Natasha Caverley and Phil Burton have been appointed to the Forest Practices Board for three-year terms.

Caverley is a multi-racial Canadian of Algonquin (Whitney and Area Algonquins), Jamaican and Irish heritage. She holds a masters in education in counselling psychology and a PhD in organizational studies from the University of Victoria. Caverley is a Canadian-certified counsellor through the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association, and is a management consultant specializing in organizational behaviour, career counselling and development, and multicultural counselling.

Caverley has more than 20 years of experience in workshop facilitation, management and organizational behaviour, and knowledge product development with an emphasis on Indigenous fire stewardship. She is a co-author of the book Blazing the Trail: Celebrating Indigenous Fire Stewardship, and authored publications for professional Canadian and international-based counselling psychology, public administration, natural-resource management, Indigenous studies and human resource management journals and magazines. She lives in North Saanich.

Burton is a registered biologist and a professor emeritus in the department of ecosystem science and management at the University of Northern British Columbia. Over four decades, his research program has focused on the disturbance and recovery of vegetation. The resulting scientific papers and book contributions address the ecology and management of forests and grasslands, emphasizing options to bridge their conservation and use. In recent years, his work has focused increasingly on the impacts of and adaptation to a changing climate. Ongoing research is attempting to better understand the behaviour of wildfires.

Previously, Burton served as a manager with the Canadian Forest Service during the Mountain Pine Beetle Initiative and has worked as an environmental consultant. Graduating with a bachelor of science in biology and land-use studies from the University of Saskatchewan, he then earned masters in science and PhD degrees in the United States. After that, he taught various courses in plant biology, silviculture, forest policy, conservation biology, ecological restoration, disturbance ecology, and integrated resource management at the University of British Columbia, University of Victoria and University of Northern British Columbia. He divides his time between a home in Terrace and a cabin outside Smithers.

As of April, Bruce Larson of Squamish has completed his appointed role as a board member. Additionally, Gerry Grant stepped into the role of vice-chair this year.

The Forest Practices Board is B.C.’s independent watchdog for sound forest and range practices, reporting its findings and recommendations directly to the public and government. The board audits forest and range practices and appropriateness of government enforcement on public lands, investigates public complaints and current forestry issues, participates in administrative appeals and makes recommendations for improvement to practices and legislation.

More information about the Forest Practices Board is available online: http://www.bcfpb.ca