With a mission to inform, empower, celebrate and advocate for British Columbia's current and aspiring business leaders, BCBusiness go behind the headlines and bring readers face to face with the key issues and people driving business in B.C.
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B.C. has more than registered professionals quali ed in forest management O ne of the world's largest exporters of wood bre, B.C. is Canada's leading supplier of wood construction and nishing wood products. The province is also a global leader in sustainable forest management. British Columbia's forest sector has been the cornerstone of the province's economy for more than a century. When B.C. entered confederation in 1871, its reputation for high-quality timber was a major boost to Canada as a whole. Then, as it is now, the province was recognized around the world as a superior source of timber. With a strong history as a vital, active industry, the sector is well positioned for a successful future. A major player in the international forestry sector, B.C. has 55 million hectares of public forestland. The province is the world's largest exporter of softwood lumber to international markets. The United States is the most important forest-product export destination for B.C., followed by China, Japan, the European Union and other markets. Those markets are hungry for the tremendous range of products that the B.C. forest industry o ers. These include commodities (such as pulp and paper), value-added products (like engineered wood products, timber-frame homes, shingles and mouldings) and next-generation products, including biochemicals and bioenery alternatives. New opportunities are also arising: underutilized species, smaller stems and mill residue have value as raw materials for those next- generation products. As a result, the sector is becoming increasingly diversi ed. B.C.'s forests are as varied as they are abundant. There are 40 di erent species of trees. Western hemlock, western red cedar and Douglas r are found in the temperate rainforests of the Paci c Coast, while pines and spruces exist in the dry and cooler forests of the province's interior. Forest sustainability is a guiding principle in the management of B.C. forests. With First Nations becoming partners in forestry, British Columbia has more land certi ed to internationally recognized environmental standards than any other jurisdiction, a feature that's of growing importance to consumers everywhere. B.C. is unique among the world's leading forest producers because 95 per cent of its land base is publicly owned, and forest activities on this land must follow strict forest- management laws. Crucial to the industry are innovative, best practices. The industry generates $9.07 billion in economic activity for the province each year. B.C. has a highly skilled lumber workforce, with the forest sector accounting for 9.2 per cent of all economic activity in 2009. Strategically located on Canada's Paci c Coast, the industry is fully integrated with extensive port, rail and road transportation systems, allowing for easy access to global markets. Created by BCBusiness in partnership with HSBC Bank Canada 5,400 STRENGTH IN NUMBERS With its vast rangelands and verdant forests, British Columbia is home to enormous amounts of exceptional timber. Spruce, lodgehole pine and hemlock make up to 61% of the growing stock Forests cover approximately two-thirds of the province Sources: Council of Forest Industries, Forest Stewardship Council, Trade and Invest BC In 2012, there were approximately workers in B.C.'s forest industry, a six per cent increase from the previous year The industry is growing with direct and indirect employment estimated at workers 56,000 Employment in forest industry sub-sectors Pulp and paper manufacturing 17% Forestry and logging 26% Wood product manufacturing 57% 170,000