James, you must add investigative journalist to your credentials. Had this information been released a few months ago, it could have resulted in the CF's dismissal from Govt.
Now we can say good riddance to her.
Now that she is off to Drax, we fully understand what we are dealing with—a company that will hire "professionals" that happily abuse the system and easily withhold info that could benefit public good.
If this last paragraph of James's piece IS true, is it not enough info to lodge a complaint with the ABCFP? Looks to me like there's plenty of data to back up claims or concern and launch an investigation.
"There is little doubt that in the writing and re-writing of this report the power of a critical institution—the Chief Forester’s Office—was intentionally abused. The public interest was undermined. The report was designed to allow a key practice of modern forestry to continue: The maximization of coniferous timber supply by eliminating deciduous species. The risks that glyphosate spraying and conifer-dominated monocrop plantations pose to the future resilience of the landscape, the timber supply, and to public health and safety don’t—evidently—measure up to what’s most important to the current Chief Forester’s Office: the health of forestry company profits."
If the CF is alleged to have broken this following ABCFP condition alone, it is grounds for a complaint: ''undermines the principle of holding paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public, including the protection of the environment and the promotion of health and safety in the workplace in the manner that reflects the stewardship of a given profession by each regulatory body''
ABCFP also says any other RPFs must report her if they believe she harmed he environment by dumbing down the study. "ABCFP registrants also have a duty to report any instance where the continued practice of professional forestry by another registrant may pose a risk of significant harm to the environment or to the health and safety of the public."
I have read that many complaints against RPFs get thrown out; can someone comment? Do you believe filing a complaint against the CF is do-able, a possibility? By law the ABCFP MUST investigate every complaint, whether from a group, another RPF or an individual. Wouldn't it be something if the ABCFP opened up their emails Monday April 25th morning and had 150+ separate complaints on CF Nichols during her last week in the TOP RPF position in the province?
She leaves government April 30th. Wonder if her new post at DRAX requires RPF certifications? What if they are suspended for the investigations, hmmm!
While we are at it, we may as well mention her henchman, project lead Shawn Hedges, former Director of Sustainability and Forestry in the Chief Forester’s Office for his the behind-the-scenes direction being a little less objective, in a briefing note to Forests’ Minister Doug Donaldson.
Is he not complicit? Should he be allowed to stay with BCTS?
I suppose the greatest fear is the magnitude of what we are facing. If James has uncovered so much deceit in just one small report by so many levels of government and industry, what ELSE is going on around us today and for the past 50 years? We can trust no one, nor anything government shares as research or data.
Makes you wonder how much of the Gorley and Merkle report was erased for the public GOOD before the public saw it?
Looking forward to more damming evidence in part 2 James.
Departing BC Chief Forester Diane Nicholls allowed logging companies to profit at the expense of the public interest
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the behind-the-scenes direction being a little less objective, in a briefing note to Forests’ Minister Doug Donaldson.