Showcasing the Story of Alberta’s Sustainable Forest Products
In the final week of May, I had the opportunity to represent Canada Wood and the Council of Forest Industries (COFI) in Grande Prairie, Alberta, where we set out to tell an important story—one that connects Alberta’s sustainable forestry practices with Japan’s growing demand for high-quality wood products.
With support from the Alberta government, our team led a film crew on a multi-day journey to capture the production and logistics process behind the SPF (spruce-pine-fir) dimension lumber and OSB (oriented strand board) that are increasingly making their way from Alberta to Japanese homes and buildings. The timing of this initiative couldn’t be better: Japan is not only a long-standing market for Canadian forest products, but also one where we’re seeing growing momentum and new opportunities for market diversification.
Our filming began at the Weyerhaeuser SPF lumber mill, where we documented everything from the sprawling log yard to the rhythmic choreography of trucks being loaded and unloaded. At the West Fraser OSB mill, we captured both similar footage and in-depth shots of the production process. We then moved on to the Canfor mill, where we continued to trace the journey of SPF lumber from forest to finished product.
But perhaps the most impactful part of our trip came after the mill. With support from Canfor’s woodlands team, we drove two hours north of Grande Prairie, then boarded a helicopter that took us even deeper into Alberta’s forested landscape. There, we filmed an active tree replanting operation—a powerful visual testament to the commitment of Canada’s forest sector to sustainability and renewal. The aerial shots captured by drone vividly show how reforestation is woven into the lifecycle of responsible forest management, ensuring the health and resilience of our ecosystems for generations to come.
These videos, once completed, will become key tools in our outreach efforts. We’ll be sharing them through Canada Wood newsletters, technical seminars, and during meetings with Japanese customers. We’re also planning to pitch them to several major DIY home centers in Japan with the aim of having them featured on their websites. In addition, we’ll work with media partners in the forest industry to amplify the message through editorial coverage.