Craig and Leanna Mann (south area award and overall provincial award) –

Craig and Leanna Mann are being recognized and honoured for their work on their Kamloops woodlot with the $2,500 Minister’s Award for Innovation and Excellence in Woodlot Management for the south area. They are also receiving the $2,500 Minister’s Award for Innovation and Excellence in Woodlot Management for the province.

Since obtaining their woodlot in 1997, the Manns have set a high standard for silviculture, ensuring all sites in the woodlot are planted with Class A seed and fertilized.

The Manns are active in all aspects of woodlot management. Craig writes the planning documents and carries out all of the road and block layout, road construction and site prep, as well as most of the logging and manual brushing. Leanna has her scaling licence and conducts the waste surveys. In addition, the couple have an authorized scale site. They sell some firewood and sell deciduous timber for oriented strand board.

Craig has developed an innovative system that minimizes the number of machines required on the site, through a quick-change system for machinery attachments that are used for different activities. His latest investment is in a truck with a self-loader and flat-profiled hayrack trailer that can haul log lengths ranging from 2.4 metres (8 feet) to 15.2 metres (50 feet).

Keith Granbois and Ridley Wilson, R. & K. Woodlot Ltd. (coast area award) –

Keith Granbois and Ridley Wilson have demonstrated a strong commitment to stewardship throughout the history of their Cowichan Valley woodlot. Granbois’ hands-on approach to management includes regular visits to the woodlot to monitor regenerating stands. His experience in the field has led him to plant higher stocking densities and throughout the year he personally removes competing brush.

Beyond the legal commitment to attain a Free Growing declaration, R. & K. Woodlot also practises stewardship in older forest stands. During harvesting, Granbois retains veteran trees, often within wildlife tree-retention areas.

R. & K. Woodlot maximizes wood use by providing poles to a local timber company and selling alder to a local buyer. Any remaining wood is sold to major licensees on Vancouver Island. Granbois is open to pursuing new markets and stays in contact with other woodlot holders to learn of these opportunities.

The woodlot is located within the traditional territory of the Hul’qumi’num Treaty Group. Working with a First Nations councillor, Granbois recently arranged  to have a local elder demonstrate and allow a Grade 6 class the opportunity within the woodlot to participate in the local First Nation’s tradition of stripping bark from cedar trees to make baskets, mats and clothing items.

Omineca Ski Club (north area award) –

The Omineca Ski Club, near Burns Lake, is being recognized and honoured with the $2,500 Minister’s Award for Innovation and Excellence in Woodlot Management for the north area.

The volunteer-based Omineca Ski Club has managed the woodlot since 1985. While the club’s goal is to manage the woodlot for the purpose of sharing the cross-country ski experience, the woodlot is an ideal place to showcase forestry in action for local groups. Each May, over the past 10 years, Lakes District Secondary School has hosted Project Forest Management, a weeklong event that brings teenagers to the woodlot to learn about different careers in forestry, including firefighting, timber cruising, tree planting, brushing, ecology and layout.

The club uses the revenues generated to purchase or maintain equipment, expand the clubhouse and run various programs for children and adults.

Roads in the woodlot are built so they can be used as ski trails in the winter. This means slightly longer roads with more corners and hills than normal logging roads. However, it also means a better ski experience for club members. Roads are linked to create loops wherever possible and new harvesting is planned to reduce hazards from falling dead pine and to create new trails.

The woodlot has over 20 kilometres of ski trails for cross-country skiing and biathlon activities, and provides an area where the local population can participate in outdoor activities. Anyone can become a member of the Omineca Ski Club. Regional and provincial competitions hosted by the ski club also attract more than 200 skiers and biathletes from all over British Columbia.

The woodlot and ski trails are currently managed by Sean Broadworth, RPF.