Communities

When discussing community stakeholders, it is important to identify what this particular group consists of. Community stakeholders are groups of local people who have an interest in or rights to a specified area of forested land. The Government of Alberta recognizes the rights of communities when considering decisions relating to forest use.

Often, the community stakeholders consist of people who use the forest for recreation or people who live in communities that attract tourists due to the activities in the nearby forest. Recreation in the forest can consist of hiking, quadding, cross country skiing, walking, taking pictures, etc.

Forest Management Agreement holders have a requirement to consult with the public during the development of the Forest Management Plans. When a forest company makes a management plan, these community stakeholders are consulted in many forums:

  •  public advisory groups/committees
  • open houses in the community
  • online surveys 
  • field tours 
  • town hall meetings

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These forums are opportunities for the public who use the forests to let their voices be heard and help in the management of public lands.

Some of the information above is used “with permission from the Canadian Institute of Forestry / Institut forestier du Canada”

In some cases, community stakeholders are not satisfied that their concerns are being heard and defer to other means of communicating their objections. In 2017, a group of ATV riders from the Crowsnest Pass area suggested that the public’s recommendations were not recognized. This article explains some of the issues and concerns of this particular stakeholder group and the government, and it speaks to the use of town hall meetings to try and reach a decision that all stakeholders can agree to.