An Editorial Opinion – Right From The Stump, April 27, 2022
Too often, when it comes to reductions in timber harvest the focus is on the headline number of direct job losses, glossing over what that means or who is actually affected. I thought it would be helpful to add a bit more colour to this issue, so I have tallied up the different jobs necessary to cut a tree and deliver a log to a sawmill (or other primary manufacturing facilities).
The list below describes over 100 job types required to ensure timber is sustainably planned, harvested, and delivered to a sawmill (or primary manufacturing site) as well as regenerated. People that do these jobs are found in every community throughout the province, including in the urban areas of the lower mainland and southern Vancouver Island. The diversity and breadth of these job types clearly indicate that forestry in British Columbia is complex. It’s a dynamic ecosystem of professionals, skilled workers, service providers and suppliers which is needed to make the industry function. When the timber harvest goes down, job losses affect each of these jobs to some degree in addition to loggers with their chainsaws.
The number of job types involved with British Columbia forestry from the forest to the sawmill include…
MYTH: Job Types In BC Forestry
1. Logger
REALITY: Job Types In BC Forestry
1. Planning forester
2. Field forester
3. Area forester
4. Junior forester
5. Assistant forester
6. Timber cruiser
7. Stream/Riparian assessor
8. Wildlife biologist
9. Geotechnical engineer
10. Hydrologist
11. Ecologist
12. Engineering crew
13. Digital mapper
14. GIS department
15. Archaeologist
16. First Nations referral staff
17. First Nations liaison/relations staff
18. Visual quality landscape specialist
19. District Manager - Government
20. Government forester
21. Government forestry technician
22. Government specialist
23. Silviculture forester
24. Silviculture surveyor
25. Wildlife danger tree assessor
26. Inventory forester
27. Structural engineer
28. Road engineer
29. Fish biologist
30. Rare plant & ecosystems specialist
31. Carbon forester
32. Carbon offset credit auditor
33. Administrator
34. Account payable clerk
35. Account receivable clerk
36. Accountant
37. Controller
38. Tree climber
39. Tree faller
40. Feller buncher operator
41. Skidder operator
42. Log processor operator
43. Yarder engineer
44. Hooktender
45. Log loader operator
46. Production crew supervisor
47. First Aid attendant
48. Helicopter pilot
49. Mechanic
50. Bull cook
51. Kitchen staff
52. Camp helpers
53. Camp watchman
54. Water taxi staff
55. Road building crew general
56. Excavator operator
57. Rock blasting crew
58. Dump truck driver
59. Rock driller operator
60. Road grade crew
61. Lawyer
62. Compliance and Enforcement staff - Government
63. Logging truck driver
64. Scaler
65. Log stamper
66. Log tagger
67. Log broker
68. Log buyer
69. Log sort crew
70. Quality control staff
71. WorkSafe BC officer
72. Tug boat crew
73. Boom boat crew
74. Log barge crew
75. Sustainable certification forester
76. Tree planter
77. Brush cutter
78. Silviculture general worker and foreman
79. Logistics manager
80. Bridge builders
81. Explosive expert
82. Cultural awareness consultants/trainer
83. Safety coordinator
84. Purchaser
85. Welder
86. Fabricator
87. Bundler (in sort)
88. Wheel loader operator
89. Bander (for stems)
90. Dispatcher
91. Facility cleaner and maintenance staff
92. Wood waste grinder operator
93. Drone pilot
94. Communications specialist
95. Human resource manager
96. Shop steward
97. Environmental monitor
98. Signage traffic control staff
99. Motel staff
100. Restaurant staff
101. Equipment dealers and support staff
102. Fuel supplier
103. Wire cable supplier
104. Blasting powder supplier
105. Tire sales staff
106. Truck sales and rentals staff
107. Insurance salespeople
108. Coffee shop staff
109. Clothing store staff
110. Grocery store staff
111. Radio technician
112. Forest fire fighting crew
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Written By David Elstone, RPF
Publisher, View From The Stump newsletter
Managing Director, Spar Tree Group Inc.
david@spartreegroup.com
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