DEVELOPING CANADA'S FIFTH NATIONAL FOREST STRATEGY CONTINUES
The current National Forest Strategy (1998-2003) Sustainable Forests: A Canadian Commitment expires in May 2003, and it is now time to review the second draft of the new National Forest Strategy.
We would be pleased if you would accept our invitation to participate in the second draft review by providing comments before the end of day, Wednesday, April 9, 2003 by fax 613-947-9038 or by e-mail nfsc@forest.ca.
For more information on the development of the Strategy please return to the development page.
The new national forest strategy will be presented at the upcoming 9th National Forest Congress, in Ottawa, May 1-2, 2003.
I thank you,
Mike Apsey
NFSC Chair
DRAFT - 2
NATIONAL FOREST STRATEGY (2003-2008)
SUSTAINABLE FORESTS:
A CANADIAN COMMITMENT
TOWARD THE SUSTAINABLE FOREST
Over the years, forest-related interests, benefits and values have expanded. As a result, new knowledge and technologies, responsibilities and partnerships have emerged that constantly influence our understanding of Canada's forest and how we, as members of the forest community, relate to it. To keep pace with this constant change, we have deepened our knowledge about the forest and its related issues.
Today, everyone in the Canadian forest community has a role to play in ensuring our forest heritage. This community has grown to include government, Aboriginal Peoples, the forest industry, non-wood forest product organizations, academia, research institutes, the recreation industry, labour, environmentalists, women and youth. However, as we continue to become more knowledgeable and to participate more in forest-related decisions, forest management becomes more challenging as it seeks to bring together the many differing concerns, policies and practices. For example, forest-related objectives and commitments now range from the Convention on Biological Diversity, Aboriginal Peoples' rights, rural community well-being, employment, private land ownership, international trade and environmental protection. As well, new benefits, such as bio-medicinal plants and new industries, such as bio-plastics from forest products, have been added to the traditional, industrial forms of human interactions with the forest.
At the centre of this continually changing arena of forest polices and practices is sustainable development - widely seen today as the foremost goal of forest management. To support this goal, the National Forest Strategy, as set out in the following pages, has been created. This broadly based public initiative identifies and charts the direction that Canadians, as stewards of the forest, need to move toward in order to deal with these evolving social, institutional, environmental and economic factors. As Canadians, we have reasons to be proud that Canada was the first forest nation to form a national forest strategy, creating a clear and widely based commitment to the pursuit of sustainable forests. The 2003-2008 Strategy continues within this tradition.
Canadians are invited to share and participate in this newer, bolder expression of continuing, responsible forest stewardship embodied in this Strategy. Under this framework for action, all members of the forest community are challenged to meet the Strategy's actions and goals. United under a common vision, our efforts can only benefit present and future generations.
VISION
As Canadians and members of the forest community, we have come together to set a vision and a strategy for the nation's forest. We see ourselves as responsible stewards, who want Canada's forest to be healthy - managed sustainably - so that its functions, biodiversity, resilience and productivity are maintained for the long-term. The health of the forest is directly linked to processes on local, regional and international scales as well as to the social, cultural, spiritual and economic well-being of all of us. As a result, we want to improve our understanding of how we are a part of and how we affect the forest - in short, to act on that understanding to become even better stewards of our forest resource.
To reach this goal, we want forest management that brings together diverse values and that ensures the conditions that lead to environmental resilience, social and cultural well-being and economic pursuits. To this end, we seek more opportunities to take part in decision-making processes. The value of the economic benefits provided by the public and private forest is appreciated. We want forest-based economic activities to be competitive and adaptable to changing market demands. At the same time, we want the importance of non-timber economic values as well as non-commercial values to be recognized and pursued in Canada's forest as well as on private woodlots. In particular, we consider forest ecosystem conservation, including a network of protected areas, to be a priority. As well, Canada's forest-based communities, including private woodlot owners, desire to have a role in forest management decisions so that their social, cultural, environmental and economic sustainability is secure.
Aboriginal Peoples, based on their distinct historical and legal position and their connection to the forest, also want to actively participate in and benefit from forest-related policy and decision-making processes.
In addition, we want those who work in and manage the forest to have the most advanced knowledge and technology and a sound understanding of the forest. We also want forest managers and decision makers to be accountable to the public. A universally accessible national forestry reporting system will help us understand what the condition of the forest is, how management is achieving its objectives (including international commitments) and whether conservation mechanisms are working effectively.
The application of the National Forest Strategy will be different across Canada and will be based on local social, environmental and economic circumstances.
All of these elements come together under the vision Canadians have for the forest:
The long-term health of Canada's forest will be maintained and enhanced, for the benefit of all living things, and for the spiritual, cultural, environmental and economic well-being of all Canadians now and in the future.
A Forest Nation
Since the glaciers covering much of Canada receded 13 000 years ago, forest ecosystems have evolved along with human beings and today include some of the world's largest intact forest ecosystems. Canada's forest ecosystems represent over 10 percent of the world's forest cover, 25 percent of the world's natural forest, 30 percent of the world's boreal forest and 20 percent of the world's temperate rainforest.
Covering nearly half the Canadian landscape, the forest has been and continues to be essential to our environment, our diverse cultural composition and our economy. The forest provides habitat for wildlife and vegetation, it provides clean air and water and contributes to environmental processes, such as climate moderation and carbon storage, that have an effect around the world. The forest, including private woodlots and forests in urban areas, is an important source of direct jobs and economic benefits. It is the home of many people, including Aboriginal Peoples.
The forest is not confined to rural or wilderness areas. The forest is also found within municipal boundaries. As such, the urban and private forest connects the 80 percent of Canadians who live in or near it to environmental benefits and services, such as aesthetic enjoyment, wind screens, energy reduction in the heating and air conditioning of our buildings, air purification, wildlife habitat, increased property values, carbon sequestering and oxygen production, protection against erosion and physical and mental well-being.
Given this unique inheritance, Canada has both a global and local responsibility to manage its forest sustainably. Through international agreements, Canada has assumed a number of responsibilities that will affect the way it manages the forest. The Canadian forest community through the National Forest Strategy Coalition has, with public input in regional and national fora and through the mail and the Internet, renewed the National Forest Strategy for a further five years. Through it, Canadians can focus their efforts to achieve the goals and responsibilities of sustainable forest management.
The Path to the National Forest Strategy (1981 - 2008)
For generations, the link between Canada's well-being and its forest has generated concern and interest. Out of this interest and concern, the national forest strategies, beginning in the 1980s, were developed. These forest strategies have evolved over time accompanied by new challenges and attitudes and increased knowledge, understanding and participation. Each forest strategy has led to a more concise definition of sustainable forest, stimulated wider networking and attracted the participation of more members of the forest community. These strategies are:
* A Forest Sector Strategy for Canada: Discussion Paper, 1981-1987
* A National Forest Sector Strategy for Canada (1987-1992)
* National Forest Strategy (1992-1998) - Sustainable Forests: A Canadian Commitment
* National Forest Strategy (1998-2003) - Sustainable Forests: A Canadian Commitment
Canada's Forest Framework
Nearly 94 percent of Canada's forest is public land. Six percent is under private ownership. As well, in some parts of Canada, there is an increasing amount of land that is coming under Aboriginal jurisdiction as land issues are settled.
Under the Constitution, the provinces own and regulate the natural resources within their boundaries, with exclusive powers to legislate for the enhancement, conservation and management of forest resources. The federal role in forestry is grounded in its responsibilities for the national economy, trade and international relations, science and technology, the environment, federal lands and parks and Aboriginal matters. The territories now have responsibility for their own resource management.
Aboriginal and treaty rights are primarily exercised in the forest and are constitutionally protected by the Constitution Act, 1982. Over the last 25 years, Canadian courts have affirmed Aboriginal and treaty rights. Thus, forest policy and forest management practices have to reflect the constitutional protection afforded Aboriginal and treaty rights. The federal government also has a lead responsibility towards Aboriginal people for Indians and lands reserved for Indians under section 91(24) of the Constitution Act, 1867.
Forest issues remain high on the international agenda. Their resolution is a major challenge because of the magnitude of land area and the multiplicity of the jurisdictions and interests that are involved. Canada is signatory to international agreements that have a direct bearing on how Canadians manage the forest, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity, Framework Convention on Climate Change, Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the Kyoto Protocol. As well, Canada has signed other agreements that have some impact on how Canada's forest is managed. These agreements include trade agreements, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) - Forestry Principles, and the Montreal Process.
In 1985, Canada's federal, provincial and territorial ministers responsible for forests formed the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers (CCFM). Through addressing national and international issues and stimulating joint initiatives, this voluntary organization coordinates and facilitates cooperation that has gradually shaped the overall direction for the sustainable management of Canada's forest. In doing so, CCFM has built a legacy of consulting Canadians on the state of the forest and its future. For example, through consultations open to the public, it led the development of the past three National Forest Strategies, including the creation of National Forest Strategy Coalition - a collection of governmental and non-governmental bodies - to oversee the implementation of the 1992 and 1998 Strategies.
The leadership for developing this fifth National Forest Strategy (2003-2008), however, came from within the National Forest Strategy Coalition. The Coalition once again engaged the broad forest community in dialogue. As a result, this Strategy not only provides a vision, but also challenges all Canadians to implement the actions identified in the Strategy. This latest Strategy confirms Canada's collective commitment to continue to be a global leader in responsible resource management.
Canada's Forest Benefits
The forest plays a number of vital ecological roles. It is a biodiversity storehouse, reservoir of carbon, producer of oxygen, filtre for clean air and water, moderator of climate and protector against soil erosion. The forest also provides aesthetic and environmental education values for rural and urban Canadians. Canada's forest is home to a diversity of plants, animals and micro-organisms. About two thirds of all species found in Canada are in the forest or depend on forest habitat.
As well, the forest provides socio-economic benefits to all Canadians. For Aboriginal Peoples across Canada, the forest is integral to their cultural, spiritual and material well-being and future self-sufficiency needs. Wood and paper product industries are major contributors to Canada's standard of living. They generate over $58 billion in total sales annually, making a net contribution of $34 billion to the country's annual trade surplus - more than half. Canada continues to be the world's largest exporter of forest products even though forest exports from other nations are rising.
These industries employ over 350 000 Canadians directly and over 770 000 indirectly. The forest is the economic backbone of many rural, remote and forest-based communities across Canada. Canada's forests provide a suitable environment for sustainable resource use, such as timber, hunting, trapping, fishing and gathering herbs and medicinal plants. In addition, Canada's forest supports a wide range of internationally important non-timber products and activities such as recreation, tourism, hunting, fishing, trapping, Christmas trees and maple products, to name a few.
SECTION 2: STRATEGIC THEMES
The National Forest Strategy focusses on a number of themes, which underlie or connect to a larger number of issues.
# Ecosystem-based Management
# Sustainable Forest Communities
# Rights and Participation of Aboriginal Peoples
# Forest Products Benefits
# Knowledge and Innovation for Competitiveness and Sustainability
# Enhancing Urban Forests and Engaging Canadians
# Private Woodlots Contributing to Sustainability
# Reporting and Accountability
1. Ecosystem-based Management
An ecosystem-based approach to managing our natural resources recognizes that the social and economic values that the forest provides over the long-term rests on the ecological integrity of the forest. Forest management practices in Canada are based on this philosophy and are consistent with international commitments. For example, the United Nations Forum on Forests has identified the ecosystem-based approach to sustainable forest management as a priority.
Establishing and managing protected areas contributes to the conservation of biological diversity, as part of an ecosystem-based approach. However, protected areas, an essential component of such an ecosystem-based approach, must be complemented by sound stewardship across the entire country, accompanied by particular attention to lands around protected areas.
An ecosystem-based approach integrates human values with biological processes. Basic ecological functions and processes must be understood, maintained, enhanced and restored where necessary. Maintaining productive capacity, resilience and biological diversity are key factors in ensuring a healthy forest. As well, ecosystem-based approaches need to reflect the integral connection of people to the ecosystem. The premise is that a healthy ecosystem is essential for a healthy society and economy.
Forest management must, therefore, consider all the benefits the forest can provide, whether these benefits are wood, water, carbon sequestration, wildlife habitat, recreation, hunting, trapping, fish habitat, fishing or wild foods - indeed, any benefits. Management must also consider human and natural disturbances such as fire, insects and disease when making choices to optimize forest use over time.
Ecosystem-based management includes establishing and managing protected areas for other non-timber values along with social, timber and other economic benefits, while also incorporating the best available scientific and traditional knowledge. Managing the forest by including this wide spectrum of ecosystem values associated with the forest is complex because these values often conflict.
Objective 1:
Manage Canada's natural forest on an ecosystem-based approach that maintains a forest's health, structure, functions, composition and biodiversity, and includes, but is not limited to:
a) Integrated land use planning, especially before tenure allocation;
b) A maintenance of natural forested ecosystems;
c) A completed system of representative protected areas;
d) On a national basis, maintenance of carbon reservoirs and management of the forest to be a net carbon sink, on the long-term; and
e) Conservation of old-growth forests and threatened forest ecosystems.
Action Items
1.1 Develop guidelines for integrating an ecosystem-based management approach that includes the coordination of watershed-based management into forest management across Canada and measures for evaluating implementation.
1.2 Establish a process involving forest-based communities leading to the implementation of land-use management plans, which include all forest values.
1.3 Implement systems and decision-making that sets resource-use levels (for example, the Allowable Annual Cut - AAC) as the output of a planning process.
1.4 Develop a better understanding of the effects of climate change and the Kyoto Protocol commitments on the forest ecosystem and incorporate these into forest policy and forest management planning.
1.5 Reforest areas that are cut for temporary use and use afforestation, where feasible, to mitigate the permanent loss of forests.
1.6 Fulfill existing commitments to protected areas networks in each province and territory.
1.7 Evaluate the full range of advantages and disadvantages of Intensive Forest Management in Canada.
1.8 Manage to avoid or mitigate the adverse impact of exotic or invasive species on our forest ecosystems.
1.9 Gradually reduce the use of synthetic, chemical pesticides in forest management and encourage the increased use of Integrated Pest Management approaches.
1.10 Redirect harvesting into forests affected by forest fire, pests and disease damage to mitigate the net forest loss.
2. Sustainable Forest Communities
In 2000, nearly 300 communities, described as being "heavily forest-dependent", had at least 50 percent of their employment base in the industrial forest sector. In addition, more than 800 Aboriginal communities are located within Canada's productive forests. Many of these communities continue to depend on the forest for traditional, non-economic uses. All forest-dependant communities, however, rely on the forest not only for their economic well-being, but also for their environmental and social well-being - even, in some cases, for their survival.
Processing facilities for the forest industry have traditionally been built in rural areas close to the fibre source. However, this is changing. Communities have been affected by a shift in the way forest resources are used. For example, expanded access to remote forest areas, efficient mechanized harvesting and transport and large tenure allocations have resulted in reducing the number of jobs per unit of wood harvested and concentrating forestry support services into larger, fewer regional centres.
The heavy dependency of forest-based communities on the forest as a source of employment and revenue has created economic challenges in many areas of Canada. Simple proximity to the forest and forest industry jobs do not necessarily lead to community sustainability and meaningful participation in the forest economy. An important dimension of maintaining community sustainability is ensuring the ability of forest-based communities to participate in resource and land management decision-making processes and the development of new economic opportunities for communities that will influence their future.
Involvement in forest management planning has increased and evolved over the past number of years. However, involvement in decision-making and implementation needs to be improved, especially because the future of rural regions and Aboriginal Peoples is linked not only to a timber-based forest economy, but also to the use of non-timber forest products and other forest amenities such as trapping, traditional uses and recreation. The ability of communities to effectively implement or monitor the implementation of forest management strategies is an important component of ensuring community sustainability.
Objective 2:
Develop legislation and policies to improve the sustainability (social, environmental and economic) of forest-based communities that foster:
a) Participation and involvement in forest management decision making;
b) Access to resources;
c) Sharing of benefits; and
d) Enhancing multiple benefits.
Action Items
2.1 Develop and adapt forest legislation and policies to provide involvement of forest-based communities in sustainable forest management decision making and implementation.
2.2 Expand the area of community-based tenure systems and resource allocation models in remote, rural regions of Canada to increase benefits to Aboriginal Peoples and forest-based communities.
2.3 Give support for capacity building to local communities so that they can effectively participate in processes that lead to community sustainability.
2.4 Develop programs and allocate resources to support capacity building.
3: Rights and Participation of Aboriginal Peoples
Aboriginal Peoples' involvement in sustainable forest management will need to be based on the accommodation of constitutionally protected Aboriginal and treaty rights recognizing the historical and integral connection of Aboriginal people to the ecosystem. Approaches to involve Aboriginal participation in forest management also necessitates goodwill and long-term foresight on the part of the entire forest community. Land claims, treaty-making and treaty land entitlement are three ongoing processes through which the Aboriginal interest in the land is acknowledged and through which an enlarged Aboriginal-controlled land base is emerging.
Although courts have provided direction on certain issues, Aboriginal Peoples and governments in Canada have different views on the scope and nature of Aboriginal and treaty rights and how they should be applied generally to forest management policies and practices. This difference in perspectives creates a sense of economic and legal uncertainty in the forest sector. A shared understanding of Aboriginal and treaty rights, how they can be accommodated in forest management and how this affects roles and responsibilities, is essential in order to achieve the clarity and relative stability sought by all parties in the forest sector.
In addition to the direction provided by Canadian courts, several international conventions, declarations and ongoing policy fora are directly relevant to the involvement of Aboriginal Peoples in sustainable forest management. These include, for example, the Convention on Biological Diversity, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) - Forest Principles and the Draft United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The spirit and intent of these instruments will be reflected in sustainable forest management policies and initiatives in Canada.
Aboriginal participation in the forest sector has generally increased. Opportunities for employment, contracting and business development are more abundant with the forest industry willingness to enter into various forms of partnership. However, the lack of technical, human and financial resources and the lack of appropriate policy frameworks makes it difficult for Aboriginal Peoples to participate in forest management and forest-based economic activities. Effective participation also calls for innovative and bold institutional arrangements between governments and Aboriginal communities relating to forest management. To support even more effective participation, forest management planning and decision-making processes need to be designed to include women and youth as well as the holistic forest values that are closely connected to cultural and traditional land use.
Objective 3:
Accommodate Aboriginal and treaty rights in the sustainable use of the forest recognizing the historical and legal position of Aboriginal Peoples and their integral connection to ecosystems.
Action Items
3.1 Initiate processes with Aboriginal Peoples and appropriate levels of government for establishing:
* a shared and grounded understanding of Aboriginal rights, Aboriginal title and treaty rights;
* the roles and responsibilities of Aboriginal Peoples, governments and forest stakeholders; and,
* measures to fulfill governmental fiduciary responsibilities and the legal duty to consult.
3.2 Implement institutional arrangements between Aboriginal Peoples and governments, which:
* reflect a spirit of sharing responsibilities and benefits for the management, conservation and sustainable use of forest lands and resources; and give effect to land claim settlements, treaties and formal agreements on forest resource use and management.
3.3 Incorporate traditional knowledge in managing forest lands and resources in accordance with the Convention on Biological Diversity.
3.4 Direct federal and other available funding to support Aboriginal capacity building and participation in implementing the National Forest Strategy, through measures such as a renewed and expanded First Nation Forestry Program and the development of a parallel Métis forestry program, and in supporting Aboriginal participation in related local, regional and international meetings.
3.5 Provide for access to a fair share of benefits from the use of forest lands and resources.
3.6 Provide for Aboriginal interests in the development of international trade agreements.
3.7 Review and update the status of forest inventories and management plans of Indian Reserve forests and identify resources to implement these plans.
4: Forest Products Benefits
Canada's forest supports timber, recreation and ancillary benefits as well as a wide range of non-timber products and service-based industries important both nationally and internationally. Over the last decade, exports of non-timber products and value-added products (for example, engineered wood products or wood veneer panels) have increased more than exports of traditional wood and paper products.
Canada is the world's largest forest products exporter, accounting for over 20 percent of the global market in 2001. Canada's future share of the international forest products market and the competitiveness of its forest industry will depend on adapting to changes in domestic and international markets at a time when the forest is increasingly managed for values other than timber.
Canada's success in producing and marketing forest products and its proximity to the U.S. market have provided excellent economic opportunities. These advantages will continue to provide good jobs and investment income for thousands of Canadians. However, regulatory barriers and new global competition from lower-cost fibre sources have raised new challenges within the forest industry. These challenges have resulted in an ongoing need for new product development, market diversification, cost competitiveness, quality enhancement and worker retraining. Opportunities exist to increase products and services from less wood and less land.
Changing values have underlined the need for collaboration in communicating information about Canadian forest practices. The industry's commitment to sustainable forest management must be demonstrated to both Canadian and global communities.
Objective 4:
Stimulate the diversification of markets, forest products and services and benefits (timber and non-timber alike) by:
a) Understanding current and emerging markets and developing new domestic and international markets; and
b) Promoting value-added and best end-use through expanded research and design and attracting intermediate and final product manufacturers, including Aboriginal Peoples.
Action Items
4.1 Create and maintain policies that encourage human capacity, investment, productivity, innovation and competitiveness in:
* existing and potential primary and value-added timber;
* non-timber and service-based industries, such as tourism, hunting and fishing, trapping and recreation; and
* special forest products; for example, medicinal plants, ethno-botanicals, carbon sinks, bioplastics and nutriceuticals.
4.2 Create and maintain policies that develop, encourage and maintain access to markets for primary and value-added timber and non-timber based industries; for example, promote Canadian forest products and practices at home and abroad through public events, market initiatives, world-class environmental programs and community activities.
4.3 Develop strategies for increasing domestic and export markets, including financial investment in intermediate and final product manufacturing.
4.4 Develop value-added industries and collect statistics to monitor their development and programs to support innovation.
5. Knowledge and Innovation for Competitiveness and Sustainability
The Canadian forest sector has an impressive history of using innovative practices and new technologies to achieve significant advances in many aspects of forest management and a significant share of world markets for forest products. Science and technology (S&T) also has a fundamental and primary responsibility to ensure the continued health of Canada's forests. Future success lies in embracing a more knowledge-centred, innovation-based approach covering the range from forest tree genetics to forest products markets. Canadian forest S&T groups are striving to maintain and develop the necessary infrastructure and intellectual capacity and, at the same time, progress from individual effort to partnerships and networks that make more efficient use of available resources. Research is becoming more structured so that experts from diverse disciplines can work together. There is also a growing appreciation for the importance and value of traditional scientific knowledge found in Aboriginal and local communities, and the need to integrate this with current scientific knowledge. Canada's progress in sustainable forest management requires integrated approaches and multidisciplinary research partnerships and networks that incorporate the natural and social sciences and traditional knowledge.
Achieving the National Forest Strategy's objectives requires an understanding of the complete cycle of knowledge generation and translation into new products, processes and services from tree seed to markets. There has been considerable change in technology, public awareness, social responsibility and environmental standards in the last 10 years. Canada's workforce is a highly skilled workforce. Practitioners (from field practitioners to policy makers) are responsible for remaining competent to not only lead Canada in global markets, but also in skills and knowledge. A new workforce must be equipped with the knowledge and the ability to adapt to change. This includes improved science and knowledge-based decision making, establishing an innovation-based, learning and knowledge management culture and a concerted and continuing commitment to forest sector S&T, including stable funding by all partners. The forest community needs to accelerate innovation in order to deliver on the commitments within the National Forest Strategy, to remain competitive and to meet the evolving expectations of forest stewardship.
Objective 5:
Mobilize the broader Canadian knowledge community to establish a new forest innovation agenda for Canada by:
a) Developing "clusters" of forest sector S&T cooperation, both nationally and regionally, to make more efficient and effective use of available S&T resources;
b) Maintaining and enhancing the skills and knowledge of forest practitioners through supporting innovative post-secondary education institutions, continuing education and technology transfer to ensure that the principles of adaptive management improve the management of our resources;
c) Improving the avenues and processes for bringing new and traditional knowledge and ideas to policy evolution, decision making and field practices; and
d) Alerting the emerging generation of entrepreneurs to the tremendous opportunities for innovative uses of renewable forest materials under the new de-carbonization agenda.
Action items
5.1 Integrate individual S&T efforts into innovation networks.
5.2 Develop a framework to use traditional knowledge along with current scientific knowledge and to protect the intellectual property rights of Aboriginal Peoples.
5.3 Develop strategies for improving the forest sector's success in competing for funding to support leading-edge S&T programs, using research and development, tax credits, research extension and education.
5.4 Develop and implement more focussed education and training for professionals involved in growing, harvesting and special wood products:
* enriched secondary and post-secondary education curriculum;
* extension services;
* adaptive management;
* demonstration projects and outdoor classrooms; and
* continuing education.
5.5 Establish formal mechanisms for forest managers and policy makers to communicate their needs to the S&T community.
6. Enhancing Urban Forests and Engaging Canadians
Canada is a forest nation. The forest is ever-present in the landscape, whether one is travelling in rural areas or in urban centres. The urban forest provides valued services to the vast majority of Canadians who live in cities. The improvement of Canadians' quality of life and the psychological benefits of treed landscapes have been well documented. Also well-documented is the effect of trees on reducing the energy needed to heat and cool buildings.
For those Canadians living in large urban areas, the urban forest constitutes the closest point of contact to the forest's benefits and values. The urban forest provides many tangible social, cultural, environmental and economic benefits. In many cases, it defines our communities, neighbourhoods and cities. Trees can increase residential property values, can attract industry and tourists, provide wildlife habitat and provide jobs for city foresters, technicians, planners, arborists and others. The public's perception of the forest around them will often shape their views on all forests, whether the forest is in their backyards or 4 000 kilometres away.
Forests in rural areas affect people living in cities and towns due to their contribution to the economy, the environmental functions the forest fulfils (for example, in cleansing groundwater and regulating water flows) and the availability of outdoor activities. All the while, people living in urban areas are increasingly shaping forest policies by their participation in decision making at local, regional and national levels.
A key element in fostering educated debates and making sound decisions is credible information. Canadians care about the forest and want to be informed about the state of the forest and the social well-being, environmental health and economic wealth that result from both forest use and conservation. Whether living in an urban centre or a rural forest-based community, Canadians benefit from greater access to, and availability of, accurate, timely information concerning the forest and forest-related activities. Sharing information in an open and transparent manner is a critical part of generating trust and understanding between the public and the various interests that compose the forest community. Engaging young Canadians in particular and encouraging exchanges of perspectives on the forest in various public meetings, is recommended.
Working together, the forest community will reach out to Canadians wherever they live to share forest knowledge. The more Canadians know about the forest, the better they will be able to conserve and use the forest for the benefit of present and future generations.
Objective 6:
Actively engage urban Canadians to recognize the diversity of values and importance of Canada's forest by:
a) Establishing mechanisms to advance the planning, maintenance and management of urban forests based on an ecosystem-based approach; and
b)Enhancing communication and outreach programs.
Action Items
6.1 Develop and implement a national urban forestry strategy, including guidelines and support tools to ensure conservation and enhancement of urban forests and their benefits.
6.2 Establish research priorities for urban forestry in Canada and explore funding mechanisms to implement these priorities.
6.3 Develop minimum standards of urban forestry practice to provide provincial and municipal governments with the tools to create operational guidelines to help municipalities maintain and enhance their urban forests.
6.4 Develop and implement a communications strategy to inform the public about how urban and rural forests contribute to their quality of life.
6.5 Develop programs that will inform youth about forest stewardship and engage them in local forest stewardship programs.
6.6 Identify threatened habitats near metropolitan areas and smaller municipalities and develop and implement strategies to ensure their conservation.
7. Private Woodlots Contributing to Sustainability
Six percent of Canada's forests are owned by 425 000 woodlot-owning families. Woodlots, an important part of the landscape across much of southern Canada, for most of the time, are the forests most Canadians see. Woodlots are also an important source of raw material for the forest industry. The income generated from producing pulpwood, sawlogs and other forest products is an important source of economic stability for many rural communities. As well as economic benefits, woodlots provide recreational opportunities, wildlife habitat and biodiversity, clean water and pleasant roadside scenery across rural Canada. In some landscapes, woodlots may be all that is left of the original ecosystem.
This multi-faceted contribution to Canadian society is the result of good stewardship down through generations of many woodlot-owning families. These families have been guided by their own "land-ethic", by market opportunities and by supportive government policies and programs, including forest extension services. However, a delicate balance exists between sustainable management of woodlots and the short-term financial viability of woodlot-based family businesses. Financial pressures sometimes build to a point where poor forestry practices, such as overharvesting and deforestation, result. These problems have been increasing in parts of Canada in recent years. At the same time, Canadians have increasing expectations related to acceptable management practices. Indeed, woodlot owners are subject to an accelerating pace of change in markets, production technology, management practices and obligations to society. There is a growing need for good-quality information and educational services, a vital tool for coping with this environment of constant change.
With appropriate incentives, these problems can be overcome. More owners will be encouraged to strengthen their commitment to good stewardship and thereby increase the flow of products and services from woodlots. The challenge for Canadian society is to ensure that a comprehensive framework of policies and services is in place and is available to all owners.
The framework can include traditional incentives through the marketplace, the tax system and silviculture assistance programs. Fair access is needed to markets and government policies are needed to offset market distortions. Adequate funding is needed for silviculture programs. Disincentives to sustainable forest management need to be replaced by positive incentives in the tax system. The framework will also include new forms of incentives to compensate for the cost of environmental services provided by woodlots, such as maintaining clean water, wildlife habitat and other services. Because it is often impossible to establish market incentives for these services, other mechanisms are needed to help society share the costs with owners. A third component of the framework is educational services. They have a strategic importance in ensuring that owners have access to the information, skills, technology and the planning help needed to take full advantage of available financial incentives. As woodlot owners begin to respond to the challenge of forest certification, the importance of these services increases.
Stronger partnerships between woodlot owners, their associations, governments, industry and other agencies is a key element in making progress toward these goals.
Objective 7:
Increase the economic, social and environmental contribution by Canadian woodlot owners to Canadian society through a concerted effort by stakeholders to strengthen policies and services that encourage and support viable woodlot businesses.
Action Items
7.1 Identify and remove obstacles hindering sustainable development with particular attention to market incentives, sylvicultural programs and tax policies.
7.2 Increase capacity of private woodlot owners by expanding extension programs.
7.3 Develop and implement mechanisms that promote environmental services from private woodlots.
7.4 Organize and hold a private woodlot owners' National Forum to review progress across the country in the design and implementation of policies, incentives and programs to support private woodlot owners in the following areas:
* extension, training and technology transfer;
* taxation (income and property);
* forest renewal;
* compensation for environmental services;
* compensation for natural disasters;
* certification;
* fairness in access to markets and stumpage policies; and
* carbon pooling.
8. Reporting and Accountability
Sound and credible information is essential not only for enlightened decision making, but also for reporting at all levels. One of the fundamental challenges associated with reporting activities lies in the ability of any organization to efficiently collect, compile, analyse, synthesize and publish information. Reporting and accountability present significant new challenges, considering the speed with which both the subject matter and public expectations have expanded. From an information perspective, tremendous changes in technology (for example, better remote sensing material and improved computerized tools) have taken place in the last ten years. In parallel, the evolution of faster, more powerful computers, farther-reaching information networks and the internationalization of the debate on forests have resulted in a rapidly increasing growth in the number and scope of reporting requirements that Canada must comply with. Forest data and information are currently generated from a vast range of sources. The resulting information often varies in scope, nature, format and volume.
Canada needs a standardized national system that provides information on the current state of its forest and forest change over time. The Canadian Council of Forest Ministers has agreed to develop an improved information system. This includes establishing an infrastructure and data-sharing agreements with interested parties so that information can be accessed and integrated to facilitate analysis and reporting.
Improved databases and availability of information will help influence the quality of reporting, help communicate the value of the forest and will promote the accountability of all those involved in the forest sector.
Objective 8:
Create an improved, comprehensive national "State of the Forest" reporting system that can consolidate data, information and knowledge for all forest values, both urban and rural.
Action Items
8.1 Establish capacity for credible and authoritative reporting to the public on:
* legal reporting requirements;
* how management practices incorporate multiple values;
* criteria and indicators of sustainable forest management;
* Aboriginal involvement in the forest sector;
* honouring international commitments such as those under the Convention on Biological Diversity; and
* actions pursuant to recommendations of the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests and the United Nations Forum on Forests and other forest-related international meetings.
8.2 Assess socio-economic and environmental impact analysis of policy and management options.
8.3 Institute forest data standards for forest inventories, including monitoring protocols, to create a publicly accessible forest information system that provides high-quality information on the status of the forest.
8.4 Enhance programs to monitor and inform the public about exotic or invasive species.
8.5 Produce a consolidated report that satisfies Canada's obligation on conventions such as the Convention on Biological Diversity, the United Nations Forum on Forests and those related to the CCFM Criteria and Indicators Framework as well as the National Forest Strategy.
SECTION 3: PARTNERSHIP FOR IMPLEMENTATION
This Strategy provides the vision and the goals that Canadians have for their forest over the next five years. It confirms the collective commitment to continue to be a global leader in sustainable forest management.
Building on the consensus to work cooperatively toward this vision and commitment, governmental and non-governmental organizations formed a National Forest Strategy Coalition at Canada's 9th National Forest Congress, held in Ottawa on May 1-2, 2003. This Coalition was given the task to make the Strategy a reality across Canada. To do this, the Coalition has created a three-tiered approach:
I) The first level is a National Forest Strategy Committee composed of selected Accord signatories who will:
* Oversee the planning, implementation, communications and reporting on the National Forest Strategy.
II) The second level is forest community leaders who will be asked to come forth to champion each of the themes. As champions, they will coordinate the collective implementation of their theme and they will:
* Stimulate and maintain a high-level of participation within their network of Accord signatories and with other networks;
* Develop a work program with the cooperation of signatories and others;
* Track and report on the collective progress to the National Forest Strategy Committee; and
* Provide advice on priorities, assessments and communications for the National Forest Strategy Committee.
III) The third level is all signatories to the Accord who will individually implement the Strategy in a way that is appropriate to their individual circumstances and capabilities, while respecting each others' roles and responsibilities. They will be called upon to contribute financially and in-kind, regularly report on progress and encourage others to become involved.
An ongoing Web-based tracking and management system will monitor, assess and report progress towards implementing the Strategy. It will rely on all signatories to continuously exchange their ideas and information on implementation.