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ALBERTA WOODLANDS
STEWARDSHIP REPORT 2012
CONTENTS
COMPANY PROFILE ........................................................................................... 4
MAP OF ALBERTA OPERATIONS ....................................................................... 5
WEST FRASER IN ALBERTA .............................................................................. 6
MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF FORESTER .......................................................... 7
2012 OPERATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS .................................................................... 9
Slave Lake Pulp/ Alberta Plywood .................................................................................................... 10
Sundre Forest Products.................................................................................................................... 11
Hinton Wood Products ..................................................................................................................... 12
Edson Forest Products ..................................................................................................................... 13
Blue Ridge Lumber ........................................................................................................................... 14
REFORESTATION ............................................................................................. 15
RESEARCH ....................................................................................................... 16
INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS ................................................................................ 19
COLLABORATION ............................................................................................. 21
SPOTLIGHTS .................................................................................................... 23
Search and Rescue ...................................................................................................................... .23
Education ....................................................................................................................................... 24
In the Woods………………………………………………………………………………………………….26
CERTIFICATION ............................................................................................... 28
APPENDIX: RESEARCH PROJECTS 2012
2
COMPANY PROFILE
West Fraser was founded in 1955 when three brothers – Sam, Bill and Pete Ketcham – pooled their
resources to buy a small planing mill in Quesnel, B.C. From that early entrepreneurial spark, West
Fraser has grown to be the largest lumber producer in North America.
An integrated North American wood products company, West Fraser operates thirty-eight mills across
western Canada and the southern United States. Our main product is lumber (spruce/pine/fir (“SPF”)
and southern yellow pine (“SYP”)). West Fraser also produces panels (plywood, MDF and LVL), pulp
(NBSK and BCTMP), newsprint and wood chips.
Our Canadian operations are located in British Columbia and Alberta and manufacture lumber
(spruce/pine/ fir (“SPF”), panels (plywood, MDF and LVL), pulp (NBSK and BCTMP), newsprint and
wood chips. Our U.S. operations are located across several southern states and produce southern
yellow pine (“SYP”) lumber and wood chips.
LUMBER
Canada
1. Quesnel
2. Williams Lake
3. Smithers
4. Chetwynd
5. Fraser Lake
6. Chasm
7. Houston
8. 100 Mile House
9. Blue Ridge
10. Slave Lake
11. Hinton
12. Edson
13. Sundre
U.S.
14. Joyce
15. Huttig
16. Henderson
17. New Boston
18. Leola
19. Maplesville
20. Opelika
21. Seaboard
22. Armour
23. Newberry
24. Augusta
25. Whitehouse
26. McDavid
PULP & PAPER
27. Hinton
28. Quesnel (2)
29. Slave Lake
30. Whitecourt
PLYWOOD
31. Edmonton
32. Quesnel
33. Williams Lake
MDF
34. Blue Ridge
35. Quesnel
VENEER & LVL
36. Rocky Mountain House
37. Slave Lake
4
MAP OF ALBERTA OPERATIONS
5
WEST FRASER IN ALBERTA
West Fraser’s eleven wholly-owned Alberta manufacturing facilities produce a diversified range of products
including lumber, plywood, pulp, medium density fibreboard (MDF), laminated veneer lumber (LVL) and
treated wood products such as fence posts and decking. In addition, West Fraser has a 50% interest in, but
is not the managing partner, of Alberta Newsprint Company (ANC). ANC produces newsprint for the North
American market.
MANAGING FORESTS ON PUBLIC LAND IS A RESPONSIBILITY
THAT WEST FRASER TAKES VERY SERIOUSLY
In Alberta, we manage more than 3.8 million hectares of publicly-owned land through four woodlands
divisions in the communities of Slave Lake, Blue Ridge, Hinton and Sundre. Our operations directly provide
more than 2,100 challenging, highly-skilled jobs and support more than 4,000 indirect jobs through our
contracting of services and suppliers in communities throughout rural Alberta.
West Fraser holds six Forest Management Agreements (FMAs) as well as a number of Timber Quotas,
which grant rights to harvest a certain amount of timber annually from a defined geographical area. Our
Slave Lake Pulp/Alberta Plywood division is also involved in a jointly-managed FMA with two other forest
companies (Tolko Industries Ltd. and Vanderwell Contractors Ltd.).
Being a forest management agreement holder comes with many responsibilities, challenges and
opportunities. In addition to investing in our manufacturing facilities and employing Albertans, we
responsibility and sustainably manage the forest lands entrusted to us. FMAs have many additional
responsibilities that we must meet such as long-term forest management planning, road construction,
protecting water quality, working with stakeholders, recreation, reforestation and wildlife habitat
management, which is certified and verified by third-party auditors under our certification standards (see
page 28). We have similar rights and responsibilities in the many areas where we have Timber Quota,
except that the harvest volume is set on a percentage basis rather than as a fixed volume amount.
Our ability to continue to manage publicly-owned lands as a renewable resource is dependent on the public
and government’s confidence that we are doing a good job sustainably managing this shared resource. This
Stewardship Report describes the sustainable forest management activities undertaken by West Fraser’s
Alberta woodlands operations in 2012.
”
“
6
North American and offshore wood product markets are showing
improvement compared to the past number of years. A tone of
optimism about our business is rising – certainly a welcome change.
West Fraser’s philosophy of continued investment in our operations
and communities has enabled our mills to remain well positioned to
perform as demand begins to increase for lumber, panels and pulp.
West Fraser has also initiated some exciting projects in 2012 in the
areas of energy conservation and bioenergy.
In October of 2012, we were pleased to welcome the folks from the
former Sundance Forest Industries to West Fraser. The Edson-based
operation, now named Edson Forest Products, is a very good fit with
our Alberta operations. The employees bring with them a large
amount of expertise, enthusiasm and energy which complements our
existing employee base well.
At the end of 2012 – after thirty-five years in the industry – West
Fraser’s Jim Lelacheur decided to leave his position as Chief
Forester behind to pursue his retirement dreams. His contributions to
the practice of forestry in Alberta are well recognized by all who
worked with him.
As I travel throughout our divisions, I am impressed with the
dedication, experience, and professionalism I see in our woodlands
staff and I’m looking forward to providing support to their operations
and initiatives.
GORDON SANDERS CHIEF FORESTER,
ALBERTA
MESSAGE FROM THE
CHIEF FORESTER
AS THE CHIEF FORESTER FOR WEST FRASER IN
ALBERTA, I AM HONOURED TO SHARE WITH YOU
OUR SUSTAINABLE FOREST PRACTICES AND
WOODLANDS STEWARDSHIP ACTIVITIES IN THE
PROVINCE.
7
It is an exciting time to join the forest industry. We have benefited from a very talented group here in
Alberta who ensure that we produce sustainably-sourced, green products through forest practices
grounded in good science and sound management principles. The next decade will be a time of
renewal for our forestry team as some of our staff move into retirement while other members of our
forestry team will move forward to take on new roles. This transition presents an opportunity for future
employees looking for challenge and career progression in an industry where committed, enthusiastic
people can build a career in a sustainable sector. There is much opportunity in this field and it will be
important to share our passion for forest management with others as they consider the opportunities in
our industry and the forestry profession.
Our forests continue to be threatened by the mountain pine beetle, but I am hopeful efforts and
investments by government and industry will be effective in controlling it. We must not let down our
guard – the beetle is still very much a threat. In the beetle’s wake, we have much to do to ensure that
we have trees to harvest in the future. This strategy is not only good for our business, but for others that
use the forest and the resources it provides.
Demand for and the use of forest land is also increasing for many reasons, such as recreation
opportunities and other industry development. We have to make sure our practices in the forest are
sustainable and that we apply new technology and best practices to continue improving our activities to
manage the landbase with care. Understanding what Albertans want from their forests is a key
component in ensuring support for our operations. We need to maintain the forest land base, the social
licence for us to operate on the land and do the best job we possibly can to sustainably maintain and
responsibly manage the fibre supply critical to our future.
GORDON SANDERS
CHIEF FORESTER, ALBERTA
8
2012 OPERATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
Alberta is an important region to the Company. Since 2010, we have invested more than $330 million in
improving our pulp, energy and solid wood operations in Alberta.
New technologies are quickly changing how foresters collect information about the landscape. For
example, LIDAR - otherwise known as Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) - is a remote-sensing technology
that captures images of the ground below the trees and brush. LIDAR enables foresters to analyze very
accurate and detailed data about the areas where we plan to operate — from ground topography to
height information for individual trees — all from a forester's office. The use of new remote-sensing
technologies like LIDAR supports our planning foresters to develop more accurate maps and plans for
activities such as harvesting, road planning and the maintenance and enhancement of wildlife habitat.
Improving the technology of our planning is one aspect of our commitment to responsibly managing
and sustainably stewarding forest resources on the provincial lands where we operate. We are taking
aggressive measures to control the spread of the mountain pine beetle in our operating areas in
collaboration with Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development (AESRD). This is
paired with an active replanting program to ensure that the forest will continue to be a stable and
available resource for future generations of people and wildlife.
In 2012, we were honoured as one of the Top 100 Employers in Canada. Recognition of us as a
sought-after employer is crucial as we compete for the attention of tradespeople, skilled workers and
professionals looking to build and grow their career with a responsible, stable company like West
Fraser. We think there is an exciting future ahead at our company for people who are looking to work
in a sustainable industry where they can find challenge in their work, balance in their lifestyle and
opportunities to grow professionally with the support of their colleagues.
9
Bert Larocque
Woods Manager
SLAVE LAKE PULP / ALBERTA PLYWOOD
Primary product: pulp and plywood
Tenure FMA Area (ha) AAC Coniferous
(m3/yr)
AAC Deciduous
(m3/yr) Total AAC (m3)
Slave Lake
FMA Tenure 637,100 313,361 528,118 841,479
Marten Hills
Joint FMA (50%) 666,321 204,356 n/a 204,356
Quota 228,317 229,317
Slave Lake Pulp / Alberta Plywood woodlands staff completed our key business objectives in a safe
and environmentally conscientious manner in 2012. The community of Slave Lake was devastated by a
forest fire in May 2011, and the woodlands team has worked diligently to complete the salvage of trees
affected by the fire. Highlights from this year include:
Slave Lake Veneer consumed the last of the fire-salvaged coniferous logs in July 2012. Small
volumes of salvageable sawlogs continue to be used at our Blue Ridge Lumber mill.
Slave Lake Pulp continues to consume fire-salvaged deciduous logs. One of few companies
that salvaged fire-damaged timber, we brought in a grand total of 16,644 log truck loads from
the 2011 fire areas. This is enough volume to sustain operations at our two Slave Lake mills for
approximately two-thirds of the year.
A new Slave Lake Pulp Forest Management Agreement (FMA)
was passed by Order in Council in August of 2012. The term of
the new Agreement is twenty years, and must be renewed every
ten years.
Congratulations to the silviculture woodlands staff! We reached a
record of 7.5 million planted trees during the past spring and
summer. Our silviculture program has significantly increased in
size due to a commitment to restore previously regenerated
cutblocks that were lost during 2011 fires.
10
Greg Neale
Woods Manager
SUNDRE FOREST PRODUCTS
Primary products: lumber, LVL and treated wood products
Tenure FMA Area (ha) AAC Coniferous
(m3/yr)
AAC Deciduous
(m3/yr) Total AAC (m3)
FMA Tenure 554,932 1,180,189 95,696 1,275,885
Timber Quota n/a 19,514 10,640 30,154
Sundre’s detailed Forest Management Plan is due for submission in 2015. Our have established the
terms of reference and have begun a forest inventory which will be used to inform the Forest
Management Plan (FMP). A Forest Inventory includes things like a determination of the various forest
cover types and hydrologic features, a landbase update, and identification of damaged stands. The
Plan is the final result of a long process which incorporates a tremendous amount of participation from
the foresters at the mill, government, the public and other users of the forest resources like hunters,
trappers and people recreating in the area. Our staff and consultants invest the equivalent of ten years
of people time to prepare and develop the Forest Management Plan. Highlights from this year include:
Sundre maintains an aggressive reforestation program that manages the establishment and
monitors the performance of planted and seeded trees in harvested cutblocks for more than
fourteen years after replanting. Since 2000, the Sundre operation has planted more than 50
million seedlings.
With the Government of Alberta, Sundre renewed our Forest
Management Agreement for twenty years.
Sundre worked with Alberta Environment and Sustainable
Resource Development, Inside Education, and other Industry
stakeholders to revive an educational program at the Des
Crossley Demonstration Forest in Strachan. Students learned
about forestry, “Bear Smart” principles and careers in the forest
industry.
11
Bruce Alexander
Woods Manager
HINTON WOOD PRODUCTS
Primary products: pulp and lumber
Tenure FMA Area (ha) AAC Coniferous
(m3/yr)
AAC Deciduous
(m3/yr) Total AAC (m3)
FMA Tenure 988,774 1,766,576 249,832 2,016,408
Our Hinton FMA has been successfully managed on a sustainable basis for 58 years, since the
commencement of logging operations in 1955. This region has supported a lot of industrial activity and
it continues to be challenged by many competing industrial uses for the landbase. This activity puts
significant pressure on the timber available to the mill on a sustainable basis. However, Hinton woods
staff are working with other industrial users and developing mitigation strategies to address these
challenges. Highlights from this year include:
In mid-June we celebrated the accomplishment of planting the 200 millionth seedling planted on
the Hinton Forest Management Area.
Over the past year we have experienced increased mountain pine beetle presence at both our
FMA dispersal bait sites and log yard funnel traps. We continue to implement aggressive level I
and II control measures in areas hit hardest by the beetle
(Marlboro — just west of Edson).
In cooperation with the Government of Alberta, Hinton
woodlands staff commenced work on the development of our
ten year detailed Forest Management Plan. We aim to
complete the plan by September 2014.
Local contractors completed salvage harvesting activities in
areas that were heavily damaged by severe hail storms. We
were able to salvage sawlogs and pulplogs for our operations
from these damaged stands.
12
EDSON FOREST PRODUCTS
Primary products: lumber and a range of specialty dimension wood products
Tenure FMA Area (ha) AAC Coniferous
(m3/yr)
AAC Deciduous
(m3/yr) Total AAC (m3)
FMA Tenure 265,911 795,130 52,926 848,056
In October 2012, West Fraser acquired the sawmilling and remanufacturing operations of Sundance
Forest Industries Ltd. located near Edson, Alberta together with associated long-term timber harvesting
rights. The site is now operated as Edson Forest Products. Highlights from this year include:
We are excited to welcome the Edson team as part of our growing Alberta operations. The
Edson facility supplies residual fibre to both our Hinton pulp mill and our Ranger Board MDF
plant.
We have begun the planning and preparations to rebuild the sawmill. We aim to be fully
operational by the end of 2013.
Edson’s forestry operations are managed through the Hinton woods group.
Edson Forest Products – formerly known as Sundance
Forest Industries Ltd. – has been operating in the Edson
region since 1931. To weather the ever-changing lumber
markets, the mill has a history of reinventing itself to
supply markets with quality wood products. The mill has
earned an excellent reputation through careful attention
to quality and customer requirements.
13
Brian Davies
Woods Manager
BLUE RIDGE LUMBER
Primary product: lumber
Tenure FMA Area (ha) AAC Coniferous
(m3/yr)
AAC Deciduous
(m3/yr) Total AAC (m3)
FMA Tenure 662,392 735,032 117,640 852,672
Timber Quota n/a 275,908 n/a 275,908
Blue Ridge Lumber’s woods staff had a very challenging year in 2012. Operations geared up to supply
an increased volume of timber to the mill which had a twenty-five per cent capacity expansion in 2011.
Highlights from this year include:
Blue Ridge grew from four major harvesting contractors to add five more small-to-medium size
contractors. We increased our training regarding operating ground rules, environmental
standards and log quality standards.
We completed a new 8 km section of haul road which includes a major stream crossing
requiring the installation of a 23 metre steel and concrete bridge.
Blue Ridge finished the salvage of a significant timber blowdown
event from the previous year and continued the salvage harvesting
of burned wood from the 2011 Slave Lake fires. Our supervisors
also worked hard with our contractors and the contractors of other
suppliers to ensure we maintained our log quality standards.
We continue to work cooperatively with Alberta Environment and
Sustainable Resource Development and other industry players to
control the spread of the mountain pine beetles through aggressive
level I and II control measures.
14
REFORESTATION
In Alberta all harvested areas must be
reforested. Our foresters manage the forests
entrusted to us with the goal of ensuring these
forests remain healthy and vibrant and continue
to provide environmental, social and economic
benefits for communities and the province.
Healthy, young, regenerating forests capture
more carbon per unit area than almost any
other type of land cover. Most of our harvesting
practices create openings that are consistent
with the effects of natural disturbances, such as
those that fire and insects normally create.
These openings create the best conditions for
regeneration for most of the tree species we
manage.
Our silviculture foresters examine sites before
they are harvested to develop a plan to
determine the most ecologically appropriate
method of harvesting the trees and reforesting
the site. Our silviculture activities are a part of a
large program requiring complex logistics
carried out by trained, expert staff.
Reforestation can mean planting seedlings or
allowing trees to seed naturally from cones left
in the harvesting area. As a general rule of
thumb, foresters take a cue from Mother Nature
and replant the same species that have been
harvested from a site in the same proportions
as they were found.
In 2012, our Alberta operations replanted nearly
26 million seedlings and as a Company we
have replanted 1.4 billion seedlings since our
founding in 1955.
Once a new forest is established it is monitored
through surveys and assessed to determine
how healthy and big the seedling trees have
grown. It is our job to ensure the new forest is
growing at a pace that is as good as (or better
than) a naturally reforested stand. Our
silviculture staff will monitor these newly planted
areas to ensure their continued health and
vitality until they are again harvested seventy to
ninety years in the future.
15
SUPPORTING RESEARCH
Good forest management relies on a foundation of good science to guide and improve our operations
and the management of the forest lands entrusted to West Fraser. We support a number of scientific
efforts to ensure we are improving the long-term sustainability and biodiversity of the forest. We also
work on research projects with other users of the landscape to continue to improve our forest practices.
Many of the research projects we fund are ongoing, multi-year efforts that address concerns such as
improving tree breeding, wildlife management and research relating to forest and aquatic ecosystems
and reforestation strategies. We collaborate with organizations such as FPInnovations, the Foothills
Research Institute and the University of Alberta to conduct our research.
In 2012, West Fraser invested $1.6 million dollars in research spending in a variety of areas:
Post-
harvest
tree
growth
Historical/
cultural
values
Seedling optimization
Grizzly
bear
research
Caribou
monitoring
programs
Seedling
optimization
Forest
disturbance
effects on
wildlife
Seedling
optimization
16
The main types of research we invest in are:
ECOLOGICAL:
Research relating to forest and aquatic ecosystems, including the
flora and fauna within, natural disturbances, the effects of differing
management strategies and monitoring the advance and spread of
the mountain pine beetle.
CULTURAL/ ARCHEOLOGICAL/ HISTORICAL:
Research that provides information regarding the location and extent
of historical, archaeological, and cultural resources on Company
FMAs, so that these resources can be identified and, if necessary,
conserved.
TREE IMPROVEMENT:
Breeding trees to understand how to improve seeds and grow
healthier seedlings for planting.
GROWTH AND YIELD:
Determining how to most successfully establish and grow trees to
maturity and the effects of different silviculture and harvesting
practices.
Since 2009,
either on our own,
or in collaboration
with other agencies,
we have invested
more than
$9 million in hundreds of
research projects
and forestry science
17
IN DEPTH: RESEARCHING FOREST HEALTH AND DISTURBANCE Forests are shaped by a number of factors –
including the makeup of the soil, the climate,
weather events, disease and, in particular, fire.
While many people believe fire is a destructive
force that should be fought and quickly stopped,
the reality is a bit more complicated.
Forests have evolved in the presence of fire and
have adapted to it. Fire is important to create
areas of young forest on which many species
depend on. For example, lodgepole pine
regenerates new trees as a result of fire. The
cones of the lodgepole pine open and release
their seeds when exposed to very high
temperatures – such as those found in a forest
fire.
Aquatic ecosystems in the forest like rivers and
streams also require periodic disturbance, such
as that caused by floods or fires, to sustain
themselves. These natural events change
aquatic habitats and these disturbances bring
nutrients and woody debris to the water, which is
beneficial to rivers and streams in the long term.
Over the last twenty years, forestry research has
looked at how fire and other environmental
events such as floods, wind events, disease,
insects and landslides - what foresters call
“natural disturbances” - contribute to a healthy
forest. The concept of emulating natural
disturbances is fairly simple and intuitive. If we
harvest trees in a manner that is similar to the
patterns created by natural events, then the
forest and wildlife that evolved within those
landscape patterns will also be maintained.
While the concept of natural disturbance
emulation is simple, determining what natural
landscape patterns to emulate is a great deal
more complicated. Over the past 20 years,
research into natural disturbance has become
increasingly more sophisticated. In general, the
science indicates that the closer we can get to
approximating natural disturbance, the better we
are at managing other values, like wildlife
habitat. Sustainable forest management
certification schemes, as well as provincial
governments, have all adopted some form of
natural disturbance emulation as part of their
forest management framework.
West Fraser is supporting government and
industry research to continue to improve our
forestry practices. This research helps answer
questions such as: What is the natural makeup
of vegetation on the land? How much old forest
do you need? How much young forest should
there be? What is the natural range of
disturbance sizes and shapes? How much forest
within a fire doesn’t burn? This research will
help direct and improve our forest management
activities now and into the future.
18
INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
ENGINEERED LOGJAM PROJECT
In June 2011, a flood changed the channel of
the Gregg River. The new flow eroded boulder rip-
rap that was protecting a road abutment to a
bridge owned by Hinton Wood Products. New rip-
rap was placed in July to temporarily protect the
eroded road abutment from further damage.
However, after the water levels receded, the
bridge abutment required a more permanent
repair.
Traditionally, this issue would be fixed by installing
more rip-rap or by diverting the river channel back
to its original location. These alternatives have
long-term effects on fish habitat and are costly to
install and maintain. With fall spawning season for
fish like bull trout and mountain whitefish rapidly
approaching, Hinton’s woods team needed to
install protection for the abutments before the next
flood season.
Hinton worked with Streamworks Consulting Inc.,
Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource
Development and Fisheries and Oceans Canada
to develop an innovative solution: build a logjam.
The project objectives were to:
Protect the bridge abutments from erosion
and damage by the river’s new course
Improve the river’s angle of approach to
the existing bridge opening to reduce long-
term flooding, erosion and ice/debris jam
risks
Minimize habitat disturbance during
construction and improve aquatic and
riparian habitats
19
ENGINEERED LOGJAM PROJECT (continued)
Natural logjams are features on larger waterways
that maintain key ecological functions, including
the creation of fish habitat. Logjams can also
divert water flow or cause unanticipated channel
migration that can threaten roads and stream
crossings. In this case, the team decided to
engineer a logjam that purposefully diverted the
river’s flood-changed flow from the road abutment.
Large white spruce and balsam poplar trees
growing in the nearby area were tipped over with
an excavator and whole trees were moved to the
project site. Workers removed dirt from
the rootwads with hand tools and a high pressure
water pump, taking care to keep dirty water from
running into the river. Then, over two late October
days, the excavator operator carefully placed the
cleaned trees in an overlapping pattern in the
channel. This pattern weaved a strong logjam that
could withstand future floods. To anchor the man-
made logjam, anchors were made from tree posts
and saddles (large boulders connected by heavy
chains) were placed over the logs to make sure
there would be no unintended movement of the
logjam.
Direct placement of the cleaned trees onto clean
gravel and cobble stones eliminated sediment
entering the channel from the worksite. The
response of the fish to the new logjam habitat was
amazingly fast. Within ten minutes of placing one
tree, migrating mountain whitefish appeared in the
pool under the log's rootwad and stayed there for
the rest of the installation.
In a summer 2012 flood, the new logjam held and
accumulated more logs as the river moved them
downstream. This periodic wood recruitment will
naturally replace the original logs over time,
maintaining the logjam and continuing to meet the
original project objectives.
Not only did the project demonstrate innovation to
lessen installation impacts and create a “natural”
ecological feature that improved fish habitat, the
total cost of the project was considerably less than
alternative solutions.
20
Pipelines 36%
Seismic Lines 19%
Well Sites 23%
Powerlines 4%
Gravel Pits 8%
Other 10%
Forest Land Withdrawal 2012
COLLABORATION
WORKING WITH OTHER INDUSTRIAL USERS
Industrial development on Alberta’s landbase is an important contributor to the economic vitality of the
province. Each year, some of the forest area we manage is cleared to be used for other uses such as
pipelines, roads or other industrial requirements. In 2012, about 6,000 ha were converted from forest
cover to industrial use.
We collaborate with other industrial
users to develop integrated land
management strategies to address
the collective industrial footprint on
the landscape, through programs
such as the Foothills Landscape
Management Forum (FLMF), to
minimize the impact of all of the
operations in the forest.
WORKING TOGETHER TO MINIMIZE IMPACTS IN ALBERTA’S BERLAND SMOKY REGION
Alberta’s Berland Smoky region is a diverse landscape rich in many natural resources. The one million
hectare (3861 square mile) area supports a number of competing economic, social, cultural and
environmental interests. In this region, many companies have acquired overlapping rights to develop
the resources in the area. This creates a very busy landscape.
When a company develops resources in the region it must comply with government regulations related
to its business. When many companies operate in the same area, it can result in overlapping
responsibilities that do not appropriately address the cumulative impact to the land base.
Photo courtesy of the Foothills Research Institute
21
West Fraser is a founding member of the Foothills Landscape Management
Forum (FLMF). The Forum is an innovative partnership that brings together
the energy, forest and government sectors operating in the area to
collaborate on the development of a coordinated plan, called the Berland
Smoky Regional Access Development (RAD) Plan.
The RAD Plan incorporates input from government, First Nations, the
public and specialists as well as industry stakeholders to develop a
working example for managing the cumulative effects of industrial
activity and develop solutions that help protect environmental values
such as water, fisheries and species at risk recovery.
For example, the RAD Plan looked closely at all the existing and planned
primary and secondary transportation corridors needed to support all the
approved development in the area. The Forum identified these routes and
assessed how they would affect two key environmental considerations:
caribou and grizzly bear in the area. The result of this study was the
relocation of roads to minimize environmental impact and provide an efficient,
safe and reduced network compared to the traditional approach. By working
together, the Forum expects that the overall road density resulting from the
RAD Plan will be thirty to fifty per cent less than a typical approach.
The RAD Plan goes well beyond any statutory duties or legal requirements, it
is a unique collaboration and an example of how different companies can
work together to minimize their ecological footprint.
This year, West Fraser and its industry partners in the Forum were honoured
with a “Shared Footprints” Award from the Foothills Research Institute
recognizing the innovative and effective work in developing a model for
comprehensive sustainable resource development planning across industry
sectors.
The Forum partners continue to work together to find opportunities to
minimize their ecological footprint.
West Fraser’s Hinton
Forest Management
Area includes a
portion of the Berland
Smoky region. The
Foothills Landscape
Management Forum is
an innovative
partnership that
brings together the
energy, forest and
government sectors
operating in the one
million hectare
Berland Smoky
region.
Get information about
the FLMF on the
Foothills Research
Institute site:
http://foothillsri.ca
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Photo courtesy of the Foothills Research Institute
SPOTLIGHT: SEARCH & RESCUE
Staff at Sundre Forest Products have been a
steady component of Sundre’s Volunteer
Search and Rescue (SAR) group since its
founding in 1992. While over the years there
have been members from all parts of the
division, several of the division’s woods staff
and contractors are currently active with Sundre
SAR.
Sundre SAR responds to a wide variety of
situations. The training and bush experience
required of woodland staff makes them ideal
ground searchers and search managers in
search and rescue operations.
One example is a situation that affected one of
our employees: the son of a Sundre worker
went missing during a trip. Our Sundre
woodlands office literally emptied as every
available person helped in the search, led by
Silviculture Technician Barry McElhinney. Barry
and his coworkers used many of the
technologies we work with every day - our
mapping and geographic information systems
(GIS) capabilities – to produce a number of
search maps to support Sundre SAR,
neighbouring search teams and the RCMP to
successfully locate the missing man.
Sundre SAR plays an important role in civil
emergencies, such as the tornado that hit Pine
Lake, Alberta in 2000. Sundre Area Supervisor,
Roger Tetreault, at the time president of the
Sundre SAR, was personally thanked by Prime
Minister Jean Chretien for the assistance that
the group provided during the disaster, which
sadly killed twelve people.
Sundre’s SAR team is also unique in that it is
the only team in Alberta with an organized
equine unit. Seventeen members ride and train
together focusing on improving the versatility
and success of a mission by incorporating
horse teams. SFP Planning Forester Leo
Fagnan is an active member of Sundre’s
mounted SAR team. They have been featured
on the television show “Call Out Search &
Rescue.” We are proud of our employees and
their contributions to helping the community of
Sundre.
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SPOTLIGHT: EDUCATION
STEWARDSHIP EDUCATION
Children today do not have as many direct experiences with nature and our forest landscape as they
might have had in the past. Sundre Forest Products worked with Alberta Environment and Sustainable
Resource Development, Inside Education and a number of other industry stakeholders this year to
revive a student program at the Des Crossley Demonstration Forest in Strachan, Alberta.
The curriculum-based, half-day program exposes students to the multiple values of a working forest.
Located about 25 kilometres from Rocky Mountain House, Des Crossley Forest is a research site that
hosts a quarter-section of forested land with a 2.5 kilometer maintained trail system.
Students from the Rocky Mountain House and Caroline areas attended a demonstration of harvesting
and road building at the site and also learned about “bear smart” principles and career opportunities in
the forest sector. The revival of this educational field trip program is foundational to young students’
appreciation and understanding of the natural world around them and educating them about the
opportunities for responsible management of natural resource industries.
Although this particular field trip included schools from the local area, the educational field trip program
itself has reached schools across the province. The site and the programming offered by Inside
Education has attracted students from schools as far away as Taber in southern Alberta. Many
teachers in Alberta do not have the in-depth knowledge about forestry and the forest environment.
Specialists from Inside Education tour students and teachers through the site talking about such things
as the ecology of the forest or describing how forests are managed for multiple values. The program
has been well received particularly because it is directly linked to the school’s curriculum program. On
average about 5,000 students and teachers tour through the Des Crossley Forest annually.
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SCHOLARSHIPS
We believe in giving in the communities where we operate and community scholarships are no
exception. Our operations provide funding for students to continue their education because we feel it
leads to greater opportunities for students to pursue their studies and to achieve their potential.
At the post-secondary level, we offer five undergraduate scholarships for students in forestry-related
studies through the University of Alberta. These scholarships encourage student development in
enhanced forest management, silviculture and integrated resource management in Alberta’s forest
industry. They are administered by the University of Alberta’s Department of Renewable Resources.
A number of our operations also provide scholarships to students completing their secondary degrees
who are pursuing further academic study. Our Alberta operations offer a total of $10,000 of
scholarships to secondary students in the communities where we operate: Hinton, Edson, Slave Lake,
Sundre, Whitecourt and Blue Ridge. These scholarships are awarded to students entering a post-
secondary education program that could lead to a career in the forest products industry, for example:
forestry, engineering or business administration.
If you want more information about these scholarships, visit our website at www.westfraser.com and
look for the Training & Scholarships pages in the Careers section.
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TRAPPING IN ALBERTA
Whether a trapper owns the land or has
permission from the owner to operate on it,
trappers are required to obtain a fur
management licence. On crown land,
trappers can apply for a Registered Fur
Management Area (RFMA) licence, which
may also be sold between trappers.
Once a RFMA has been secured, licenced
trappers are permitted to trap within the
designated area during the trapping
season. Trapping season typically runs
from October through April.
SPOTLIGHT: RECREATION
TRAPPING IN THE FOREST
Many Albertans are active trappers and it
remains an integral part of Alberta’s heritage
and still provides important income to many
Albertans.
West Fraser works closely with trappers that are
active within our Forest Management Agreement
areas. In advance of any harvesting, our
operating plans are reviewed with licenced
trappers to identify where trap lines and trappers’
cabins are located. We make agreements with
trappers in harvesting areas to minimize the
impact from our operations.
Blue Ridge Operational Planner David Pelchat (above)
is a member of the Alberta Trappers Association. In
2012, David obtained his own trapline and managed to
trap beaver, weasel, squirrel, lynx, fisher and coyotes.
The Alberta Trappers Association strongly encourages
furbearer management strategies to ensure the
ecological integrity of native furbearer species, and
balance furbearer populations that contribute to healthy
ecosystems.
Being a member of the Association and an Operational
Planner in West Fraser’s Blue Ridge woods group
enables David to have a better understanding of the
complex web of relationships that can exist between
trappers, foresters, recreationalists and wildlife.
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RECREATION IN FOREST LANDS
The foothills of the Rockies – close to our Hinton operations - are a playground for all types of
recreation activities. Through the Foothills Recreation Management Association (FRMA), West Fraser
provides quality camping, hiking, fishing, and other outdoor recreation opportunities in Alberta’s
Yellowhead region. The association maintains fifteen campgrounds and eight trail systems in the
foothills area near the communities of Hinton, Edson, Robb, Cadomin and Brule. In 2012, an
impressive 8,040 overnight visits were recorded at these campgrounds.
A key partner to providing these recreation opportunities is the Fox Creek Development Association, an
Aboriginal-owned and operated not-for-profit company committed to creating and maintaining jobs for
Aboriginals (Treaty, non-Treaty and Métis) in the Hinton area.
Fox Creek manages reservations, provides services and maintenance for the campgrounds and trails
on behalf of the Foothills Recreation Management Association. While our Hinton Wood Products
division has had strong relationship with Fox Creek for more than forty years, today, Fox Creek
services are supported by the FRMA’s members: West Fraser, Sherritt, Teck, Coalspur, Yellowhead
County and the Town of Hinton.
Our foresters work hard to ensure our forest management plans incorporate opportunities for people to
enjoy recreation activities such as camping, hiking, fishing or sightseeing in the forests where we
operate. If you would like to visit, reserve your spot or access maps and information about trails and
campgrounds, please go to www.westfraser.com/FRMA.
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CERTIFICATION
SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATION
Sustainable forest management means managing the forest in a way that maintains an ecologically
sustainable and socially desired balance of values. It aims to ensure all the values present in the forest
today, such as recreation, biodiversity, habitat protection, clean water and others, will be there for future
generations to use and enjoy.
We are a signatory to the Canadian Boreal
Forest Agreement (CBFA), which applies to
more than 72 million hectares of Canada’s
boreal forest, stretching from Newfoundland to
British Columbia. West Fraser employees in
Alberta have dedicated considerable resources
to the CBFA. When fully implemented, the
CBFA is expected to conserve significant areas
of Canada’s boreal forest, protect threatened
woodland caribou and provide a competitive
market edge for participating companies.
All of the woodlands operations we directly
manage have been certified to the International
Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14001
Environmental Management System standard.
This provides independent verification we take
measures to mitigate the effects of our activities
on the environment while striving for
performance improvements.
All of our Canadian operations are registered to
the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, an
internationally-recognized sustainable forest
management certification program. Through
this program our operations are independently
audited to ensure compliance to the standard.
We subscribe to the Programme for
Endorsement of Forest Certification
(PEFC) standard for our Canadian-produced
forest products. PEFC chain of custody assures
customers that the fibre in the supply chain
comes from sources that comply with applicable
laws, regulations and sustainable resource
standards. The standard also demonstrates
avoidance of sourcing fibre from controversial
sources.
Our Slave Lake Pulp, Hinton Pulp operations
and Ranger Board medium density fibreboard
mills are also registered to the Forest
Stewardship Council’s (FSC) Standard for
Chain of Custody Certification and the Standard
for Company Evaluation of FSC Controlled
Wood.
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APPENDIX: RESEARCH PROJECTS 2012
Division Research Project/
Program Description Research Intent 2012 Funding
WF Alberta
University of Alberta Forestry Scholarship
Scholarship for graduate students in forestry-related studies
$10,000
WF
Alberta Enhanced Forest Management Chair – University of Alberta (NSERC)
Enhanced forest management Industry sponsor
WF
Alberta Foothills Model Forest Core Programs
This project provides funding to Foothills Research Institute Core program areas: o Natural Disturbance Program o Fish and Watershed o Communications o Project Administration
$269,290
WF
Alberta Alternative Regeneration Standards
Develop standards to link to yield curves In kind support
WF
Alberta FP Innovations - Forintek Manufacturing research Funded within FPInnovations participation
WF
Alberta FP Innovations - FERIC Forest harvesting and silviculture research Funded within FPInnovations participation
Hinton Foothills Growth & Yield Association – regenerated lodgepole pine trial
The purpose of the project is to forecast and monitor the growth and yield of lodgepole pine, regenerated after harvesting, in relation to site, initial spacing of planted stock, natural ingress and mortality, competing vegetation (brush), and density regulation (pre-commercial thinning). These effects and factors were considered by all members of the Association to be the highest priority for project development, given their implications for silvicultural prescriptions, crop planning, regeneration standards, and allowable cut, and the lack of controlled data currently available for assessing alternative practices.
$100,515
Hinton Tree Improvement Program
Continued development of tree improvement program and knowledge base for lodgepole pine, white spruce and black spruce with the goal of producing and deploying climatically adapted seedlings capable of improved growth traits.
$386,330
29
Division Research Project/
Program Description Research Intent 2012 Funding
Hinton Wildlife/Biodiversity Monitoring & Research
The purpose of this project is to increase knowledge of terrestrial and aquatic species and response to management activities on the HWP FMA, and natural disturbances, and to use the information to assist with planning and implementation of sustainable forest management.
$29,450
Hinton Tree Adaptation Project
This proposal seeks to understand the genetic potential of Alberta’s major forest tree species to sustain fibre productivity and maintain forest ecosystems and their function. It will also identify distinct populations that may be threatened by climate change.
$20,000
Hinton
Empirical Post Harvest Stand Growth Assessments - Multiple Measurements Throughout the Regeneration Phase
Managed stands differ from fire-origin stands in many ways; most managed stands have more regular spatial distribution (higher stocking at lower densities) and larger diameter at younger ages than fire-origin stands. However, there is limited empirical forest growth data in post-harvest stands which can be used to develop growth models. The objective of this project is to re-survey several post-harvest stands to provide data that can be used to build, or validate, forest growth models.
$50,150
Hinton Mountain Pine Beetle orchard and genetic trial protection
Protection of genetic research field trials and orchards from mountain pine beetle attack.
$18,570
Edson
Foothills Growth & Yield Association – regenerated lodgepole pine trial
The purpose of the project is to forecast and monitor the growth and yield of lodgepole pine, regenerated after harvesting, in relation to site, initial spacing of planted stock, natural ingress and mortality, competing vegetation (brush), and density regulation (pre-commercial thinning). These effects and factors were considered by all members of the Association to be the highest priority for project development, given their implications for silvicultural prescriptions, crop planning, regeneration standards, and allowable cut, and the lack of controlled data currently available for assessing alternative practices.
$30,155
Edson Foothills Model Forest Grizzly Bear Research
Program designed to gain knowledge on Grizzly Bear health, life cycle and habitat which will be used to develop planning tools to ensure long-term conservation of Grizzly Bears in Alberta.
$5,250
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Division
Research Project/ Program Description
Research Intent 2012 Funding
Blue Ridge
Tree Improvement Program
Continued development of tree improvement program and knowledge base for lodgepole pine and white spruce with the goal of producing and deploying climatically adapted seedlings capable of improved growth traits.
$50,900
Blue
Ridge Cultural & Archeological cutblock assessment
Pre-harvest cultural and archeological assessment of areas planned for harvest
$55,535
Blue
Ridge MPB protection of Research Trial sites
Protection of genetic research field trials and orchard from mountain pine beetle attack via deployment of verbenone anti-aggregates
$17,435
Blue
Ridge Foothills Growth & Yield Association membership and project costs.
A group of nine Alberta forest companies working co-operatively for forecasting and monitoring of managed stand growth and yield in lodgepole pine sites and silvicultural treatment regimes.
$46,105
Blue
Ridge Foothills Research Institute Grizzly Bear Research
Program designed to gain knowledge on grizzly bear health, life cycle and habitat which will be used to develop planning tools to ensure long-term conservation of grizzly bears in Alberta.
$2,500
Blue
Ridge Alberta Forest Growth Organization membership
To raise the profile of growth and yield, and its link to carbon, as well as secure long-term funding, create partnerships outside the forest industry, and ensure the efficiency and applicability of growth and yield research
$5,000
Blue
Ridge Growth & yield Permanent Sample Plot program
A company program for the long-term monitoring of forest growth projections and sustainability. Information used to validate / improve current natural yield curves and develop post-harvest yield curves by site class and or species groups.
$103,530
Slave Lake
WESBOGY
WESBOGY is made up of industry, government and educational institutes in western Canada. The WESBOGY Association conducts research projects that contribute to the development and dissemination of growth and yield information and modeling technology for both natural and regenerated stands growing in the boreal mixed wood region, primarily aspen and spruce.
$12,500
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Division Research Project/
Program Description Research Intent 2012 Funding
Slave Lake
The Mixed Wood Management Association
The Mixed Wood Management Association has been in operation for seven to eight years and currently has eight member companies. Several significant research projects have been completed and/or are in progress. The Association operates out of the U of A but uses researchers from several Alberta institutes. Its primary focus is growth and yield of mixed wood stands. The Association has also sponsored and been involved with two major FRIAA open funds projects; one building a silviculture guide for Alberta and another modifying the MGM growth model to better address mixed wood requirements.
$25,000
Slave
Lake Historical Resources
Historical Resources - Slave Lake Pulp/ Alberta Plywood have participated in the development of several heritage resources programs designed to maintain compliance with the Heritage Resources Act. We currently use four separate models to determine heritage potential in our operations. These include the S20 FMA, Tolko High Prairie, Tolko Slave Lake (joint FMA) and Alpac. Several significant finds have been made in the Deer Mountain area of the SLP FMA, including arrowheads and quarry sites.
$78,230
Slave
Lake Wildlife Surveys
Wildlife Monitoring. Slave Lake Pulp committed in the DFMP to undertaking a songbird and furbearer monitoring program within the FMA. A grid system was developed across the FMA by which song birds are monitored in the summer months and furbearer tracks are counted in the winter. These counts are cycled through every three years
$23,180
Slave
Lake Growth and Yield program
Growth and Yield (G&Y) program. The G&Y program has three distinct layers: forest level; directed and inventory levels. The forest level and directed level are accomplished with a systematic grid across the FMA. The inventory level involves implementation of approximately 1100 additional plots across the FMA. The forest and directed levels are PSP’s required across the FMA and number around 320. The implementation schedule is over a 10-year period and requires establishment of approximately 36 PSP plots annually. In addition, the TSP (Temporary Sample Plot) program is set up to measure 200 plus plots per year for the first five years in conjunction with a re-inventory program for forest cover on the SLP FMA.
$34,660
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Division Research Project/ Program Description
Research Intent 2012 Funding
Sundre Foothills Growth and Yield project
Evaluating the potential for growing pine trees better. This is part of a cooperative initiative to forecast and monitor the growth of new pine forests within the province.
$46,000
Sundre Development of seed sources from trees that grow better
The development of nurseries from seeds collected from better performing trees will help to potentially overcome forecasted severe growing conditions.
$34,000
Sundre Historical research
The Eastern Slopes have many archaeological and historical sites that need to identified and protected. This program works toward identifying the areas which have the highest probability for potentially finding sites.
$147,500
Sundre Ecological research
Pheromone traps are deployed in every township throughout the FMA as a means to attract beetles that might fly into the area from B.C. Checking these bait sites twice in the summer will allow the Company to gauge whether any mass flights of the beetle have occurred.
$18,000
GRAND TOTAL $1,609,785
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This stewardship report highlights just a few of the accomplishments, challenges, and opportunities for
West Fraser’s Alberta woodlands operations in 2012.
Feedback, questions, or comments about West Fraser and our management practices they are always
welcome. For more information on our Alberta woodlands operations, forest management practices, to
ask questions or make comments, please contact:
West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd. Phone: (604) 895-2700 Fax (604) 895-2974 Website: www.westfraser.com
