Dr. Elston Dzus has worked as an Ecologist (Ph.D.) and FSC leader for Alberta-Pacific Forest Industries Inc. ("Al-Pac") in the northern region of the Province of Alberta, Canada for the past 21 years.
He was attracted to Al-Pac because of the values the company demonstrated: proactive forest management practices based on conservation ethics; fair and equitable conditions of employment; its reputation for good-neighbourliness in the communities of the region and recognition of the importance of economic prosperity. This convergence of values was also the reason why Al-Pac became interested in FSC in the early 2000s and why he has been involved at the same time in FSC in technical and governance aspects over the last two decades. Dr. Elston served on the FSC Canada Board of Directors (2016-2020) and actively participated in several FSC International, Regional and Boreal meetings as well as the FSC General Assembly in 2017.
When serving as a technical advisor to FSC Canada in 2009-2010, Dr. Elston advocated for the inclusion of regional flexibility in FSC Canada's new forest management standard. As a member of the FSC Canada Board of Directors (2017-2020) and Chair of the Standards Committee, he promoted recognition of unique regional needs and priorities by adopting a single FSC standard.
As a member of the FSC International Board of Directors Dr Elston would like to work with members to understand their concerns, take an interest in various options, engage in collaborative work opportunities, and collectively move towards the conservation and responsible management of forests globally.
Dr. Elston has spent his life advocating for the conservation and responsible management of forests respecting the values of society and the need for fair and equitable economic returns. He supports FSC's Global Strategy 2021-2026 and will work with FSC members and staff to promote the creation of shared value through member engagement and market transformation.