|
|
the forest practitioner | december 2021
|
|
|
As 2021 draws to a close, we can be thankful that we have (for the most part) successfully endured a full year of various stages of COVID-19 restrictions. The past year of living with, and through the pandemic; has been tough on many small businesses and many families. Hopefully as a community, we will rally again, using all the tools (vaccinations & boosters, masks, frequent handwashing, social distancing, limiting our gatherings, testing etc.) to quickly beat this next wave Omicron variant.
The past several months have been busy for your ARPFNB Executive Committee…
• Following up from the “Meet & Greet BBQ” with UNB forestry faculty and students, the ARPFNB organized a full day field trip for interested students, hosted by J.D Irving Limited to visit their nursery, silviculture and harvest operations near Juniper.
• We have met (virtually) several times with representatives from the New Brunswick Forest Technicians Association (NBFTA); to collaborate towards “Right to Practice” legislation. We now have draft legislation, Guiding Principles, and a Five-Year Financial Plan. We are currently working on draft By-Laws for the proposed “Association of New Brunswick Forest Professionals” (ANBFP). We plan to schedule a Zoom Update and Q&A session for ARPFNB and NBFTA members to take place in the first quarter of 2022.
• Vanessa Quarrie, our ARPFNB Executive Assistant, reluctantly indicated she will resign effective at Year End 2021. Vanessa needs to devote more time to her other full-time work in the mental health field. We have been very fortunate to have Vanessa assisting the Association over the past several years. We thank her for her excellent service, and we wish Vanessa every success in her future endeavors. One of our members; Michele Fullerton has expressed an interest in this part-time position and has begun training with Ed and Vanessa.
Looking ahead to 2022…
• We are optimistically planning for an in-person Annual General Meeting in early April (with an option for members to virtually join the meeting via Zoom call). We will provide more details in this regard in early February.
• We are urgently seeking nominations for our incoming Executive Committee. We have openings for at least two Councillor and a Vice-President position effective April 2022. We want to be a diverse and representative organization. PLEASE CONSIDER VOLUNTEERING. Just contact us and we will help you with the nomination form.
• We are also seeking nominations for worthy candidates for the several annual awards made by the Association. These include:
o The New Brunswick Forestry Hall of Fame Award
o The New Brunswick Professional Forester Achievement Award
o The Young Forester Achievement Award
More detailed information about each of these is available at: AWARDS
If you know of a worthy candidate for any of these awards, please let us know so that we can assist with the nomination form.
• We are working on various initiatives to improve networking, and collaboration with New Brunswick forestry students. We will have more information and invitations for ARPFNB members to attend field trips and joint meetings with students early in the New Year.
As we head into 2022, we are optimistic and hopeful that we will get the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions behind us; and we look forward to spending more time together in person.
I wish everyone Happy Holidays, and a Safe and Happy New Year.
- Blake Brunsdon, RPF
|
|
|
|
Nominations for the Executive Committee are now being received for two councilors positions and the Vice President position which are available for election this year. Please consider volunteering for these positions.
|
|
|
IT IS TIME TO GET YOUR COMPLETED NOMINATIONS INTO OUR OFFICE - NO LATER THAN DECEMBER 31, 2021
|
|
|
|
HALL OF FAME
The New Brunswick Forestry Hall of Fame was established in 1983 by the ARPFNB. The objectives of the Institution are:
- To recognize and honor the achievements of individuals who have attained prominence and distinction in any field of forestry, and those who have made a major contribution to the development and advancement of forestry in New Brunswick.
- To permanently record and give public prominence to the achievements of such individuals in a public display centre.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Persons who by outstanding achievement have attained prominence in any field of forestry or who have made a major contribution to the development and advancement of forestry in New Brunswick are eligible for election to the New Brunswick Forestry Hall of Fame.
NOMINATIONS
- RPFs or any member of the public can place nominations for this award. Three or more ARPFNB members must sign the nomination. Nominations must be received by the Executive Director of the ARPFNB by December 31 each year.
- Nomination forms for this award can be found at: Hall of Fame Nomination Form
- New Brunswick Forestry Hall of Fame Rules and Regulations can be found here: Hall of Fame Rules and Regulations.
PROFESSIONAL FORESTER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
The New Brunswick Professional Forester Achievement Award is presented to an active member of the Association of Registered Professional Foresters of New Brunswick for outstanding achievement and contribution made to the sustainable management of New Brunswick’s forests.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
A nominee for the Award must possess the following characteristics:
- RPF in good standing
- Demonstrate adherence to the ARPFNB Code of Ethics
- Demonstrate initiative in progressing the science/management of NB’s forests
- Recognized by her/his peers as a leader in forestry
- Demonstrated commitment to continuing education
- Promotes awareness and action towards sustainable forest management practice
NOMINATIONS
- RPFs or any member of the public can place nominations for this award. Three or more ARPFNB members must sign the nomination. Nominations must be received by the Executive Director of the ARPFNB by December 31 each year.
- Nomination forms for this award can be found at: PFAA nomination (PDF)
YOUNG FORESTER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
The Young Forester Achievement Award (YFAA) was created in 2014 to recognize individuals who make significant, unique and outstanding contributions to the sustainable management of New Brunswick forests early in their career.
ELIGIBILTY CRITERIA
- Outstanding achievement shall be judged on the basis of:
- An individual in the discipline of forestry for distinguished personal contribution that has resulted in substantial advances in the science or practice of forestry; or
- Dedicated and dynamic leadership in domestic or international management, research, affairs of professional and scientific societies, or education; or
- An individual who has made outstanding contributions to the forestry discipline early in their career; or
- Superior personal or group accomplishments in forestry related fields where the results obtained contribute to the advancement or promotion of the forestry profession
- Recipients need not be members of the ARPFNB provided that their contributions are judged to be of outstanding importance to forestry in New Brunswick.
- The recipient has not previously received the award.
- The recipient is 40 years of age or younger by December 31 in the year the nomination was brought forth.
NOMINATIONS
- RPF’s or any member of the public can place nominations for this award. At least 3 ARPFNB members must sign the nomination. Nominations must be received by December 31 each year.
- Nominations forms are available at: YFAA nomination (PDF). Rules and Regulations can be found here: Young Forester Achievement Rules & Regulations.
- It is recommended (but not mandatory) that the nominee be informed of the nomination in order to ensure eligibility and veracity of the information presented
- The original nomination document must be received by the ARPFNB by December 31st. Only completed nomination documents received by the deadline will be considered by the Awards Committee.
- Nominations from previous years can be resubmitted if it is still considered relevant.
- RPFs or any member of the public can place nominations for this award. Three or more ARPFNB members must sign the nomination.
|
|
A Field Day with the ARPFNB, hosted by JD Irving Woodlands.
Stephanie Young, 4th Year UNB Forestry Student
Having minimal exposure to the forest industry, a day trip hosted by JD Irving woodlands through the Association of Registered Professional Foresters of New Brunswick (ARPFNB) and organized specifically for UNB Forestry & Environmental Management (FOREM) students, was an opportunity I couldn’t resist in attending.
We bega n our adventure at UNB and drove in small groups of undergraduate and graduate students all partnered with a member of the ARPFNB, so we could have meaningful conversations about what it would be like to be a Registered Professional Forester working in the field.
Our first stop for the day was at Irving’s Juniper Tree Nursery where we were taken on a tour to view the process of growing seedlings. The different tree species are separated, and a programmed machine carefully picks each seedling from the small container and transplants them into larger containers, that already contains soil, to allow for more growth until they are planted.
Then, the seedlings are divided by species and the trays cover the entire floor of the large greenhouses where growing conditions (temperature and moisture) are controlled.
Next, our group drove to Irving’s woodlands and viewed a Norway spruce plantation that had a commercial thinning operation performed for us to compare to a forest before thinning.
After a wonderful bag lunch, supplied by JD Irving, we visited a tolerant hardwood stand where circular patch cuts occurred approximately 30 years ago, and yellow birch has regenerated into the circular patches. It was discussed the next steps for that stand would likely be a precommercial thinning and adjacent commercial harvest to the circular patch areas.
We then visited a current harvest operation where, from a distance, we watched as the feller buncher operator carefully cut the trees, delimbed them and bucked them to length.
We finished our day at a recent clearcut where Irving employees explained and demonstrated how to properly plant seedlings and allowed each of us an opportunity to plant a tree using the ‘pottiputki’. They taught the group about the planting process and how their team plants trees through the slash that remained on the ground, picking the right tree species for the right location in that area.
It was an informative day, observing from start to finish the process of growing seedlings, planting, forest management and harvesting. The opportunity to learn and engage with the forestry professionals about their work was a great introduction into the forestry field. I really enjoyed being able to attend this session and look forward to the next outing!
(All photos by Edie Russell, 2020)
|
|
|
|
ARPFNB Scholarship Recipients 2021-22
|
|
|
The Association continues to provided four (4) $1000 Scholarships to Forestry students at New Brunswick’s Universities. These scholarships have been funded in part by voluntary contributions (in lieu of membership dues) from our Life Members. Over the past 25 years, ARPFNB has awarded more than $80,000 to deserving Forestry students attending New Brunswick universities. Our year to date contributions to the Scholarship Fund presently stands at just over $2,200.
It is never too late to make a contribution to the ARPFNB Scholarship Fund. If you are a Life Member, and you have not yet made your voluntary contribution for 2021, feel free to send us a cheque or email us (info@arpfnb.ca) so that we can make payment arrangements that are suitable and convenient for you.
We are also very happy to accept donations to the Scholarship Fund from any of our membership categories. In fact, we are launching an initiative to boost our Scholarship Fund. So we are hoping that all ARPFNB members will appreciate the importance of scholarships to needy and worthy forestry students attending New Brunswick schools. Our scholarships really do make a difference.
So if you are in a position to make a donation to this very important and worthwhile cause, please send us a cheque or email us (info@arpfnb.ca).
As we announced at our Annual General Meeting, scholarship donations (above $20.) will now receive a charitable donation tax receipt (issued by the University at Year End).
We are pleased to announce the four recipients of the 2021 ARPFNB $1000. scholarships to continue their Forestry studies this year:
|
|
|
|
M. Félix Frenière-Leroux
M. Félix Frenière-Leroux, de St-Denis-de-Brompton (Qc) s’est démarqué dans la communauté étudiante depuis le début de son séjour à l’École par son leadership au sein du conseil étudiant. Sa contribution à la vie étudiante, notamment à titre de représentant étudiant auprès de l’assemblée de l’École, est remarquable. Il fut particulièrement efficace pour relayer les avis de plusieurs collègues auprès du corps professoral durant la difficile période du confinement et de l’enseignement à distance, et à maintenir les activités de base du conseil durant cette période. Il s’est également engagé dans l’organisation et la promotion des activités sociales et sportives para-académiques de l’École, et le fut remarquablement lors des olympiades forestières de l’UMCE. Il agit comme bénévole pour faciliter l’intégration des nouveaux étudiants et de ceux n’ayant pas encore fréquenté le campus en raison de la pandémie.
|
|
|
|
Olivia Blizzard, 4th year BSc in Forestry
Fredericton, NB involved with the Forestry Student Association, and is planning to continue in Master's degree in Forest Engineering.
Katelyn M. Chapman, 3rd year BSc in Forestry
from Indian Mountain near Moncton, New Brunswick. She is active in sports (plays on the Varsity Reds Volleyball Team) and is on the Dean’s List.
Hannah M Haynes-Macdonald, 4th year BSc in ENR
New Maryland, NB
 As a kid, I grew up spending my days outside. From a young age I had a deep sense of connection with nature and the environment around me. In my last year of high school, I was overwhelmed by my post-secondary options and narrowing down my passions to a degree and a school. My mom and I sat down and randomly chose UNB’s Bachelor of Science in Environmental Management and Natural Resources and four years later I am still thrilled my ‘decision’ worked out. It is truly a joy for me every day to be part of this program. I feel very blessed to be learning the things I am and for all the experiences I’ve encountered through this degree.
Within my degree in Environmental Management and Natural Resources (ENR), I am majoring in Water Resource Management. I’ve been fortunate to have had classes and a summer job that studies the freshwater side of water resource management. Following the end of my fourth year at UNB, I am returning for a fifth year to take the Marine Biology Block at UNB to broaden my water knowledge from solely freshwater studies. In addition to my degree at UNB, I was also on the university’s cross-country team for four years and recently retired after 13 years of competitively running. In terms of the future, I am hoping to be able to pursue my love for education through either a master’s and a PhD or perhaps an education degree.
Some of my favourite classes of my degree include a first-year resource management issues and ethics class, an Indigenous issues and perspective course, a shrubs course where we explored different vegetation, a fisheries and aquatic science technologies course and a laboratory in fish studies where we learned different fishing methods. I love the hands-on aspect of this degree and find learning to be much easier when I can visualize the things we are being taught. In addition to the classes mandatory to my degree, I’ve taken quite a few additional courses for fun. In my second year, I boldly took a third year modern Germany 1945 to present history course which was fascinating. After learning my lesson on jumping into upper year arts courses with no previous experience, I took a first-year pivotal political events political science course and this semester I am taking an amazing history course on Indigenous and settler Canadian history.
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time at UNB, and I strongly endorse either the Forestry or ENR degree to anyone entering post-secondary or anyone considering switching degrees. I love the outdoor labs and the diverse opportunities for summer jobs. I also appreciate the small faculty and have met many like-minded people and gotten the opportunity to be taught by some of the best professors in their field. I would like to extend my appreciations to the Association of Registered Professional Foresters of New Brunswick for the scholarship opportunity and for the funding that enables me to continue my studies. |
|
|
|
