The B.C. Wildlife Federation is delighted to announce that Doug Forsdick, the former chief of the Conservation Officer Service, will chair the Federation’s Enforcement Committee.
The Committee is dedicated to building a strong relationship between the BCWF and B.C.’s conservation enforcement community, including Natural Resource Officers, Conservation and Protection Officers, and the Conservation Officer Service. Through the Enforcement Committee, the BCWF supports investigations and compliance actions.
As chief of the COS Doug supported consistent outreach and collaboration between the Service and the BCWF, building lasting, productive relationships with a goal of protecting fish, wildlife and habitat.
Doug has long been a staple at BCWF conventions, where he and his team engaged our members, sought feedback, discussed big picture issues, and designed collaborative solutions. His officers also regularly attended B.C. Wildlife Federation club and regional meetings across the province to build local relationships. Under his leadership, Conservation Officers regularly attended trade shows and community events to educate and earn the trust of anglers, hunters and the public.
Doug was instrumental in supporting the B.C. Invasive Mussel Program, advocating for funding and capacity to attempt to keep B.C.’s waters free of these invasive species. Those efforts were recently rewarded with changes to the Wildlife Act that give new protections the force of law.
Doug recently retired from conservation service after 35 years, most recently serving as the Executive Lead at the Compliance and Enforcement Division of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy. Doug began his career as a Conservation Officer in 1990 and served in nearly every capacity the CO Service has to offer. A graduate of Royal Roads University and the Justice Institute of British Columbia, Doug is also the author of Mind the Gap: Navigating Your Leadership Journey. Doug is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and is a Certified Executive Coach with the International Coaching Federation and operates Doug Forsdick Coaching and Consulting Services in Victoria. B.C.
Doug has served as president of the Canadian Natural Resource Law Enforcement Chiefs Association, Biathlon BC, and the North American Wildlife Enforcement Officers Association.
“We look forward to continuing our work with Doug Forsdick,” said BCWF Executive Director Jesse Zeman. “He already has several lifetimes worth of accomplishments to his credit, and we are excited to see what we can accomplish together as he begins his next chapter.”