KENT MILES STRALBISKI, B.Sc., Nursery Manager

Kent has been responsible in whole or in part for direct supervision of the production of over 180 million seedlings in his career to date, including Lodgepole Pine, Interior Spruces (engelmann, white, crosses), Douglas Fir, Western Larch, Ponderosa Pine, Western Hemlock, Jack Pine, Western Red Cedar, Western White Pine, Subalpine Fir, Amabilis Fir, Sitka Spruce, Mountain Hemlock, as well as variety of other minor species. His experience encompasses both coastal and interior climates, involving both bareroot, transplant and container production.

Kent graduated from Simon Fraser University's Faculty of Science in 1978 with a Bachelors degree in the field of Biological Sciences.

Kent has worked in the forest seedling nursery industry since 1972. He worked for thirteen years with the British Columbia Ministry of Forests, including 9 years as Forest Technician, Quality Control Technician, and Acting Operations Supervisor at the Green Timbers Forest Nursery, and three years as Nursery Superintendent for the Vernon Forest Nursery. Kent worked for the B.C. Ministry of Forests Research Branch as well.

In February of 1985, Kent joined K & C Silviculture as our Production Manager and has been with us during the development of our Okanagan Operations from a 7.5 million tree facility to the present production of 30 million seedlings annually.

Kent's personal experience includes:

Technical and administrative management of forest nursery operations, including all operational programs, budgeting and expenditure control, accounting, computer management and record keeping, facility maintenance and site development and design;

Nursery cultural management and direction including development of cultural prescriptions, schedules, quality control and monitoring programs, and assessment of operational practices on the stock quality objectives of the nursery;

Development and implementation of personnel policies, training and overall supervision;

Design and implementation of nursery operational research programs, forest and nursery spacing trials, field crew supervision, data compilation and analysis; and

Operational management of cold storage facilities, including atmospheric monitoring, equipment control and seedling health assessment.

Kent is a member of the Forest Nursery Association of B.C., past Chairman of the Northwest Reforestation Nurseries Association, past member of the Kootenay Christmas Tree Association and the Canadian Forestry Association's Junior Forest Warden program.