Members of the newly formed Provincial Forest Advisory Council, co-chaired by an East Kootenay resident, are tasked with providing recommendations to government on advancing forest stewardship, while supporting communities and workers that rely on forests.

Under the Cooperation and Responsible Government Accord 2025, the B.C. government and BC Green caucus have established the Provincial Forest Advisory Council. The council will provide recommendations to government to ensure there are clear and measurable outcomes that support a healthy forests, healthy ecosystems and a healthy forestry sector.

The council will consult with industry partners, such as the Provincial Forestry Forum and ecological, environmental and biodiversity experts, to engage the public for feedback and honour commitments to work in partnership with First Nations. This community-driven approach will ensure the review is inclusive and focused on land-base certainty and sustainability.

“With boots on the ground visiting communities throughout B.C., I’ve met workers, businesses and partnered with First Nations,” said Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests. “I have seen what forestry means to them. It means good-paying jobs that support families and communities, all while protecting our biodiversity.”

The council brings together forestry sector leaders that have been jointly appointed by the BC NDP and Green caucuses. The council members are:

* co-chair – Garry Merkel (of Kimberley), director, Centre of Indigenous Land Stewardship, faculty of forestry, University of British Columbia (UBC). (Pictured above)

* co-chair – Shannon Janzen, former vice-president and chief forester, Western Forest Products.

* Norah White, deputy chief forester, B.C. government.

* Jason Fisher, executive director, Forest Enhancement Society of BC.

* Jeff Bromley, chairperson, United Steelworkers Wood Council.

* Harry Nelson, associate professor, faculty of forestry, UBC.

* Hugh Scorah, postdoctoral fellow, UBC.

* Al Gorley, retired professional forester and former president, Professional Foresters Association.

* Laurie Kremsater, professional forester, biologist, researcher and educator.

“Our best way to get ahead of this quickly evolving political, economic and ecological environment is by implementing a long-term, ecosystem-based plan that provides a stable, predictable and reliable flow of forest resources,” Merkel said.

“When we couple sustainable land stewardship with realizing most of the value of our forest resources within British Columbia, we support an economy that relies less on this unstable external environment. The council will focus on major actions that will build on existing work and outreach to move as quickly as possible to realize this long-term vision.”

Garry Merkel (nadi’ denezā) is Tahltan from northwestern British Columbia – what is now known as the Stikine River area. Now living near Kimberley, he is a great-grandfather and is a professional forester with more than 50 years of experience working in most areas of the forest/lands sector.

He is the director of the Centre of Indigenous Land Stewardship currently housed in the faculty of forestry at UBC and has a long public policy history in B.C. and beyond. The most recent was co-chairing with Al Gorley the cabinet-appointed Old Growth Review Panel that produced A New Future for Old Forests, A Strategic Review of How British Columbia Manages its Old Forests Within its Ancient Ecosystems (2021).

Government adopted the 14 recommendations in this review. Merkel continues as an independent mentor, coach, facilitator and adviser to support the government in its leadership role, the forest sector and ultimately the overall provincial land sector through this transition.

Jeff Bromley is another local tie to the Provincial Forest Advisory Council.

Elected Steelworkers Wood Council Chair in 2019, Bromley was a rank and file IWA member beginning in 1994 when he was hired as an operator at the Elko Sawmill at age 25.

Bromley was born in Richmond and grew up in Kimberley with his mother and stepfather, who was also an IWA member at the Canal Flats sawmill. He earned his associated degree at East Kootenay Community College (now College of the Rockies) with a major in history and a minor in political science.

Rising through the ranks of Local 1-405, Bromley was elected shop steward and plant committee secretary in 1999, and served as trustee from 2001 until 2008. His advocacy and political action activities have included the USW’s Stop the Killing, Enforce the Law campaign, the softwood lumber lobby effort in Ottawa and the Forest Renewal campaign in Victoria. Bromley has been a local union instructor through District 3’s Back to the Locals instructor program.

Bromley was elected third vice-president of Local 1-405 in 2008 and, in 2010, graduated from the USW’s leadership development program. Elected financial secretary in 2012, he has served the local union in a full-time staff role since 2012.

The Provincial Forest Advisory Council will provide an interim report to the B.C. government and Green caucus this fall, with a final report expected by the end of 2025.

e-KNOW

Article Share