temperatures is much cleaner. Consequently, FESBC is providing funding to the Esk’etemc to utilize woody biomass from a wildfire-risk reduction project, rather than open burning the piles of slash. FESBC was already funding the wildfire treatment to protect the community, so it made sense to also partially fund the grinding and hauling of the slash to avoid open burning and instead feed the biomass boiler. FORESTRY FOR THE ESK’ETEMC PEOPLE for Esk’etemc members, other forest users, and neighbouring communities. “The Esk’etemc elders have told us that the forests are sick because there are too many trees growing,” said Gord Chipman, manager of Alkali Resource Management. “Today’s foresters say the issue is resiliency. The biomass project will benefit the lands and the ARM business to expand the utilization of the overstocked forests. This is one more step towards achieving resilient forests for future generations” FIGHTING CLIMATE CHANGE Growing toward a greener, cleaner future. Every year, millions of tons of industrial waste are turned into millions of dollars of reusable materials. CPM and Di Più Systems help make that happen. We’ve joined forces to bring you the world’s best mechanical and hydraulic briquetting technology. Together, we’re taking the fossil out of fuel. The Esk’etemc own two forestry companies, Ecolink Forest Services and Alkali Resource Management Ltd. (ARM). Ecolink was established in 1990 as a joint venture business arrangement between the Esk’etemc and Lignum Ltd., and later with Riverside and Tolko Industries Ltd. The company began with a silviculture division, and, in 1994, timber harvesting services were added. Today, the company continues to seek innovative ways to grow to meet community and customer needs. The latest example is grinding biomass, not only for their community’s biomass boiler, but also grinding significant volumes of forest slash for Pinnacle Renewable Energy and Atlantic Power -25,000 tonnes per year and 10,000 tonnes per year, respectively. Pinnacle Renewable Energy makes wood pellets, most of which are exported, and Atlantic Power produces electricity, enough to power 20,000 homes. Historically, the companies were able to source their biomass fibre from sawmill residuals. However, as many sawmills in British Columbia have been curtailed or permanently shut down, the secondary fibre consumers have been sourcing an increasing proportion of their biomass from forest slash. Meanwhile, ARM is an integrated forest management company established in 2001 to manage the forest licenses, woodlot and community forest on behalf of the Esk’etemc. ARM currently manages a 27,000-hectare community forest, a 60,000-hectare First Nations woodland tenure, a 400-hectare woodlot, as well as several other forest licences. The mission is to manage Esk’etemc forest resources in a manner that ensures a balance of economic, social, and environmental values that will provide increased benefits Polling consistently shows that climate change is an important issue for people, and this concern is manifested in the climate strikes and protests seen in the news. The good news is there are communities, forest workers, equipment suppliers, pellet plants, co-gen facilities, pulp mills and governments making real and meaningful contributions toward achieving climate change targets while also generating social and economic benefits, including the Esk’etemc. FESBC was created to help British Columbia fully realize the potential of its publicly owned forests. The goals of the society are to help reduce wildfire risk, enhance wildlife habitats, improve low-value and damaged forests, and improve the management of greenhouse gases in our forests. With funding from the B.C. government and the government of Canada, B.C.’s forests are being enhanced to create a triple-win for British Columbians, socially, economically, and environmentally. Perhaps the tensions and polarizations around the economy versus the environment debates could be reduced if success stories like that of the Esk’etemc were shared more broadly. • Steve Kozuki, RPF, is the executive director of the Forest Enhancement Society of BC. He has worked within the forest industry since 1984. He graduated with a Bachelor of Sci-ence in Forestry in 1994 and has held various positions from timber valuation coordinator for Weldwood, general manager of forestry for the Council of Forest Industries to work-ing in BC Timber Sales and timber pricing for the B.C. Public Service. He is passionate about the work FESBC does to advance the environmental and resource stewardship of B.C.’s forests. For more information, visit cpm.net or call 800-428-0846 1114 E. Wabash Ave., Crawfordsville, IN 47933 Client: Global Biomass Group Canadian BIOMASS Publication: Canadian Biomass 19
Canadian Biomass Spring 2020: Page 19
