Lorne Carson - Carson Integrated

Lorne Carson, President of Carson Integrated, joins us on The Digital Forester podcast to share his journey from the East Coast to building a diverse group of companies rooted in Western Canada. Lorne walks us through the ups and downs of entrepreneurship in forestry, energy, and environmental services. We talk about the state of forestry in Western Canada, challenges with wildfire and regulation, and where real innovation is happening today — including AI, exoskeletons for field crews, and even augmented reality. Tune in to hear how Lorne's boots-on-the-ground approach, willingness to pivot, and passion for people have shaped a resilient, tech-savvy forestry business built to last. Topics Covered: Lorne’s path into forestry and move from the East Coast to Alberta Starting Carson Integrated and evolving beyond traditional consulting Building and winding down multiple businesses: safety, GIS, rentals State of forestry in Western Canada vs. British Columbia Entrepreneurial lessons in timing, failure, and resilience The impact of wildfires and adapting operations in real time Technology trends: data overload, machine learning, and AI Using exoskeletons in forestry fieldwork Vision for AR/VR and immersive digital forestry tools Challenges of innovation adoption in woodlands operations The future of Carson Integrated and Western Canadian forestry