CPAWS proud partner in new Boreal forest leadership agreement
May 18, 2010Following two years of negotiations, CPAWS and sister conservation organisations have reached an historic agreement with the Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC). CPAWS played a leadership role in achieving this agreement.
The Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement...
- applies to over 70 million hectares of Canada's Boreal forest licensed to FPAC member companies across the country.
- commits these companies to world-leading sustainable forest management practices and conservation planning.
- focuses on protecting the Boreal woodland caribou's critical habitat.
- is signed by CPAWS and eight other conservation organisations, and 21 forestry companies represented by FPAC
This agreement will provide a strong base for advancing collaboration on Boreal conservation projects between CPAWS chapters and FPAC member companies over the next decade.
FPAC and its members have responded positively to CPAWS' campaign to protect Boreal woodland caribou. We look forward to working with industry, governments, indigenous peoples and local communities to permanently protect more of Canada's Boreal forest in coming years.
Comments | Commentaires
Note: Any opinions expressed here, except as specifically noted, are those of the individual commenters and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of CPAWS.Reply from CPAWS:
Hi Paul,
Agreements are about compromise, not perfection. Agreements such as the Great Bear Rainforest alter the status quo and create possibilities for conservation that never existed before. The CBFA creates an oppotunity for Canada to become a world leader in conservation and truely sustainable forestry in a collaborative arrangement between conservationists and the majority of the Canadian forest industry. CPAWS believes this is an opportunity worth seizing.
-Aran, for CPAWS
I have read enough. If you have linked up with the logging company capitalists and the government of Canada, you have just sold out the planet's boreal forest -- a major contributor in the control of the planet's climate. You should realise that the government acts only in the interest of the owning class. Next thing you know you will be telling us that you support the FCA designation to "harvest" (slaughter) trees in old growth forests. [...]
Posted by Trevor Goodger-Hill on May 18, 2010 11:58 AMReply from CPAWS:
Hi Trevor,
CPAWS's goal is to protect at least half of publically owned lands and waters. It's an ambitious goal, and we can't do it without the cooperation of others who have rights to public land, including industry. We recognize that forestry is an important part of Canada's economy, and it will continue in the boreal -- but with this agreement, it will continue in a much more sustainable way. The companies have also committed to addressing climate change as it relates to forest management and conservation.
-Sue (for CPAWS)
fantastic! thanks for everybody's hard work & determination in making this happen ... & in the commitment to the hard work required by all parties to honour this agreement.
Posted by nicola kozakiewicz on May 18, 2010 12:08 PMWhat an incredible achievement! From being a lone (and often ridiculed) voice against logging in Algonquin Park to protecting the Boreal forest. Canada is in your debt. Congratulations!
Posted by Lionel Shaul on May 18, 2010 12:20 PMThank you all very much for your efforts to protect these precious natural resources. That's a victory for this planet and future generations.
Thank you very much !!!
A huge step in the right direction. Congratulations to all those involved at CPAWS, and all the conservation organizations, for their hard work!
Posted by Livio on May 18, 2010 12:47 PMI am not as cynical as some who have posted, so I am going to offer my heartfelt congratulations for a super, super effort in reaching this agreement. It gives me hope.
Posted by Gailene on May 18, 2010 4:10 PMIt's not enough, these guys are snakes. They've already taken southern canada's forests & now we have to negotiate the north....no way. What about protecting Canada's wild rivers from dams. 65% of the boreal should be off limits to dams, mining & logging etc.
Posted by Marco on May 18, 2010 4:18 PMIt is wonderful that wildlife has his importance in this consumer's world.
Posted by michel gadoury on May 18, 2010 8:49 PMCongradulation; That make's me very proud to be Canadian-Horay-Thank you CPAWS for the great work and compation.
Posted by Sandra Cournoyer on May 19, 2010 12:04 AMGood news!
However, why is virtually no forest protected i Saskatchewan? Living and working there for 4 years I know the province has lots of valuable boreal forest worth protecting!
Kind regards,
Johan Lindsjo, DVM, M.Sc in Wildlife Health
Posted by Johan LIndsjo on May 19, 2010 4:29 AMAs a CPAWS member, I am cautiously optimistic, yet worried about the forest industry agreement: the devil is always in the details! Please explain the agreement in detail, together with its strengths and weaknesses. Where were the First Nations?
Posted by Dr. Peter Prior on May 19, 2010 8:33 AMI think this is a good step forward. Maybe not perfect, but at least the logging companies have agreed to be partners. Great work CPAWS!
Posted by Jocelyn on May 19, 2010 10:11 AMi like all i read from this web site, as long as were making a difference with or slow moving government.
Posted by David on May 19, 2010 2:40 PMIt's a big step to bring any forest companies to the table and get an acknowledgement that boreal life-forms are important. I congratulate CPAWS and all the partners. Isn't this a follow-up to the initial boreal accord reached 4-5 years ago with several firms and First Nations? Boreal forest health will rest on all the details of how it's implemented.
Posted by Catherine Beck on May 19, 2010 8:15 PMMy concern is that Mountain caribou sub-classification of a woodland are left out of the agreement. There's no such species as a boreal caribou, they are all woodland caribou. What about all the caribou habitat along the NE slopes in Alberta e.g Hinton to Grande Prairie.
Posted by Brian on May 21, 2010 7:44 PMI am really excited about this agreement-sure things can go wrong and we can't sit back and let them do it. We have to watch and make sure this and even better plans and agreements are made. I am proud of CPAWS and everyone involved. This gives me great hope.
Posted by Paula Landers on May 27, 2010 3:37 PMThank you to all those who were involved in this historic agreement. The basis of agreement is negotiating "in good faith". Hopefully, the FPAC will honour their part of the deal. We humans are looking for signals of change in this time of global climate change and political/economic upheavals. I would like to suggest this is a promising signal for the future.
Posted by Onni Milne on June 3, 2010 2:41 PMThe shift to change has to start somewhere. Congratulations to all those who were involved in creating this agreement. My understanding of the Forest Stewardship Councils is that their intention is not to outlaw forestry as an industry. It is to ensure that all forestry projects are maintained in a sustainable manner. I suggest this is a good beginning to a future of rethinking our forestry economy.
Posted by Onni Milne on June 4, 2010 2:06 PMJust a thought for all of those that are bashing CPAW's efforts to compromise with FPAC: Let's not forget that timber harvesting occurs to fulfill a demand.
Less demand = less supply.
So if a person really wants to blame someone for overcomsuption of our forests, let's look inward...let's take a look at our own consumption...
Something to think about...
Cheers.
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these deals usually favor industry .Great Bear deal only protected 1/3 not the 2/3s science says is needed.BCs Mountain caribou plan only protected 400000 Hectares ,the logging continues to decimate the Worlds only Inland Rainforest so will this deal be full of holes for industry.
Posted by Paul Morgan on May 18, 2010 11:16 AM