- from Canopy.org
I found this notice from The Nature Conservancy:
http://www.nature.org/multimedia/forests/boreal.html
Historic Agreement Conserves 178 Million Acres of Canada’s Boreal Forest
In a history-making agreement to protect one of the last intact, most threatened forests on Earth, 21 timber companies and nine conservation organizations, including The Nature Conservancy, have united in signing the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement.
This agreement will conserve a huge swath of Canada’s forest lands — 178 million acres that span the continent from the East Coast to the West. Unprecedented in scale, this agreement covers the largest amount of land ever involved in such conservation efforts. It also unites a broad coalition of forestry and conservation organizations in an agreement aimed at sustainably managing the vast forest and its wildlife while meeting the needs of local communities.
A Prototype for Forest Conservation
This agreement, announced in May 2010, comes not a moment too soon: In southern Canada, millions of acres are slated for logging in the coming decade. This agreement assigns multiple layers of protection and sustainable logging to these government-owned lands. The agreement is a prototype for future forest conservation by setting the region on a sustainable path for the management of its forests and forestry-based economy.
An agreement of this magnitude requires the involvement of many key stakeholders: in this case, the Forest Products Association of Canada, which represents approximately 60 percent of Canada’s forest industry in Canada’s Boreal, and nine leading North American environmental non-profit organizations. Over the next three years, the partners – including the Conservancy — will work together, alongside government, First Nations indigenous groups and local communities to develop the guidelines for protected areas, wildlife management and ecosystem-based management that will direct how the forests are managed and logged.
A Forest of Riches
The lands included in the agreement span seven Canadian provinces and are home to some of North America’s most iconic wildlife, including gray wolves, grizzly bears, millions of birds and waterfowl, and herds of woodland caribou, an at-risk species important to the First Nations communities. The region’s many pristine lakes and wetlands store, filter and funnel water to the continent’s great river systems.
Careful management of Canada’s Boreal Forest is also of paramount importance to the rest of the world. At roughly 1.6 billion acres, the Boreal is one of the few forests on Earth large enough to buffer some of the anticipated effects of climate change. By conserving the carbon stored in the forest, the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement helps people, wildlife and nature around the world.
Science-Based Conservation
The Conservancy, recognized for its science-based approach to conservation, will provide science leadership in implementing the agreement. It will work with the agreement’s partners to:
•Support eco-system based management and science-based stewardship
•Identify a network of protected areas that can effectively represent the diversity of life in the Boreal
•Develop improved forest practices and forest certification standards
•Develop an online database that acts as an information warehouse
A model of collaborative forest conservation, this agreement conserves one of the last intact and most threatened forests on Earth, ensuring the heath and survival of the natural world that sustains us all.
from Cnadian Boreal Intitative:
http://www.borealcanada.ca/index-e.php
Canadian Boreal Initiative applauds framework agreement
to advance protection of Thaidene Nene in the Northwest Territories
Alberta, April 7, 2010: The Lutsel K’e Dene First Nation and Parks Canada today signed a framework agreement which is the next step towards establishing Thaidene Nene as a protected area under the Canada National Parks Act. The community of Lutsel K’e has led this initiative to protect this culturally and ecologically unique area in the East Arm of Great Slave Lake in the Northwest Territories, and looks forward to the jobs and economic opportunity this protected area will bring. The agreement was signed today Calgary by federal Minister of the Environment Jim Prentice and Lutsel K’e Chief Steve Nitah
(continued)
From Canopy.org:
http://canopyplanet.org/index.php?page=the-canadian-boreal-forest-agreement
World’s Largest Conservation Agreement Set in
Canada’s Boreal Forests
Canada’s Boreal Forests are vast and rich. Home to seven of the world’s remaining largest intact forests, the world’s largest freshwater reserve and part of the world’s largest terrestrial carbon sink, Canada’s Boreal Forests are truly one of our planet’s last great forest ecosystems. Today’s Agreement is the beginning of a multi-year push to make what is currently an exciting vision, a reality on the ground.
The Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement helps chart a new path for the conservation of this global legacy – one that will ensure large-scale protection, a shift to sustainable forest practices and a green lifeline to participating forestry companies. Relevant to the 70-million hectares/170-million acres of Boreal forests licensed to members of the Forest Products Association of Canada, the Agreement covers 66% of the commercial forests in Canada or an area equivalent to the size of France.
As part of the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement:
- Approximately 30 million hectares/70 million acres (area the size of Italy) of woodland caribou habitat is off-limits to road building and logging
- Prioritized conservation planning for woodland caribou herds across the country
- Identification of new potential protected areas with FPAC tenures
- Suspension of targeted “do-not-buy” campaigns by Canopy, ForestEthics and Greenpeace
By providing the market incentive for green products and engaging suppliers on issues of conservation concern over the past 5-10 years, many of Canopy’s publishing and print partners have been key in helping secure today’s agreement. As we move forward with implementing the initiative, these large corporate paper consumers will play a critical role in ensuring we secure the ambitious conservation goals and is ultimately rewarded in the marketplace.
Canopy wishes to acknowledge the hard work of our environmental allies and participating members of the Forest Products Association in this critical first step. We look forward to continuing our close work together over the next few years as we make the world’s largest conservation agreement a reality for conservation on the ground.
Canadian Boreal Forests Agreement 101 - download PDF http://canopyplanet.org/uploads/Agreement101ENG-lr.pdf
Why we must protect Canada's Boreal - download PDF http://canopyplanet.org/uploads/Boreal-Protection-lr.pdf
10 Years of Results: Protecting Canada's Boreal - download PDF http://canopyplanet.org/uploads/10yrsPOST.pdf
CANADIAN FOREST INDUSTRY AND ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS SIGN WORLD’S LARGEST CONSERVATION AGREEMENT APPLYING TO AREA TWICE THE SIZE OF GERMANY
TUESDAY, MAY 18, 2010, Toronto/Montreal, Canada – Today 21 member companies of the Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC), and nine leading environmental organizations, 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, protect threatened woodland caribou 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. (continued)
http://canopyplanet.org/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=31&cntnt01returnid=66
Here also is a petition from Forest Ethics:
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/281/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=3701
Count on me to be a Boreal Watchdog
The ink is drying on what could be the largest conservation initiative in history. ForestEthics and eight other environmental organizations have just signed a historic agreement with the Canadian forest industry to conserve our precious Boreal Forest. It starts with a total moratorium on logging across more than 29 million hectares (71 million acres) over the next three years.
Developing lasting protection proposals for the Boreal Forest, woodland caribou, and our climate will take everyone on board. Will you sign up to become a Boreal Watchdog and let leaders of the Canadian forestry industry know the world is watching this agreement
