2022 Year in Review: Growing Opportunities in New Brunswick Forests

A key indicator of strength in the forest sector, much like the forests themselves, is resilience and adaptability in the face of challenge. On the heels of a global pandemic and rapidly changing global markets, the forest industry continues to translate challenges into opportunities.

As climate change accelerates, we must acknowledge the important role our forests play in provincial and national adaptation strategies, and the significance on a global stage. The forest sector continues to lead Canada’s transition to a low-carbon economy. The optimised management of forests produces high-quality, sustainably produced wood products including biofuels and bioproducts, in tandem with increasing carbon sequestration and meeting biodiversity and conservation objectives. The New Brunswick forest sector continues to demonstrate responsible stewardship of our forests, providing ecological and social benefits for all New Brunswickers, now and in the future.

Forest NB continues to strive for a competitive forest sector that supports prosperous businesses, valuable employment, and thriving communities. This is reflected in our collective corporate vision to grow a future for our communities through renewable forests and our mission to be the voice of forestry in New Brunswick.

2022 Highlights:

• In partnership with industry representatives and government departments leads the implementation of a workforce action plan to address immediate 3-to-5-year forest sector labour needs through the Priority Occupations Initiative.
• In partnership with industry and government partners, developed the Forestry 110 curriculum that was launched in high schools in February 2023.
• In partnership with industry and government partners developed training programs for entry-level Mechanized Forestry Equipment Operators, MFEO skills upgrading, and contractor business development.
• Advocated and participated in the development of the Forestry Equipment Operator Trade Certification program that was launched in December 2022.
• Through the Healthy Forest Partnership, participated in securing funding to support Phase 3 of the Early-Intervention Strategy for Spruce Budworm (EIS-SBW) program to protect the forests of Atlantic Canada.
• Through the Farms and Forests Coalition, lobbied for legislative changes to include land planning objectives that consider the broader perspective of natural resource management and utilization, particularly on private lands, with the implementation of local governance reforms.
• Continue to grow our organization through personnel and member recruitment and retention.
• Furthered communication and outreach goals, resulting in significant increases across all web platforms. Concluded the #Iam1of24k campaign and launched a significant new communications strategy along with a redesigned website developed entirely in-house.

As we look ahead to the rest of 2023, we’ll continue to champion and celebrate the growing opportunities our of forests and how they will continue to benefit a growing New Brunswick!

This article was published to accompany the 2023 Forest NB AGM and Industry Forum.