Initial Impressions: Cross-Case Study Comparison

Winter 2017

Introduction
The Future of Forestry project, part of the overarching Regional Workforce Development in Rural
BC program, is focused on better understanding the fundamental issues facing the forestry
sector today. One of the project’s objectives is to provide a comparison between the two study
areas: the Columbia Basin-Boundary region of British Columbia and Scotland.
Between August and December 2017, 30 targeted interviews were completed with participants
from the forestry sector in the Columbia-Basin Boundary region of British Columbia (BC), Canada
(18) and Scotland, United Kingdom (12). Participants included representation from academic,
government, industry, and other civil organizations (e.g., professional bodies). Participants were
asked a range of questions related to their personal experience, the general state of the forest
sector, training and education, and technology and innovation.
This document has two objectives:
1) To summarize the initial impressions of the data specifically related to the cross-case
study comparison; and
2) To provide these initial impressions to participants for their review and comment.
This initial impressions document includes preliminary feedback from research participants.

Findings: Common Themes
Overarching themes were identified from initial analysis of interviewee responses. These themes
appeared in the majority of interviews in both case study regions and were often found to be
reflected in responses to multiple questions, an indication of the high level of importance these
themes have to the forestry sector. Participant responses reflect similarities and differences
between the two jurisdictions. The six common themes are discussed in further detail below.
Culture & Context
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the interview data reflect substantial differences in culture and
context between the two study areas. These differences extend beyond the obvious
difference in the size and scale of the forestry sector and the resource itself. In BC the
interviews reflect a long history of forestry, one that is culturally ingrained and where the
economic importance is largely recognized, but with the acknowledgement that the economic
landscape has shifted and diversified. Conversely, in Scotland the interviews reflect the
emergence and growth of the Scottish forestry sector, where while public understanding and
economic importance has grown, forestry is not an ingrained cultural element, unlike other
sectors (e.g., agriculture).
Participant responses between the two study areas reflected differences in the public and
political perception and support of the industry - including socio-cultural and economic
factors, in the motivations of the interviewees (e.g., presence versus lack of role models), in
management structure and approach, and in interactions with other sectors. For example, BC
responses demonstrated the historic dominance of forestry in terms of land use, and the
ongoing shifts toward incorporating and balancing other uses and values. Responses from
Scotland were indicative of the dominance of agricultural land uses, with comments
demonstrating not only relationships between the two, but that forestry is viewed through an
agricultural lens (e.g., use of ‘crop rotation’ in reference to tree stands).
Comments related to conservation and environmental concerns also reflect cultural and
contextual differences. A number of participants in Scotland noted efforts groups that are
resistant to, or completely against, efforts to increase forest cover in Scotland, where pastoral
landscapes are viewed as ‘natural’. Whereas BC participants noted groups with anti-logging
sentiments related to concerns such as watershed or habitat protection. While recognizing
the legitimacy of concerns, in both study areas many participants felt that NIMBYism (Not In
My Back Yard) was often at the root of these efforts, with people opposed to the location
(and their interaction with that location) as opposed to the activity itself.
Governance & Policy
Multiple elements of each interview related to governance and policy, including the structure
of the governing bodies and approaches to management. In both study areas multiple
participants drew attention to the legacy and implications of past government decisions.
Prominent examples included: 1) the impacts of Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative Party’s
neoliberal approach, particularly as it related to a gap in tree planting (and subsequently to a
communing supply gap), and 2) impacts of the shift to the professional reliance model and
the removal of appurtenance provisions by the British Columbia Liberal i Government. Both
examples reflect the long-term nature of the sector and, as noted by several participants, the

i It is important to note for those unfamiliar with BC Politics that the BC Liberals are the right-wing party of BC, more

analogous to Conservatives than Liberals in the traditional political sense.

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uncertainty of how planning and decision making will play out in the future. The wide ranging
impact of policy changes was noted by the majority of participants, including impacts to
industry, education and academia, and related stakeholder and professional agencies.
The structure of government, management, legislation, and other elements differs greatly
between the two jurisdictions, as does land ownership (i.e., amount of public versus private
land), the structure of the forestry supply chain, and the interaction between the public and
private sectors. However, a common thread was comments related to differences in
expectations and realities regarding who is responsible for what, particularly when it comes
to public perception (see Engagement & Communication below).
Two specific policy examples were discussed at length by participants in both study areas:
timber supply and trade.
Timber Supply
While the two study areas differ substantially in terms of the scale of forest resource,
timber supply was noted as a key challenge nearly universally by participants in both
places. The coming gap in timber supply in Scotland, as mentioned above, is a result of
insufficient planting – with participants noting how this expected gap is necessitating
changes in rotation lengths and harvesting, as well as influencing current and future
planting. In BC, the conversation is different as a result of the volume of forested land.
While an abundance of trees exists, when protected areas and various regulations (e.g.,
setbacks, environmental constraints) are combined with loss of timber from forest fires
and other natural hazards (see Climate Change below), the majority of BC participants felt
the current approach to determining annual allowable cut is in need of revision. In both
jurisdictions, many interviewees highlighted the challenge of managing a resource in
anticipation of what the future will bring (see Uncertainty & Complexity below).
Trade
The influence and impact of trade on the forest sector was a key discussion topic among
participants in both case study regions. Nearly all BC participants noted the current
renegotiations of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) as having important
impacts on the structure of the industry, commodity prices (e.g., export duties), and
competition. Similarly, nearly all participants in Scotland pointed to Brexit and its potential
impacts on the labour pool, policy, granting and subsidy programs, cost of imports, and
more. In both cases there were both potential positive and negative outcomes – but with
uncertainty in any case being a key factor (see Uncertainty & Complexity).
Climate Change
The final overarching theme is climate change, including how it relates to the sector itself
(e.g., adaptation to changes caused by climate change) and how use of forest products relates
to climate change (e.g., mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions through use of green building
materials). While climate change was discussed in both study areas, the emphasis of the
comments differed greatly between the jurisdictions. First, the expected impacts of climate
change and the anticipated challenges differed substantially. Wildfire, and growing concern
over growing fire risks, were ubiquitously noted as a serious concern in BC – hardly surprising
given interviews took place during the worst wildfire season on record. Fire was not seen as a
concern for the Scottish forest sector, with participants noting expected changes to include
increased precipitation. Participants in both places discussed the link between climate change

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and pests and diseases. Participants in Scotland typically expressed low levels of concern,
while participants in BC identified climate change as one of the critical challenges facing the
forest sector today, impacting the resource as noted above in the Timber Supply section and
its management (see Uncertainty & Complexity below).
While risk related conversations were fewer in Scotland, multiple interviewees drew
attention to the potential for forest products to help with overarching societal adaptation
efforts. These comments emphasized the potential for wood-based building products (and
their lower carbon footprint), as well as the carbon capture and storage potential of forests.

Findings: Transferable Knowledge
Initial data analysis also identified five areas with a high potential for knowledge transfer
between the two case study areas. Each of these five areas are discussed below.
Governance & Policy
Both case study regions are currently experiencing changes to governance of the forestry
sector. Participants in Scotland noted devolution from the UK government and the shift in
governance from the arm’s length Commission to a more ministerial ‘Forests and Lands
Scotland’. Participants in BC pointed to the recent shift in provincial control from the BC
Liberals to the New Democrat Party (NDP) and the subsequent potential for change as a
result. The BC experience with the establishment and operation of the Ministry of Forests
Lands Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development offers an example and lessons
learned for Scotland in establishing their new governance structure. Additionally, both the
past and future structure of forestry governance in Scotland offers differing examples for BC.
In both jurisdictions the majority of participants noted the ongoing need for better
integration when it comes to policy (see Integration below), although a minority of
participants noted the potential for a diminishment or loss of importance of forestry as a
result of shifts to integrated governing bodies and policies.
Engagement & Communication
The growing importance of engagement and communication was highlighted across
interviews in both case study regions. The majority of interviewees spoke to recognition of
the growing number of stakeholder uses and values (see Uncertainty & Complexity), as well
as conflicts related to differing perceptions and values, and the legacy of past mistakes.
Several interviewees expressed concern over a growing polarization of opinions.
Many interviewees in both study areas commented on the gap between the public
perception of the sector and the reality, particularly in terms of structure and responsibility.
Several interviewees felt that addressing this gap should not be seen as a public relations
exercise (i.e., one-way public education), but rather a two-way exercise in building
relationships and sharing information.
Data suggest engagement and communication are critical, and that innovation and change in
approach is needed. Both positive and negative examples provided suggest that actors in
both study areas will continue to address this issue, and the variety of approaches indicates
potential for recording and sharing lessons learned within and across jurisdictions.

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Uncertainty & Complexity
Throughout many participant responses there was the element of uncertainty and
complexity. This was highlighted through examples of a growing need to balance multiple
uses and values on the landscape. In both case study regions this included a balance of
economic, environmental, and socio-cultural uses and values. Examples included a growing
importance of First Nations rights and title (BC), wildlife habitat (both), and recreational uses
(both). Many interviewees felt there is an increased understanding of the complexity of
ecosystems, including long term impacts and cumulative effects. However, several
interviewees stressed that despite increases in this knowledge, there is also a growing
number of unknowns as noted in the Climate Change section above. The challenge of
management and decision making under conditions of uncertainty and complexity were
universally acknowledged, and multiple interviewees in both case study regions pointed to
active adaptive management (or similar strategies) as an appropriate approach under such
conditions.
Integration
Relating to uncertainty and complexity is the identified need for integration. Because of the
interactions and cumulative effects, multiple interviewees indicated that maintaining the
existing fragmented or ‘siloed’ approach of the forest sector is increasingly problematic.
Interviewees provided examples of explicit links between forestry and agriculture, tourism,
academia, education, economic development, conservation, and more. These links were
representative of existing or potential conflicts and collaborations. Multiple successful
collaborations were noted in both study areas – highlighting the availability of transferable
knowledge related to wildlife management, interface management, community engagement,
public/private collaborations, and others.
Workforce
Lastly, several common challenges related to the forestry workforce were noted, as well as
potential solutions. For example, many participants from both regions noted a growing
demographic issue around an aging workforce. A small number of comments pointed to a
lack of diversity in forestry, particularly around gender. Recruitment of new workers also
came across as a common issue. Comments from several BC participants indicated they feel
there is a disconnect between what people perceive forestry jobs to be (think lumberjack
with axe) versus the reality, particularly when it comes to the high tech aspect of the
workforce. Many participants in Scotland felt that forestry simply is not presented as a career
option given an overarching lack of understanding related to the sector. When discussing
workforce challenges, participants often highlighted the need for, and potential of
collaborative approaches to recruitment, including between employers, industry, the public
sector, and academia.
The majority of participants also commented on the changing workforce landscape,
particularly relating to the changing skills needed as a result of new technology and
innovation, and the challenges this fast changing landscape poses for training and education.
Relating to complexity as discussed above, several participants discussed the trade offs
between breadth and depth relating to training and education. Questions were raised
generally about who is responsible for what level and type of training. Universally,
participants pointed to experiential learning as a critical need.

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Lastly relating to workforce, interviews in both study areas noted resourcing gaps. These
included a shrinking public sector, where shortages create challenges relating to compliance
and enforcement, as well as poaching of staff between employers.

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