By Abigail Popple, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, RMG
There’s a new face at the Valemount Community Forest (VCF): Kalina Velez, an experienced forester and now VCF’s general manager. Velez stepped into the new role in September, after General Manager Brian Shawara left in late summer. Although she’s new to Valemount, the landscape reminds her of her childhood in the foothills of Poland, and now she’s enjoying the mountain life along with her four children.
Velez most recently worked as an operations supervisor for various logging contractors in the North Thompson area. She has run the gamut from silviculture to operations supervising over the two decades she’s worked in forestry, but this is the first time the 44-year-old has worked as a general manager.
“I’ve done pretty much everything there is to do in forestry, so I have a really strong operational background,” Velez said. “Other things, like legal stuff that I have to deal with now, I’m learning to navigate.”
As she summits the learning curve that comes with her new position, Velez is grateful to have the help of her colleagues Alana Duncan and Darcie Kwasnycia, as well as Village CAO Anne Yanciw.
“Everybody is really helpful and trying to steer me in the right direction,” she said.
Velez is excited to use her forestry experience as a way to give back to her new community. While she’s still settling in and will make more concrete plans in the future, a few ideas have struck her interest, including continuing to provide money to the VCF’s Community Grant program.
“I absolutely love being a forester and working in forestry, but there’s a deeper meaning when the money we generate as the Community Forest goes back to the community,” she said. “There’s a lot that can be done for the community. That’s what makes it super exciting.”
Velez also appreciates that the VCF employs locals – another way community forests can support their local economy. She hopes to keep finding ways to contribute to the community she now calls home.
“It’s only been a month that I’ve been in this position – things will evolve, and we’ll see how it goes – but for now, I see what an awesome community Valemount is,” Velez said. “I used to travel and stay in Valemount, but until moving here, I didn’t realize how tight-knit and what an amazing community this is.”
