N.S. establishes Forestry Sector Council, appoints new board

Nova Scotia has established a new Forestry Sector Council (FSC) in an effort to further develop a skilled workforce for the province’s forest industry.

The FSC, funded through the department of labour and advanced education, recently held its first annual general meeting. There, the council appointed a board of directors, where five of the nine seats are held by women.

FSC can trace its roots to the Nova Scotia Forest Industry Regional Industrial Training Committee, formed in 1989. The committee eventually evolved into the Nova Scotia Forestry Human Resources Sector Council.

While the organization has been in existence for some time and has provided support for various human resources–related activities, it has grown most substantially over the last year amid changes in Nova Scotia’s forestry sector precipitated by the closure of Northern Pulp.

Prior to the appointment of the new board, interim management was provided by the executive of Forest Nova Scotia.

The new board directors are:

Andrew Fedora, Chair
Fedora is currently leader in sustainability and outreach for Port Hawkesbury Paper, with over 25 years’ experience in the forestry sector.

Cassie Turple, First Vice-Chair
Turple is a third-generation sawmiller from Enfield, N.S. She is an executive member and past president of the Wood Product Manufacturers Association of Nova Scotia (WPMANS).

Amanda Mombourquette, Second Vice-Chair
Mombourquette was elected to municipal council in Richmond County in 2020 and currently serves as both the councillor for District 4 and Warden.

Jocelyn Taylor Archibald, Executive Committee Member
Taylor Archibald has been employed with Taylor Lumber Company Limited for over 15 years in various roles, from woods crew to management. She has served industry board tenures, including being the first female director and chair of the Maritime Lumber Bureau.

Elizabeth Jessome
Jessome is the Mi’kmaq Forestry Initiative project manager at the Unama’ki Institute of Natural Resources.

Heidi MacInnis
Heidi has been employed with Port Hawkesbury Paper as human resources manager since 2012.

David Meister
Meister is a part-time forestry professional who operates a sixth-generation forestry operation in New Ross.

Adam Scott
Scott is currently a project manager with Scott and Stewart Forestry Consultants Ltd, and has 15 years’ experience in silviculture.

Marcus Zwicker
Zwicker is currently the chief operating officer for Freeman Lumber, after spending nearly six years as the general manager of WestFor Management.

“The most important ingredient to success for Nova Scotia’s forestry sector is its people. The FSC is committed to building a workforce that is like our forests – sustainable, diverse, and growing,” says Heather Boyd, executive director of the Forestry Sector Council, in a statement.

“We thank our board members for stepping up to achieve our vision, ensuring a sustainable future for this industry and the people who work in it.”