Aleza Lake Research Forest Society (Social Enterprise Profile)

Aleza Lake Research Forest Society (ALRF)

Prince George Region - Forest Education

Stories

"The Aleza Lake Research Forest (ALRF) was an interesting and fun place to be employed. ... I learned a lot while working with the ALRF foresters; seeing the landscape through the lens of a forester was an excellent addition to my fisheries and wildlife background. Being involved in a forestry operation from planning to replanting was very educational. The ALRF was essential in building my field skills, and these skills allowed me to advance in my field. My employment at the ALRF was an essential stepping-stone to my career in the environment field, not to mention a summer of fun in the bush." (Justin Hooper, 2011)·

"I have to thank Aleza Lake Research Forest (ALRF) for providing me with the work opportunity during one of my summer terms. I was exposed a wide variety of field and office tasks, while helping me to understand the organizational capacity of a non-governmental organization and to become familiar with the endless opportunities available through partnerships and collaborations with other organizations, government, industry and academics. Most importantly, my experience with ALRF helped me to recognize my carrier path towards land management and conservation. I am currently working as an Executive Director of another NGO - The Nature Trust of New Brunswick, and I can honestly say that ALRF provided me with much of the confidence to become successful in this position." (Renata Woodward, 2011)

Background:

The Aleza Lake Research Forest is a 9000 ha university-based outdoor research facility and working forest 60 km east of Prince George, BC. The mandate of the Research Forest is to provide research and education facilities and opportunities to the University of Northern BC, UBC, other universities, government agencies, private sector research, schools and other educational groups with regards to ecosystem and resource management studies within the wet sub-boreal spruce biogeoclimatic zone. ALRF is co-operatively managed by the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) and University of British Columbia (UBC) and agency and industry partners, through the non-profit Aleza Lake Research Forest Society.

enp History

ALRF received $5,000 from enp in 2009 to enhance the organizational capacity of the society by completing a strategic plan and by generating a series of financial forecasting scenarios. Quote from their March 2011 Completion Report:

"The [enp] program is excellent, and we are very appreciative of the grant, and the ongoing email information that we receive. As governments cut back on services, non-profits begin to take on an increasingly important role in filling the service gaps. Running businesses is a very sustainable way for these organizations to keep going, and the support enp provides is critical." 

Click here for photos and a pdf version of this social enterprise story/snapshot.

Social Enterprise Stories, Snapshots and Videos

Enterprising Non-Profits is putting together a collection of videos and stories/snapshots featuring different social enterprises from around BC.  Above is the story/snapshot on Aleza Lake Research Forest Society.  To see stories/snapshots on other social enterprises in BC, click here.  (And to see our collection of social enterprise videos, click here).