Female leader at Richmond company receives national forestry award

An employee of a Richmond-based pulp and paper company has won the Forest Products Association of Canada's 2024 Women in Forestry Award. Lana Wilhelm, director of Indigenous relations at Paper Excellence, whose headquarters are in Richmond, was recognized for her leadership in sustainability and for encouraging diversity in the sector. Paper Excellence is a manufacturer of pulp and paper with a large number of mills and chipping plants across the country.

The award was presented by the Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) at its 2024 Awards of Excellence this week in Ottawa. Originally from Ontario, Wilhelm has more than 20 years of experience in various forestry roles, and since joining Paper Excellence in 2019, she’s built a sustainable Indigenous relations program for more efficient communication between Indigenous, corporate and government agencies. "I’m honoured to be recognized as one of FPAC’s 2024 Women in Forestry Award of Excellence recipients," said Wilhelm.



"Successfully building a best practices Indigenous engagement program at Paper Excellence Canada has been truly meaningful work.” FPAC provides a platform for wood, pulp and paper manufacturers to collaborate and have a voice in government, trade and environmental affairs. Sarah Curtis of Louisiana-Pacific was also honoured at the ceremony.

FPAC president and CEO Derek Nighbor highlighted the leadership and dedication of the recipients towards building bridges. "Their work in fostering sustainable practices and advancing inclusivity within our industry is inspiring,” he said. “Both Lana and Sarah have not only contributed to the advancement of forestry’s economic and environmental goals – but have also been pivotal in shaping the future of our sector through their commitment to diversity and responsible stewardship” Canada’s forestry revenues exceed $97 billion annually, providing 200,000 direct and 370,000 indirect jobs across the country.

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