Landmark Great Bear Rainforest Agreement – A World-Leading Model
The story of the Great Bear Rainforest is a story of
continuing progress towards a successful and sustainable model of
conservation for the world's remaining Endangered Forests.
When the Great Bear Rainforest Agreements were announced in
2006, the story was reported in major papers around the world because the scale
of conservation is globally significant and the enfranchisement of the
indigenous people is world leading. The model that shifted from conflict to a
collaborative approach caught peoples imagination and has inspired hope that we
can tackle the big issues of our day. For example, His
Royal Highness Prince of Wales was inspired to highlight Great Bear Rainforest model of conservation and ForestEthics in his documentary, "Harmony: A New Way of Looking at the World.”
How did this innovative agreement come to be?
In February 2006 an historic agreement was reached between
environmentalists, logging companies, First Nations communities and the
British Columbia government after years of protests, markets campaigns,
land use planning, and negotiations. Since then, we've been pushing the
government to keep their promise and implement these agreements.
What are the highlights of the success so far?
- Protected areas legislated -- 2.1 million hectares, or 5 million acres, an area half the size of Switzerland, have been legally protected from logging.
- Transitional rules for lighter touch logging implemented -- A new system of ‘lighter touch’ logging, based on Ecosystem-based Management (EBM), has been legislated. As a transitional phase to fully conserving full ecosystem integrity, the new logging rules currently require that 50 per cent of the natural level of old growth forest in the region be maintained. This translates to an additional 700,000 hectares (1.7 million acres) of forest set aside from logging.
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Pre Agreement -- 2005
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Post Agreement -- March 31, 2009
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More major milestones achieved through this implementation include:
- Funding for a conservation economy – $120 million is available to First Nation communities to help kick-start a new conservation economy as an alternative to logging throughout the rainforest.
- New governance and decision-making – First Nations and the BC government have developed a new government-to-government relationships and mechanisms for collaborative stakeholder involvement.
We work with ally environmental groups in a coalition called Rainforest Solutions Project (ForestEthics, Greenpeace and Sierra Club BC). We have a unique negotiating relationship with several major logging companies called the Joint Solutions Project where we work to bridge gulfs and overcome common but significant challenges to adapting business practices to a new ecosystem-based management system. We develop solution proposals and work on these with provincial and First Nations government decision makers. This is a very dynamic process. A collaborative process for implementing Ecosystem Based Management has been formalized for getting the work done with all these players.
What work remains to be done?
Currently management legally requires that 50% of the natural level of old forest be maintained. Forest science experts say that the Great Beat Rainforest is not safe until 70% of the natural level of old growth is maintained. The province and industry have agreed that this is the goal, along with achieving high levels of human well being. This is our task over the next few years.
