Phil Burton is a Registered Professional Biologist (RPBio) and a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management at the University of Northern British Columbia. He also has served as a manager with the Canadian Forest Service during the Mountain Pine Beetle Initiative and has worked as an environmental consultant. Phil’s academic journey began with a Bachelor of Science in biology and land use studies from the University of Saskatchewan, followed by the completion of his Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in the United States. After his studies, Phil taught various courses in plant biology, silviculture, forest policy, conservation biology, ecological restoration, disturbance ecology, and integrated resource management at UBC, UVic, and UNBC.
Phil’s research program over four decades has focused on the disturbance and recovery of vegetation. The resulting scientific papers and book contributions address the ecology and management of forests and grasslands, emphasizing options to bridge their conservation and use. In recent years, his work has focused increasingly on the impacts of and adaptation to a changing climate. Ongoing research is attempting to better understand the behaviour of wildfires.
Phil divides his time between a home in Terrace and a cabin outside of Smithers.
Natasha Caverley is a multi-racial Canadian of Algonquin (Whitney and Area Algonquins), Jamaican, and Irish heritage. She holds a M.Ed in Counselling Psychology and PhD in Organizational Studies from the University of Victoria. Natasha is a Canadian Certified Counsellor through the Canadian Counselling & Psychotherapy Association. She is a management consultant specializing in organizational behaviour, career counselling and development, and multicultural counselling.
Natasha has over 20 years of experience in workshop facilitation, management and organizational behaviour, and knowledge product development with an emphasis on Indigenous fire stewardship. She is a co-author of the book Blazing the Trail: Celebrating Indigenous Fire Stewardship and authored publications within professional Canadian and international-based counselling psychology, public administration, natural resource management, Indigenous studies, and human resource management journals/magazines. Natasha lives in North Saanich, BC.
Frank Tiramani, RPF, joined the Forest Practices Board in January 2024
Frank graduated from the University of Cumbria (UK) in 2013 with a Bachelor of Science in Forestry and Woodland Management. Before moving to Canada, he spent time working on the private Cowdray Estate, with the Forestry Commission and as a self-employed falling/arborist contractor.
Frank started working in forestry in BC at the Alex Fraser Research Forest, Williams Lake in 2012 before moving to Vanderhoof in 2013. From 2013 to 2016, he worked as a consultant with Avison Management Services and then as a Planning and Silviculture Forester for Nechako Lumber/Sinclar Group between 2016 and 2021. Frank became a Registered Professional Forester (RPF) in 2017.
Moving to Vancouver Island in 2021, and before joining the Board, Frank worked as an Area Planner for Mosaic Forest Management, focused on public land planning and operations within the Great Bear Rainforest. Frank lives in Campbell River.
Greg Jorgenson, RPF, joined the Forest Practices Board in December 2023
Greg received his Bachelor of Science in Forestry at the University of British Columbia in 1999. He became a Registered Professional Forester (RPF) in 2003 and is an accredited silviculture surveyor.
Before joining the Board, Greg spent the last seven years of his career focusing on provincial silviculture improvements within the Office of the Chief Forester in the Ministry of Forests. He has worked as the provincial lead for silviculture surveys and the strategic planning officer responsible for leading and collaborating on provincial silviculture policy initiatives.
Early in his career, Greg spent over a decade owning and operating a forestry consulting company specializing in professional and technical silviculture services in the Cariboo area. In 2013, Greg and his family moved to Vancouver Island where he joined Island Timberlands as an area forester responsible for silviculture programs on Southern Vancouver Island and Haida Gwaii. Greg and his family currently live in Victoria.
Keith Atkinson is a Registered Professional Forester (RPF) with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Forestry from the University of British Columbia. He served for 10 years as the chief executive officer of the First Nations Forestry Council, where he worked to create opportunities for First Nations in forestry. Keith has also held positions as the forest resources manager at the Nisga’a Lisims Government and served as a community trustee for the Snuneymuxw First Nation, of which he is a member. Keith lives in North Vancouver on the traditional and unceded territories of the Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations.
Norma Hofsink joined the Forest Practices Board in February 2023
Norma has worked for more than 30 years for the Province in the ministries of Forests; Environment; Land and Water; Integrated Land Management Bureau; and Forests, and most recently as the regional executive administrator with the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation. She provides executive support to the Board members and the Executive Director.
Francis Njenga, PAg, joined the Forest Practices Board in August 2022.
Francis has a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Range Management from the University of Nairobi, Kenya, and is a Professional Agrologist (PAg).
Francis began his career at the University of Nairobi, before moving to British Columbia. He joined the BC Government as a District Range Agrologist in 2000 and has since worked in the ministries of Forests and Agriculture. Before joining the Board, he was the Rangeland Stewardship Officer in the Range Branch of the Ministry of Forests. Francis has extensive background and experience in range and resource management. Francis lives in Kamloops.
Marie-Lou Lefrancois, RFP, joined the Forest Practices Board in May 2022.
Marie-Lou has a Bachelor of Science in Physical Geography from University of Montreal, and a Master of Science in Forest Ecology from the Centre of Forest Research from the University of Quebec in Montreal. She is a Registered Professional Forester (RPF).
Before joining the board, Marie-Lou worked in forest research, planning, operations and policy for over 16 years. As a consultant she worked on growth and yield, climate change, policy and statistics projects for academia, government and consulting firms. She joined the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources in 2011 working in authorizations, BCTS in 2014 as a planning forester, and the Competitiveness and Innovation branch in 2017 as a forest carbon advisor. She finally joined BCTS headquarters in 2019 as a Wildlife Resource Specialist and a stewardship policy forester, where she lead and collaborated on various partial harvesting initiatives all over the province. Marie-Lou lives in Smithers in the Skeena region.
Geoff Recknell, RPBio, joined the Forest Practices Board in August 2021
Geoff has a Bachelor of Science in forestry and resource conservation from the University of British Columbia and is a Registered Professional Biologist.
Before joining the Board, Geoff worked for the BC Government where most recently he was the Regional Executive Director for Operations in the Skeena Region of Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Management and Rural Development since January 2019. For eight years prior to that, Geoff was the Regional Executive Director for the North Area of the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation. Geoff brings an extensive background in forestry, land use planning, natural resource management, and Indigenous relations to the Board. Geoff lives in Smithers.
Nick Reynolds, RPF, joined the Forest Practices Board in November 2020
Nick has a Masters in Sustainable Forest Management from the University of British Columbia. He is a Registered Professional Forester (RPF) who has worked as a consultant with government, industry, academia, and First Nations over the last 20 years. His early career consisted of work in wildlife biology, growth and yield establishment and re-measurement, silviculture, and forest ecology research.
Before joining the Board, Nick helped lead technical work in land use planning and Land Use Order development, Timber Supply Reviews (Haida Gwaii), and was a member of the 2018 Forest Inventory Review Blue Ribbon Panel. Nick’s experience also included many years as an FSC auditor throughout Canada, as well conducting forest carbon assessments, wildlife habitat inventory and cultural feature identification standard development and training.
