What's New
RPFANS Responds to Release of Lahey Report of Forest Practices
For Immediate Release
August 23, 2018
Truro, NS - Registered Professional Foresters Association of Nova Scotia (RPFANS) welcomes the release this week of the Independent Review of Forest Practices report prepared by Professor William Lahey and his team of expert advisors for the Government of Nova Scotia.
“Our members look forward to using their collective knowledge, skills and expertise to help implement the many recommendations contained in the report,” comments Kevin Keys, RPFANS President. “As professionals in the forest sector, we’ll continue to promote and plan for the responsible and sustainable management of Nova Scotia’s forest resources.”
RPFANS is the professional body that oversees registered professional foresters (RPFs) in Nova Scotia. To legally use the RPF designation, members require: (i) recognized education from an accredited university, (ii) a 2-year work period as a forester-in-training mentored by a qualified RPF, (iii) successful completion of an entrance exam on forestry related legislation, (iv) adherence to a code of ethics, and (v) documented evidence of ongoing continuing education. Through this combination of education, experience and ethics, registered professional foresters work to sustainably manage Nova Scotia’s forest resources on both public and private land.
For more information:
Kevin Keys, PhD, RPF
RPFANS President
https://www.rpfans.ca/
SFI News Release
SFI News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 28, 2017
SFI INC. RECOGNIZES LEADERSHIP IN
CONSERVATION, EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
OTTAWA, ON - The Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc. (SFI) announced awards today, at the SFI Annual Conference, recognizing excellence in advancing conservation, education and community engagement.
The SFI Leadership in Conservation Award: J.D. Irving, Limited. This award recognizes SFI Program Participants involved in strong partnerships focused on conservation. In 2016, SFI Program Participants reported on 420 different audited research projects with more than 500 unique partner organizations. J.D. Irving (JDI) participated in 68 forest research projects, the highest number of any SFI Program Participant.
"The SFI community is committed to supporting forest research. SFI requires participants to support research to improve forest health, conservation understanding, productivity and sustainable management of forest resources. J.D. Irving stands out as a research leader that engages universities and conservation partners year after year. As Canada marks its 150th anniversary we are pleased to recognize J.D. Irving, Limited, whose roots in forestry go back 135 years," said Kathy Abusow, President and CEO of SFI Inc.
Project highlights include JDI's award-winning Unique Areas Program, which has grown from 29 sites in the 1980s to more than 1,300 today. The program focuses on protecting unique elements in working forests. JDI also supports two large deer and moose studies, and it provided instrumental leadership as a founder of the Collaboration for Atlantic Salmon Tomorrow (CAST). Read the full release.
The SFI President's Award: Craig Blair, President and CEO, Resource Management Service LLC. Craig Blair is being recognized for providing the vision and strong leadership that helped Project Learning Tree (PLT) find a new home at SFI. Founded in 1976, PLT is an award-winning environmental education program that uses trees and forests as windows on the world to increase youth understanding of the environment and actions they can take to conserve it.
Craig is an SFI board member who served as Chair of the SFI Board of Directors from April 2015 to April 2017. By providing leadership for PLT's move to SFI, Craig showed how much we should all value the role youth education can play in caring for forests.
"Craig was able to intuitively see the connection between environmental education and the long-term health and future of the forest sector. He also immediately understood what a strong fit Project Learning Tree would be for SFI's community engagement programs. When the decisions were being made about a shared future for PLT and SFI, Craig Blair was Chairman of the SFI Board, and he led the way in helping both the PLT and SFI community envision a stronger future having both initiatives under one roof," said Kathy Abusow, President and CEO of SFI Inc. Read the full release.
The SFI Implementation Committee Award: Maine SFI Committee. This award recognizes the exceptional work of the grassroots network of 34 SFI Implementation Committees across the U.S. and Canada. Groups ranging from Habitat for Humanity and Boy Scouts to universities and Ducks Unlimited Canada work with SFI Implementation Committees.
The Maine committee was selected based on education outreach efforts focused on water quality, a community partnership with Make-A-Wish Maine, which grants the wishes of children diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses, and the growth of the SFI Program. SFI's expanded footprint is also good news for outdoor enthusiasts - 98% of 285 million acres/115 million hectares is available for outdoor recreation.
"The Maine committee's focus on environmental education, community engagement, and outdoor recreation is part of a long tradition of supporting SFI's larger strategic goals and providing leadership for other SFI committees," said Gordy Mouw, SFI's Director of Program Participant Relations. Read the full release
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About the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® Inc. (SFI)
SFI® Inc. is a sustainability leader that stands for future forests. We are an independent, non- profit organization that provides supply chain assurances, produces conservation outcomes, and supports education and community engagement. SFI works with the forest sector, brand owners, conservation groups, resource professionals, landowners, educators, local communities, Indigenous peoples, governments, and universities. SFI standards and on-product labels help consumers make responsible purchasing decisions. Additionally, we oversee the SFI Forest Partners® Program, which aims to increase supply of certified forest products, the SFI Conservation and Community Partnerships Grant Program, which funds research and community building, and Project Learning Tree®, which educates teachers and youth about forests and the environment. SFI Inc. is governed by an independent three-chamber board of directors representing environmental, social, and economic sectors equally. SFI believes caring for forests improves everyone's quality of life. Learn more at sfiprogram.org.
Media Contact:
Daniel Pellegrom
Senior Director, Communications
Sustainable Forestry Initiative
202-596-3452
RPFANS has New Executive Director
August 18th, 2017
On behalf of the Registered Professional Foresters Association of Nova Scotia (RPFANS), I am pleased to announce that Robert F. Young, RPF has been appointed the new Executive Director of RPFANS. Rob is taking over ED duties from Ian Millar who recently retired after many years of dedicated service. As you will see in his bio below, Rob has many years of experience working with various professional associations and he will be bringing this experience, knowledge, and extensive network to his new role as RPFANS Executive Director. RPFANS Council is looking forward to working with Rob as we continue to promote the Association and sustainable forest management across Nova Scotia.
Kevin Keys, RPF
Vice President, RPFANS
Bio: Robert F. Young, BScF, RPF
Robert Young is a graduate of the University of New Brunswick with a major in Wildlife Management and is a Registered Professional Forester with almost 30 years of forestry related experience, the majority with Nova Scotia Power (NSPI). Rob began his forestry career with the Province of Nova Scotia as a Private Lands Forester in South West Nova. He started his career with NSPI as Transmission Forester in 1990 and has progressively held more leadership positions within NSPI's Forestry group. He was leader of a GIS inventory project for transmission rights-of-way in the late 1990's and now oversees the Transmission and Distribution Vegetation Management Programs for the Utility. Throughout his career, Rob has been actively involved in professional organizations, often taking leadership positions such as: Section Director of the Canadian Institute of Forestry (CIF), President of the Registered Professional Foresters Association of Nova Scotia (RPFANS), and member of the Utility Arborists Association (UAA) Research Committee. Rob was also local Chair of the very successful 11th International Symposium on Environmental Concerns in Right-of-Way Management in Halifax, NS in 2015. Rob received the UAA International Education Award in 2016 for his contributions to Conference and Summit programs. Along with being a member of the International Society of Arboriculture and UAA for over 15 years, Rob is currently on the North American Vegetation Management Task Force Executive Committee of CEATI. He has served as the Registrar for RPFANS since 2016, and is also on the Executive Committee as Lay Member of the Association of Professional Geoscientists of Nova Scotia.
Rob also continues to volunteer his time with Scouts Canada as the Troop Scouter in his community, and most recently led development of the site to host upcoming Provincial and National Level Scout Jamborees. Rob is a strong contributor to the organizations he is involved with. He realizes that you get far more out of any organization by being actively involved and establishing relationships. Rob lives in Hammonds Plains, NS with his wife and three children.
RPFANS News & Updates
Independent Review of Forest Practices undertaken by DNR