A Boots-on-the-Ground Perspective of Forest Conservation

Canadians are proud to live in a country that boasts some of the world’s most beautiful and expansive forests, and outdoor enthusiasts have been making the most of the wilderness in their backyard for generations.

That’s why conserving Canada’s forests for generations to come is critical and requires active management and significant planning.

Wendy Crosina, Director of Forest Sustainability at Weyerhaeuser, is based in Edmonton and is responsible for leading a variety of environmental stewardship roles for the company’s operations across Canada.

Crosina grew up in a logging camp in Northern BC and began her career as a tree planting supervisor with “boots on the ground, wandering in the forest and loving it.”

Before long, she became interested in the broader world of sustainable forest management, which includes the preservation of wildlife habitats and working with different stakeholders to manage the nation’s forests, including hunters, anglers, hikers, and other outdoor recreation enthusiasts.

“We talk to trappers, local communities, Indigenous leaders, and government [as a lot of operations exist on crown lands]” says Crosina. “All of that has to go into the planning of a [forest] tenure, some of which are as large as 1 million hectares.”

Forest management can be wide-ranging, but integrates priorities like maintaining biodiversity, wildlife ecology, carbon climate solutions, and developing Indigenous relationships. Crosina says these are all related – a holistic approach to managing the forests of the future.

Governments mandate detailed 150-to 200-year forest management plans that are re-evaluated every ten years to meet short, immediate, and long-term goals. And while less than one percent of Canadian forests are harvested annually, it is required by law that all forests harvested on public land are regenerated.

Crosina describes forestry as an agent of change, emulating natural disturbances, shepherding tree regeneration, maintaining a mosaic of forest ages across the country, managing habitats for species at risk, and integrating strategies to help manage wildfires.

She explains that the public plays an important role in sustainable forest management that safeguards the forest and its biodiversity, and citizen science can be “folded” into forest management planning.

Crosina has supported planning initiatives that integrate citizen science into promoting forest management practices. In partnership with the Foothills Research Centre, she and a wider team helped introduce long-term species monitoring projects for local bear populations as part of their forest conservation efforts. Similar projects have been carried out for caribou and fish populations, with hunters, anglers, mountain bikers, and others on the ground recruited to help monitor the populations over time.

“We’re always looking for new ways to innovate and can’t be afraid to do so,” Crosina notes. Whether it’s finding new ways for citizens to work together with the forest sector or leveraging technology like drones to help with tree re-planting, on-the-ground foresters like Crosina are thinking creatively and innovatively about safeguarding the future of our forests.

Keeping our forests healthy today is critical for conserving their use for tomorrow’s outdoor recreationalists. And Canada’s forest sector ensures that this future is always top of mind.

Learn more about Forestry for the Future at www.forestryforthefuture.ca.

This content brought to you by Forestry for the Future.