An agreement between environmentalists and Canada’s forestry companies will be putting a halt to the deforestation of 29 million hectares of in Manitoba and many other areas throughout Canada. In addition, tighter environmental standards are being adopted in a further 43 million hectares that will be logged by Canadian forestry companies.
Greenpeace and other environmental groups were conducting campaigns against Canadian forestry companies and were telling people not to “buy” what these pulp and paper companies were doing; as of last weeks, those campaigns are now over.
“It’s a fabulous opportunity for industry and environmental organizations to work together towards common goals, “ said Ron Theissen, Executive director of Manitoba division of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society. (CPAWS) “We both have vested interest in the outcome.”
The agreement was announced Tuesday, which has three forestry companies, Tembec, Tolko Industries and Louisiana-Pacific Canada signed to keep the 29 million hectares of forestry intact.
Signing the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement means the companies agree to no harvesting or road-building on the give-or-take 10 million hectares (25 million acres) of forestry in Manitoba for three years while a “protect-at-risk species” such as caribou plan is in affect.
CPAWS will be meeting with the companies to talk out the caribou management plans along with representatives, First nations and the Federal and Provincial Government.
Grand Chief, Ron Evans of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs said he was “very encouraged” by the agreement. “In Manitoba, many First Nations live in or near the forest. It provides food, shelter and medicines. As stewards of the land, we want to ensure all who utilize the Boreal Forest respect it’s place on earth and have the checks in place to ensure it is not exploited,” says Evans.