Forest Issues
-Today, forests cover about 30% of the earth’s land surface (excluding Antarctica).
-Between 1990-2005, the world lost 3% of its forest area to human activity.
-There are 3 types of forest 1) Boreal forests in cold climates (1/3 of Canada)
2) Temperate forests in mid-latitudes
3) Tropical forests between the tropics of Cancer & Capricorn
To Cut, or not to Cut? That is the Question =)
To cut – Tress are a valuable commodity providing lumber, paper, fuel, nursery stock (for
planting) and raw materials for making chemicals.
- Forests provide many jobs in lumber, transportation, building trades, and retail.
- In 200, forest products contributed $37.6B to Canada’s GDP and provided 860 000
direct and indirect jobs.
- Canada is the world’s number-one exporter of forest products.
Not to cut – Trees contribute to the world’s biodiversity (variety of species on earth).
- About 60M indigenous people live in forests around the world and depend on them.
- Carbon is stored in trees (carbon sink). As a tree grows, it removes CO2, a GHG,
from the atmosphere and it remains there until the wood burns or decays.
- Tree roots absorb rainwater and prevent runoff while avoiding soil erosion.
- Trees provide economic benefits in tourism and recreation.
- Trees have aesthetic value (appreciation of beauty) and spiritual value
Effective Use of Forest Resources
-Everyday about 20 000 hectares (14km2) are lost. Many developed countries cut log to meet
domestic and foreign needs. Many developing countries log to clear land for farmers, to create
exports, to repay debts, and to encourage rapidly growing populations to settle in newly cleared land to
reduce pressure in cities.
-We tend to take our resources for granted, we must be responsible consumers!
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
-Created in 1993 when 130 representatives from around the world met in Toronto.
-Purpose: Is to fight deforestation by supporting “environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and
economically viable management of the world’s forests”.
-Products that have come from forests that are managed according to the agreed upon set of standards
may carry the FSC logo. Consumers who support sustainability should purchase these products.
-In the mid-1990s, Home Depot was put under immense pressure (protests/boycotts) to use only FSC
products. Eventually they gave in thereby forcing all Home Depot suppliers to meet FSC standards.
Reduced Impact Logging
Reduced Impact Logging (RIL), is a system that ensures that logging activities cause as little
ecological damage as possible. The purpose is to ensure long-term economic and ecological
sustainability of forestry in an area.
Process - Before logging begins, a survey is done to identify “crop trees” (based on age and species)
and their locations are mapped. The amount of timber to be removed is determined. Plans are made to
protect streams, minimize forest-fire risk, promote forest regeneration, and maintain biological
diversity. Roads are minimized and made to prevent soil erosion. Trees must be cut without damaging
nearby trees. Trees must be cut low to minimize waste.
-NOTE: RIL is actually 12% cheaper than conventional logging because it wastes less.
Balancing Stakeholder Interest
In Canada, 80% of commercial forests are owned by the provinces, 11% by the federal government
and 9% by private companies or individuals. As such, it is usually the provincial government who has
to balanced the interests of various stakeholders.
Stakeholders are any person or group with an interest in an issue, in most cases for logging, it may
involve any or all of the following; lumber/mining companies, pulp and paper companies, First Nations
groups, environmentalists, NGO’s, labour unions, tourism industry, developers, locals, and recreational
organizers.
Provincial governments allocate rights to harvest or manage public forest land to private companies.
In effect, they act as regulators and enforcers rather than managers. They grant timber tenures (permits
that clarify the rights and obligations of the company) to the companies. In this way, governments try
to balance the health of nature with the demands of the marketplace. Sometimes this works, other
times it does not.
Getting SLAPPed
SLAPP – Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation
-SLAPPs are a strategic lawsuit from companies placed in response to a boycott. The principle
purpose of these lawsuits is to stop a protest by forcing the NGO or individual to focus time and
money on a legal defence rather than on continuing to support its cause.
-Some American states have enacted anti-SLAPP legislation but no Canadian governments have
followed suit . . .yet.