Forest Enhancement Society of BC begins search for new executive director

The Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) is searching for its new executive director to replace Steve Kozuki, who announced his retirement after leading the organization for almost seven years.

“This role has been very fulfilling,” stated Kozuki. “After leading the organization for almost seven years, it’s time for someone else to experience the profound satisfaction of driving great forestry projects to generate durable social, economic, and environmental benefits. The Forest Enhancement Society of BC is a catalyst that empowers local people to create deep transformational shifts.”

Kozuki stated that he was attracted to FESBC because “he saw it as an opportunity to use forestry to create significant benefits for people and the environment.”

“Like many late-career professionals, I wanted to do impactful things with a higher social purpose. The Forest Enhancement Society of BC was a once-in-career opportunity to couple private-sector business acumen with noble public-sector values,” he stated in a recent FESBC release.

Kozuki stated that his favourite projects resulted in win-win scenarios, including:

• The Taan people in Haida Gwaii who harvested middle-aged trees to make room for commercially and culturally valuable cedar. The project resulted in the opportunity to create more light for seeds and berries to grow to support the whole ecological food chain, while accelerating the achievement of old-growth attributes.

• The Williams Lake First Nation which decided that, while it was good to thin out and fertilize a middle-aged forest to increase wood supply, it was equally important to make space for increased berry production for food. 

• Tŝilhqot’in people who applied their cultural philosophy of not wasting any part of a precious resource which drove them to use waste wood from the forest to create sustainable forest products and green energy.

• The Okanagan Nation Alliance that thinned over-grown forests to restore sheep habitat, make communities safer from the risk of wildfire, create healthier forests that would be more resilient to climate change, reduce greenhouse gasses, and improve recreational opportunities.

• The many Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities who have used FESBC funded projects to create jobs for people with numerous positive social and economic outcomes. 

“I believe all the crucial pieces are now in place for FESBC to achieve even greater success in the years to come, which is a great opportunity for our next executive director,” he stated. “We have reliable long-term funding, a sound strategy guided by our astute Board of Directors, top-tier staff, a strong reputation as the preferred funding agency, powerful brand recognition, and deep alliances with an array of other organizations. I look forward to helping with the transition for our new executive director. The future of FESBC and its role in the forestry sector is bright.”

To learn more about the executive director position, visit: www.fesbc.ca.

Source: Forest Enhancement Society of BC.