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ILA Forest EDUCATION Van
The Interior Logging Association's forest education van began its existence in 2001 with a mandate to educate about forestry in BC. Since then tens of thousands of people have experienced the educational merit of the forest education van. Why Forestry? Forestry is the largest sector in BC's economy contributing $1,162 million per year and employing 21.4 thousand people directly and an even greater number indirectly (source: BC Stats). Think of pulp and paper, construction, electricians, engineers, further manufactured goods, etc. Exterior Murals The exterior murals tell a story of the past and present of forestry in BC. From the use of springboards, axes and the crosscut saw, to the use of feller bunchers, skidders and loaders. The important points to get from the exterior murals are the advances in efficiency, technology, safety, planning, research, forest management and gender equality in the forest industry. Merchantable timber The back wall display represents the timber in the Southern Interior that is harvested commercially. The three major species types that are harvested the greatest are spruce, pine and fir. S-P-F is the most common type of dimensional lumber that you find at the retail outlets. Scale models can be viewed throughout the rear of the van; these represent the machines that are used in the road building and harvesting ends of forestry. Murals and Wildlife Tree The murals within the van were painted by Vernon youth as a preamble to the Vernon mural project. These murals are intended to represent the uses of the forest by both humans and by nature itself. Not only do we use the forest for wood, but also for recreational activities such as fishing, camping, hunting, ATVing, snowboarding/skiing, and snowmobiling. Nature also has many needs of the forest; habitat, nesting, nutrition, etc. The wildlife tree situated in the middle of the van depicts the types of wildlife that require trees; these being the likes of woodpeckers, sap-suckers, owls, chipmunks, squirrels, birds of prey and charismatic megafauna (these being, bears, caribou, etc.). Forest Products The forest products display at the rear of the van, created by Betty-Ann McDonald and Ann Polson of the Canadian Women in Timber, shows some of the things that we use every day that are derived from trees in one way or another. Obvious products include paper, lumber, apple boxes and packaging. But would one suspect toothpaste? Ketchup? In fact, these ever so important products contain cellulose which is a natural part of all plants. This is used for the thickening of the toothpaste and ketchup. All of our medicines that we take have, at one point, been derived from plant products and trees contribute to the fight against coughs and colds (Buckley's, pine needle oil) and cancer (Taxol, chemical derived from the pacific yew). Cost The ILA Forest Education Van is provided at NO COST to schools within the Southern Interior. Donations/honorariums to assist in funding the ILA Forest Education Van Program are encouraged by are not required. For More Information For more information on how to book the ILA Forest Education Van to visit your community please call the Interior Logging Association office 250-503-2199 or email: info@interiorlogging.org |
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If you are involved in the forest industry - let the Interior Logging Association work for you! |