By Garry Prevedini

Recently, I had the good fortune of being the guest of Terminal Forest Products (TFP) of Vancouver, British Columbia Canada. TFP is a leading North America producer of high quality coastal Western Red Cedar and renown for clear all heart vertical grain cedar products. During my visit I was able to tour several impressive TFP milling facilities as well as an active logging operation which was formerly owned by the company. At a time when articles are written by environmentalists that frequently portray the lumber industry in a negative light, it was clear from my experience that nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, what was abundantly evident was the strong commitment to environmental stewardship that Terminal Forest Products adhered to in its forest operations. That tradition of excellence has been continued by the new property owner, A & A Log Trading. Perhaps the statement from Terminal’s annual report says it best. “We take our responsibility as environmental stewards very seriously. Terminal is a leader in an industry whose activities rely on natural resources. Our manufacturing facilities are constantly upgraded with the latest technologies to reduce emissions and pollutants into the air and water. Many of the environmental initiatives Terminal has taken over the years are regarded as benchmarks in our industry.”

Under today’s stringent forestry practices, professional foresters have to be experts in a variety of environmental disciplines in order to ensure the longevity of forests while meeting the demands of the marketplace. Great care is taken with everything from biodiversity values, maintaining water quality, protection of wildlife habitat and fisheries habitat as well as conserving forest soils. Many logging operations use low impact equipment such as low ground pressure skidders and excavators to minimize or eliminate the impact to soils on the site.  Tree branches are left on the ground during the logging process so the forest floor isn’t overly compacted which can hinder growth of newly planted seedlings. Selected mature trees are purposely not harvested on the site so they can continue to serve as natural habitat for birds of prey such as eagles and hawks.  Once the logging operation is completed, branches and debris are collected and burned to create ideal spots for the tree planters that arrive when log harvesting is completed.

As a common practice for forest companies on the coast of British Columbia, for every tree harvested, approximately three seedlings are planted.  Many times the precious seedlings are protected by plastic collars to ensure that they aren’t eaten by local deer and elk allowing them to get off to a good start. The rich growing climate of coastal British Columbia boasts annual rainfall amounts that can range from 100 to a staggering 300 inches and when combined with moderate year round temperatures, 125 -150 foot tall tree growth in 50 to 60 years is not unusual.

Studies have shown that worldwide there is 30% more forest land today than one hundred years ago.  Modern forestry practices also add value by replanting more valuable species such as Douglas Fir and Western Red Cedar in place of less desirable Hemlock or Pine.  Most forest companies also practice certified and sustainable forest management initiatives such as SFI (Sustainable Forestry Initiative) and FSC (Forestry Stewardship Counsel).  All told, the next time someone brings up the over harvesting of our forest lands, understand that we’re in better shape today than any time in our recent history.