Haida Gwaii, BC – As the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) marks its 10th anniversary, the Society is reflecting on the investments it has made to support climate change mitigation across the province. Notably, with support from FESBC, communities like Haida Gwaii continue to enhance the resilience of their forests in the face of a changing climate. This work often includes supporting transportation costs so that uneconomic, low-value fibre is transported to local secondary manufacturing facilities rather than burned on site in slash piles following harvesting operations or post-wildfire salvage.
“There is much more work to be done, as there is a growing recognition that fire seasons are likely to become longer and more intense. Addressing or preparing for this reality requires a comprehensive and holistic landscape-level approach to forest management, one that balances multiple values while proactively managing forest fuel accumulation,” said Brian Watson, Registered Professional Forester (RPF), Operations Manager with FESBC. “Given the scale of the challenge and available resources, managing for forest values that prioritize climate resilience can help maximize the effectiveness of these efforts.”
The establishment of landscape-level fuel breaks is another way to prepare to combat the increases in fire severity attributed to climate change. Fuel breaks are long, wide and continuous treatments in the forest or alongside existing linear features like roads, or power transmission lines. They can be open or treed and are designed to modify fire behaviour and improve suppression opportunities by reducing the likelihood of high-intensity crown fires, or fires that spread from treetop to treetop and create conditions that promote lower intensity groundfires. These features provide suppression options by improving the efficacy of water and retardant drops, provide anchor points for fires suppression activities and creating lower intensity conditions that wildfire crews can more safely work in.
In other cases, FESBC supports the implementation of fuel modification treatments near infrastructure and homes, where forests are thinned and branches and woody debris are removed to reduce the intensity of wildfires and make it easier to extinguish fires that do start.
“In all wildfire risk reduction treatments, thinning out the understory, or the layer closer to the ground, makes the application of fire and retardant on these stands more effective in limiting fire spread and intensity,” noted Watson.
Investing in forest management can do more than mitigate the impact of fires. Healthy forests play an important role in carbon storage, supporting wildlife habitat, in water filtration, and contributing to overall climate resilience.
Additionally, the management of post-harvest debris is another opportunity to mitigate climate change. This debris needs to be eliminated to reduce wildfire risk. Burning these residuals is the most common method employed to reduce the risk of fire. In recent years, FESBC and their proponents have challenged conventional thinking about how fibre from these treatments can be utilized. When materials are located far from processing facilities, FESBC has played a key role in supporting the transport of this low-value fibre to secondary facilities, reducing the carbon footprint of these projects. Equally important, finding alternatives to burning debris piles improves air quality for workers and communities across B.C.
One of the FESBC-funded projects that is helping to mitigate the impacts of climate change includes the work being led by Taan Forest Limited Partnership (Taan Forest). Located on Haida Gwaii, Taan Forest is a subsidiary of Haida Enterprise Corporation (HaiCo), wholly owned by the Council of the Haida Nation. FESBC funded projects have demonstrated how targeted fibre utilization can deliver both environmental and economic benefits in remote communities.
Over the past five years, Taan Forest has been working to reduce the size of slash piles created from their harvesting operations. In doing so, approximately 157,000 cubic metres of fibre has been transported to South Coast pulp mills rather than being burned, avoiding an estimated 70,000 tonnes of CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) emissions. In a region where distance from major markets presents ongoing challenges, the movement of roughly 3,000 truckloads of fibre has also supported 24 local jobs, contributing meaningfully to the island’s economy while reducing the carbon footprint of Taan’s forestry operations.
“Support from FESBC has allowed us to take a more innovative and responsible approach to fibre utilization,” said Jeff Mosher, RPF, Chief Forester, Taan Forest. “Instead of relying on traditional slash burning, we’ve been able to move significant volumes of low-value fibre to market, reducing greenhouse gas emissions while creating steady work here on Haida Gwaii. These investments are helping us demonstrate that even in remote regions, practical solutions can deliver real climate benefits while supporting local economies and more resilient forest management.”
Pulp processed. Photo Credits: Taan Forest
Under FESBC’s fibre utilization program, FESBC’s proponents shipped approximately 560,000 cubic metres of low-value fibre rather than open-burning it in 2025/2026. This translates into approximately 11,200 truckloads of wood fibre to support secondary manufacturing facilities and approximately 180,000 tonnes of avoided greenhouse gas emissions.
“While fossil fuels are consumed during transportation and carbon is released from the manufacturing process at these secondary facilities, the overall net reduction in carbon released can be significant,” explained Watson. “Often, these investments are significantly lower than the social cost of carbon, a metric used by scientists and economists to measure the effectiveness of climate change policies.”
While there is broad agreement on the importance of this work, implementation can be complex due to a range of existing policies and operational considerations.
“As we mark ten years of FESBC, what stands out the most is the tangible impact these projects are having on the ground, the people behind the work, and the role they play in addressing climate change,” said Jason Fisher, RPF, Executive Director, FESBC. “Climate change is one of the defining challenges the forestry industry is facing and the projects highlighted here demonstrate that practical, scalable solutions exist. Whether it’s reducing emissions through fibre utilization or strengthening forests to better withstand wildfires, this work is delivering real results across the province. It shows that with the right partnerships and targeted support, we can take meaningful action that will benefit future generations.”
For an interview with FESBC, contact: Aleece Laird, Communications Liaison | communications@fesbc.ca | 250.574.0221
FESBC would like to gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Forests.