0560-C2
National Forest Strategy Coalition 1
A bold vision for Canada's forest was presented by the National Forest Strategy Coalition (NFSC) at the 9th National Forest Congress held in Ottawa, May 1-2, 2003. Canada's fifth National Forest Strategy (NFS) 2003-2008, A Sustainable Forest: The Canadian Commitment and the third Canada Forest Accord (CFA) were presented at the Congress to provide direction for the evolution of forest practices in Canada. Past successes and the continued commitment to collaboration provide the basis for the work to be carried out over the next five years and beyond.
The new NFS is a consensus document developed by Canadians for Canadians and it is based on nationally derived beliefs, notably that its implementation be voluntary. Both the NFS and the CFA underscore Canada's progress, not only to manage its own forest, but also its willingness to work with other nations. By design, the NFS is Canada's platform to meet both national and international commitments to the wise management of the world's forest.
This paper traces the events that led to its initiation, describes the process through which the NFS has evolved, and outlines the inclusive approach to collaborative planning, review and reporting that make implementation successful. Furthermore, it provides an overview of the Canadian approach which embraces the forest for the people and the planet, and creates a state of harmony between people and the forest.
This approach works well in Canada as a means to broaden the understanding of the forest as a source of life, both nationally and globally. The approach continues to evolve.
A bold vision for Canada's forest was presented by the National Forest Strategy Coalition (NFSC) at the 9th National Forest Congress held in Ottawa, May 1-2, 2003. Canada's fifth National Forest Strategy (NFS) 2003-2008, A Sustainable Forest: The Canadian Commitment and the third Canada Forest Accord (CFA) were presented at the Congress to provide direction for the evolution of forest practices in Canada. Past successes and the continued commitment to collaboration provide the basis for the work to be carried out over the next five years and beyond.
The new NFS is a consensus document developed by Canadians for Canadians and it is based on nationally derived beliefs, notably that its implementation be voluntary. Both the NFS and the CFA underscore Canada's progress, not only to manage its own forest, but also its willingness to work with other nations. By design, the NFS is Canada's platform to meet both national and international commitments to the wise management of the world's forest.
This paper traces the events that led to its initiation, describes the process through which the NFS has evolved, and outlines the inclusive approach to collaborative planning, review and reporting that make implementation successful. Furthermore, it provides an overview of the Canadian approach which embraces the forest for the people and the planet, and creates a state of harmony between people and the forest.
Compared to many nations, Canada's forest is extensive. It covers 45 percent or 417.6 million hectares of the nation's land. Nearly 94 percent of it is in public ownership through ten provincial, three territorial and the federal governments. The 6 percent in private ownership includes 425 000 family owned woodlots. Consequently, national forest policy development in Canada is often vigorous and spirited, and requires extensive cross-country consultations as well as dialogue with the broad forest community. This includes governments, forest industries, academia, research institutes, Aboriginal peoples, the recreation and tourism industries, forest practitioners, private woodlot owners, environmental groups and others who have an interest.
Canada's forest provides socio-economic benefits to all Canadians. The forest is the economic backbone of many communities across the country. The wood and paper products industries are major contributors to Canada's standard of living. In 2001, these industries employed over 350 000 Canadians directly and over 770 000 indirectly. They continue to generate over CAD $58 billion in total sales annually and contribute to over half of the country's annual trade surplus. Even though forest exports from other nations are rising, Canada remains the world's largest exporter of forest products.
Canada's forest plays a number of vital ecological roles nationally and globally. It is a biodiversity storehouse, reservoir of carbon, producer of oxygen, filter for air and water, moderator of climate and protector against soil erosion. The forest also provides recreational, aesthetic and environmental benefits for rural and urban Canadians. Canada's forest is home to a vast diversity of plants, animals and micro-organisms. Globally, the Canadian forest is of major significance. Overall, it represents 10 percent of the world's forest and contains large portions of some forest types, such as the boreal and the temperate rainforest. As such, Canadians are acutely aware of the importance of their forest to the global community and are mindful of their international responsibilities as forest stewards.
A persistent question has been how to bring these complex interests together to develop a national consensus and collaborative actions toward sustainable forest management. For generations, the link between Canada's well-being and its forest has generated interest. National forest strategies were developed, beginning in the 1980s. These forest strategies have evolved during a period marked by new challenges posed by rapidly increasing knowledge, understanding and participation. Each forest strategy has led to a more concise definition of the sustainable forest, stimulated wider networking and attracted the participation of more members of the forest community. These strategies are
The voluntary spirit of co-operation among Canadians is evident in the development and implementation of the NFS. It is Canada's action plan for implementing sustainable forest management. Each five-year NFS results from a refined program of consultation, review and consensual determination within the forest community at large. The NFS stands out as a unique international example of a national scale partnership to identify and address a comprehensive set of priorities.
The first, "A Forest Sector Strategy for Canada: Discussion Paper", released in 1981, was focussed on the economic benefits of increasing both timber supply and forest renewal. Developed by the federal government, it led to cooperative federal-provincial forest resource development initiatives.
As public interest in the environmental, social and economic dimensions of the forest was increasing at that time, a broad debate on forest management took shape. The Canadian Council of Forest Ministers (CCFM), composed of Canada's federal, provincial and territorial forest ministers, was formed in 1985 to address national issues and to set the overall direction for the management of Canada's forest.
In 1986, the CCFM consulted industry, academia and research organizations on forest sector issues, and formulated the second NFS, "A National Forest Sector Strategy for Canada". It was beneficial in addressing the multiple use of Canada's forest for economic and some environmental benefits. The Strategy put forth recommendations with no specific means for implementation.
The CCFM embraced the sustainable development of forests as an objective in 1989. Recognizing the value of public involvement, the CCFM set out to include the full spectrum of forest-related organizations and individuals. This resulted in a multi-faceted `network of networks' implementation approach reflecting the nature of the task of sustainable forest practices in the 1992 and 1998 NFS.
The third NFS, in 1992, was entitled "National Forest Strategy, Sustainable Forests: A Canadian Commitment" and it captured the unified vision and values of Canadians for the future of the forest. Rather than put forth recommendations, this NFS proposed commitments. Key environmental, economic and social issues were addressed in a focused, integrated, transparent, positive, inclusive and adaptive fashion. To oversee implementation (promotion, planning, reporting and evaluation) the CCFM created the National Forest Strategy Coalition (NFSC), comprised of 29 governmental and non-governmental organizations. These organizations confirmed their commitment by signing the first Canada Forest Accord. Canada was the first forest nation to achieve such a broadly based commitment toward a sustainable forest. Canadians clearly wanted assurance that progress would be measured, and that they would be told about it through annual reporting and independent mid-term and final evaluations. The evaluation reports were encouraging, but more importantly, they identified issues and aspects that needed more attention. In this way the NFS was kept current between consultations.
The combination of consultations, commitments, actions, monitoring and reporting used in the development and implementation of the 1992 NFS became a model example for other countries aiming to build a framework of consensus, and set the norm for Canada's successor strategies in 1998 and 2003.
In 1998, the fourth "National Forest Strategy, Sustainable Forests: A Canadian Commitment" remained inclusive with new or revised objectives, more specific commitments, and the continuing goal to maintain and enhance forest ecosystems for the benefit of all. Overseeing implementation was an even more diverse National Forest Strategy Coalition composed of 52 governmental and non-governmental organizations. These organizations signed the second Canada Forest Accord, which continued to be open to any citizen or organization wishing to actively participate. Independent mid-term and final evaluations of efforts identified accomplishments and emerging issues for the NFSC members. Canada's NFS remained a singular example of a national effort involving the full range of participants and a comprehensive range of priorities.
The "National Forest Strategy (2003-2008), A Sustainable Forest: The Canadian Commitment" represents the latest development in Canada's ongoing effort toward a sustainable forest. Leadership for its development emanated from within the NFSC, while once again engaging the broad forest community through extensive cross-country consultations and dialogue opportunities.
In October 2002, the NFSC solicited input from Canadians via six regional workshops, by mail and Internet; this was followed a by a National Forum. The draft NFS was then made available on the Internet and distributed for comment on, for example: its completeness; choice of priorities; `do-ability'; measurability; accountability; and, time-frames. The new Strategy is a consensus document that provides the vision and challenges for all Canadians to implement, and in doing so reconfirms the country's collective commitment to continue to be a global leader in sustainable forest management. The NFS statement is
"The long-term health of Canada's forest will be maintained and enhanced, for the benefit of all living things, and for the social, cultural, environmental and economic well-being of all Canadians now and in the future."
The fifth NFS comprises eight strategic themes:
Within the Strategy's eight themes is a suite of specific action items. In total, 47 action items address Canadian priorities driven by a common aim - to define realistic targets and efforts that will make consequential improvements within five years and beyond.
A new National Forest Strategy Coalition is overseeing the implementation of the fifth NFS with assistance of `forest champions' to encourage collective actions of governmental and non-governmental organizations. NFSC members have pledged their cooperation, assistance and energy, in a manner appropriate to their individual circumstances and capabilities, toward the goal of a sustainable forest, nationwide, and to encourage others to do the same over the next five years where it matters most, in the forest.
The recent evolution of Canadian forest policy parallels the development of the National Forest Strategies, and all of the partnerships, activities and initiatives which each has spawned. NFS commitments are interrelated and have impacts at the national and international levels. As a result, Canadians are helping to determine a global understanding of sustainable forest management and its implementation.
It is by such commitment, and with the co-operation of all forest nations, that the international community as a whole will ensure the social, cultural, environmental and economic value of the forest to present and future generations. This is the vision of the NFS. By design, Canada's NFS continues to incorporate national and international commitments. Based on NFS experience, Canada took a lead role in the United Nations Forum on Forests call for the formation and implementation of national forest programs. Forest accords have been developed in UK, New Zealand, Australia, and the Netherlands, similar to the Canada Forest Accords.
Through the NFS, Canada has been meeting many of the commitments made at the 1992 United Nations Conference on the Environment and Development (UNCED), specifically to stop global deforestation and loss of biodiversity. NFS action items deal with the conservation of forest biological diversity and the sustainable use of biological resources as part of a holistic approach to the conservation of the forest.
In addition, Canada uses the NFS framework to assess and report on progress. For instance, through the CCFM and as a result of the 1992 NFS, Canada adopted a domestic framework of criteria and indicators (C&I) to define, measure, and report on sustainable forest management. The CCFM C&I were the foundation of Canada's participation in the international C&I for the sustainable management of temperate and boreal forests known as the Montréal Process. In 2002-03, the CCFM undertook to re-evaluate the Canadian C&I framework through public participation and exchanges at the international level to ensure it reflects current values and knowledge related to sustainable forest practices.
Canada's Model Forest Program fulfilled another NFS commitment by building local partnerships to share knowledge; and by combining expertise and resources to develop new ideas and on-the-ground solutions toward sustainable forest management. These techniques are shared with forest communities in other countries.
Other noteworthy effects of Canada's National Forest Strategies include: expanding networks of protected areas and a national forest database, furthering ecosystem classification, broadening forest resources inventories, producing annual state of the forest reports, refining forest management practices, extending programs of education and training, developing national strategies to address forest biodiversity, and promoting an international legally binding instrument for the sustainable management of all types of forests.
While the National Forest Strategy and Canada Forest Accord are important documents, the process leading to them is the more significant development. As clearly shown through experience, the independent evaluations help to track progress, and identify successes, challenges and new issues, thereby providing a clear starting point for the next round of consultations. During consultations new issues are raised, ongoing issues redefined and new objectives and commitments formulated - all through voluntary participation that helps to create greater understanding and consensus. The NFS process has helped broaden public involvement in forest policy while expanding the focus of forest management from the tree stand (regeneration) to the forest, forest ecosystem and forest landscape.
The NFS process reflects the spirit espoused in 1930 by conservationist Aldo Leopold, who observed "Reforms are attained by evolution, not by prescription, of ideals. Real reforms are always home-made."
This approach works well in Canada as a means to broaden the understanding of the forest as a source of life, both nationally and globally. The approach continues to evolve.
The National Forest Strategy Coalition is pleased to share its experience and to learn from other countries' experiences in order that, together, the international forest community can achieve the ultimate goal of a global sustainable forest. To learn more about the National Forest Strategy and its Coalition, please visit the Web site http://nfsc.forest.ca
National Forest Strategy Coalition (NFSC). 2003. National Forest Strategy (2003-2008), A Sustainable Forest: The Canadian Commitment. Ottawa, Canada. 16 p.
1 E-mail: [email protected]
Web site: http://nfsc.forest.ca