Our Purpose
"The Forest Enhancement Society of BC continues to play a key role in the forests of B.C., working with our partners to create healthier, more productive forests for the future. Through funding and direction from the government of BC, FESBC is able to support innovative projects throughout the province, delivered by Indigenous groups, communities, and contractors; projects which ensure value is generated from residual forest waste while reducing the risk from wildfires, improving wildlife habitat, and generating economic activity. I am honoured to serve the province of BC in my role as Chair of the Board of this exciting, dynamic organization."
— Dave Peterson, Board Chair, FESBC
The purposes of the Forest Enhancement Society of British Columbia are:
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To advance environmental and resource stewardship of British Columbia’s forests by:
- preventing and mitigating the impact of wildfires;
- improving damaged or low value forests;
- improving habitat for wildlife;
- supporting the use of fibre from damaged and low value forests; and
- treating forests to improve the management of greenhouse gases.
- To advocate for the environmental and resource stewardship of British Columbia’s forests.
- To do all such other things as are incidental and ancillary to the attainment of the foregoing purposes and the exercise of the powers of the Society.
Stay up to date on FESBC-funded projects across our province by subscribing to our monthly newsletter and following us on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Governance
The Board’s overall governance role involves a wide range of responsibilities, including approving FESBC’s multi-year strategic plan and reviewing it annually, annual operating plans and budgets, monitoring FESBC’s performance, ensuring management is qualified, reviewing FESBC’s material risks, and overseeing a succession planning process to ensure continued leadership.
The Board is committed to conducting business in a legal and ethical manner and meets on an as-needed basis several times each year.
Please refer to the following links for additional information:
Board of Directors
Dave Peterson
Board Chair
Dave Peterson recently retired from the position of Assistant Deputy Minister of Community Disaster Recovery, Lytton in the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness. He has worked in forestry since 1973 both in and outside of government. He was the ADM of Rural Development, Lands and Innovation, Provincial Chief Forester, and Deputy Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations. While Chief Forester, he was instrumental in the formation of FESBC and has served on the Board of Directors since its inception. He is extremely proud of the accomplishments of FESBC over that time and is thrilled to remain on the Board and to continue that work into the future. Dave expressed that he is honoured to carry on the excellent legacy of the previous Chairs, Wayne and Jim, and to build off the strong foundation they have created.
Trish Dohan
Treasurer
Trish recently retired as the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development’s Assistant Deputy Minister and Executive Financial Officer after 10 years and has been in the BC Public Service for 30 years. Trish graduated from the BCIT Financial Management program with additional studies at the University of British Columbia, the University of Victoria, and executive development programs through Royal Roads University. Trish’s experience in government has primarily been in the Economy and Natural Resource ministries. She has played leadership roles in regional and Victoria-based operations and has managed several large-scale projects and re-organizations. Before joining the public service, Trish held progressive roles in the private sector, in the BC Development Corporation, and was also a successful business owner. Trish joined the FESBC Board as she strongly feels that FESBC’s accomplishments to date are resulting in tangible and long-term benefits for B.C.’s forests, and believes that the province needs to stay on this path.
John Massier
Director
John has worked in forestry for decades, and started Cottonwood Reforestation in 1978. Currently, he is the Director for Electoral Area C in the Cariboo Regional District (CRD), as well as the CRD Treaty representative to the Northern Shuswap Tribal Council Treaty Main Table. John has served on several boards, including the Board of the Federation of BC Woodlot Associations, the Wells-Barkerville Community Forest, the Board of the Woodlot Product Development Council, and the Fraser Basin Council Board to name a few. John believes that an industry that is as important as forestry is to the Province of B.C., should have an ongoing plan to re-invest a portion of the revenues generated onto the land and into support for the rural and remote communities which are the backbone of the industry. He sees the Forest Enhancement Society of BC taking the lead in that work and is delighted to provide his perspective gained from a lifetime of operational forestry experience to further those goals.
Ken Day
Secretary
Ken is a retired Manager of the UBC Alex Fraser Research Forest and is now a consulting forester in Williams Lake, B.C. where his practice is largely focused on the intersection of fire and silviculture in dry Douglas-fir forests. Prior to his experience of over 30 years at UBC, Ken worked for various consultants and sawmills in the Okanagan Valley and has been a Registered Professional Forester since 1982. In 1998 he received his Master of Forestry from UBC, focusing on the management of uneven-aged Douglas-fir in the Interior Douglas-fir zone. Ken strongly believes in the importance of managing forests adjacent to communities, for fuel reduction, fibre recovery, and habitat values. With his extensive forestry background, Ken is pleased to be associated with FESBC, an organization that is able to deliver program funding to a wide variety of recipients for locally determined outcomes.
Sarah Fraser
Director
Sarah is the Assistant Deputy Minister of Coast Area Regional Operations which is comprised of natural resource districts reporting through the South Coast Region and the West Coast Region. The Coast Area includes Haida Gwaii, Vancouver Island, the coastal areas of mainland BC, the lower mainland east to Hope and up the Sea-to-Sky. Prior to her appointment as Assistant Deputy Minister Coast, Sarah led rural and regional development programs throughout British Columbia and was provincial lead for community transition services. Sarah has over 30 years of experience working in the Public Service and holds a Master of Business Administration from Royal Roads University where her thesis focused on comparative governance models in service delivery in North America and the United Kingdom.
Mike P. Kelly
Director
Mike is a representative of the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs for the BC First Nations Forestry Council, as well as a member and former councillor of Leq'a:mel First Nation, an Indian Band located in Deroche, 22 kilometers east of Mission, B.C. He began his career in Engineering Technical and Inspection highway construction with the BC Ministry of Highways. Upon retiring from the Ministry, Mike worked as a machine operator in public works at University Endowment Lands at UBC until 2009. He is currently on the Strategic Engagement Agreement Board, serving as a representative of Sto:lo Xwexwilmexw Treaty Association for Leq'a:mel First Nation. He also works with the S.X.T.A Governance Working Group and holds the Fisheries portfolio for the Nation. Mike greatly admires FESBC's work to encourage and fund projects which exhibit good forest management and achieve a number of objectives from fibre utilization to wildlife habitat enhancement. He is pleased to have an opportunity to collaborate with FESBC for positive progress and to bring his unique perspective to the Board discussions.
Ian Meier
Director
Ian Meier is the Assistant Deputy Minister of the BC Wildfire Service. Ian has been involved in the public service forestry sector since 2008 as a Fire Centre Manager, Director, and Executive Director. Ian holds a Bachelor of Forestry with a Major in Forest Operations from the UBC and is a Registered Professional Forester. He strongly advocates for the wildfire risk reduction initiatives FESBC focuses on. Ian believes continued emphasis on wildfire risk reduction in the province of B.C. will ensure resources are directed more toward mitigation and proactive steps to take action against climate change, than on more reactive response and suppression activities. With over 25 years experience in the forest industry, Ian aims to make a positive contribution toward advancing FESBC’s objectives, particularly focusing on wildfire risk reduction to keep people and communities safer from wildfire.
FESBC ENDORSES THE UNITED NATIONS DECLARATION ON THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES (UNDRIP)
Hon. Minister Doug Donaldson wrote to FESBC Board Chair Wayne Clogg on January 8th, 2018:
“To support true and lasting reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples in British Columbia, our government is fully adopting and implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), and the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). Please ensure that going forward your organization incorporates the UNDRIP and TRC, given the specific mandate and context of your organization.”
FESBC also endorses the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and its calls to action as well as the implementation of the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Up to February 2020, about 32% of the projects funded by FESBC are led by First Nations proponents or have significant First Nations participation (86 projects valued at $74 million).
Learn More
BECOME FIRESMART! FESBC IS PART OF THE BC FIRESMART COMMITTEE
The BC FireSmart Committee provides crucial leadership at a provincial level to help communities prepare, prevent and mitigate the impact of wildfire.
FESBC is proud to be one of seven FireSmart Committee members collaborating on this important work. Mitigating the impact of wildfire not only aligns with our purpose and mandate but is also something we’re passionate about.
Visit the BC FireSmart website to learn more or to order FireSmart materials: firesmartbc.ca
