Unit 5 - Stakeholders
Levels of Government: Government of Canada
Currently, one third (1.41 million km²) of Canada’s forested land is not designated to either industry or protected areas; it is located in remote and northern areas that are fairly undisturbed by human activity. This number is likely to change as the demand to allocate forested land increases by industry and recreationists.
Canada is a leader in sustainable forest management and is always looking at new approaches to maintain the health and productivity of the forest. One concept that is being used in Canada is integrated land-use planning.
Integrated Land-Use Planning
Integrated
land-use planning attempts to balance the social, economic, environmental, and cultural importance of the forests, involving all interested groups in making decisions about how to maintain the well-being of the forest.
Integrated land-use
planning in Canada is a complex process; it’s very challenging to achieve agreement from many stakeholders who have different needs and ideas of how the forest should be best maintained.
One important part of the planning process is to take into account the many economic activities that take place, such as hydroelectric development, mining, oil and gas, hunting, trapping, tourism, and non-timber forest products.
The other important part of the planning process must include the other activities that benefit Canadians, such as the beauty, cultural, environmental, historical, recreational, and spiritual values of the forest.
Forest Facts
Integrated Land Management and the Woodland Caribou
In west-central Alberta, the Foothills Research Institute’s Woodland Caribou Program is an example of how local forest operators, oil and gas companies, governments, and First Nations have come together to develop a coordinated plan to preserve the caribou’s habitat.
For more information about Year 1 and 2 of the Caribou Program, read the Quick Notes.
