With the Forest Enhancement Society of B.C. (FESBC) celebrating its 10th anniversary, the society is reflecting on investments to support forest resilience in Haida Gwaii.
FESBC is supporting several initiatives on the island, including transportation costs so that low-value fibre can be transported to a secondary site rather than being burned in slash piles.
Over the past five years, the Taan forest in Haida Gwaii has been working to reduce the size of slash piles created during harvesting operations. This operation has helped move 157,000 cubic metres of fibre to a south coast pulp mill rather than being burned on-site, which would introduce an estimated 70,000 metric tonnes of CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) emissions. Reducing emissions in the Taan forest would not be possible without FESBC, said Taan forest chief forester Jeff Mosher.
“Support from FESBC has allowed us to take a more innovative and responsible approach to fibre utilization. Instead of relying on traditional slash burning, we’ve been able to move significant volumes of low-value fibre to market, reducing greenhouse gas emissions while creating steady work here on Haida Gwaii. These investments are helping us demonstrate that even in remote regions, practical solutions can deliver real climate benefits while supporting local economies and more resilient forest management.”
While this initiative is small, it’s making a big impact, said FESBC executive director Jason Fisher.
“As we mark ten years of FESBC, what stands out the most is the tangible impact these projects are having on the ground, on the people behind the work and on the role they play in addressing climate change. Climate change is one of the defining challenges the forestry industry is facing and the projects highlighted here demonstrate that practical, scalable solutions exist. Whether it’s reducing emissions through fibre utilization or strengthening forests to better withstand wildfires, this work is delivering real results across the province. It shows that with the right partnerships and targeted support, we can take meaningful action that will benefit future generations.
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