Today is an extraordinary day for the Boreal forest in Canada – loggers and environmentalists working together.
Long-time enemies with conflicting agendas have found a way to make conservation work, while still allowing an industry that has shaped our country to continue. The saving of millions of hectares of the Boreal forest is only half the story. The co-operation between two totally opposing fields of thought is equally impressive.
The Boreal forest is vital to the abundance of bird life in the US and Canada and contributes in a significant way to bird life from Mexico to South America. Nearly 50% of the 700 species that regularly occur in the US and Canada rely on the Boreal for their survival. Over 300 species regularly breed in this vast forest habitat. .
Twenty one member companies of the Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC), and nine leading environmental organizations, have unveiled an unprecedented agreement – the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement – that applies to 72 million hectares of public forests licensed to FPAC members. The Agreement, when fully implemented, will conserve significant areas of Canada’s vast Boreal Forest and provide a competitive market edge for participating companies.
Under the Agreement FPAC members, who manage two-thirds of all certified forest land in Canada, commit to the highest environmental standards of forest management within an area twice the size of Germany. Conservation groups commit to global recognition and support for FPAC member efforts. The Agreement calls for the suspension of new logging on nearly 29 million hectares of Boreal Forest to develop conservation plans for endangered caribou, while maintaining essential fiber supplies for uninterrupted mill operations. “Do Not Buy” campaigns by Canopy, ForestEthics and Greenpeace will be suspended while the Agreement is being implemented.
“The importance of this Agreement cannot be overstated,” said Avrim Lazar, President and CEO of FPAC. “FPAC member companies and their ENGO counterparts have turned the old paradigm on its head. Together we have identified a more intelligent, productive way to manage economic and environmental challenges in the Boreal that will reassure global buyers of our products’ sustainability. It’s gratifying to see nearly a decade of industry transformation and hard work greening our operations, is culminating in a process that will set a forestry standard that will be the envy of the world.”
Environmental groups, including the three organizations that have been mobilizing large customers towards green products, say the coming together of two traditional adversaries reflects a new commitment to a common goal.
“This is our best chance to save woodland caribou, permanently protect vast areas of the Boreal Forest and put in place sustainable forestry practices,” said Richard Brooks, spokesperson for participating environmental organizations and Forest Campaign Coordinator of Greenpeace Canada. “Concerns from the public and the marketplace about wilderness conservation and species loss have been critical drivers in arriving at this agreement. We have a lot of work to do together to make this agreement successful and we are committed to make it happen.”
It all gets back to a need to preserve the ecosystem and through proper and responsible conservation plans hopefully everyone can come together for its longterm success. We definitely need more businesses/industries committed to implementing sustainable practices.
Thanks for sharing.