Unit 5 - Stakeholders
Industry
When we think about industries that have an interest in the forest, oil and gas companies probably come to mind but also the forest products industry. Not surprising, energy is the largest industry in Alberta, followed by agriculture and then forest products industries. It is in the best interests of industry to work together with the government and other stakeholders to ensure sustainable forest management.
In 2008, the government of Alberta released the Land Use Framework which established seven new land use regions and began the work of developing a plan for each region. The Land Use Framework establishes a provincial vision of Albertans working together to respect and care for the land as a foundation for our environmental, economic, and social well-being.
Agriculture, Alberta’s second largest industry, is also a stakeholder when it comes to sustainable forest management; many forested lands border on agricultural lands. Owners of agricultural land need to be involved in any forest operations that might impact their agricultural industry; these two stakeholders might often operate on the same parcels of land. Again, consultation, communication, working together, etc. are all required between both agriculture and forest companies to reduce the impacts of ranching and forestry on the land.
The third largest industry in Alberta, forest products, needs access to the forest in order for their industries to thrive. They enter into agreements with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry for the right to harvest and grow trees on specified forested areas. Through the whole process,from identifying and surveying the area, to the finished product (lumber, paper, boards), forest companies are involved at each step and need to work with other stakeholders to protect and sustain the forests.
