By Jim Stirling
Copyright 1996. Contact publisher for permission to use.

A gradually increasing number of forest companies in the region are using aspen as the sole furnish or as a mix in their wood processing plants. But the aspen is not a conifer. "What you've learned about conifers, leave it at home when it comes to aspen,'' recommends Rob Hall, woodlands superintendent for the Canadian Chopstick Manufacturing Co. Ltd. in Fort Nelson, BC.

Managing forests for aspen requires a different attitude and philosophy that incorporates techniques recognizing the species' specific biological and regeneration characteristics, he believes.

CCMC is a pioneering company making exclusive use of high-quality aspen for the manufacture of disposable chopsticks. "We have to be innovative because of the nature of the aspen and the uniqueness of the operation," adds Frank Senko, CCMC's woodlands manager.

The operational experience of forest management techniques dedicated to aspen is limited in northeastern BC, unlike in other parts of western Canada. The tree types and conditions there mean companies like CCMC and the provincial forest service are on a learning curve. But it really sticks in the corporate craw when aspen is given little credence as a viable commercial species. Understandable, for the aspen is essential to CCMC's survival.

The company has a deciduous forest licence to harvest 69,384 m3 of aspen annually in the Fort Nelson TSA, the largest supply block in BC. Its charter harvesting areas are in the Fort Nelson and Liard River drainages. Less than 10 per cent of the company's volume is in spruce and cottonwood.

The resource is distributed throughout valley bottoms to upland regions in amoeba-shaped areas ranging from two to 2,000 hectares in size. Only the highest-quality aspen � about 30 per cent � can provide the clean, bright, unblemished chopsticks mandated by the Japanese market. Finding a fair and reasonably priced market for the remaining residue aspen is an ongoing challenge.

"It takes a lot of field work to try to identify chopstick-grade aspen. You can get a feel but you don't know for sure until you cut it down,''explains Hall. CCMC's cruisers use destructive sampling methods to determine the recoverable volume of chopstick-grade material in a given aspen stand. And while it's not always possible, the company tries to avoid areas where the indicated grade volume is 90 cubic metres/ hectare and less. "It's our belief soil moisture contributes to the degree of stain and rot in a clonal species like aspen,'' continues Hall. Aspen in higher elevations seem less prone to stain and rot.

Timber Sales Fund Innovative Harvesting Training Program
Eighteen people are learning new harvesting techniques.

Riding the OSB boom
Hedging against a downturn, Weyerhaeuser invests $16 million to improve recovery at its OSB plant at Slave Lake, Alberta.

Cost conscious cut-to-length
Setting up a new CTL show in remote northern Manitoba, Art Riemer wanted dependable equipment - but not at a price that would turn his accountant surly.

Sticking in a Tough Market
At Fort Nelson, the world's largest chopstick plant produces eight million units a day for demanding Japanese buyers.

CCMC Furthering Aspen as a Commercial Species in BC
CCMC is a pioneering company making exclusive use of high-quality aspen.

Tech Update: Cable Yarding Systems
A review of the different cable yarding systems that are available on the marketplace

Helicopter Logging Capability Guide
Heli-logging remains a practical harvesting alternative in many of British Columbia's mountainous regions.

The Eagle Flies
At the site of an abandoned chip mill in Miramichi, Eagle Forest Products turns the key on a new $100 million OSB plant.

• Blockades mar Eagle startup
  

New Centre Targets Value-Aded Training
With an estimated 30,000 skilled workers needed in the value-added sector in BC by 2001, the industry has moved to address a potentially serious training shortfall.

Haliburton: A Multi-Use Model
Ontario's Haliburton Forest, a popular recreation site, also hosts extensive forestry research and education programs - and a unique 'one stem at a time' selective logging program.

Yard Handling and Storage Critical to Aspen Quality
Few mill yards contain a fridge for wood, a fibre source to keep a manufacturing plant in business when green production is curtailed.

Northern Mills Address Need for Added Kiln Proficiency
The added market value of kiln-dried lumber is driving a push for new technology and added training for operators.

Supplier Newsline
Trade magazine ads pay off.