FORREX, in partnership with the British Columbia provincial government’s Forest Investment Account - Forest Science Program and Mountain Pine Beetle Program, continues the delivery of the Provincial Forest Extension Program (PFEP; the Program). The Program plan defines goals, outcome objectives, and strategies that contribute to the provincial goal of world leadership in environmental stewardship, a globally competitive forest sector, public confidence and trust in forest-sector competence, and the ability to achieve sustainable forest management goals.

Annual Workplan Projects: 2008–2009
The 2008–2009 Program activities focus on contributing to five of six medium-term outcome objectives. These objectives were defined in 2005–2006 following a comprehensive provincial client needs assessment and analysis of past research and extension investments.

What is Extension?
Extension is the process of empowering people with knowledge. Extension professionals engage information providers and users in various strategies to move information along a continuum from questions to solutions.

1. Increasing Awareness and Synthesis of Sustainable Forest Management Science, Indigenous Knowledge and Innovations.
   The 2006 provincial client needs survey confirmed that access to and trust in forest science, Indigenous knowledge, and innovation information is a significant barrier to using forest science and innovation results in improving policies and practices. The 2007 PFEP evaluation results indicate that 80% of clients agree that the Program is contributing to increasing awareness of FIA Forest Science Program and other innovation results. Activities in this project will continue to increase awareness of synthesized information on priority topics in conservation biology, ecosystem management, forest dynamics, Indigenous knowledge, watershed management, and socio-economics. Clients of the Forest Science Program identified a preference for peer-reviewed and credible Web-based products as well as options for print copies. Activities in this project will facilitate the production of highest quality Web-based products while ensuring options for print on demand and seamless access to all clients of the Provincial Forest Extension Program.
   
   Sub-projects include:
   • Publishing high-quality science-based information
   • Synthesizing operational and silvicultural research results for forest resource practitioners
   • Synthesizing research results for natural resource practitioners on the effects of forest dynamics and managing for diverse values
   • Synthesizing the latest information in conservation biology and landscape ecology
   • Watershed management publications and synthesis


2. Maintaining and Enhancing Access to Sustainable Forest Management Science, Indigenous Knowledge and Innovations
   The Provincial Forest Extension Program strives to maintain and enhance access to Forest Science Program and innovation results. Forest sector respondents to the recent provincial client needs survey identified the Internet as the first source of accessing current information. While the Internet is not the only means by which the Program will ensure access to information, it will remain a central point for managing and creating access to current results. Activities in this project will enable Web-based access to the most current information relating to sustainable forest management.
   
   Sub-projects include:
   • Accessing forest resource dynamics information through the World Wide Web
   • Improving opportunities for knowledge management and exchange with Aboriginal organizations in British Columbia
   • Maintaining access to science-based information
   • Mountain Pine Beetle – Improving access to information
   • Watershed Management Listserv and Website


3. Increasing Awareness, Knowledge and Skills to Enable a Knowledge-based Forestry Community
   A goal of the Provincial Forest Extension Program is to see increased use of science, experiential, and Indigenous knowledge in forest policies, plans and practices. While 70% of program clients consider the information relevant to their work, nearly half used the information in the last year. We hope to increase the use and application of science this year. This can be achieved through enabling a knowledge-based forestry community. Extension programming is a core participatory business area of the Provincial Forest Extension Program, augmenting the technology transfer and information management aspects of the Program. Activities within this project will contribute to enhancing the awareness, knowledge, and skills in the forestry community. The focus will be on profiling the latest results from the Forest Science Program and FIA Landbase Innovative Projects and engaging experts in developing and using knowledge-based solutions to current challenges through watershed management, aboriginal forestry, socio-economics, ecosystem management, conservation biology, and forest dynamics communities of practice.
   
   Sub-projects include:
   • Mountain Pine Beetle – Science based policies and practices
   • Socio-economics capacity building
   • Sustainable forestry extension for small tenures
   • Using social, economic, cultural and ecological indicators in planning, operations, and policy
   • Watershed management, fisheries, small streams, and fish-forestry interactions
   • Climate Change and Natural Resources: Biophysical and Socio Economic Impacts and Adaptations
   • Land use planning principles and practices
   • Watershed management extension


4. Enabling Science and Knowledge-based Sustainable Forest Management Policies and Practices based on Sound Ecological, Social, and Economic Principles through Communities of Practice
   Forestry is both an art and science, relying on professionals to determine knowledge-based approaches to forest policy and management challenges. Forestry professionals require knowledge of the best available science and information to make policy and management decisions. Activities in this project will enhance the knowledge of ecological, social, and economic principles for forestry professionals.
   
   Sub-projects include:
   • Socio-economics innovations and northern communities in transition
   • Engaging a community of practice in ecosystem-based management for coastal British Columbia
   • Extending forest operations innovations for forest resource professionals
   • Extending knowledge to enable adaptation to social, economic, and environmental changes in Aboriginal communities
   • Knowledge exchange and conservation of biological diversity


5. Managing for ecological, social, and economic values
   In British Columbia, natural resource management policies and practices enable resource managers to provide for ecological, social, and economic goods and services valued by provincial, national, and global citizens. Science, expert opinion, and the best available information can contribute to ecosystem management and knowledge-based decisions. Activities in this project are designed to engage leaders in knowledge networks and think tanks on issues of critical importance so managers and the engaged public embrace principles and adopt improved ways of defining values and managing for those values through policy and practice.
   
   Sub-projects include:
   • Grassland and dry forest stewardship
   • Planning and Implementation of Ecosystem Management Principles – improved access to and synthesis of information
   • Planning, implementing, and monitoring for ecological changes to our future forest ecosystem values
   • Cumulative impacts and natural resources: Bridging the gap between science, knowledge, and economic development


6. Enabling a Knowledge-based Forest Sector
   British Columbia strives to be a global leader in environmental stewardship and to have an innovative and productive forest sector. The application of knowledge is a key to leadership in this area. The Provincial Forest Extension Program contributes to these goals by supporting various processes in the province that enable a knowledge-based forest sector. Activities in this project will ensure that community-defined knowledge gaps are included in the Forest Science Program technical advisory committee processes. Activities will enhance extension skills in the research and operational communities and provide leadership in developing forestry continuing education strategies and partnerships for British Columbia.
   
   Sub-projects include:
   • Enabling a knowledge-based natural resource sector
   • Extension education capacity building
   • Support for FIA-FSP Program Advisory Committees
   • Natural resource sector continuous learning forum

FORREX is pleased to continue to work with the Forest Investment Account - Forest Science Program (FIA - FSP) and our Partners in the forestry community to link the natural resource community with credible and relevant scientific, Indigenous, and experiential knowledge.