A Tale of Two Forests

Have you ever had a work assignment that changed your life? David Tuck, Communications Manager for the Canadian Forest Service (CFS), did when he was asked to be the lead NRCan communicator for the XXII IUFRO World Congress in Brisbane, Australia in 2005. The experience left him smitten with the country and the people. Fast forward to today: David can be found in Hobart, Tasmania, on an eight-month work exchange with Forestry Tasmania.


The view from "down-under"

Moving around the world has turned more than David's geographic location on its head. Forestry Tasmania is a crown corporation that manages productive forests, which is very different than the role the Government of Canada plays in forestry. Consequently, many of the communications issues David handles relate to commercial forestry operations versus the forest science and policy issues he normally addresses on behalf of NRCan.

Forestry in Tasmania is tightly woven into the social fabric and consciousness of the island's communities. With almost daily media coverage, combined with the more hands-on approach the government takes with forestry, the subject has a prominent political profile and is the subject of numerous public enquiries and protests – recently eight different protests took place over ten days. With media relations as one of his primary duties, David's work days are often unpredictable and filled with excitement.

There are some similarities. For example, much like NRCan and the Canadian forest sector, Forestry Tasmania is investing in the infrastructure that will see more manufacturing and value-added processing taking place at home, and in rural, forest-dependent communities.

Work, life balance

Life in Tasmania is not all about fighting political fires; it includes appreciating the regional geography and sunny summer weather. A weekend hike in a national park brought David face-to-face with a copperhead snake. "According to the park ranger, it is 11th on the list of the world's deadliest snakes. Needless to say, I gave it plenty of room," said David.

David is due to return to NRCan this summer. Until then his colleagues wish him the best of luck in this adventurous chapter of his life.

Movin' on up



Meaghan photo: Meaghan Newson standing on the Alexandria Bridge with Parliament Hill in the background.

In the spirit of exchange, NRCan Communications welcomed Meaghan Newson, from Forestry Tasmania, at the beginning of January for a six-month placement with the CFS communications team. Arriving on one of the coldest winter days (December 31st), Meaghan's adventure began with a trial by burning cold frost.

As Meaghan settles into her new role, it has been interesting for her team to learn about her experiences in Tasmania and to see our surroundings through a different lens.

The Australian perspective

It is a rare occurrence for a presentation by an industry colleague to become a life-changing event, but so it was for Meaghan when David Tuck visited Forestry Tasmania in the southern autumn of 2007.

Like most Australians, Meaghan was as familiar with the usual scenic postcard shots of Canada as the rest of the world seems to be with mass-marketed images of Australia's coast, reef and outback. Yet, as David worked his way through his PowerPoint slides, Meaghan caught a glimpse of the real Canada and its people. He painted a picture of a culturally diverse nation, proud of its natural heritage, which was finding innovative ways to work through resource management issues. The encounter sparked a daydream of one day travelling to Canada.

In her role as Media and Communications Officer at Forestry Tasmania, Meaghan's life went on in its usual busy way in the weeks following David's presentation, giving her little time to reflect on what she had learnt. However, as the saying goes, you should be careful what you wish for – sometimes it really does come true.

Meaghan describes the beginning of her journey: "My manager at Forestry Tasmania, Ken Jeffreys, always seems to have a hundred 'big ideas' just waiting to be turned into reality. I thought I was accustomed to his working style that is until he proposed the astonishing idea–not just one that could be completed with some overtime, but an adventure that demanded total commitment–that I could undertake an employee exchange with David."

While David is working with operational issues in Tasmania, Meaghan said that, for her, the exchange is a valuable opportunity to learn more about sustainability issues from a national policy perspective.

"The scope of work at a more strategic level is an inspiring counterbalance to the intense media environment at Forestry Tasmania," said Meaghan.

"As the manager of State forests, Forestry Tasmania is directly involved with the community at many levels, and our Corporate Relations team delivers a diverse range of projects throughout the year.

"While many of the challenges are similar at NRCan, working at a federal government level has already broadened my perspective on communicating in natural resource management. Working alongside a larger team of communications professionals, and learning about the scope of work undertaken across the sector, has been immensely valuable.

"I feel very privileged to have been given this opportunity. Both professionally and personally, it has offered me experiences that I could not have gained elsewhere."