The Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement

In May 2010, FPAC Members and nine leading environmental organizations signed into existence the largest conservation agreement the world has ever seen. The Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement covers more than 72 million hectares of public forests licensed to FPAC member companies across Canada. The shared challenge is to address sometimes conflicting social, economic, and environmental imperatives in a way that captures the economic opportunities that are emerging for forest products of the highest environmental quality. The Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement sees both parties committed to working together in the marketplace and on the ground to support governments in the realization of a stronger, more competitive forestry industry and a better protected, more sustainably managed Boreal Forest.

In partnership with the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, and its magazines, Canadian Geographic and Géographica, FPAC helped in the development of a broad, bilingual, multimedia project to offer readers, web users and school students a portrait of the forest products industry in Canada. The forest-themed January/February issue of the Magazine – inspired by the United Nations' declaration of 2011 as International Year of Forests – includes as its centerpiece a feature story on the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement. To learn more visit CanadianBorealFroestAgreement.com.

Working Collaboratively with the Canadian Boreal Initiative

The Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) and the Canadian Boreal Initiative (CBI) have worked together since 2003 to develop projects that will advance boreal science and conservation. The engagement is part of broader efforts on the part of both bodies to expand dialogue on boreal sustainability issues and work collaboratively on initiatives to support the long-term conservation of the boreal region. The agreement is also intended to build on existing initiatives among interests within the CBI and FPAC stakeholder groups.

In the context of their work together, FPAC and the Canadian Boreal Initiative (CBI) signed a joint conservation planning agreement—the first of its kind—that commits both organizations to plan for the conservation of cultural and ecological values prior to new forest tenures in unallocated parts of Canada’s boreal forest. In a similar vein, member companies have independently struck innovative partnerships with conservation groups such as Ducks Unlimited Canada and World Wildlife Fund-Canada (WWF-Canada). To learn more about CBI please visit www.borealcanada.ca.

Watershed-based Conservation In Canada’s Boreal Forest

In conjunction with the strategic partnership with the Canadian Boreal Initiative, the Forest Products Association of Canada has signed a working agreement with Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) to help improve our understanding of important wetland and water systems in Canada’s boreal forest. DUC has been pursuing a broad-based, watershed-focused forest conservation planning approach based on scientific principles that will promote sustainable management of the water and wetland resources of the Canadian boreal forest. To learn more about Ducks Unlimited Canada, please visit www.ducks.ca.

Carbon Neutral Initiative

The Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) and WWF-Canada both believe that providing leadership in sustainability and environmental performance will realize some of the greatest opportunities for the future of the forest industry. With this in mind, FPAC and WWF-Canada have committed to use their collective resources and influence to affect positive change.

With the support of WWF-Canada and an independent advisory group, FPAC has committed to the goal of industry-wide carbon-neutrality by 2015 without the purchase of carbon-offset credits – a world first. FPAC and WWF-Canada have also agreed to use this partnership to leverage broader uptake within the forest industry, across the forest product value chain and in other sectors.

The intended impacts of this partnership are measurable improvements in GHG performance across the forestry industry in Canada, greater accountability for GHG impacts across the forest products value chain; and increased support for implementation of voluntary sector-wide GHG commitments in other sectors and/or countries. To learn more about this initiative please click here, or visit the Carbon Neutral Initiative on WWF’s website at http://wwf.ca/conservation/global_warming/fpac.cfm

CO2 Neutral Alliance

FPAC has initiated the CO2Neutral Alliance to encourage progressive action on climate change throughout the entire forest products value chain. Supported by WWF-Canada as an initiative within the industry’s overall carbon neutral program, and managed by an independent secretariat, the alliance will help businesses along the forest products value chain to reduce their carbon and greenhouse gas emissions and achieve recognition for their leadership.

High Conservation Value Forest (HCVF) initiative

Current climate change work with World Wildlife Fund Canada (WWF-Canada) builds on past collaboration in areas of mutual interest . Committed to execute and fund on-the-ground projects that promote a sustainable and healthy future for our forests, FPAC contributed significant resources to WWF-Canada’s “High Conservation Value Forest” (HCVF) initiative, directed at assisting forest managers identify areas of special conservation value in the areas they operate. FPAC’s contribution has assisted WWF-Canada in completing the development, automation and distribution of a toolkit for the identification of high conservation value forests - an integral component of conservation planning.

NatureServe

FPAC and the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) are working with the environmental research organization, NatureServe, on an initiative to improve conservation efforts throughout North America—specifically with regard to biological diversity. The groups currently have a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that establishes a framework under which NatureServe and the members and participants in FPAC and AF&PA can identify conservation priorities and jointly develop work plans to achieve core conservation goals.

Power Up Canada

Global warming is occurring more quickly than most scientists had warned. FPAC’s engagement in PowerUP Canada, an organization initiated by the Ivey Foundation, the Tides Foundation, Equiterre, ForestEthics, Environmental Defence and the Pembina Institute is intended to raise areness of climate change and generate t political and government action on climate change leadership. To learn more about Power Up Canada please visit www.powerupcanada.ca.

Assembly of First Nations

In July 2008, FPAC signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) that sees First Nations and forest industry leaders agreeing to work together to strengthen Canada's forest sector through economic development initiatives and business investments, strong environmental stewardship and the creation of skill development opportunities, particularly targeted to First Nations youth.

Canadian Forest Service

In 2002 FPAC launched the Boreal Forest Stewardship Task Force to accelerate a range of activities that improve the state of science and general knowledge about boreal sustainability Issues of interest range from climate change mitigation to increasing the effectiveness of conservation activity on the commercial forest and the Canadian Forest Service is an important partner. For example, with the assistance of the CFS, FPAC has mapped 20% of all Canadian tenured lands, including approximately 25% of all boreal forestlands to assess conservation activity and determine what portion of the tenured lands is managed with special consideration for conservation . Initial estimates indicate that approximately 40% of the commercial forest (excluding parks) is comprised of networks of specially managed, environmentally sensitive sites, wildlife habitat zones, forested wetlands, riparian areas and other areas not suitable or appropriate for harvesting.

Several CFS climate experts are also on FPAC’s Carbon Neutral Initiative advisory group, helping to direct FPAC’s activity in support of carbon neutrality by 2015, without the purchase of offset credits. To learn more about the Canadian Forest Service please visit www.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca.