Our Board of Directors
Terry Pearson
Director / Western Region
Terry was present at the founding of the Federation and has been a member of the Board since 2006, serving for two years of that period as Chairman. He served a two-year term as private woodlot owner representative on the Nova Scotia Primary Forest Products Marketing Board. Before retirement, he was a mathematics teacher for 37 years. His first harvesting operation took place when he was twelve years old, when he and his father went into the woods to supplement the family income. Terry says he has watched the forest industry transform "from felling axe to feller-buncher". He lives near Wolfville with his wife Linda.
690, Ridge Road, Wolfville, NS. B4P2R1 / (902) 542-9381
Mike Gillis
Director / Eastern Region
Chair
Mike is the Manager of Baddeck Valley Wood Producers (BVWP) where he has worked since he graduated from UNB Forestry and Environmental Management Program in 1986. BVWP provides forest management consulting, silviculture and harvesting on private and crown land. Firewood makes up a large component of their business. BVWP is also a partner in the Cape Breton Privateland Partnership. Mike lives in Baddeck.
Baddeck NS. B0E 1B0 / (902) 295-3218
David Wilson
Director / Eastern Region
Secretary Treasurer
After a 37 year career flying in the air force Dave spent the next six summers flying aerial tankers with Forest Protection Ltd in New Brunswick. During that period he was privileged to work with fire suppression agencies in New Brunswick, the North Western United States and British Columbia..
Having always had an interest in the woods he and his wife Penny bought an old farm in Marshdale, Pictou County in 2005 where he already had a couple of small inherited woodlots. On taking up residence he joined FNSWO and had a forestry plan prepared..
He is now involved with Eastern Air Services in Trenton, a small charter company that, among other services, works with Nortek Industries flying aerial photo surveys of forest resources. When not doing that he spends every opportunity in the woodlots or working the Norwood Saw Mill he shares with his brother-in-law..
Marshdale, Pictou Co., NS. / (902) 923-2990
David Fraser
Director / Central Region
Bio coming soon.
380 Hwy 214, Elmsdale, NS. B2S 2L7 /
(902) 883-2301
George Dempsey
Director / Central Region
George is a certified forest technician and licensed wood product scaler with over 35 years experience. George is the owner and operator of New Wave Forestry, a local company specializing in low impact forestry for the past 16 years. George also served as the manager of the Future Forestry Serve Co-op for 14 years and has worked for the Department of Natural Resources in both Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. In 2013 George was honoured with the Forest Technician of the Year Award for Nova Scotia.
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P.O. Box 58, Thorburn, Pictou Co. NS. B0K 1WO / (902) 922-2126
David Thomas
Director / Western Region
Bio coming soon.
RR 1, Barton, NS B0W 1H0 /
902-245-4375
John Roblee
Director / Central Region
John Roblee has been integral to the organization and promotion of small private woodlot owners in Nova Scotia. As a citizen and landowner, he has worked tirelessly to further the rights and management capacities of owners of forest land. His first foray into private land forest management started during the establishment of community-based Group Ventures - woodlot owner controlled cooperatives. John's tenacious and relentless efforts created the Group Venture Association which developed technical and financial assistance and marketing savvy for more than a dozen groups. John also represented woodland owners o federal and provincial Forest Technical Advisory Committees, championing meaningful criteria and standards for forest improvement work on small woodlots. He served as Vice President of the Canadian Federation of Woodlot Owners and was one of it's first board members. John was instrumental in establishing the Association for Sustainable Forestry and has been a board member with the Nova Forest Alliance (Model Forest), Forest Products Association of NS, and the NS Primary Forest Products Marketing Board.
Waddie Long
Director / Eastern Region
An NSCC educator dedicated to environmental and cultural stewardship, recognized for his contributions to environmental education and the Mi’kmaq Nation. Waddie Long has been a pivotal figure in the Nova Scotia forest industry and at Nova Scotia Community College. In 1999, he launched the institution’s inaugural environmental program. With a background in Forest Technology and Environmental Studies from Cape Breton University, he excels in environmental education, community engagement, and fostering First Nations partnerships. His commitment to these areas earned him the esteemed 1752 Peace and Friendship Medal, acknowledging his significant volunteer contributions to the Mi’kmaq Nation. When he is not teaching, volunteering or working on his woodlot with his two sons, you can catch him at the Boston Christmas Tree cutting. Waddie and his students cut the Boston Tree each year and get it ready for shipment. A woodlot owner and pulp cutter, Waddie became a certified Forestry Safety Standards for Trainers (FSST) instructor in the year 2000 and can train and certify chainsaw and clearing saw operators in Atlantic Canada. “I started my career cutting pulp, thinning and planting trees and I did that for years before going to school. I’m proud of my pulp cutting days”.
Mhari Lamarque
Director / Western Region
Bio to come.