Nanaimo registered professional forester Morgan Kennah was chosen by her peers to sit on the Association of B.C. Forest Professionals council.

She is one of two new members voted onto the council by the provincial body representing forestry professionals that chose a new council at the B.C. Forest Professionals’ 67th Annual Conference, which wrapped up Friday at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre.

“I’m very pleased and honoured,” Kennah said.

She said she looks forward to working with fellow council members toward furthering the organization’s goals, which include growing the profession, furthering leadership of the profession and enhancing public trust.

The Association of B.C. Forest Professionals is responsible for registering and regulating British Columbia’s professional foresters and forest technologists. The council is the overseeing body of professional foresters in B.C. Its roll is to uphold the Foresters Act, and to take direction from members.

The forest industry fell into decline in the late 1990s, but has seen a resurgence in recent years and has created a general sense of “cautious optimism” in the sector today,” Kennah said.

“Nanaimo is no longer a forester-dependent community, but there’s a larger number of forestry professionals living and working in this community,” she said.

“We have a port that helps support the export and transportation of forest products. We have a pulp mill and sawmill in the community, and we have forestry activities on the edge of the community.”

One measure of activity, the number of forestry professional jobs, is also up.

“We had 27 postings to our job board in January,” said Amanda Brittain, a BCPF spokeswoman.

“That’s the record for our association.”