Staff Biographies
The Forest Practices Board professional team is experienced in all aspects of forestry practices. Our staff of professional foresters, biologists, accountants and lawyers conduct audits and investigations and report their findings to the board. We invite you to learn a little more about the people of the Forest Practices Board.
Marvin Eng - Manager, Special Investigations
Marvin Eng has worked for the Forest Practices Board since May 2006.
Marvin’s education consists of a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Calgary, and a Master of Science Degree in Wildlife Ecology from the University of Regina.
Marvin specializes in landscape ecology; wildlife habitat supply modelling; ecological land classification; spatially explicit timber supply modelling; decision support for land use planning, and natural disturbance dynamics and their effects on management decisions.
Before joining the Board, Marvin worked as an environmental consultant ( Alberta), at the BC Ministry of Environment on a project related to coastal black-tailed deer habitat, and for the Ministry of Forests as a Landscape Ecologist.
While at the Board, Marvin has worked on these significant projects:
- Special Investigation on the Effectiveness of Range Practices in Maintaining Range Condition and Wildlife Habitat on British Columbia’s Grasslands
- Special Report on Species Profile of Harvest Associated with the Response to the Current Mountain Pine Beetle Outbreak
Marvin led a project to conduct a provincial-level projection of the potential effects of the pine beetle outbreak and the implications of BC's management response to it (http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hre/bcmpb). He authored a paper titled “Forest Stewardship in the Context of Large-Scale Salvage Operations: An Interpretation Paper” (http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/pubs/Docs/Tr/Tr/Tr019.htm) that influenced the allowable cut determination in expedited salvage areas, and subsequent guidance on landscape and stand level structural retention on large-scale MPB salvage operations.
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Cameron Leitch - Manager, Audits & Investigations
Cameron has worked for the Board since April 2008.
Cameron’s education consists of a Diploma in Forest Technology from Selkirk College, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Forestry from the University of British Columbia and a Teaching Certification from the University of Alberta.
Cameron is experienced in field operations, operational and strategic planning, valuation and legislation.
Before joining the Board, Cameron worked for the Ministry of Forests and Range as a Small Business Forester in Port McNeil and Resource Officer Timber in Invermere. He joined Crestbrook Forest Industries before moving to Pope & Talbot, Arrow Lakes Timber Div. as a Forestry Superintendent.
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Chris Mosher - Director, Audits
Chris Mosher has worked for the Forest Practices Board since 1996.
Chris’ education consists of a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, with a major in Finance and minors in Economics and Communications, from Eastern Washington University. Chris is also a Chartered Accountant and a Certified Environmental Auditor (CEA) with a Sustainable Forest Management designation (SFM).
Chris specializes in auditing.
Before joining the Board, Chris articled with Deloitte and Touche Chartered Accountants, then worked with the Auditor General’s office, as well as the Office of the Comptroller General.
While at the Board, Chris has worked on these significant projects:
- The development of the Compliance Audit Reference Manual (1996)
- The Streams Special Investigation (1997) that looked at 355 stream reaches in 96 cutblocks located in six coastal forest districts
- The audit of Government’s Enforcement Framework
- The Pope and Talbot, TFL 23 audit that utilized work of certifying auditors to be more efficient and effective
- The development and implementation of pilot effectiveness audits
Chris is a fifth-generation coastal logger and worked in various camps along the coast of BC during summers while attending university.
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Peter Nagati - Director, Corporate Services
Peter Nagati has worked for the Forest Practices Board since 1997.
Peter’s education consists of a Bachelor of Science degree (Specialty Forestry) from the University of British Columbia, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of British Columbia.
Before joining the Board, Peter worked for the Ministry of Forests in Victoria providing business planning support to Forestry Division. Prior to that, he was a self-employed consultant in the Southern Interior, specializing in development and silviculture.
While at the Board, Peter has worked on these significant projects:
- An investigation of the implementation of the Cariboo-Chilcotin Land Us Plan
- Reiseter Creek – the Board provided guidance on the roles and responsibilities for complex projects involving multiple professionals
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Chris Oman - Manager, Audits and Investigations
Chris Oman has worked for the Forest Practices Board since 1998.
Chris’ education consists of a Bachelor of Science in Forestry from the University of Toronto, and he has been a Registered Professional Forester (RFP) since 1991.
Chris spent his first 5 years with the Board as a complaint analyst, before joining the audit group in 2003. Chris specializes in recreation management under FRPA and Wildfire Act issues.
Before joining the Board, Chris worked for the Ontario Forestry Association coordinating corporately sponsored tree planting. He has also worked for industry (E.B. Eddy Forest Products Ltd.) as well as government (Ministry of Natural Resources), in Espanola, Ontario, before joining the Ontario Ministry of Environment, where he worked in environmental assessment and investigated complaints about forest practices.
While at the Board, Chris has worked on these significant projects:
- Post-Fire site rehabilitation (special investigation)
- Post-wildfire hazard assessment and risk management (special report)
- Wildfire Act audit program development
- Investigation into marbled murrelet habitat protection in the Brand Valley
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Al Peatt - Manager, Audits and Investigations
Al Peatt has worked for the Forest Practices Board since 2000.
Al’s education consists of a Bachelor of Science Degree in General Sciences from the University of Waterloo and a Diploma of Technology in Fish, Wildlife and Recreation from the BC Institute of Technology. Al is a Registered Professional Biologist (APBBC) with the College of Applied Biology.
Al specializes in investigating forest practices; forestry, fish and wildlife interactions, and dispute resolution.
Before joining the Board, Al spent most of his career as a senior wildlife/habitat biologist with the Ministry of Environment, where he was responsible for wildlife population, habitat management, and Forest Practices Code implementation.
While at the Board, Al has worked on these significant projects:
- BC’s Mountain Caribou– Last Chance for Conservation?
- Conservation of Biological Diversity – An Assessment of the Application of Criteria and Indicators
- Windthrow on West Island Timberlands
- Audit of The Pas Lumber Company Ltd.
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John Pennington - General Counsel
John Pennington has worked for the Forest Practices Board since 1995.
John’s education consists of a Bachelor of Science Degree (Honours) and a Law Degree, both from the University of Victoria. John was called to the bar in 1981.
John provides advice to staff and the Board on legal matters. He also manages the Board’s appeals program.
Before joining the Board, John worked as a private practitioner; a solicitor in the Legal Services Branch, Ministry of Attorney General; City Solicitor for the City of Victoria; and was a member of the provincial Nisga’a negotiating team.
John has been a member of the executive of the Administrative Law (Victoria) Section of the Canadian Bar Association (BC Branch) and a Director of the BC Council of Administrative Tribunals.
While at the Board, John has worked on these significant projects:
- Board intervention in an appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada in a case concerning “environmental damages” (the “Stone Fire” case)
- Defending the Board’s jurisdiction to comment on unsound forest practices in a judicial review (Northwood case)
- Various legislative initiatives dealing with Board mandate
- Board comments on the Government’s Results-Based Code Discussion Paper
- Board response to Government’s Core Services Review
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Glen Pilling - Manager, Audits and Investigations
Glen Pilling has worked for the Forest Practices Board since 1997.
Glen’s education consists of a Bachelor of Science Degree in Forestry from the University of British Columbia.
Glen is a generalist, equally at home with audits and investigations.
Before joining the Board, Glen worked at the Ministry of Forests. During his career, he has also been a consultant, and has worked in the following areas and roles: block layout, silviculture surveys, GIS Forester district planner, silviculture audit forester and timber tenures forester.
While at the Board, Glen has worked on these significant projects:
- Consistency of Logging with the Robson Valley LRMP
- BCTS Logging at Roberts Creek
- Nadina Beetle Treatments
- BCTS and Road Maintenance
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Rick Post - Manager, Audits and Investigations
Rick Post has worked for the Forest Practices Board since 1997.
Rick’s education consists of a Bachelor of Science Degree in Forestry from the University of Toronto, and a Forest Technician diploma (Honours) from Sault College in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.
Rick specializes in forest operations and planning, and advocates for facilitation and information-sharing during investigations.
Before joining the Board, Rick worked as an operations manager for the BC Forest Service, and as a mechanical harvesting foreman for EB Eddy Forest Products in Ontario. During his career he has also worked on land and resource management planning, timber supply reviews, the BC Protected Areas Strategy, Forest Renewal BC recreation projects and implementation of the Forest Practices Code at the operational level.
While at the Board, Rick has worked on these significant projects:
- Lead the creation of the Board’s first Complaint Investigations Manual
- Reported the Boards only ‘significant breach’ to government – a complaint investigation about the Kemess Copper Mine’s 380-kilometer long powerline
- Conducted the follow up special report on the response to Board’s Kemess recommendations
- Conducted the Little Hay River special investigation east of Fort Nelson regarding stream crossings for seismic lines
Rick is a member of the ABCFP investigations committee and Vice-Chair of the Standing Investigations Committee. He is a past Program Chair for the ABCFP Annual General Meeting and Conference in Prince George.
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Daryl Spencer - Manager, Audits & Investigations
Daryl Spencer has worked for Board since March 2008.
Daryl’s education consists of a Bachelor of Science in Forestry from the University of British Columbia, and he has been a Registered Professional Forester (RFP) since 1990.
Daryl has been involved with various board audits over the past 8 years as a contractor, with responsibilities including harvest, planning, silviculture and roads auditor. Daryl primarily focuses on resource planning, forest health, harvesting and road construction.
Before joining the Board, Daryl spent 10 years in various roles including area forester, management forester, harvest manager and district planner in forest companies such as Westar Timber, Evans Forest Products and Tasman Forestry. Subsequently, he worked as a consultant for 10 years, concentrating on resource planning, forest inventory and timber development.
While under contract with the Board, Daryl has worked on these significant projects:
- Pilot Audit of Forest Soil Conservation
- Pilot Range Audit: Compliance and Enforcement Audit on Range Activity in the Horsefly Forest District
- Audit of Small Scale Salvage in the Kamloops Forest District
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Rob Thomson - Manager, Audits and Investigations
Rob Thomson has worked for the Forest Practices Board since 1997.
Rob’s education consists of a Bachelor of Science degree (Biology Specialty) from the University of Victoria, and a Master of Science degree from the University of British Columbia.
Rob specializes in Wildlife habitat and biodiversity management.
Before joining the Board, Rob worked at the Ministry of Forests, as an endangered species specialist, and worked on the Forest Practices Code guidebook development for the Ministry of Environment. He also worked as a habitat protection biologist in the Peace and Cariboo regions for the Ministry of Forests, as a wildlife ecologist researching deer/forestry interactions. Rob has been a Councilor with the College of Applied Biology since 2006.
While at the Board, Rob has worked on these significant projects:
- Special Report - Implementation of Biodiversity Measures under the Forest Practices Code.
- Complaint Investigation – Logging and Conservation of Endangered Plant Communities on Vancouver Island.
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Clare Vincent - Manager, Audits and Investigations
Clare has worked for the Forest Practices Board since 2000.
Clare’s education consists of a Bachelor of Science degree (Biogeography and Environmental Science) for the University of Toronto, and a Masters of Science degree (Environment and Management) from Royal Roads University. Clare has been a Registered Professional Forester since 1997.
Before joining the Board, Clare worked at the Ministry of Forests as a Planning Officer, and as a SBFEP Planner and Silviculturist.
While at the Board, Clare has worked predominantly with the audit group as a generalist, with a focus on silviculture and planning. She has worked on these significant projects:
- TFL 1 compliance audit
- Quesnel Forest District area-based audit
- Chilliwack stream riparian management audit
- Water quality audit in the Arrow Boundary Forest District
- Meeting objectives for spatially-defined conservation areas – special investigation
- Arrow Boundary Forest District woodlot audit
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Rob Volkman - Manager, Audits and Investigations
Rob Volkman has worked for the Forest Practices Board since April 2006.
Rob’s education consists of a Diploma in Forest Resources from the BC Institute of Technology, and he is currently enrolled in the Certificate of Environmental Practice Program at Royal Roads University.
Rob is also a Registered Forest Technologist (RFT), a Certified Environmental Auditor (CEA) with a sustainable Forest Management designation (SFM) and a Certified Environmental Practitioner (CCEP).
Rob specializes in audits, reviewing operational activities (engineering, harvesting, road construction, etc.), analysis of timber supply and long term planning.
Before joining the Board, Rob worked in Alberta conducting Environmental Management System (EMS) implementation, health and safety consulting and emergency response planning and training. He also operated his own BC-based consulting firm for eight years.
While at the Board, Rob has worked on these significant projects:
- Second soils conservation audit
- Burns Lake Indian Band audit
- Sunshine Coast multi-licensee audit
- Partial cut investigation
- Windthrow investigation
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Doug Wahl - Manager, Audits & Investigations
Doug Wahl has worked for the Board since April 2008.
Doug ’s education consists of a Diploma in Resource Management (Parks) from Lethbridge College, a Bachelor of Applied Science in Resource Management (Coastal Zone Management) from the University of New England, Australia and a Master of Applied Science from the University of Canberra, Australia. Doug also holds a Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control (CPESC) designation.
Before joining the Board, Doug was a consulting habitat biologist based in Summerland, BC. The majority of his consulting assignments were focused on the forest and mining sectors, where his work included the assessment and mitigation of fish, wildlife and biodiversity values as well as the provision of advice on policy and regulatory matters. Doug also provided specialist advice to the Ministry of Environment on alleged violations of the Fisheries Act and the Water Act in urban areas of the Okanagan.
Doug’s primary interest in natural resource management is achieving the optimum balance between the sustained use of natural resources and the appropriate protection of environmental values.
Doug is a Registered Professional Biologist. He is currently serving on the Board of Directors for the Association of Professional Biologists and is also a member of the Credentials Committee, College of Applied Biology.
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