Starting tomorrow, more than 200 delegates will be attending a conference on Sustainable Forest Management Plans, making the event one of the largest forestry conferences in northern BC this year.

The conference is being presented by the Northern Silviculture Committee (NSC), the Northern Interior Vegetation Management Association (NIVMA), and UNBC Continuing Education. There will be 23 speakers from BC and Alberta delivering presentations on various aspects of developing sustainable forest management plans. Topics will include impacts of silviculture practices on sustainable forest criteria, setting indicators of forest sustainability, monitoring indicators, and reviewing examples of sustainable forest management plans.

The conference is being held at the Coast Inn of the North and will run from 8am - 4:30pm on January 22nd. The following day, it will run from 8am - 4pm.

"Foresters, biologists, silviculturists, planners, and technicians from across northern BC and northern Alberta are registered to attend," says Rob Bryce of UNBC Continuing Education. "Development of sustainable forest management plans is a step toward certification for forest licencees and certification helps forest companies ensure access to lumber and paper markets around the world."

UNBC Continuing Education also provides courses leading to certification in risk management, Geographic Information Systems, and Oracle computer applications. Continuing Education also offers courses in professional development, writing and publishing, horticulture, and a variety of general interest topics. About 65 courses will be offered this winter and attendance in Continuing Ed offerings increased about 40% last year. The Winter/Spring 2003 course calendar is being published in the January 22 issue of the Prince George Citizen and will be available online at www.unbc.ca/conted.