While forestry may not be the largest employer in the province, it is certainly just as vital to Alberta as the agriculture and oil and gas industries.
In west central Alberta, there are many communities that rely heavily on forestry for their economic and social well-being. And it remains as true today as it always has been that without the forestry industry Alberta would be a much poorer province.
As such, a new awareness campaign recently launched to promote and champion Alberta forestry is in the best interest of the region and the province.
The Love Alberta Forests campaign is being spearheaded by the Alberta Forest Products Association (AFPA).
The campaign includes getting information out to the public about forestry’s long-term planning, environmental protection efforts, financial contributions to community groups and organizations, research and innovation, and other projects and activities.
“Forestry professionals and forest companies are incredibly passionate about our forests,” said AFPA president and CEO Paul Whittaker. “The steps that have been taken by past generations have ensured a sustainable resource for us today, and we’re working hard every day to make practices even better.”
For his part, Devin Dreeshen, provincial minister of agriculture and forestry and area MLA, rightly says the ongoing efforts of forestry companies and the tens of thousands of people they employ are vital to Alberta’s current and future success.
“Albertans should feel pride in knowing their forests are maintained with world-class forest-management practices,” said Dreeshen. “The Alberta government is fighting for our forestry industry and the 40,000 hard-working Albertans it employs by endorsing the AFPA in their efforts to share the healthy, environmentally sustainable work that Alberta foresters do every day.”
As with other industries in Alberta, forestry faces numerous challenges going forward, including the need to protect the industry from competitors outside Canada who would like nothing better than to see the decline and failure of Alberta forestry.
As such, this new AFPA campaign to heighten awareness of the important contribution forestry makes to the province’s well-being is certainly welcome.
- Singleton is the Mountain View Gazette editor.
