Faces of Forestry is an initiative of the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) to highlight people doing great work to enhance our forests throughout British Columbia. This month, we feature Frank Varga, the General Manager of the Burns Lake Community Forest (BLCF) and Comfor Management Services Ltd.
Originally from Hungary, Frank moved to Canada as a child, living all over B.C. and spending most of his time in Vancouver. From a young age, his passion and drive for outdoor work and adventure were evident, leading him to pursue a career in forestry.
“I always enjoyed the outdoors; a career in forestry gives me the ability to be outdoors while getting paid to be outside. Most people take time off to recreate in the forest while I get paid to be in the forest,” he shared.
Frank is a registered professional forester (RPF) and has extensive education in the sector. He has a Technical Diploma in Natural Resources Forestry from the British Columbia Institute of Technology, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources Management from the University of Northern British Columbia.
“As I went deeper into the study of natural resources, I realized that it was an amazing career choice because of the opportunities it provided for career fulfillment,” Frank shared. “A Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources Management is probably the only degree that offers the recipient the ability to work in a field so diverse that you could essentially do something different every 5-7 years and in a span of a career and not do the same thing over and over.”
Frank has had broad experiences in the forestry sector, shaping his passion and interest in nature and sustainability. He previously worked with the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development as the Woodlands Supervisor for BC Timber Sales where he provided leadership and program management of the silviculture section. He has also served on multiple boards as a Director, including the BLCF.
“It was through that process with the BLCF Board that I learned a little bit about the function and organizational structure of community forests. I soon realized that was something I would be interested in doing, so when the job opportunity was presented to me, I took it on. I have been with the BLCF for about nine years now, and I love my job,” Frank explained.
As the General Manager, he provides business management oversight and support of both the BLCF and Comfor Management Services Ltd. As an RPF, Frank is also responsible for the strategic and tactical forest planning and operational decision-making for managing the community forest tenure.
“Comfor Management Services is the company that we as staff work for. BLCF holds the community forest tenure and the village of Burns Lake owns Comfor Management Services,” he explained. “I would also like to acknowledge all traditional and unceded territories on which the Burns Lake Community Forest crosses. It is a privilege to be managing this tenure across the Yintah <land in the Dakelh language>,” he added.
His day-to-day involves a variety of responsibilities, ranging from operational forestry activities such as layout and development work, monitoring and reporting on contract performance for forest operational activities, carrying out business management decisions, community engagement, as well as supporting the development, training and capacity building for staff, economic development, promoting sustainable use of forest resources, all while exploring new innovative ways to manage the community forest tenure.
FESBC has been an instrumental organization in providing financial support to the BLCF to complete key projects for community and forest sustainability over the last six years. One of the most significant projects was a fire hazard abatement mitigation in Boer Mountain, which brought significant benefits to the community.
“Boer Mountain is our district’s gem for mountain biking. The area is heavily used by recreational hikers and is known as a world-class mountain biking destination. However, it had been impacted by mountain pine beetle, resulting in dead pine and fallen branches all around the trails which had become a considerable hazard in terms of wildfires,” Frank noted. “The entire area was also subject to trees falling over from dead and rotting beetle-attacked pine.”
The goal of the project, with support from FESBC, was to reduce this fuel loading, or the amount of combustible material, and wildfire risk while maintaining recreational values and protecting the critical infrastructure there, including the radio tower at the top of Boer Mountain.
“FESBC acknowledges and supports organizations that are applying innovative techniques in the resource sectors. We are very grateful to have received their support to undergo this significant project for our community,” Frank added.
Having travelled much of British Columbia through work projects, Frank has had the opportunity to enjoy everything the province has to offer – including its beautiful forests. He believes if we want to manage climate change, we need to better manage our forests.
“Forests are a renewable resource like no other. Managed correctly, they can be key to sustainable resources production, climate change mitigation, support the water cycle, promote effective nutrient recycling and are culturally and socially significant parts of our landscape, having the ability to provide healing and reflection.”
Thank you, Frank, for your passion and commitment to the sustainable use of our forests and your tireless efforts to enhance forest management.