This document summarizes a newsletter from the Private Forest Landowners Association (PFLA) that covers their annual conference. The summary highlights that the conference focused on carbon markets and climate change, with presentations on the science around forests and carbon as well as policy around carbon credits. It also provided a political update and discussions of property taxes and assessments. Field tours looked at northern goshawk habitat and late rotation forest fertilization. The newsletter thanks all those involved in organizing a successful conference.

1. Summer 2016
In This Issue
Highlights from PFLA’s 21st
Annual Conference 1
6 Things Every Forest Owner Should
Know About Carbon Markets 2
Understanding Property
Taxes on Managed Forest Land 3
Managing Wildlife Habitat:
The Northern Goshawk 4
Top 8 Tips for Avoiding Ticks 6
3 Reasons Drone Technology
is Good for Forest Management 7
PFLA Joins the Canadian Association
of Forest Owners in Ottawa 7
Why Forest Owners Should Be Aware
of the Softwood Lumber Dispute 8
Time Well Spent with the
Forest Practices Board 8
Contact Information
PO Box 468
Sooke, BC V9Z 1H4
Tel: 250 642 0617
Fax: 250 381 7409
www.pfla.bc.ca
Rod Bealing - Executive Director
rod.bealing@pfla.bc.ca
Ina Shah - Office Manager
info@pfla.bc.ca
Lisa Weeks- Communications Manager
lisa@pfla.bc.ca
A big thanks to everyone who joined us at
Painter’s Lodge in Campbell River, June 1st
and 2nd, for our 21st annual conference.
We’re vibrating with gratitude for all the
good people, presenters, tour hosts and
organizers who made this year’s event
possible.
An enthusiastic PFLA round of applause
goes to Steve Lackey for all his hard work
putting together this year’s field tour. A lot
of effort goes into planning tour stops and
organizing presenters. Without Steve we’d
still be sitting on a bus wondering what
happens next.
An equally enthusiastic shout-out of
appreciation goes to TimbeWest staff —
Dave Lindsay, Molly Hudson, Chris Cole,
Shawn McLennan and Bill Grutzmacher —
for the significant contributions they made
to this year’s tour.
Thanks to TimberWest, we had a detailed
and engaging tour of Northern Goshawk
habitat, learned about late rotation
fertilization in second-growth Douglas-
fir forests and were well informed
about recent changes to the Water
Sustainability Act.
We included some highlights from the
field tour in this newsletter, but you can
find more photos and stories to come on
the PFLA blog (pfla.bc.ca/pfla-blog/).
We also owe a debt of gratitude to Phred
the bus driver who shuttled us around
safely for another year in a row. Last but
not least, jazz hands of thanks go to Ina
Shah for her thoughtful attention to detail,
and organizing prowess, in bringing this
event together.
Conference Highlights
The topic of carbon was an important
theme this year—both on the tour and
at the conference. We’re still working on
a story that pulls together the different
presentations and summarizes the key
points, but the ground we covered
included:
• The relationship between climate
change and carbon and the science
behind factors that may or may not
contribute
• The science of how forest
management and growing timber
crops relate to carbon
• The policy landscape around carbon,
carbon credits and carbon markets
Another conference favourite was the
always-engaging political update from
Mike Brooks and Dave Cyr. Along with
detailed descriptions of key players
in the provincial government and the
opposition, Dave and Mike provided
insight into how we, as an association, can
best conduct ourselves in the run up to
the 2017 election. The presenters stressed
Highlights from PFLA’s 21st Annual Conference
Continued on page 2
Private Forest Matters
Talking carbon with Natural Resources Canada scientists at the 2016 field tour in Campbell River.

2. Continued from cover
Pg 2
the importance of reaching out to all
candidates to educate them about private
forest matters.
The conference also included updates
from representatives of both the Managed
Forest Council and BC Assessment.
You can find the complete PowerPoint
presentations on the PFLA website
(pfla.bc.ca).
In anticipation of his presentation at
PFLA’s 2016 conference in June, we asked
carbon market expert Matt Walsh to help
us highlight some of the key points for
Canadian forest owners to know about
carbon markets.
1. Finally, every country on the
planet agrees.
After many years of arguing about
whether climate change is a problem and,
if so, what to do about it, in December
2015, all 196 countries in the world agreed
to a climate change treaty. The treaty
imposes obligations on every country to
reduce carbon emissions. Yes, even China,
India and Saudi Arabia.
2. Canada is now a global leader.
Canada was instrumental in creating an
ambitious target for the climate change
treaty. In the process, Canada has jumped
from equal last on climate leadership to
one of the top five countries globally.
Domestically, we’ve seen the new
Prime Minister challenge the provincial
leadership to come up with viable climate
change plans. This process is happening
right now all over the world.
3. How fast countries transition to
a low carbon economy will define
economic power in the next decade.
The challenge for every country is
to complete this process as quickly
and painlessly as possible. Countries
who fall behind will become globally
uncompetitive as the treaty obligations
start to bite. The global economic power
structure in the next decade hinges on
this transition process.
6 Things Every Forest Owner Should Know About Carbon Markets
Based on feedback from the annual
general meeting, we’re confident the
membership supports a steady-as-she-
goes approach to the coming year.
Thanks again to everyone for your keen
participation and involvement. We’re
inspired to be a part of such a diverse
group of forest owners who can find
common ground and work together on
common goals.
For those of you in the interior, please
note, we’re planning to come your
way this summer as part of our annual
hometown tour. We apologize for the
delay.
Please look for us in your inbox, soon,
with more details about meeting dates,
locations and agenda items. If you’d like
to add something to the agenda, please
email us at info@pfla.bc.ca.
4. The treaty sent a clear message:
pollution is no longer‘free’.
Investors and business heard this message,
loud and clear, and they’re getting out in
front of it. Here are two examples:
• Since the treaty, investment capital has
started to flee heavy emitting industries.
The world’s largest investment funds
are starting to factor the future cost
of carbon into their listed company
valuations. This is a major problem for
oil companies and any other company
that is currently a heavy emitter of
carbon. In the near future, the cost of
those emissions will appear on every
income statement and be included in
every company valuation.
• Apple, along with 153 other global
corporations, has publicly declared its
emissions reduction targets and is in
the process of implementing a variety
of programs to achieve its goals.
Carbon offsets are essential for these
companies to achieve their targets.
5. A global carbon market is coming.
A global carbon market was specifically
provided for in the treaty and work on its
design is already underway. The stated goal
is to have the market operating by 2020.
Regional carbon markets are also in
development. (Matt had more details
about what this might look like, and what
the expected pricing will be, at the PFLA
conference in June.)
6. Trees are still the only viable solution.
The role of forestry in addressing climate
change is specifically acknowledged
throughout the treaty. While a lot of
money is currently being poured into
technological solutions to climate change,
a viable solution, at a planetary scale, is
still decades away. Until then, the humble
tree holds the key.
Thanks again to Matt Walsh for the
information and his presentation at the
conference in June.

3. Pg 3
Property tax incentives are a key
component of the Managed Forest
Program. Recent increases in bare land
assessed values have forest owners
concerned about a corresponding
increase in property tax bills for 2016.
Based on these concerns, PFLA initiated a
conversation with BC Assessment, as well
as the Tax Policy Branch of the provincial
government.
Thanks to a communication with Duncan
Jillings, Director, Property Taxation,
Tax Policy Branch, Ministry of Finance,
we’ve received some clarification on
how property taxes are calculated for
properties within the Managed Forest
Land Classification.
The amount of tax payable on a property
depends on three factors: the classification
of the property, the assessed taxable value
of the property and the various tax rates
that apply to the property.
BC Assessment assesses Class 7 Managed
Forest Land using a two-step process that
includes the bare land component, as well
as the value of harvested timber.
While the majority of your property might
be classified as Class 7 Managed Forest
Land other portions might be classified
in other classes, for example: Class 1
Residential, Class 4 Major Industry, Class 5
Light Industry or Class 6 Business and other.
If nothing else changes, a higher
assessment value on a property, or a
higher tax rate, will lead to an increase in
tax payable; however, things do change.
Calculating provincial school and rural
area taxes
Since 2008, the province’s policy is to
capture only an inflationary gain from
non-residential classes in its provincial
school tax and provincial rural area tax,
plus any revenue from new properties or
new construction on old properties.
Inflationary gain refers to the BC
Consumer Price Index, (1.1% inflation last
year), not inflation of land values.
That means, by current policy, if managed
forest land values double for all types of
forest land, then provincial school and
rural tax rates for managed forest land are
cut in half, and the inflation factor added.
This calculation is applied to the property
classification as a whole.
Under this policy, the province expects
only modest revenue increase from a
property class, unless there are new
buildings, new properties entering
the class, or land which has been re-
evaluated with respect to its topography,
accessibility or soil quality.
If one forest owner’s property value went
up while another’s went down, year over
year, with no changes to the physical
property, one owner would see a school
and rural tax increase and the other a tax
decrease, while both owners would see an
inflationary increase.
School tax rates for the Managed Forest
Land Classification have been about
the same (in the range of $2.3/$1000 to
$2.1/$1000) since 1999, the first year of
the new tax regime. In comparison, school
tax rates for Business Classification were
about $9.9/$1000 in 1999, and declined to
$5.8/$1000 by 2015.
Calculating police taxes
For police taxes, the province is looking
to recover a certain percentage of police
costs. If managed forest land values go
up faster than values in other property
classes, the MFL class will pick up a larger
share of the tax burden.
Understanding Property Taxes on Managed Forest Land
If managed forest land values rise slower
than other property classes, then the
police tax burden on the MFL classification
will fall relative to other classes.
With property values going up faster
than inflation in most property classes,
average tax rates are falling, and individual
members will need to look at both their
assessed values and their police tax rate
if they want to see how their police tax
burden is changing.
Regional district taxes
Regional districts also tax to pay for
their annual budgets. The tax rates will
vary depending on services, costs, and
assessed values.
The province imposes tax rate ratios on
regional districts. When regional districts
set tax rates to recover costs, the Managed
Forest Land Classification rate must be set
at three times the residential rate.
On it’s own, the 3:1 ratio on regional
districts looks bad to managed forest
landowners, but it was part of a package
that actually helped forest owners overall.
When managed forest land tax changes
were implemented, regional districts
had recently lost considerable base
because machinery and equipment were
removed from the property tax base in
the 1980s. The government wanted to
avoid further shifts of tax burden to other
property classes, perhaps residential
class in particular.
When the MFL changes were made,
tax shifts were reduced by requiring
regional districts to keep a higher ratio
on managed forest land than would
otherwise have been the case. The
province lowered its rural tax rate for
managed forest land to provide the tax
benefit directly to the Managed Forest
Land Classification.
MFL ratios are more favourable under
provincial school and rural area taxes, but
less favourable under regional district
taxes, regional hospital district taxes and
the newer provincial police tax.
You can find more information about how
managed forest land is assessed and how
to classify as managed forest land from the
BC Assessment website (bcassessment.
ca) or contact the Managed Forest Council
(mfcouncil.ca).

4. Pg 4
Managing Wildlife Habitat: The Northern Goshawk
Responsible habitat management is a
defining characteristic of private forest
stewardship in British Columbia. To help
small-forest owners be the best forest
stewards they can be, we’ve put together
a series titled“Managing Wildlife Habitat:
Everything You Need to Know About
Northern Goshawks”.
Why do Northern Goshawks matter?
Presently, coastal Northern Goshawks
(laingi subspecies) are red-listed by the BC
Conservation Data Centre.
Coastal Northern Goshawks are also
listed as a threatened species by the
Committee on the Status of Endangered
Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) — a federal
committee that assesses and designates
which wildlife species are in danger of
disappearing from Canada.
The federal Species at Risk Act (SARA)
lists the coastal Northern Goshawk as a
Schedule 1 threatened species. Goshawks
on the east side of the Coast Range
(interior BC) are not considered at risk.
Without appropriate management
actions Northern Goshawks and forestry
operations can conflict. It’s important to
understand the breeding chronology
and habitat requirements for this bird
in order to establish an appropriate
management plan.
What is a Northern Goshawk?
Northern Goshawks (Accipiter gentilis)
are one of three species of Accipiter
hawks recognized in North America. The
Cornell Lab of Ornithology describes the
Northern Goshawk as“the bigger, fiercer,
wilder relative of the Sharp-shinned and
Cooper’s hawks.”
The Northern Goshawk is a medium-
sized, robust forest-dwelling raptor
about the size of a raven (length: 56–61
cm; wingspan: 98-115 cm) with short,
broad wings and a long rudder-like tail
well adapted for maneuvering and flying
through forests in pursuit of prey.
You can distinguish an adult Northern
Goshawk from both Cooper’s and Sharp-
shinned hawks by their larger size and
their greyish colouration compared to
the rusty-brown colouration of the other
two birds.
Where do Northern Goshawks live?
Within Canada, 100% of the range of
the Northern Goshawk laingi subspecies
occurs within British Columbia. Range
boundaries occur in the coastal rainforests
of Haida Gwaii, Vancouver Island, other
British Columbia coastal islands and
the coastal mainland west of the Coast
Mountains.
Northern Goshawks are sub-canopy
dwellers in closed-canopy coniferous or
mixed forests with mature (45+ years)
forest structure.
For the most part, Northern Goshawks are
non-migratory. Males primarily remain on
or near their nest territories year-round,
while females tend to make short-distance
movements to mostly lower elevations
in winter.
What does a Northern Goshawk laingi
subspecies look like?
Descriptions of the Northern Goshawk
laingi subspecies will differ depending
on the age and sex of the birds. Northern
Goshawks less than 3 years old are called
immatures or juveniles, while birds older
than 3 years are considered adults.
You can identify an adult Northern
Goshawk by the bold white stripe above
its red eyes. The white eyebrow stripe
separates the black crown on top of the
bird’s head from its blue-grey back.
Adult Northern Goshawks have white
chests with dense grey barring that can
appear light grey from a distance. Long,
somewhat rounded, tails have bands
of alternating grey and black. Northern
Goshawks also have yellow legs and feet
with black talons.
Male and females are similar in colour, shape
and characteristics, but male Northern
Goshawks are smaller than females
A juvenile Northern Goshawk laingi
subspecies is recognizable by its faint
white eyebrow stripe, dusky brown colour
and buff-coloured chest with dark brown
vertical streaks.
Adult goshawks have white chests with dense grey
barring. You can also identify an adult goshawk by
the bold white stripes above their red eyes.
Learning about goshawk characteristics and habitat requirements with TimberWest biologists Dave Lindsay
and Molly Hudson at the PFLA field tour, June 1st, 2016.

5. Where do Northern Goshawks make
their nests?
In general, the Northern Goshawk laingi
subspecies select nesting habitat based
on stand structure rather than stand
age and species composition. Common
characteristics of nest stands include:
• Mature forests (45+ years)
• Closed canopies
• Good flyways and understory spacing
• Relatively large diameter trees
Goshawks select nest trees with structural
attributes strong enough to support their
relatively large stick nests. Douglas-fir
(Fd), western hemlock (Hw) and red alder
(Dr) are the most common tree species
used for Northern Goshawk nests, but
you can also find nests in balsam (Ba) and
bigleaf maples (Mb).
Goshawks build large stick nests in the
lower levels of the live canopy (at about
2/3rd stand height). Often, a fork or crook
in the tree is used as a base, but a sturdy
branch whorl can also be used to support
a large nest.
What is Northern Goshawk breeding
chronology?
(If it helps to imagine Morgan Freeman’s
voice narrating this section, we understand.)
Courting and breeding happens late
February to April. During this time males
perform aerial displays to attract females,
pairs mate and nests are built.
Incubation occurs in May. The female
incubates the eggs in the nest while the
male of the pair provides her with food.
The nestling phase starts in late May and
goes until late June. Chicks hatch and
remain in the nest where they’re fed by the
adult birds. The male forages far from the
nest, while the female remains close by.
The fledgling phase is late June through
July. This is when the chicks learn to fly
and hunt, but they stay close to the nest
and are still mostly fed by their parents.
Dispersal occurs in August to early
September. The fledglings’feathers have
hardened by now, and the juvenile and
adult birds disperse from the nest area.
What do Northern Goshawks eat?
Goshawks are opportunistic and eat a
variety of prey. Squirrels, rabbits, hares,
crows, grouse, jays, thrushes, woodpeckers
and other medium-sized birds and
mammals are among the main items in
the Northern Goshawk’s diet.
A robust prey population is important for
the species. Snags, course woody debris
and diverse ecosystems are known to
support an abundance of prey species.
Generally, hunting is carried out under
the forest canopy—where the Northern
Goshawk can move unnoticed through
dense cover and overcome its prey in mid-
air with a burst of speed—but Northern
Goshawks can also hunt in open areas.
Once captured, the Northern Goshawk
plucks its prey on a convenient flat surface
(plucking post) near the nest, often an old
stump or large snag.
How to recognize a Northern Goshawk
nest?
You can see plenty of evidence below
an active nest, but you might also find
signs of nesting throughout an occupied
territory.
Obvious signs of an active nest include:
• Molted adult Northern Goshawk
feathers
• Whitewash and pellets
• Bones and feathers of prey
Ground searches around a Northern
Goshawk nest late in the breeding season
(July-August) will often indicate if and
when the nest has been active.
A large robust nest with abundant
whitewash and a littering of bones,
feathers and pellets below has likely
supported juvenile goshawks, whereas a
nest with only older bones and feathers
can indicate a successful nest a year or two
earlier with whitewash and pellets washed
away by heavy precipitation.
PFLA field tour participants visit a Northern Goshawk nest site on TimberWest property near Oyster River for a
discussion of best management practices.
Continued on page 6
This is the goshawk nest site visited on the PFLA
field tour. Goshawks typically make large stick nests
in mature forests (45+ years) with closed canopies
and relatively large diameter trees.

6. Pg 6
Top 8 Tips for Avoiding Ticks
Minor amounts of prey remains and
whitewash could indicate an unsuccessful
nest, while a dilapidated nest that’s falling
apart suggests the nest is more than 1 or 2
years old.
Beware: Goshawks are fiercely
protective
Goshawks are well known for fiercely
defending their nests. Occasionally,
goshawks will attack people and other
animals that approach their nests too
closely. When agitated or disturbed
during nesting season an adult Northern
Goshawk will dive bomb and alarm call
“ke-ke-ke-ke”.
Learning about Northern Goshawks
with TimberWest
An arm-pumping PFLA handshake of
appreciation to TimberWest biologists,
Dave Lindsay and Molly Hudson, for
their informative and engaging goshawk
tour—a highlight of this year’s PFLA field
tour, June 1st, 2016 near Campbell River.
It was an excellent opportunity for PFLA
tour participants to learn firsthand
from Dave and Molly’s expertise about
the specific characteristics and habitat
requirements of the species, along with
TimberWest’s survey techniques and best
management practices.
Another big thanks to Molly Hudson for
helping us put the above information together.
Continued from page 5
As a forest owner or land manager you spend lots of time in the woods. Because
known cases of Lyme disease are on the rise in Canada, and we’re a safety-first kind of
association, we’ve put together some information to help identify and avoid ticks.
What are ticks?
Ticks are small bugs, about the size of a sesame seed. They’re closely related to spiders,
and distinguishable from insects by their eight legs. Ticks can’t fly or jump, but they wait
on tall grasses or bushes and attach themselves to humans and animals as they pass by.
Because ticks need blood to survive, they live in areas frequented by potential mammal
hosts. Areas with dense deer populations are often hotspots.
Why are ticks a problem?
The trouble with ticks is they carry diseases that can be passed on when they bite. The
risk of getting a tick bite is greatest in the spring and into the fall when the weather is
warm (in mild climates ticks can also be active in the winter).
What is Lyme disease?
Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne disease in North America. It takes its
name from where it was first identified: Lyme, Connecticut. Lyme disease can cause
serious, long-term disability if left untreated. Early antibiotic treatment is essential, so
identification of the disease in its early stages is important.
Do all ticks carry Lyme disease?
No, not all ticks carry Lyme disease. Two species—Ixodes pacificus found along the
western coastal region of Canada, and Ixodes scapularis found in the western, central
and eastern regions—are most likely to carry the Borrelia burgdorferi bacterium. These
two species are commonly referred to as the black-legged tick or deer tick.
Where to look for ticks on your body?
Ticks prefer warm, moist areas of the body. If a tick latches onto your socks or shoes it will
make its way up to your groin area. If your sleeve or arm brushes up against some tick-
infested grass, they’ll make their way up to your armpit instead.
Always check these areas first then check the rest of your body. Pay particular attention
to any areas that have hair, especially on your head and face. It’s easy for ticks to hide in
hair. On both humans and pets, ticks love to attack behind and around the ears.
Top 8 tick habitat precautions
1. Wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts. Tuck your pants into your socks to
prevent ticks from getting inside your pants.
2. Check your clothes for ticks often. Ticks will climb upwards until they nd an area
of exposed skin.
3. Wear light coloured clothing to make it easier to spot ticks.
4. Walk on pathways or trails when possible staying in the middle. Avoid low-lying
brush or long grass.
5. Apply insect repellent to your skin and clothing, especially at the openings such
as ankle, wrist and neck.
6. Shower or bathe within two hours of being outdoors to wash away loose ticks.
7. Do daily“full body”checks for ticks on yourself, your children and your pets.
8. If you nd a tick on your skin, remove it within 24 to 36 hours.
For more information on identifying ticks and avoiding Lyme disease, visit the Canadian
Lyme Disease Foundation website (canlyme.com).
Goshawk nestling phase is late May to late June.
Chicks hatch and remain in the nest where they’re
fed by the adult birds until the fledgling phase
which starts late June through July.
Photo credit: Grant Eldridge

7. Pg 7
One of the highlights from PFLA’s 2016
field tour, June 1st in Campbell River, was
a drone technology demonstration by
Colin Filliter of Suavair. Colin uses drones,
or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), to
capture low-elevation imagery.
In case you missed it, and you’re interested
to learn more about the application of
drone technology in silviculture surveys,
here are 3 reasons drone technology is
good for forest management.
Better decision making
The equipment Colin uses captures high-
definition imagery that covers an entire
cutblock, not just a small sample. All
imagery is transmitted to a live 720p feed
so you can make important management
decisions in the field. The imagery is also
recorded, in 1080p or 4K, so you can
review the images once you’re back at the
office, as many times as you need, and
determine the best management decision.
Applications include:
• Free to grow surveys
• Brush assessments
• Log boom inventories
You can also compare archived imagery to
future imagery to evaluate the impact of
treatment prescriptions over time.
Improved safety
Walking over steep ground and across
thick slash is a high-risk activity. In fact,
slips, trips, and falls are the leading cause of
injuries to foresters in British Columbia.
Because UAVs fly over hazards they
significantly reduce or eliminate the need
to walk through high-risk areas, while at the
same time ensure the complete area of a
block is covered. Less caulk time means less
risk of injury and improved safety overall.
Greater production value leads to
lower costs
Flying over hazards is not only safer, but
more cost effective and time efficient.
Drones are able cover distances a lot more
quickly than human beings can. Colin
estimates the technology they use is about
300% more productive than a traditional
ground surveying crew.
Higher production compared to traditional
ground methods means drone technology
can significantly decrease your cost per
hectare.
To see the drone technology in action, you
can check out Colin’s video on the Suavair
website (suavair.com).
3 Reasons Drone Technology is Good for Forest Management
PFLA headed to Ottawa, May 3-5, 2016, to
join members of the Canadian Association
of Forest Owners (CAFO) from across Canada.
Along with CAFO’s annual general
meeting, the purpose of the trip was
to meet with key decision-makers
in Ottawa—to explain some of the
challenges CAFO members face, as well
as identify opportunities for private
landowners to help the new government
meet its goals and priorities.
Meetings with MPs focused on ridings
where CAFO members own land and
conduct operations (approximately 27
ridings across Canada). We also met with
committee chairs for the environment
and natural resources, along with
committee members and Conservative
and NDP critics of various portfolios such
as environment, natural resources, rural
affairs, parks and wildlife.
One of the highlights of the three-day trip
was a reception hosted by the Speaker of
the House of Commons, the Honourable
Geoff Regan. Thanks to the efforts of the
speaker’s staff and CAFO members, who
encouraged many MPs to attend, about
20 MPs and senators stopped by to hear
about CAFO, our challenges and the ways
CAFO can work with the new government
to help address many of their priorities.
In his remarks, Geoff Regan said,“CAFO
members tell me that the productivity
of private forests can be both a blessing
and a challenge. Forests that are good at
growing trees are also good at producing
things like clean water, fresh air, recreation
sites, wildlife, carbon and all sorts of other
benefits.
The challenge, I am told is when you try to
balance all these benefits with maintaining
a successful business in a very competitive
international marketplace. The further
challenge is that most private forest land
is located very close to populated areas
so you need to be a good neighbour,
providing all sorts of benefits to your
neighbours, usually at no cost to them!”
Following the introduction, CAFO Chair
Domenico Iannidinardo commented on
the challenges CAFO members face when
dealing with federal legislation like the
Species at Risk Act and the Migratory
Birds Convention Act. He also described
how CAFO members can work with
government to achieve goals related to
species at risk, protection of watersheds
and sequestering carbon.
An invitation was also extended to MPs
to come visit CAFO members’operations
and see, firsthand, how private forests are
managed and on the ground challenges
are met.
Thanks to CAFO Executive Director, Chris Lee,
for his work putting the event together.
PFLA Joins the Canadian Association of Forest Owners in Ottawa
Domenico Iannidinardo (CAFO Chair) and Geoff
Regan (Speaker of the House of Commons)
Colin Filliter of Suavair demonstrates the use of
drone technology for silviculture surveys.

8. suppressed B.C. domestic log market.
In 2015, when Canada’s dairy farmers were
concerned about the potentially negative
impacts of allowing minor volumes of
foreign dairy products access to Canadian
markets under the Trans Pacific Partnership
agreement, the federal government
immediately offered them support with
talk of generous compensation.
B.C.’s forest owners are curious to see if
their investments in growing tree crops
might be treated with the same level of
respect as herds of cows.
Pg 8
Why Forest Owners Should Be Aware Of The Softwood Lumber Dispute
Time Well Spent with the Forest Practices Board
The status of the softwood lumber dispute
between Canada and the U.S. is that the
parties have until October 2016 to reach
an agreement about rules for managed
trade on lumber imports into the U.S.
If an agreement is not reached by October,
the U.S. Lumber Coalition could, once
again, be in a position to levy anti-
dumping and countervailing duties on
imported Canadian lumber. The levy
is not known at this time, but current
expectation, based on history, is that the
duty will be as high as 25%.
During past disputes, whenever U.S. duties
were imposed on Canadian lumber, the
domestic log price (paid by B.C. sawmills)
was reduced accordingly. This is bad
news for B.C.’s forest owners because it
has a direct and immediate effect on log
markets and land values.
For a long time, the U.S. has cited Canada’s
private land log export restrictions as
evidence of a subsidy to Canadian lumber
mills. It’s expected that the next SLA
agreement, resulting from the current
round of negotiations, could include
quotas, import levies or a combination
of both. This would also be bad news for
B.C.’s forest owners.
Matters will be made worse if Canada
agrees to quotas and taxes that reduce
domestic log prices, while maintaining
private land log export restrictions. This
scenario is a“double whammy”for B.C.’s
private tree growers. Not only would we
be required to offer logs to domestic mills
at below international prices, we would
also have to accept even further reduced
domestic log prices.
If we’re able to freely shift our sales to
international markets at international
prices, there’s no harm done; however, if
current Canadian log export restrictions
are maintained tree growers will continue
to be held hostage to an artificially
Part of PFLA’s role as advocate for B.C.’s
forest owners includes taking advantage
of opportunities to spend time with key
individuals and organisations that share
our passion for quality forest stewardship.
One such occasion arose recently when
PFLA members joined staff, directors and
the chair of the Forest Practices Board in
Port Alberni for an information-sharing
dinner and field tour.
The Forest Practices Board was in the
Alberni Valley area as part of a review
of practices on public lands, and PFLA
members graciously accepted the
invitation to“show and tell”how we
address regulatory and non-regulatory
matters on private forest lands.
While the FPB has no jurisdiction over
auditing forest practices on private lands
(that’s the purview of the Managed Forest
Council), the FPB does, from time to
time, receive inquiries about private land
forestry.
The meeting in Port Alberni was a
great opportunity to raise awareness
about the regulatory model under the
Private Managed Forest Land Act, along
with other key acts and regulations,
certification and voluntary practices that
guide forest stewardship on private land.
During dinner, local forest owners and
representatives from the Managed
Forest Council delivered presentations
about private forest practices that led
to a productive question-and-answer
discussion. The next morning, we all
shared breakfast, and more productive
discussions, before heading out on a short
field tour.
One of the topics we spent a great deal of
time and energy discussing is the steps
forest owners and land managers take
to voluntarily minimise negative visual
quality impacts that arise from forest
management activities.
PFLA is proud to report that members of
the Forest Practices Board were impressed
by the site we visited showing recently
completed harvesting work done by Island
Timberlands opposite Port Alberni and
across the inlet.
Other highlights included: a review of a
recently upgraded log dump, a look at
timber harvesting, and discussions about
reforestation and watershed protection
practices.
Special thanks to the members and staff of
the Forest Practices Board for making the
time and showing an interest in how we
manage our private lands.