Honouring Phil Zacharatos
Feb 14, 2024
Phil was a graduate from the school of Forestry at the University of British Columbia, became a Registered Professional Forester, and spent twenty-two years working in Prince George. He was then promoted to the Regional Executive Director of the Southern Interior Region, Ministry of Forests and Range, in Kamloops. After a thirty-year career in the field of natural resource management, Phil officially retired in 2010, but continued as a consultant.
Phil was also a devoted husband, father and grandfather and spent plenty of time with his family, especially his four grandchildren. Since his “retirement” Phil stayed active consulting, and competing and judging with his wife, Mary, in the sport of Dog Agility. They established Five Star Dog Training that provided personalized training for the family pet and the performance dog.
As a consultant, Phil joined the Muskwa-Kechika Advisory Board in 2015, as our Executive Director / Secretariat. Phil was passionate about the Muskwa-Kechika Management Area and provided overwhelming support to the Muskwa-Kechika Advisory Board until he passed away the spring of 2023, after a courageous fight against cancer.
In honour of Phil's support for the Muskwa-Kechika Advisory Board, the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) and the Muskwa-Kechika Advisory Board established a $2,500.00 scholarship in Phil’s name for students or technicians conducting research related to the Muskwa-Kechika Management Area. This scholarship will be awarded annually each spring by UNBC's Ian McTaggart Cowan Muskwa-Kechika Research Professor.
Phil will be missed, yet his legacy will continue through this UNBC scholarship award.
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MUSKWA-KECHIKA
Quick Facts
The M-KMA includes Parks and Protected Areas where resource extraction is prohibited, and management zones where resource extraction may occur, according to higher standards than elsewhere in the province (e.g. best management practices for oil and gas development).