Alberta's Forest Industry continues to reap the rewards of a strong Canadian dollar and high revenue sales in foreign markets.

With a 97 cent dollar, and some strong fourth quarter numbers forest products in our province continue to be a well established part of Alberta's economy.

The Forestry sector has been a key contributor to our provincial economy with direct and indirect revenues of $5.5 billion yearly.

A slight drop in sales with the US a couple years ago prompted Alberta's Forest Products Association (AFPA)  to open up some new markets in Asia.

Brock Mulligan, the Communications Director for the AFPA says their hard work in Asian markets is beginning to pay dividends.

"The Asian market work has started to pay off and produced some really good results, and our historically largest customer is coming back a lot stronger, so with them firing on all cylinders it's really positive for the industry" says Mulligan.

Sustainability has been a key priority for the AFPA because according to Mulligan the industry is bound up with healthy forests and good long term planning.

Mulligan adds that the general good health of the forest industry is across the board from the lumber market to pulp and the paper and the panel board.

It's estimated that yearly around 18,000 jobs in Alberta are tied to the cultivation and management of forests as well as manufacturing and production of related products.  (JSL)