNations hasdeclared2011the InternationalYearof Foreststoraiseawareness oftheintegralroleforests playinthelivelihoodsof peopleworldwide. Itisalsothe100th anniversaryofthecreation offorestreservesand parksinAlberta,andthe provincialgovernmentis encouragingallAlbertans tocelebratebylearning moreaboutourforest heritageandvaluable naturalresource. DIDYOUKNOW? n Forestssupport Alberta'sthirdlargest industryandprovide opportunitiesforhunting, viewingwildlife,hikingand ridingoff-highwayvehicles. n Alberta'sforests growabout44.5million cubicmetresofwoodper year.Forestcompanies arerequiredtoreforest whattheyharvestand replantabout75million coniferousseedlingseach yearinAlberta. n About645foresters and574foresttechnologistspractiseforestryas registeredprofessionalsin Alberta. -Source:GovernmentofAlberta n B.C.forestsinclude 25millionhectaresofoldgrowthforest-treesthat areatleast250yearsold. OnthePacificcoast,where firesarerare,treescanlive aslongas1,000years. n Majorspeciesoftrees harvestedintheB.C. includewesternredcedar, ponderosapineand lodgepolepine. n AlmostallB.C.wood issoftwood,usedtomake lumber,plywood,shakes, shingles,newsprint,and pulpandpaperproducts. -Source:GovernmentofB.C.