On March 21, the United Nations International Day of Forests, FPAC launched a new national award to recognize youth leadership and innovation in the forest sector.

The Chisholm Awards for Innovation in Forestry program is a national competition for young researchers who – through their studies – promote innovation in the forest products sector either in the forest, at production facilities, along the supply chain, or via product innovation. The new award was created to recognize and celebrate Canadian students who are passionate about climate positive forestry, and to showcase some of the consequential work they are doing to help Canada meet its net-zero goals.

Winners were celebrated May 9-13 during the United Nations Forum on Forests and received a cash prize of $2,500.00 along with local, regional, and national media promotion. To be eligible, applicants had to be students or researchers, 30 years old or younger in March 2022. Chisholm Award recipients will proceed to compete for the International Council of Forest and Paper Associations’ (ICFPA) Blue Sky Young Researchers Innovation Awards for the Global Forest Products Sector, which will announce winners in April 2023.

“Canada’s forest products sector is brimming with innovative people committed to helping solve some of the biggest challenges facing our forests and our planet today,” said Derek Nighbor, FPAC President and CEO. “There’s no better way to celebrate International Day of Forests than by launching an initiative to recognize made in Canada know-how and ideas that will strengthen the Canadian forest sector of tomorrow.”