BC Timber Sales (BCTS) is a supporter of National Forest Week, which takes place from Sept. 23-29 this year.

This year’s theme, Research Forests: Canada’s Living Laboratories, highlights the importance of forest research for continued knowledge of climate change, biodiversity and forest management.

As a self-financing program within the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, BCTS’s primary role is to manage the harvesting and reforestation of a significant portion of the timber in British Columbia’s provincial forest.

Research is fundamental to every aspect of BCTS’s planning and operations. Forest management issues, climate change impacts, species at risk considerations and cumulative effects are a few of the research areas on which BCTS focuses.

BCTS also is working on projects to improve marten habitat, the conservation and colonization of rare lichens, and the conservation of northern goshawk breeding and forage territories.

In celebration of National Forest Week, BCTS staff will visit numerous schools to share information on silviculture, forest ecology, fire research, tree breeding and genetics. In the 100 Mile House area, BCTS foresters will lead students in grades 4 to 7 through educational stations set up in Centennial Park and introduce them to subjects including forest pathology, wildlife habitat, tree identification and orienteering.

On Wednesday, Sept. 26, an annual Forestry Day event will be held at Kokanee Provincial Park for all Grade 5 students in the Kootenay School District. The event is organized by Selkirk Natural Resource District and BCTS staff with participation from Kalesnikoff Lumber and A.F. Timber Co. Ltd. The event will include information and activity stations on array of topics, such as forest health, wildlife, tree growth, local ecosystems, harvesting, wood products, forest sector safety and sustainable forest management practices.