There's a new position at the Squamish Forest District and it is one of a kind in the province.
Paul Kuster, the current forest district manager, is being reassigned to take the new title of Sea to Sky Issues Coordinator. Kuster is tasked with helping to make sure that forestry can coexist in Sea to Sky Country with competing interests like the upcoming Olympics, increases in recreation-oriented land uses, First Nations land claims, power production projects and the Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP).
Kuster is continuing to act as the forest district manager while also starting his new work with the Ministry of Forests (MOF). A search is currently under way for a new district manager.
In his new role, Kuster will work with other managers within government to make sure that land use decisions in the Sea to Sky area are made with forestry in mind.
"My role right now in representing the Ministry of Forests, I sort of interact with other government managers in other government departments to figure out some of the unique things happening in this area," said Kuster. "We definitely intend that forestry be up to a world-class standard as we work toward the Olympics."
Kuster brings 16 years of experience as the district manager for Sea to Sky Country to his new assignment.
"The one thing I want to work on is to make sure that there is a long-term viable future for forestry in this area," Kuster said.
In his 16 years working out of the MOF office in Squamish, Kuster has seen a great deal of change. The allowable annual cut has dropped since his arrival, the number of people employed in the industry has decreased and the number of people working out of the Forests Ministry office in Squamish has decreased.
Part of the reason for the decreases comes from a growing increase in the recreational values of the land in the forest district and a greater emphasis on protection of the environment.
"We have all the other issues but hopefully there is also a sustainable forestry as well," Kuster said.
A good and careful management approach that dovetails with all the other values has to be created, said Kuster, and he wants to see forestry remain viable in the corridor over the long term.
"We have to figure out a good careful management approach that dovetails with all these other values," Kuster said.
"There's been various things that have happened in regards to compensation and an agreement or understanding. In some cases they have had an impact on smaller licensees."
According to Kuster, forestry has to readjust itself with the Olympics on the way. The proposed developments in the Callaghan Valley will have significant impacts on forestry. Along with issues related to Olympic development, the potential creation of Garibaldi at Squamish in the Brohm Ridge area will also have a significant impact on forestry.
"With creating the facility in the Callaghan Valley we need to have an immediately responsive system," said Kuster.
On top of the development issues there is also wildlife to consider. Kuster pointed out that northern spotted owls were found in new locations so a new plan is being drafted to help protect the birds. A similar plan is currently being assembled to protect the rare marbled murrelet that Kuster says can be found between Furry Creek and Whistler. Another species on his radar is the grizzly bear.
Kuster will continue to work out of the Squamish Forest District office but he expects his new position will require him to do more travelling, as he will be needed for meetings in Nanaimo, Vancouver and Victoria.
