Dear Santa: though similarities between myself and St Nick are remote at best - I'm slim without a touch of grey - with Christmas just around the corner,I asked others in the silviculture industry to make some Christmas wishes. The results are interesting, if a little unsettling

Canadian Forest Industries, Nov/Dec 2003 by Lloyd, David

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I would like to see the US and Canada come to terms over the "Free Trade" lumber issue, and develop a fair/favourable agreement for Canada. This would allow forest companies to invest in their business again, and continue developing their employees as in the past.

I realize this has been an ongoing battle for some time now, but a resolution would certainly help boost the economy and ease tension amongst Canadian forest companies.

On a lighter vein, I would like to see a huge increase in lumber and pulp prices, thus increasing company profitability and improving employee morale.

Dale Likes, RPF, Senior Silviculture Forester, Canadian Forest Products, Prince George Woodlands

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The most pressing wish that comes to mind is a job. Not just any job, but centred in what I love to do - namely establishing and growing trees to address supply and resource issues through the practice of good silviculture. In today's era, to be a silviculture forester in BC is a real challenge. Economic survival is the focus and investment pay back is measured in months, possibly a year, but not decades.

Tenures that imply long-term stewardship are being eroded. We have seen nickel and dime diminishment (10%, 5%) of AAC for just being a major licensee or for ownership changes. In addition, major 20% reductions to enable the facade of a competitive log market are being applied. First Nations land claims are pending. A stumpage system that defies good land management persists. Sadly, all these situations are governed by Acts that focus on short-term deliverables and hefty non-compliance fines.

I believe we are doomed in the short term to do silviculture by regulation until logs in BC are valued on a world pricing system, and those growing the trees reap the returns of their investments. Maybe in the future we will see per hectare renting of forest land, with forest crops an asset and stumpage a distant painful memory. So, Santa, about that job?

For my second wish, the development of a shade intolerant tree species that sheds its limbs readily to create knot free mature wood. It would possess a square stem and have the properties of cedar and fir. Once planted it would grow at stand rates of 25m[Symbol Not Transcribed]/ha/yr, so that culmination was reached in 25 years. Tom Jones, RPF, Forester

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My first wish would be for a super tree that requires no further help once put in the ground. There would be some definite advantages - location wouldn't be critical, less time would be spent in site preparation, and costs would be lower. My super tree would easily compete with surrounding brush, and stand tending would be unnecessary. Finally, the super tree would shorten the time required to grow to a merchantable size, thus reducing the time to the next rotation. A winner all around.

For wish number two, instead of running out to each plantation site to get an update on performance, I would like a computer linked to a satellite. This connection would give me the resolution to see the trees as if I was standing next to them. Peter Forsythe, RPF, Silviculture Forester. The Pas Lumber Company Ltd., Prince George

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My thoughts? If I should happen to meet the big guy in the red suit, here is what I would wish:

- Political leaders with the foresight to move ahead to private land. Without that there is no incentive for investment, no way out of the US countervail morass, and no way to weather the economic storms with integrity. Also, 23 million ha of working forest in B.C. would require $1 500 / ha to retire our provincial debt of $30B.

- A Silvicultural Training Conference in Hawaii on the beach, where a vision for a comprehensive long-term silviculture strategy would be re-created for our deflated industry.

In closing, a final comment from Tom Jones seems appropriate. "Despite our apparent differences, we are all leaves of the same tree and fruits of the same branch." In short, we're in this together.

Best wishes to all for a great Christmas and a better New Year.

David Llyod is with Pelton Reforestation, and can be reached at dlloyd@pelton.com.