Hello everyone!

June 18, 2018 12:39 pm Published by Alexander Davis 1 Comment

As a first-time blogger with FPAC, I will be sharing biweekly blog posts focussing on the forestry industry in BC, my recreational weekend adventures, and life as a West Fraser summer student employee. In this first entry, I would like to take a moment to introduce myself and summarize the many highlights of my first month of work at West Fraser.

My name is Alexander Davis and I grew up along the tranquil, coastal beauty of British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast. Residing in small towns engulfed in natural beauty including Sechelt, Roberts Creek, and Gibsons, I developed an immense passion for the outdoors. I spent many summer days canoeing the beautiful Sunshine Coast inlets secluded from the Georgia Strait by a small channel known as Skookumchuck narrows where tidal changes can be witnessed by a notable change in direction of whirl-pool infested salt water rapids. Chasing waterfalls with friends and exploring the beautiful backcountry of Tetrehedron provincial park which, unbeknownst to many locals, is riddled with beautifully crafted and often uninhabited log cabins were also amongst my favourite recreational activities growing up.

As a result of this passion, I embarked on a degree in Natural Resource Science at Thompson Rivers University in the fall semester of 2015. Throughout the first few summers after my high school graduation, I worked odd jobs at a moving company, Panago pizza, Above Ground Landscaping, and our local bedding outlet, Dreamland. Upon completion of my first year of University, I embarked upon the adventure of a lifetime which involved studying abroad for four months in Australia followed by a three-month escapade through the far reaches of Southeast Asia including Borneo and the mystical Komodo islands. Fully enthralled by the travel bug, in the summer of 2017, I took off to South Africa for six weeks where I volunteered on a small games reserve north of Johannesburg as a wildlife research assistant. I recently finished my second full year at TRU in Kamloops and was lucky enough to land a summer position with West Fraser during the process.

Anyways enough of what brought me to this junction of my life! My first month of work at West Fraser in Quesnel has been nothing short of exceptional. On May 1^st, I found myself in a room surrounded by seven other equally excited and nervous summer students, each to be allocated to the various forestry sectors of Planning, Operations, and Silviculture. The majority of the first week was spent painstakingly reviewing the seemingly endless safety procedures covered by the “Green Book.” Equipment distribution, mill yard and office tours, driving lessons, and presentations prepared by various faculty members were also incorporated into the first week of training. The week came to an end with a few too many beers at the local brewery where any initial discomfort and awkwardness amongst the summer students quickly faded.

During the following weeks, further meticulous training covered numerous topics including first aid, fire suppression, use of various field equipment, and ATV operation. Four summer students, myself, Noah, Becca, and Doug, have been allotted to the forestry planning sector.

We eagerly embarked upon our first bush outings where we were assigned tasks including GPS boundary and road layout, site plan data collection, and riparian area assessments. I quickly became aware of the variability and unpredictability that each bush day yielded. On easier days, we spent much of our time strolling through sparsely vegetated, forgiving topography singing joyously at the top of our lungs. Other days have involved climbing up 70% slopes through overgrown swales of alder and devil’s club avidly cursing as prickles embedded themselves in our skin transforming us into human pincushions. Scratches and bruises, bug bites and blisters, have become a part of our daily routine. Each field day is both a challenge and a gift that often pushes the limits of my mental and physical toughness while providing the most beautiful and rewarding workplace setting.

This brief snap shot does not even begin to encapsulate all the wonderful experiences, people, and learning opportunities that I have been blessed with over my first month of Work at West Fraser. During my next blog posts, I will aim to document more specific daily work experiences and highlights as well as weekend hikes and adventures. Thanks for the read, I hope you all enjoyed my first ever blog post. I have attached a few pictures from work over the next few pages. Until next time!

Alexander Davis