Faces of Forestry is an initiative of the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) to highlight people doing meaningful work to support healthy and resilient forests across British Columbia (B.C.). This month, we feature Laura Smith, Forest and Climate Strategist at Nature United, an environmental non-governmental organization.
Laura is part of the third generation in her family to pursue a career in forestry, alongside her brother. She fondly recalls spending time living in logging camps as a child, where she developed a love for the forests and an interest in the adventurous aspect of working in remote areas.
After completing her Bachelor of Sciences in Biology at the University of Victoria, she became an AS-FIT and attended the University of British Columbia to complete the requirements for becoming a Registered Professional Forester (RPF).
After spending 14 years working in forestry, Laura unexpectedly received the opportunity to travel to Ottawa to work as a political staffer on Parliament Hill. This new path saw her giving up her RPF status and working on ‘the Hill’ for nearly 13 years, with most of that time spent as a policy advisor. While she enjoyed the complexity and excitement of working in politics, she missed working in forestry.
Eventually, in 2021, when the pull of family brought her back home to Vancouver Island, a chance to work for Nature United arose. There she had an opportunity to think more deeply and systematically about forests and forestry, combining her skills and experience into a role that fits her perfectly.
“I work directly on initiatives related to improved forest management, exploring pathways toward better conservation outcomes through shifts in forest management and forest policy while still supporting workers and communities,” she explained. “I also support my colleagues when they need to understand forests and forest management better. This work can vary on a day-to-day basis, but it often includes meeting with external or internal partners to advance different projects, managing grants, providing advice and support to colleagues, or doing research that advances our understanding of improving forest management.”
For Laura, there are endless aspects of her career that she enjoys, from learning about the beautiful complexity of forests to challenging herself and others to question their assumptions and understanding of forestry. A culture that supports innovative solutions and that creates a willingness to question assumptions has allowed Nature United to enter conversations surrounding forests with open-mindedness and nuance.
“No matter how much we think we know or how often we try to apply standardized methods and processes to it, forests continuously defy our attempts to fit them into tidy boxes or to find simple cause and effect solutions,” she said.
As the forestry sector navigates its challenges in the coming years, Laura hopes to contribute to productive collaborations that will lead toward a more sustainable future for the forests of B.C.
“Our industry is in a crisis; our manufacturing ecosystem is struggling, jobs are at risk, and forest-dependent communities are hurting. At the same time, the past hundred years of logging in B.C. has had broad impacts on environmental, social, and cultural values,” Laura noted. “Working in this space and having an opportunity to contribute to good faith conversations and efforts to build a future that serves both nature and people feels rewarding and meaningful.”
Thank you, Laura, for applying your expertise and innovative approach to the world of forestry, and your willingness to work hard to achieve a better future.