VICTORIA – Cabinet has made a number of appointments to the Forest Practices Board. Tim Ryan will be staying on as chair of the board for a second term. Ryan has issued the following statements upon the appointment of Ken Higginbotham to the board, and the re-appointment of current members Marlene Machmer and Norma Wilson:

“I am very pleased to have Ken Higginbotham join us at the board. Ken is best known in B.C. for his role as vice-president of forestry with Canfor Corporation. Before that he was an assistant deputy minister and a research branch director with the Alberta government’s forestry department and a forestry professor at the University of Alberta. Since 2015, Ken has chaired the BC Forest Safety Council and will continue in that role.”

“I am also very pleased that Marlene Machmer and Norma Wilson have been re-appointed to the board for another term. Both Marlene and Norma bring valuable insight to the board from their respective backgrounds in ecology and geology.”

“On behalf of everyone at the board and the public, I would like to thank Bill Dumont for giving six years to the board, and Angeline Nyce for her contributions over her two years with the board. Both of them brought their experience, common sense, and invaluable insight on First Nations interests in forests to the board’s work.”

The Forest Practices Board is B.C.’s independent watchdog for sound forest and range practices, reporting its findings and recommendations directly to the public and government. The board audits forest and range practices and appropriateness of government enforcement on public lands, investigates public complaints and current forestry issues, participates in administrative appeals and makes recommendations for improvement to practices and legislation.

More information can be obtained by contacting:

Darlene Oman
Communications
Forest Practices Board
Phone: 250 213-4705 / 1 800 994-5899