Shane Berg has been named British Columbia’s 18th chief forester and the assistant deputy minister for the Office of the Chief Forester.

This is following Berg’s service as deputy chief forester for the previous five years.

The chief forester is an independent statutory decision-maker, responsible under the Forest Act for determining the allowable annual cut for each of B.C.’s 71 timber supply areas and tree farm licences. Under the Forest and Range Practices Act, the chief forester also sets seed, seedling and stocking standards for the reforestation of B.C.’s forests.

Berg is a registered professional forester who has worked throughout the province, beginning as a silviculture technician in Invermere. He then worked as a silviculture forester in Grand Forks and a forest planning manager in Squamish. He also held district manager roles over 14 years with the BC Forest Service, both in northern B.C. (Hazelton) and the southern Interior (Kamloops).

Berg spent six years working as a regional executive director with the then-Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation before becoming the province’s deputy chief forester in April 2017.

As chief forester, Berg will work collaboratively to manage B.C.’s forests and range lands in a sustainable, ecosystem-based manner, using the best science available and culturally relevant data as the foundation for decision-making.

The Office of the Chief Forester will continue to deliver independent, professional judgement based on information ranging from technical forestry reports to First Nations and public input and the government’s social and economic goals.

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