What's New
Site Map
Useful Links

"Green Timbers Award" The inception of the "GREEN TIMBERS AWARD" developed from two central issues. The first was to provide a means by which the Forest Nursery community could recognize the history and major contributions of an individual or organization to reforestation in British Columbia, Canada. The second stems from a desire to keep the Green Timbers name alive. Green Timbers Nursery was closed in January 1999. It was the oldest operational nursery in BC, established in 1930 as a commitment by the government to have a bonafide seedling planting program. Green Timbers is a heritage site housing some of the original buildings, including the original Forest Ranger Training School. In addition it is home to the first plantation in BC, an arboretum and commemorative plantings for the one and two billionth seedlings planted in BC. It is appropriate to use the Green Timbers name as a reflection of the intent of this award. This year, on September 20, Mr. Jim Kinghorn and Mr. Ev van Eerden together received the "Green Timbers Award," for their outstanding contributions to forest regeneration excellence in British Columbia. By popular request - Ev's Acceptance Speech

Brief Biography from Jim Kinghorn Jim Kinghorn graduated in forestry from UBC in 1949. As a student he worked three summers with a small, but feisty forest insect investigations unit of the Federal Department of Agriculture. Forest insect problems prompted him to undertake graduate studies and to continue with the Federal Forestry organization for more than thirty years. The organization grew over the years and mutated through many name changes, but managed to return to Agriculture at the time of Jim's retirement in 1982. Forest insect research and control occupied the first half of his career. Ambrosia and bark beetles were his specialty; later he was involved in the last operational spray projects against defoliators in Kitimat and the Queen Charlottes. By the mid sixties, chemical control of forest insects was unfashionable, but the organization had grown. Jim was assigned to lead a small section called Liaison and Development. An objective was to demonstrate promising new forest technology. John Walter's injection planting of container-grown seedlings was chosen as a candidate project. Personnel were few but extra funding was available for growing, planting and appraising their performance on an operational scale. The project was undertaken in co-operation with the BC Forest Service, UBC and industry. Circumstances soon dictated that the Section become directly involved in growing, planting and appraising these new seedlings. Notable people involved in the early stages were Paul Brett, Allan Vyse, Ev Van Eerden and Glen Matthews. The first trials, started in 1967, were successful enough to encourage further work; the Forest Service personnel directed by Alf Barnford and Nils Sjoberg led to the establishment of the first operational container nurseries at Duncan and Surrey. Although bullet-grown seedlings performed remarkably well, it was found that similar seedlings grown in the bullet but planted container-free performed marginally better and were far more acceptable. The term "plug" seedlings was coined. Since seedlings could be grown without the bullet container, another material and moulding method was sought that was more acceptable to size and design changes without expensive tooling costs needed for injection moulding. Expanded polystyrene was the method and material chosen as a temporary measure but, because of its cost and versatility, became the industry standard. The "styroblock" was born! Federal involvement with development of container planting during the seventies was reduced; most of the L&D Section's staff transferred to the BC Forest Service which continued development to full operational status. Jim closed his career with Federal Forestry unsuccessfully attempting to develop a better aerial cone rake. A brief stint trying to guide Ontario towards improved seedling production was equally futile. After retiring, Jim worked part-time as a technical representative for Beaver Plastics of Edmonton. These were enjoyable years because he was able to keep in touch with old friends and associates across the province. Now fully retired, Jim curls and tends his small managed forest. As a boy, the only paid work available was mowing lawns and putting in firewood; now at the other side of his life he finds he's doing the same thing.

Brief Biography from Ev Van Eerden After graduating from the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Forestry (BSF) in 1968, Ev was hired by the Canadian Forest Service (CFS) in Victoria, BC. At the Pacific Forestry Centre, he joined the Liaison and Development Group, the team that developed the BC/CFS Styroblock (Reforestation) System under the leadership of Jim Kinghorn. Ev's principal responsibilities in that development included field testing of various container seedling and bareroot stock types in the Prince George area, participation in the development and testing of nursery cultural practices, and container seedling nursery extension work with the MOF nurseries throughout the BC interior. In 1977, he left the CFS and joined the Reforestation Branch of the BC Ministry of Forests. Soon after joining the MOF, and along with representatives from the MOF, CFS and the forest industry, he was invited to sit on a Policy Committee to examine the role private sector nurseries might play in providing seedlings for BC's expanding reforestation program, as had been recommended by Commissioner Peter Pearse in 1976. Upon the Committee's positive recommendation, the Government implemented a Private Forest Nursery Program in 1981. With significant assistance from colleagues in the Reforestation Branch and excellent co-operation from commercial and forest company nurseries, he was privileged to implement and manage the program from 1981 through 1988. In 1988, Ev left the Ministry of Forests and joined Charlie Johnson and the employees of six MOF nurseries to form a private employee-owned forest nursery company, Pacific Regeneration Technologies Inc.(PRT), which purchased six nurseries from the BC Government. Upon joining the new company, Ev became Vice President and assumed responsibility for nursery operations and marketing. He became President of the company in 1997, just prior to PRT becoming a public company with a listing on the TSE. Through the hard work and dedication of its employees, PRT has grown into a mature forest nursery company, which has a network of 13 nurseries covering 4 provinces. The motto and motivation that underlie the contribution he has been able to make to forestry, with the support, enthusiasm and hard work of those around him, is probably best summed up by a quote attributed to B.G. Fernow, a pioneer forester, as follows: ...."the main business of the forester is expressed in the one word "regeneration"; his main obligation is the replacement of the crop he has harvested...." Ev's sums this by saying "That's what the nursery business, our careers and the accomplishments we share with others is all about..."REGENERATION" Professional Affiliations: Association of BC Professional Foresters (ABCPF) Canadian Institute of Foresters (CIF) Society of American Foresters (SAF) Forest Nursery Association of BC (FNABC); Founding Member and Past President (1982 & 1998)