Recognition

The Forest Professionals British Columbia (FPBC) awards program has been changed to the recognition program, to better align with FPBC’s responsibilities as a regulator under the Professional Governance Act (PGA).

Launched in 1970, the FPBC recognition program is a means of highlighting the good work done by registered forest professionals and provides registrants with an opportunity to recognize the accomplishments of their peers. It honours the people who have, through their work in forestry, served the public interest and built trust and confidence in the work of the profession and its registrants.

The recognition program now has four categories:

FPBC Recognition Program

Distinguished Forest Professional

The Distinguished Forest Professional honour recognizes an individual for significant accomplishments over their career in providing outstanding service to the profession of forestry and for furthering the principles of FPBC. It is the profession’s highest honour for a registrant.

Forest Professional of the Year

Forest Professional of the Year recognizes a Registered Professional Forester (RPF) or Registered Forest Technologist (RFT), or Affiliated Forest Professional (AFP) for recent, outstanding service to the profession of forestry and furthering the principles of FPBC. It recognizes contributions to the betterment of forestry made within the past one to five years and is related to one specific project.

Jim Rodney Memorial Volunteer of the Year

Jim Rodney Memorial Volunteer of the Year has been issued since 1997 and recognizes a registered forest professional for providing outstanding volunteer service to FPBC. It typically recognizes contributions made within the last one to five years and it may be related to one specific project or a number of projects.

BC Forest Professional Magazine Best Article

BC Forest Professional Magazine Best Article recognizes individuals who have written outstanding articles for publication in BC Forest Professional (BCFP) magazine. Each January, the editorial advisory panel selects one article from the previous year which best advances the profession and demonstrates superb writing skills.

Nominations are not accepted for this category.

Make a Nomination

Send nominations to recognition@fpbc.ca.

Past Recognition

Check out the list of historical award winners, many of whom are recognized and respected names in the history of professional forestry in BC. See below those recognized in 2023, the final year of the awards program.

2023 Winners

Kevin Horsnell, MBA, RPF
Distinguished Forest Professional
Laurie Kremsater, MSc, RPF, RPBio
Distinguished Forest Professional
Jeff McWilliams, RPF
Distinguished Forest Professional
Barry Snowdon, RPF
Professional Forester of the Year
Tara Bergeson, MSc, RPF
Jim Rodney Memorial Volunteer of the Year
Alvin Yanchuk, PhD, RPF
Forest Innovation Award
David Beleznay, RPF, P.Eng
2023 Climate Change Innovator
Peter Flett, MSFM, RPF
BC Forest Professional Magazine (BCFP) Best Article of the Year Award
Michael Ryan, RPBio
FPBC honorary membership