2022 Award Recipients

CIF-IFC National Awards 2022 Award Recipients

The 2022 CIF-IFC National Awards Ceremony was hosted on September 12, 2022 at the Delta Hotels by Marriott Sault Ste. Marie Waterfront in Sault Ste. Marie, ON as part of the 2022 National Conference and 114th Annual General Meeting. Doug Reid, President of CIF-IFC, was the moderator of this long-running annual tradition that recognizes the unique and outstanding contributions made by forest practitioners and professionals to forestry in Canada.

 

FOREST CAPITAL OF CANADA DESIGNATION

The Forest Capital of Canada Designation was established in 1979, and focuses on the valuable role forests play in the socio-economic and environmental health of our communities – past, present and future. Originally delivered by the Canadian Forestry Association, the CIF-IFC now administers the legacy program, and designates a community or region to host a celebration of its forest resources for a period of 12-24 months.

  • The recipient of the designation for 2023 is Greater Fredericton Area (City of Fredericton), New Brunswick

The Greater Fredericton Area (City of Fredericton) is a hub for excellence in the forest profession, home to several leading forest sector companies, as well as boasting a number of forest research, training and advocacy organizations within the Hugh John Flemming Forestry Complex. The City is also home to several post-secondary academic institutions with forestry and natural resources programs. The City has over 70-years of demonstrated stewardship and management of the urban forest, through the creation of the Fredericton Tree Commission, and the Parks and Trees Division.

CANADIAN FORESTRY ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Recognizes unique and outstanding achievements in forestry in Canada.  This award has the objective of encouraging excellence in the forestry profession.

  • The 2022 recipient is Murray Woods of McKellar, ON and CIF-IFC Algonquin Section

During Murray’s 36-year career, he worked at OTIFBI (now known as the Ontario Forest Research Institute), Queen’s Park, Sault Ste Marie – finally moving to his “favorite and final” destination in 1992 – the Science and Technology Development Unit in North Bay Ontario. Murray has been involved in studies focused on silviculture, long-term monitoring, and growth and yield modeling in both boreal and great lakes forest types. During the last 16 years of his career, Murray’s work focused on linking remote sensing and enhanced forest inventory methods. Through a secondment to the CFS, Murray was part of a national network encouraging adoption of new inventory technologies and sharing his philosophy –“LiDAR never lies”. Murray has co-authored over 45 journal and government publications with peers across Canada on remote sensing, Silviculture and Growth and Yield. Murray and Debbie are enjoying retirement in McKellar (near Parry Sound) with their children and grandchildren.

CANADIAN FORESTRY SCIENTIFIC ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Recognition of individuals who have made innovative and outstanding achievements in forestry research in Canada. Recognition can be for developing new practices, process, or techniques, or for demonstrating the practical applications of research in forestry. This award has the objective of encouraging innovation, exploration, application, and excellence in forest research.

  • The 2022 recipient is Dr. Nicholas Charles Coops of Vancouver, BC

Nicholas Coops is a Professor at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and a Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) in remote sensing. Nicholas runs the Integrated Remote Sensing Studio (IRSS) within the Faculty of Forestry at UBC, a research lab at UBC investigating and demonstrating applications of remote sensing data to forest production and conservation challenges. He has published over 420 peer-reviewed journal papers and was the editor – in – chief of the Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing for a decade. Nicholas has supervised over 40 masters and PHD students many of whom work in the forestry sector in Canada today. Nicholas has collaborated with many forest companies, government departments and organisations, over his career, including on the innovative use of LIDAR and laser scanning technologies for the forest industry in Canada.  He is honoured to receive this award, and thanks his students, collaborators and the CIF for their recognition.

CANADIAN FOREST MANAGEMENT GROUP ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

This award recognizes groups or teams who have made significant, unique, and outstanding contributions to forest management in Canada. It appreciates the multidisciplinary nature of forest ecosystem management by recognizing the many groups that are required to come together in the process. This award has the objective of encouraging excellence and leadership in group contributions to Canadian forest management.

  • The 2022 recipient is Petawawa Research Forest

The Petawawa Research Forest (PRF) is located in Chalk River, ON and managed by the Canadian Wood Fibre Centre. The PRF was established in 1918 and contributes to the protection, sustainability, innovation and economic development of Canada’s forests by informing forest research and forest management practices in Canada and around the world.

The staff at the PRF (Elizabeth Cobb, Melissa Vekeman, Heidi Erdle, and Kyle Harbin) are a dedicated team that have consistently demonstrated a high degree of forest management professionalism in managing Canada’s oldest research forest. By maintaining historic trials, partnering with scientists to conduct new research, using and testing leading edge technologies, and facilitating technology transfer and education, the staff at the PRF have helped maintain this exceptional working forest for scientific research and the advancement of sustainable forest management.

PRESIDENTIAL AWARD

Presented to individuals who have made significant or consistent outstanding contributions to the Institute through their actions in support of the Institute’s mission. This award recognizes the hard work, dedication, and commitment that individuals provide in following the Institute’s mission and the profession.

  • The 2022 posthumous recipient is Christopher (Chris) A. Lee of Ottawa, Ontario and CIF-IFC Ottawa Valley Section

Chris started his over 40-year forestry career at the University of Toronto, Faculty of Forestry, graduating with a BScF in 1979. He started his work career with the Prince Albert Pulp Company in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, but that was just the beginning. Chris’ diverse career included policy advisor in the office of the federal forestry Minister, advisor in BC treaty negotiations and national lead of the Model Forests Network where he deftly managed the diversity of expectations and interests of the 11 forests across the country. His collaboration with the forest industry is well illustrated in the letter of support from the Forest Products Association of Canada as well as his role as a member of the leadership team that developed and delivered Natural Resource Canada’s national Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program that catalyzed huge strides in economic and environmental performance of Canada’s pulp industry. He also led the Canadian Lumber Standards Accreditation Board as CEO from 2007-09. One of Chris’ many achievements included, as Managing Director, Canadian Forest Owners Association, leading the merger of the 2 largest national woodlot owners associations to create the Canadian Federation of Forest Owners which represents over 25 million hectares of private forests in Canada.

In terms of commitment to the profession and the Institute, Chris worked as national Executive Director as well as a term as President of CIF-IFC. Chris has been a long time engaged member of the CIF-IFC nationally and member of the Saskatchewan and Vancouver Island Sections and active in the Ottawa Valley Section as member and Councilor. Throughout his career, Chris never lost his energy for exploring creative ways to communicate about forestry and share with friends, family and colleagues’, elegant but understandable, explanations to complex forestry issues.

Chris passed on September 17th, 2021 and is forever remembered by wife Bonnie and son Scott.

JAMES M. KITZ AWARD

The Institute recognizes that there are many individuals involved in forestry across Canada who are making outstanding contributions early in their profession. The award recognizes the contributions of those forest practitioners newer to the profession. It has the objective of encouraging excellence in the forestry profession. This award is named the James M. Kitz Award, after a person who was a member of Institute and the Alberta Registered Professional Foresters Association.

  • The 2022 recipient is Fraser Smith of Peterborough, ON and CIF-IFC Southern Ontario Section

Fraser is a keen collaborator and mentor, committed to supporting others by sharing his knowledge of local level sustainable forest management for the betterment of our natural environment. A professional with a fundamental focus on awareness and education, he keeps friends and colleagues informed with the most up-to-date information and best practices, ensuring that activities are being implemented appropriately and effectively across the landscape. He remains humble in his pursuits to provide a full-service, diverse forest health portfolio providing extensive consultation and thoughtful management practices. In just five short years he has become a go-to contact to small woodlot owners, neighbours, Conservation Authorities, First Nations, municipalities, and provincial and federal government agencies.

SCHLICH MEMORIAL PRIZE

The Schlich Memorial Prize is awarded to an outstanding student chosen by the university and technical school(s) represented by the Section(s) hosting the annual meeting. The Schlich Memorial Prize is named, after Sir William Schlich, who was born in 1840 and was a German forester who became Inspector General of Forests to the Government of India. He also founded the School of Forestry at Oxford in 1905, and was knighted in 1909 for his many achievements. He passed-away in 1925 and the Oxford Forestry School sponsored a campaign to create a fitting memorial – the Schlich Memorial Fund.

  • The 2022 recipient is Abigail Leaist

Abigail Leaist is currently in her final semester of the Forestry Technician – Conservation program at Sault College. She previously earned her Honours BA with a specialization in Geography and minor in Indigenous Studies from the University of Ottawa. As a student at Sault College, she has been awarded the President’s Academic Excellence Scholarship and Dr. Alam Sundaram Memorial Scholarship. Abigail has extensive experience working in the natural environment field including outdoor education, policy analysis, and silviculture. Her recent experiences include working for Parks Canada in Banff National Park as a vegetation management technician, focusing on invasive species management and terrestrial restoration. During the summer of 2022, she completed her co-op placement with the Saskatchewan Forest Service conducting silviculture surveys. Abigail is excited to pursue a meaningful career in forestry upon graduating in December 2022.

GOLDEN YEAR CLUB

This Award recognizes individuals celebrating 50 years of membership with the Institute.

The 2022 recipients are:

  • Blair A. Vessie of the Maritimes Section
  • James M. Stephen of the Vancouver-South Coast Section
  • Floyd Wilson of the Saskatchewan Section
  • Kenneth Ross Creelman of the Maritimes Section

Blair Vessie’s inspirations for getting into the forestry field included his father’s employment as an engineer at Price Wilson, QC paper mill, his father’s Canadian Pulp and Paper Association publication that had a woodlands section, his Native Trees of Canada book, together with his family’s woodlot, neighbors farm, sugaries and scouts. University of New Brunswick’s Van Slyke, Powell, and Krause were his science mentors. Blair’s first work experience was at the New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources; other experiences included tree selection and general seed collection. Blair was the Crown Land silviculture/management forester from 1986-2002. He evaluated plans of Stone Consolidated, Avenor, on part of Miramichi P & P, Fraser. Also from 1980 – 2002, he supervised the Department of Natural Resources forest extension staff on woodlot roads, sugaries, management plans, and coordinated with marketing boards on woodlot silviculture. After retiring from the Department of Natural Resources, Blair wrote woodlot plans on a consulting basis. His last working years were with Kent Building Supplies in the garden center.

Floyd Wilson graduated from UNB in 1972 and obtained a job with the Saskatchewan government. He worked out of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan for 11 years in several capacities before transferring to Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan as an Area Forester. He remained there until Sept 2007 when he retired. Since retirement he continues to live in Meadow Lake. In 1973, Floyd married his wife Doreen – next spring they will celebrate their 50 years of marriage. They had three children – two girls and a boy, unfortunately his son was killed in a single vehicle accident. Floyd and Doreen have six grandchildren and six great grandchildren. They love going to New Brunswick almost every year.

Kenneth Ross Creelman is a successful management executive with a solid track record of establishing and stabilizing green field manufacturing operations. His sustainability in forestry focus recognized sawmill residues and forestry biomass, as a base load clean energy source, in the early 1990s. As a third generation businessman, Ross’s early training grew from his family forestry and sawmill business established by his grandfather, Hedley Creelman in 1917.  A University of New Brunswick graduate of BSc Forestry (Wood Science), Ross recognized value-added wood products as a way to avoid the ups and downs of commodity wood products. This foresight resulted in the establishment of Marwood Ltd., a focused manufacturer of pressure treated wood products to be used outdoors. He grew the family-owned and operated value-added products business from one manufacturing plant in Nova Scotia to 8 locations across Atlantic Canada and in the New England States. Giving back to the community has always been a mainstay for Ross. Since 2005, a Partners for Youth, Director; from 2009-2019, served as Director, Sustainable Development Technology Canada, a Government of Canada agency to fund early stage clean energy technologies; President, Canadian Wood Preservation Association; President, Wood Science and Technology Centre at the University of New Brunswick; Member, Canadian Institute of Forestry since 1974 as a Registered Professional Forester (RPF) in New Brunswick, Canada. Mr. Creelman’s next generation entrepreneurship includes an innovator’s vision for forestry biomass clean energy projects to scale investments in low-carbon economy emerging markets.

VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION AWARD

Since 1908, volunteers have played a special role in the growth of the Institute, sharing their time, energy and expertise through activities such as office work, field work, fundraising, knowledge exchange and resource sharing. This award recognizes outstanding volunteers for their efforts and dedication.

The 2022 recipients are:

  •  Michael Doig of Steinbach, MB and CIF-IFC Manitoba Section
  • Jeff Fera of Sault Ste. Marie, ON and CIF-IFC Central Ontario Section

Michael Doig is a graduate of Lakehead University’s Faculty of Forestry, where he was a co-chair for the 1998 CIF Ring Ceremony.  After graduation, he joined the Lake of the Woods Section. Charlotte Caron and Darlene MacGillivray recruited him to join the section first as a member, then as a councillor and finally as the section chair (1999-2009). As a member of the Manitoba Section (2009-present), Michael connected with section members such as Trevor Stanley and Brad Epp. Over the past decade, Michael has helped organize forest tours and the CIF memorial tree planting program in Manitoba. Michael has volunteered with the Kenora Nordic and Sandilands Ski Clubs where he has been a trail developer, a board member and a jackrabbit ski coach. Michael is happily married to Jennifer and is a proud father of Brennan and Maren, all of whom help out with a volunteer project, or two, each year.

Jeff Fera is a Forest Research Officer with Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Wood Fibre Centre and is located in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. He specializes in forest biomass harvesting and forest silviculture research, within the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence and boreal forest regions. Jeff is a H.BSc. Forestry degree (2003) graduate from Lakehead University as well as the Chair for the 2022 CIF-IFC National Conference Planning Committee hosted in Sault Ste. Marie.

TREE OF LIFE AWARD

Tree of Life Awards are nationally recognized, but selected and presented by Sections of the CIF-IFC to individuals who have made superior, dedicated or particularly effective contributions to sustainable forest management, forest renewal and sustained yield, or integrated management of the forest and its intrinsic values.

The 2022 recipients are:

  • Jim A. Taylor of the Newfoundland and Labrador Section
  • Judy Hall of the Northwestern Ontario Section
  • Jean MacIsaac of the Northwestern Ontario Section
  • Dr. M.A. (Peggy) Smith of the Northwestern Ontario Section
  • Jack Harrison of the Lake of the Woods Section
  • Bob Winship of the Rocky Mountain Section; and
  • Alex Drummond of the Rocky Mountain Section

SECTION OF THE YEAR

This Award recognizes outstanding involvement of members in the affairs of the CIF-IFC that can result in increased awareness of the importance of forestry in Canada.

  • The 2022 recipient is the Maritimes Section

CANADIAN INSTITUTE OF FORESTRY AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

This award was newly added to the CIF-IFC National Awards Program for 2021 and provides an avenue for the CIF-IFC Executive Director to recognize outstanding accomplishments of National Office team members in helping to achieve the Institute’s mission to provide national leadership, promote competence, and foster public awareness of Canadian and international forestry/forest issues.

  • The 2022 recipients is Jen Dickman, Communications Manager, CIF-IFC