By GreenCompany | May 18, 2010
Often at odds with one another, Canadian forestry companies and environmental groups put their grudges aside to sign the largest ever conservation agreement. The agreement aims to conserve vast swathes of the Canadian boreal forest, the woodland caribou who live there and depend on it and to ensure that companies who are party to the agreement get an edge in the marketplace.
In total, twenty-one member companies of the FPAC – Forest Products Association of Canada, along with nine environmental groups have signed onto the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement. This Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement covers 72 million hectares of public boreal forests which are currently licensed to Forest Products Association of Canada member companies.
Companies who are party to this agreement have pledged to maintain the very highest environmental standards for their forestry operations. In return, environmental groups will commit themselves to increased global recognition and support for FPAC environmental efforts.
The Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement calls for the suspension of any new logging in almost 29 million hectares of Boreal Forest. The aim here is to develop conservation plans for endangered caribou, while maintaining essential fiber supplies for uninterrupted mill operations. Furthermore, the current “Do Not Buy” campaigns lead by Canopy, ForestEthics and Greenpeace will be suspended while the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement is in effect.
Avrim Lazar the President and CEO of FPAC says of the agreement, “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.”
In Canada there has been years of hostility between forestry companies and environmental groups but this new agreement shows that even hardcore adversaries can come together for the sake of the environment and wild animals.
Both parties to the agreement are held to certain standards and practices that includes development and eventual implementation of a world leading set of practices for forestry management and harvesting practices, forest carbon management built around a full life cycle approach and for the establishment of networks of protected boreal forest areas to help assist with the recovery of various species of wildlife currently at risk. And for the environmental groups there will be increased support in economic terms for northern communities who depend on the forestry industry and new recognition of FPAC conservation methods in the wider global marketplace.
Some of the forestry companies taking part include LP Canada, Weyerhaeuser, Tolko Industries, West Fraser Timber Co., and Kruger Inc. amongst others. On the other side of the coin, environmental groups taking part includes the David Suzuki Foundation, Greenpeace, Canopy and the Canadian Boreal Initiative. The biggest winner of course is the environment and the animals that live there.