Message from the Chair of Canadian Women in Timber

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It is with a heavy heart that I write this final message from the Chair to our members and friends. After more than 30 years, the Canadian Women in Timber are dissolving our organization.

 

Since 1989, our branches and provincial board have enthusiastically championed the forestry and logging sectors in British Columbia. We’ve collectively touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of school children, parents, teachers and community members – fostering an interest and passion for the natural science of forestry, management and operations/harvesting. Our educational materials have been re-published many times (with support from our sponsors) and are part of classroom sets and family bookshelves around the province and across Canada.

 

Our founders—Myrtle Siebert, Pat Fechtner and Brenda Armstrong—saw a need in BC for a grassroots voice that could represent the forest sector, sharing the good works of the industry in individual communities as well as reaching out to broader stakeholders such as educators and government. I believe that we have upheld that vision with a strong, science-based, balanced view of forest land use issues.

 

We would like to thank everyone who has been a member of the Canadian Women in Timber – your contributions are so important and valued. We would also like to thank our supporters and friends: forestry companies; industry associations like the ILA, the TLA, the Vancouver Hoo-Hoo Club; all levels of government and forest ministers who have participated in our events and programs; all the post-secondary forestry programs; and all of the many schools around the province who have welcomed us into their classrooms.

 

Our partnership with the Interior Logging Association and the Forest Education Van was a key part of our program, especially as our regional branches closed down. The van gave us a means to engage with people one-on-one, with hands-on tools and interactive displays that will continue to provide value to the sector long into the future. Thank you to Wayne Lintott who was always our champion!

 

We will be donating our surplus materials to like-minded non-profit groups. Our website will remain online until April 2023 as a resource for downloading our booklets and activities.

 

A heartfelt goodbye from our board of directors, Betty-Ann McDonald, Ann Polson, Wayne Lintott, Steve Baumber, Marg Hagardt, Laurie Septav, Molly Hudson, Melinda Morben, Lucy Adirim, and myself, Sandy McKellar.  We wish you all the best – and encourage everyone to continue our pledge of Forest Awareness Through Education!

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Sandy McKellar

Chair, Canadian Women in Timber