Dan Macmaster part of delegation sharing priorities for B.C.’s forest industry
Story by Karen McKinley, Reporter, Grand Forks Gazette/Boundary Creek Times
December 15, 2023
A forester from the Boundary Region is in Japan to highlight the innovation of B.C.’s wood products.
Minister of Forests, Bruce Ralston, is leading a delegation from British Columbia’s forestry sector on a mission to Japan that started on Dec. 10, according to a news release. Among the representatives, Dan Macmaster, head of Forestry with the Osoyoos Indian Band (Nk’Mip Forestry), has a significant role representing both the First Nations Forestry Council as a Director and the Osoyoos Indian Band.
The B.C. delegation consists of a diverse group of Ministry of Forests representatives, First Nations delegates, and forestry-sector representatives from various companies that will collaborate in Japan. They aim to strengthen international relationships, expand market opportunities, engage with customers and partners, and promote use of B.C. wood products within Japanese businesses. One of the key objectives is to showcase the exceptional quality of B.C.’s materials and their potential applications in Japan, ranging from low-carbon homes to mass-timber commercial buildings.
For the past several years, Macmaster has played an important role in the forestry sector through his work with now-closed Vaagen Fibre Canada, West Boundary Community Forest and the Osoyoos Indian Band.
Earlier this year, he was recognized by Forest Professionals British Columbia as the Professional Forester of the Year and was honoured with the Canadian Forestry Achievement Award at the 2023 Canadian Institute of Forestry/Institut Forestier du Canada (CIF-IFC) National Awards Ceremony.
“I am very excited about this opportunity to travel with other forestry sector leaders and senior government officials to Japan,” stated Macmaster. “As a Director for the First Nations Forestry Council and the Head of Forestry for the Osoyoos Indian Band, I will be sharing presentations on what some of the key priorities are for BC First Nations in forestry, their traditional and innovative practices in good forest management, plus share how to best work in collaboration with each other.”
“I am honoured to be attending and look forward to not only sharing information with our hosts in Japan but also learning from them to take best practices and good ideas and see how we can make them work in our very diverse and unique forests here in British Columbia.”
Photos: Bruce Ralston, Twitter