April 22, 1999 For Immediate Release

New developments at the University of Northern British Columbia will pay great dividends to northern communities and the forest industry, and strengthen UNBC's role as a university that specializes on northern resource management issues.

• Forest Renewal BC is contributing just over $6.5-million to build northern capacity for addressing vital questions in Mixedwood Ecology and Management and Forest Growth and Yield. UNBC will hire world-class experts who will establish major research programs in these areas. The research is also being supported by significant financial donations from Slocan Forest Products and West Fraser Timber Company to create an overall endowment in excess of $7 million.
• The Forest Renewal contribution will also allow for construction to proceed on the million-dollar Enhanced Forestry Laboratory, a 7200-square foot facility that will be built on campus. Ike Barber and Slocan have committed $500,000 towards the construction cost, and the Canada Foundation for Innovation is providing $420,000 as well.

What Does It Mean for Northern Forestry?
This investment by Forest Renewal BC and industry will be repaid many times over in increased understanding of how to enhance and sustain timber supply, improve forest practices, and foster economic and community stability. Most of the major local forest companies have been part of this development because of the significant spin-offs it will have for the North.

"Our forest management practices are key to industry competitiveness and to long-term forest sustainability," says Forests Minister David Zirnhelt. "This Forest Renewal investment will ensure UNBC has the capacity to make an invaluable contribution to long-term forest management and will give northern industry the tools its needs to tackle northern issues with northern expertise."

"The northern BC forest industry needs innovation and locally relevant information to remain competitive," says Max Blouw, Associate Vice-President Research and Dean of Graduate Studies at UNBC. "How can we best predict and enhance future timber supply? What factors are most important in managing mixedwood systems? How do we grow bigger, better, trees faster?" The answers to these and many more questions can be discovered through research.

What's Next?
Advertisements for the new research professors are being placed nationwide and the tender for construction of the Enhanced Forestry Laboratory will be issued on April 23rd. A groundbreaking for the Lab is being planned for late May.

The architect's drawings of the Enhanced Forestry Lab are available upon request.