Victoria – Four new members were appointed to the Forest Practices Board by the government on March 10th. Ingrid Davis, Mark Haddock, Liz Osborn and Fred Parker were appointed to the Board for three-year terms. They join existing Board Chair, Keith Moore, and members John Cuthbert, Klaus Offermann and Frances Vyse.

“I am very pleased with the new appointments to the Board,” said Chair, Keith Moore. “These individuals come from communities in different parts of the province and will bring new perspectives that complement those of our present Board members. This will add to the diversity of views and experience that we bring to our work.”

Ingrid Davis has extensive experience in silviculture practices and recently served as chair of a local resource use planning committee. Davis served in several forest regions with the Ministry of Forests before becoming an independent consultant in 1990. As a consultant she has worked with forest industry, provincial and federal forestry departments and private landholders. Ingrid Davis resides in Merritt, BC.

Mark Haddock has significant experience in the area of forest policy and law. He has worked with organizations such as the West Coast Environmental Law Association and the Sierra Legal Defence Fund. He also served as the environmental representative on the Forest Sector Strategy Committee. Prior to that, Haddock worked for the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs, Ministry of Forests and articled with the Federal Department of Justice. Mark Haddock is a lawyer and resides in Port Moody, BC.

Liz Osborn has a Masters degree in Natural Resources Management at Simon Fraser University and a MSc from the Forestry and Resource Management Department at the University of California Berkeley. She has extensive experience in natural resources policy, planning and research and has worked overseas with organizations such as the Canadian International Development Agency and CUSO. Osborn also served as Communications and Policy Co-ordinator and as Executive Director of the Outdoor Recreation Council of BC. Liz Osborn resides in Telkwa, BC near Smithers.

Fred Parker is a forester with extensive experience in the forest industry in the BC interior. He worked as a manager with the Interior Lumber Manufacturers’ Association and currently works as a forestry consultant. Parker currently serves as a director of the Columbia Basin Trust. Fred Parker resides in Castlegar, BC.

Board member Frances Vyse will be stepping down when her appointment expires in April.

John Cuthbert was recently re-appointed to the Board for an additional two year term in which he will serve as Vice Chair. “John’s contribution to the Board has been significant and we are very pleased that he will continue his work with the Board in the role of Vice Chair,” said Moore. Cuthbert retired after a long distinguished career with the Ministry of Forests, including nine years as Chief Forester for the province. He is a resident of Summerland and was first appointed to the Board in 1997.

Created in 1995, the Board is BC’s independent watchdog for sound forest practices. The Board provides British Columbians with objective and independent assessments of the state of forest planning and practices in the province, compliance with the Code, and the achievement of its intent.

The Board’s main roles are: auditing forest practices, undertaking investigations in response to public complaints, undertaking special investigations of any Code related forestry issues, participating in administrative reviews and appeals and providing reports on Board activities, findings and recommendations.

Information about the Forest Practices Board and its activities is available from the Board office and on the Internet.