Canadian Forest Service Publications
Sustainable forestry: the policy prescription in British Columbia. 1999. Wilson, W.R.; Wang, S. Pages 35-45 in A. Yoshimoto and K. Yukutake, editors. Global concerns for forest resource utilization: sustainable use and management. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.
Year: 1999
Issued by: Pacific Forestry Centre
Catalog ID: 18049
Language: English
Availability: Not available through the CFS (click for more information).
Abstract
In pursuit of sustainable forestry, British Columbia, Canada has undertaken a number of policy initiatives in recent years. First, the participation of stakeholder groups was formally institutionalized through round-table and public debate processes that serve as the foundation for spatial planning of forest land and as an input to forest policy development. Second, areas of conflict over forest resources utilization were identified and a variety of policies were implemented in pursuit of resolution. These policies included land use zoning, protected area expansion, forest management prescription and timber supply analyses. Third, the legislative framework was consolidated with an orientation towards sustainable forest practices and enhanced accountability.
The transition from a timber-harvesting dominant model to one of sustainable forestry presents the challenge of managing forest resources for increasingly diversified uses under a growing number of operational constraints. British Columbia is moving to a multiple use strategy at the forest landscape level with dominant use zonation in an effort to minimize forest land dedicated to timber production. The experience indicates the importance of considering the impacts of the trade-offs in forest resource sustainability.