It is my pleasure to announce that Ms Jennifer Burleigh has won the competition as the Provincial Forest Entomologist with Forest Practices Branch, British Columbia Ministry of Forests and Range.  Jennifer will began working with Forest Practices Branch in Victoria, B.C. on April 1, 2008, and will overlap with Peter Hall for some months before his retirement. 

Jennifer brings a great deal of enthusiasm and knowledge to the position and should instantly make a highly positive contribution to the Branch and Ministry.  She is both a Registered Professional Forester and a Registered Professional Biologist.  She was initially hired as a co-op student by the Lillooet Forest District in 1994 to carry out forest health activities.  She received a Master of Pest Management from Simon Fraser in 1999 and pursued some further research work at Virginia Tech.  She has subsequently worked with Phero Tech and with BioForest Technologies on a wide variety of forest health projects throughout western Canada.  She has worked on spruce budworm impact assessment or control programs from BC to Saskatchewan, has experience in the use and development of insect pheromone technologies and has extensive experience in bark beetle management.  Jennifer has spent the last year working with Research Branch as their Mountain Pine Beetle Research Specialist, where she also contributed to several climate change initiatives.  Her knowledge and background will provide a strong basis for an effective and innovative Forest Health program.

Please join me in welcoming Jennifer…she will be a valuable resource over the coming years and will bring a great deal of energy and resources to our program.

Tim Ebata
Forest Health Initiatives Officer
Forest Practices Branch, BCMOFR
(250)387-8739 fax: (250) 387-2136
Visit our web site at:  http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfp/hfp.htm
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