Table of Contents

Executive Summary

Introduction

Vision

Goal

Principles

Sustainability

Strategic Direction: 1 Ecological Management

Strategic Direction: 2 Sustainable Forest Economy

Strategic Direction: 3 Protected Areas

Strategic Direction: 4 Range of Management Intensities

Strategic Direction: 5 Participation and Partnerships

Implementation

Executive Summary

The Alberta Forest Conservation Strategy is a fulfillment of commitments made by the Government of Alberta under the National Forest Strategy, and it is one of the government's responses to the report of the Expert Panel on Forest Management. In 1994, the Minister of Environmental Protection established a multi-stakeholder Steering Committee to consult with Albertans and develop a long-term vision and recommendations for sustaining Alberta's forest. Over 800 Albertans have participated in the development of the Strategy.

The Alberta Forest Conservation Strategy aims to guide Albertans' future use and appreciation of the province's forests. Front and centre within the Strategy are a Vision, Goal, and six Principles. Collectively, they describe a future ideal for Alberta's forests, and criteria by which Albertans can evaluate whether they are on the right path. The Vision, Goal, and Principles point to a future where continuing economic and environmental benefits from the forest are desirable and possible.

 The Alberta Forest Conservation Strategy is organized around five Strategic Directions. The first direction, called Ecological Management, describes a new paradigm of human interaction with the forest. Alberta's forest has historically been subject to disturbances, typically fire and insects.

Ecological management proposes that forestry and other human activities be conducted in ways that resemble the scale and effects of natural disturbances. The forests that result, and the environmental benefits we gain, should be similar to those crafted by natural ecosystem processes.

Successful ecological management will require monitoring, and the flexibility to use up-to-date scientific information about how ecosystems work. Changes in forestry practices and planning approaches will be required to implement ecological management.

The second strategic direction seeks a Sustainable Forest Economy. There are opportunities to use Alberta's forest resources for economic gain and still maintain ecosystem functions. Alberta' s economic gains can be enhanced by looking for ways to process and add value to raw products from the forest ecosystems. To ensure a sustainable forest economy, efforts are needed to re-evaluate the ways we measure the benefits and impacts of human activities in the forest.

Direction three addresses Protected Areas. The Alberta Forest Conservation Strategy calls for protection of a network of representative areas within the forest ecosystems. The need to establish protected areas is born out of recognition that ecological management is a different approach. We do not completely understand forest ecosystems, and protected areas are needed as storehouses of information and scientific controls. They are also vital to the realization of other values, such as recreation, tourism, culture, and wildlife habitat.

The fourth strategic direction is Range of Management Intensities. With ecological management, human activities have to be managed over large landscape areas. Four management intensities are proposed within the Alberta Forest Conservation Strategy - extensive management, intensive management, facility, and protection.

• Ecological management would be widely applied in extensively managed areas. Human activities would be managed to result in forest conditions similar to those resulting from natural processes.
• Intensive management provides an opportunity to achieve higher levels of resource and economic return by increasing the level of effort and expense to achieve these returns. Intensive management would be practiced on a smaller landbase than extensive management, where they can fit with ecologically-based landscape plans.
• Facility developments, such as coal mines, roads, and tourist resorts, share many characteristics with intensive management. Site reclamation needs to be considered during initial project evaluations.
• Protection through mechanisms such as timber harvesting operating procedures, buffer strips, and land use restrictions, are required to safeguard forest ecosystems where human activity is significant. A wide variety of mechanisms already in place may need to be modified with ecological management.

Strategic direction five is Participation and Partnerships. Ecological management requires information from diverse quarters and decisions made on a shared basis. Forest users have a responsibility to govern their activities appropriately. They also need information to use in their decisions, and need to know the context in which their contributions are being used. Participation in decisions, and partnerships in implementing ecological management, are key elements of forest sustainability.

INTRODUCTION

Why the Strategy was Created

The forest of Alberta is a vibrant, living system of ancient and evolving natural communities. Its diversity is seen in a mosaic of forest types - boreal, montane and parkland - and in the countless living things that depend on its cover and bounty.

The forest is the dominant natural feature of Alberta, covering more than 50 per cent of the province, and it has supported many human activities for hundreds of years. It is an integral part of our identity, culture: tradition, and economy, just as much as it is a part of our natural landscape. The forest is far more than a store of spiritual and economic gifts, however. It is also part of a lifeline that is interwoven with the wellbeing of the human species, and for this and many other reasons Albertans want assurance that what we do will not compromise its continued health and vitality.

Ever-increasing human demands and uses of the forest have created a compelling need for a long- term vision to guide our actions today and far into the future. Alberta began this journey in the late 1980s, when the government appointed an Expert Panel on Forest Management to provide advice on the state of forest management in Alberta. In 1992, the Prime Minister of Canada signed the Convention on Biological Diversity in Rio de Janeiro. In the same year, Alberta was a partner in the development of the National Forest Strategy and, in 1992, it co-signed the Canada Forest Accord. The Alberta Forest Conservation Strategy, which has been developed with the help and input of several hundred Albertans, is the fulfilment of one commitment under that accord, and is a reflection of the importance that all stakeholders place on the forests in Alberta.

Significant Change

The Alberta Forest Conservation Strategy calls for significant change in how activities are planned and carried out in forest ecosystems at the legislative, commercial and personal level. The change has to do with giving forest ecosystems first consideration in all that we do, to ensure that the forest and forested lands of Alberta will continue to provide a sustainable flow of goods (such as timber, recreation, and tourism opportunities) and services (such as clean air, clean water, fish and wildlife habitat) for many generations to come.

 Broad Support

The Strategy sets out a framework of strategic directions which were developed from a broad range of input and perspectives provided by those involved in development of the Strategy over the past three years. These directions come out of the broad consensus of partnerships including government, industry and all those who care about and benefit from the forest.

The stakeholder partnership has included several hundred committed Albertans who have contributed their ideas and beliefs to make this a Strategy that will stand the test of time, scrutiny and practice.

• The Stakeholder Advisory Group, comprising more than 100 Albertans who over three years helped provide direction and develop agreement on what the Strategy should accomplish.
• The Steering Committee, comprising individuals nominated by, and acting on behalf of governments, industry, environmental groups, recreational interests, and Aboriginal and academic communities.
• The seven Strategic Issues Working Groups? which reviewed key forest issues and developed reports that form the foundation of the Strategy.
• The 16 rural Community Working Groups and others which met across the province to provide input during development of the Strategy.

The VISION of the Strategy

The Strategy participants considered it important to set out their vision for the future of Alberta 's forests. The vision represents an ideal which will guide us into the future.

For centuries to come, Alberta will have vast forest areas, including forest areas with a pristine character, in which natural structures and functions continue to evolve.

Forest areas will continue to meet our needs for ecosystem services such as clean air and water, as well as economic opportunity: material goods, recreation, leisure and spiritual connection.

Albertans will have the opportunity to be informed and to participate in decisions made affecting the forest. Users of the forest will work as partners to meet the challenges of sustaining the forest.

The GOAL of the Strategy

A goal is a specific statement of what is needed to achieve a vision. The goal of the Alberta Forest Conservation Strategy is.

To maintain and enhance, for the long term, the extent and health of forest ecosystems in Alberta for the sake of all living things locally, provincially, nationally and globally, while providing environmental, economic, recreational, social and cultural benefits for present and future generations.

PRINCIPLES

All action taken in pursuit of the Vision and Goal will be guided by the following principles.

Ecological Sustainability:

The forest of Alberta will be appreciated as ecosystems and our activities managed in ways that conserve ecological integrity, biological diversity, long-term forest productivity and the forest landbase. There will be a range of management options across the forest.

Economic Sustainability:

Human activities on forested lands in Alberta will be managed in ways that will provide sustained and enhanced, economic and other benefits for Albertans well into the future.

Precautionary Principle:

Caution will be exercised when the consequences of actions in the forest are uncertain. Where there is a threat of serious or irreversible damage to any forest ecosystem, lack of full scientific certainty will not be used as a reason for failing to implement appropriate ecological measures to avert the threatened damage.

Adaptive Management:

Forest managers will employ the adaptive management approach in managing the forests of Alberta. This approach will be based on the best-available scientific information, ongoing research, and routine monitoring of all activities carried out in the forest to continuously improve our management techniques as we learn from experience and adapt to evolving conditions and demands.

Accountability:

Individuals, companies and governments, as forest users and as consumers of forest products, have a duty to minimize the adverse effects of their actions upon the forest. They will be accountable and responsible for all of their actions and decisions which affect the forest.

Decision-making:

All Albertans will have the opportunity to contribute in meaningful ways to decisions that are important to them. Decisions affecting the forest will consider the entire spectrum of interests in a fair and open manner.

SUSTAINABILITY

The Context for the Strategy

"Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. "

The Brundtland Report's definition of sustainable development, released in 1987, has helped to influence the way that resource use is regarded around the world. In June of 1992, the Alberta legislature unanimously adopted the principles of sustainable development as outlined by the Alberta Round Table on the Environment and Economy.

The Strategy takes the concept of sustainable development and broadens it to one of "sustainability." A sustainable forest can be defined as a forest in which biodiversity, ecosystem integrity and the flow of benefits are maintained.

As a province blessed with a rich endowment of resources, we have been able to support the expansion of industries such as oil and gas, forestry, mining, agriculture, outdoor recreation, tourism, and trapping to provide jobs, income and economic growth for Albertans.

However, the pursuit of economic goals alone does not ensure the sustainability of either the economy or the forest. There are limits to the resources and benefits that the forest can provide. Exceeding these limits will damage the forest's ability to sustain itself and the processes that have shaped it over thousands of years.

Our use of forest resources must not exceed the forest's capacity for renewal, or the capacity of the forest to generate ongoing flows of benefits. Ecological and economic systems will only be sustainable if the integrity of each component of these systems is maintained over the long term.

The forest is a part of our heritage and a living legacy to be passed on from generation to generation of Albertans. That legacy includes not only the beauty and diversity that the forest provides, but also the economic opportunity that comes from use of the forest.

The Vision, Goal and Principles of the Alberta Forest Conservation Strategy are founded on the concept of sustainability. They are based largely on the ideal that, by working together as partners and stewards of the resource, we can learn to sustain forest ecosystems that are not only healthy and diverse, but also able to contribute to our economic well-being.

The following strategic directions outline a foundation for ensuring the long-term sustainability of the ecosystems and economic benefits of the forest.

STRATEGIC DIRECTION

1: Ecological Management

"Humans are a part of, not apart from, a life support system composed of the atmosphere, water, minerals, soil, plants, animals and microorganisms that function together to keep the whole viable."

Adapted from Odum, Eugene P. 1970.

The forest must be viewed and respected as an ecosystem. Changes in an ecosystem, whether caused by humans or nature, alter its "life history"

Ecological management is an evolving approach that focuses on ecological processes and ecosystem structures and functions, while sustaining the types of benefits that people derive from the forest. It acknowledges the importance of all species, regardless of obvious human utility, and the processes that support them in the soil, water, and air. It recognizes that ecosystems occur across the landscape, crossing human boundaries, jurisdictions and ownership limits. Everything is connected to everything else - in ecosystems, in economies and in society.

There is an important difference between ecosystem management and ecological management. Ecosystem management implies that we will manage ecosystems to ensure that they are healthy and productive, a difficult if not impossible task when you consider how complex ecosystems are in both structure and function. Ecological management is based on managing our own activities in the forest to ensure that they do not interfere with the ecosystem's ability to manage itself.

The following concepts and directions are central to adopting an ecological management approach.

Maintaining The Forest Landbase

An essential component of ecological management is the maintenance and enhancement of the forested landbase in Alberta. The benefits that the forest provides cannot be sustained if the forested landbase is continually eroded.

Operating Within The Range Of Natural Variability

The unmanaged forest, even without human influence, is subject to a variety of natural processes and disturbances such as succession, nutrient cycling, fire, flood, blowdown, insect attack and disease. These processes vary in duration, frequency of occurrence, size of affected area and severity. For each type of process, there will be a particular range of variability. The result is a mosaic of natural communities representing the range of natural variability in forest ecosystems. Each of these communities plays an integral role in maintaining the diversity and function of the forest ecosystem. An understanding of "natural variability" is fundamental to the implementation of ecological management.

To varying degrees, natural disturbances have been reduced in intensity, scale and frequency through a variety of means such as fire and insect/disease suppression and abatement programs and flood control measures. As these disturbances declined, they were gradually replaced by human activities such as commercial logging, oil and gas exploration programs and agricultural activities. This trend has the potential to simplify the diversity of the forest and, over the next several decades, may push it beyond the historic range of natural variability. Ecological management proposes that we use human activities to maintain that range of natural variability.

Achieving Ecological Management Through An Adaptive Management Approach

The key idea behind ecological management is that we can substitute planned, human activities for random and naturally occurring biological processes within the range of natural variability of those processes. This requires us to make the following new assumptions:

• That human activities can approximate natural processes, at least to some degree. From a forestry perspective, this may be accomplished through the use of cutblocks of different sizes and shapes, by variation in rotation age, and by varying the percentage of removal within harvested areas.
• That our treatment of the forest will fall within the range of natural variability with respect to area, shape, age class and severity of disturbance (within socially-acceptable limits). Natural processes will still inevitably occur.
• That human activities carried out in a manner that bears some resemblance to natural ecological events, will result in the conservation of biodiversity, maintenance of ecosystem structure and function, and generate a sustainable flow of goods and services provided by the forest.
• That by a process of "adaptive management," forest managers will be able to determine what practices work and to detect problems: and correct them, before irreversible damage occurs to either individual species or the ecosystem as a whole.

Although our knowledge and understanding of ecosystems and their functions is improving we will never know all that there is to know about them. With a commitment to ongoing research that is essential to the implementation of ecological management concepts, our level of knowledge will continue to increase over time. For now, resource managers have to make decisions about use of forest according to ecological management concepts using the best available current information.

An adaptive management approach to ecological management and the use of the precautionary principle will lessen the risk of loss of diversity and productivity over time because of our lack of knowledge. This approach calls for resource managers to use the best applicable scientific information and recognize that the information base can always be improved upon. Routine monitoring of all activities carried out in the forest is required to understand and quantify changes that occur over time as a result of human and natural disturbance. This approach calls for the testing and application of scientific principles and methods to continuously improve resource management practices and the ability to adapt to evolving conditions and demands as managers and scientists learn from research and experience.

A system of ecological benchmarks and improvements in research: inventory, modeling, monitoring and communication are other key elements of adaptive management. They will bolster our ability to do the best job possible today, even though we do not have complete knowledge and understanding of the forest.

In order to evaluate new approaches and practices, experimental controls or "benchmarks" are required. Within these areas ecosystem processes and patterns, such as those created by fire, would be allowed to develop naturally to whatever extent is safe and socially acceptable. Prudent and responsible stewardship requires the establishment of benchmarks to serve as controls for both short and long-term research. Through an ongoing process of data gathering, compilation, analysis storage, and monitoring, scientists will study ecosystem attributes such as ecological composition, structure, and function and will be able to evaluate the performance of land-use principles and practices against these attributes. Based on research conducted in benchmark areas, researchers will be able to suggest modifications to those human activities with undesirable consequences. The information and knowledge gained as a result of this process should be stored for use by future forest managers.

Benchmark areas will be identified primarily through processes like the Detailed Forest Management Plan required for large-scale forest operations in Alberta. For long-term research requirements, existing protected areas or new areas designated under the Special Places program should be used.

All of the elements listed in this Strategic Direction must be supported by ongoing research and inventory programs, and effective mechanisms for getting the latest monitoring and research information into the hands of resource managers. We need the best information possible, and the most effective ways of sharing it.

Changes in Practice

Practices affecting all resources and benefits of the forest need to be modified to meet the principles and directions of the Strategy. Examples of how the Strategy will affect the way various activities in the forest are carried out include:

• Management activities, including harvesting, silvicultural, forest protection and fire suppression practices will be planned at both the stand and landscape level to assist in creating the mosaic of forest conditions that approximates the temporal and spatial distribution of natural disturbances and other processes and their relationship to geographic, topographic and ecological associations. This may include the use of extended rotation periods, some of which may be quite long. It will also include the use of a broader range of disturbance sizes and harvest types.
• The variety of silvicultural systems that best suits the ecological requirements of the site and that provides the range of site conditions necessary will become one of the basic tools for practising ecological management;
• Low impact seismic, exploration and development methods now being used by the oil and gas industry to reduce or mitigate surface disturbance and protect environmental values would be implemented wherever appropriate;
• Future forest-based tourism developments would fit into the realm of ecological management. Planning and development processes would be based on site-specific impact information and relevant landscape considerations and would also be coordinated with affected stakeholders;
• Planning and allocation for grazing, like any other consumptive use, would be integrated with other uses and would be based on the ecological capacity of the forest to provide adequate forage production on a sustainable basis while considering other values. Riparian area protection, erosion potential, impacts on native wildlife species and habitat, maintenance of existing forest cover and water quality would also be considered essential elements in the allocation and administration of grazing leases;
• Access, like other human activities, must be evaluated in the context of ecological management in terms of its impact on the forest. Cooperative access planning programs involving various forest users and education and awareness programs will provide users with information on the reasons for access limitation. Access restrictions and closures will be a part of the adaptive management approach in areas where continued access threatens the sustainability of other forest values.

We do not understand the importance of natural disturbances such as forest fire to Alberta's forest ecosystems. We do know, however, that forest harvesting is a different type of forest disturbance. Ongoing research programs are needed to better understand how closely we can approximate these types of disturbance and what attributes are most important. Adaptive management will help us to improve our management practices as we learn from experience.

Forest Planning

Ecological management entails planning at ecologically meaningful scales and tailoring management practices to the requirements and capacities of a given site. Management planning must be based upon clear and widely accepted objectives for the forest.

These objectives will define how management is to sustain the diversity, structure and function of the affected ecosystems while providing a sustainable level of resource outputs. A key function of forest management plans prepared under the ecological management approach will be to define the intended range of variability, under managed conditions, for ecologically significant variables (such as tree stand age, size and structure) at the landscape level. Other important variables that deal with the complex interactions between forest structures and pattern: and issues such as wildlife habitat requirements, watershed protection, among others, will be added as our level of understanding grows.

Industrial and commercial users of the forest will have to collaborate on joint management plans. Detailed Forest Management Plans are currently the best available planning tool for use at the landscape level and are based on the best available information for that particular area. Public involvement in the development of these plans is also a legislated requirement.

At present, the various industries operating in the forest employ differing planning processes. For instance, oil and gas exploration and development programs are largely driven by market conditions and have relatively short planning horizons. This issue must be addressed if the process of collaborative, long-term planning is to succeed. Other forms of collaboration will be required for public and private lands not included in Forest Management Agreement areas.

Private and public lands, particularly in the White Area of the province, have tremendous potential for management as sustainable woodlots. Increased government commitment to the sustainable long-term management of those forested lands, combined with an effective education and awareness program for private land-owners and interested parties, could provide the foundation for a successful woodlot program in Alberta. Such a program would encourage stewardship of the forest while providing a sustainable flow of economic benefits.

STRATEGIC DIRECTION

2: Sustainable Forest Economy

The economy and the forest are interrelated. Our forest economy depends upon continued viability of the forest. The forest's viability is, in turn, affected by the type and scope of human economic activity within it as well as in other parts of the world.

Albertans expect that the forest will contribute to an economic foundation that will maintain and enhance their quality of life and sustain individual, family, and community needs indefinitely. This means that market values for forest-based resources (including forestry, tourism, agriculture, and trapping), sub-surface resources found beneath forested lands (petroleum. coal), and non-market values such as fish and wildlife habitat, the maintenance of forest soils, clear air and clean water, and aesthetics must be recognized and considered as elements of a sustainable forest economy. The Strategy recognizes the interdependence of forest and economy, and the need for sustainability of both.

A sustainable forest economy is a state in which activities that take place in the forest are carried out in a manner that allows them to persist over the long term. The concept of sustainability allows for production, allocation, and distribution of goods and services from the forest, among competing interests, for the satisfaction of human needs while not exceeding ecological limits.

A variety of different forest ecosystems exist within Alberta. The boreal forest of northern Alberta is much different from the forest of the foothills. A sustainable forest economy must therefore be defined in terms of specific ecosystems, as well as in a provincial context.

A sustainable forest economy can be defined from the standpoint of a wide variety of economic, ecological, social, cultural or spiritual value sets. As a result, individual, industrial, and other interests concerned with forest land resources may define or approach the issue of sustainability in different ways and from different contexts. For that reason, it is imperative that there be comprehensive, scientifically-based processes for gathering, analyzing, processing, and publicly reporting economic: ecological, and social information in a manner that can be clearly and easily understood by Albertans. This type of information is essential if we are to make informed ecological and economic decisions that affect our future.

Scope of the Forest Economy

Resources found in and under Alberta's forests contribute to numerous sectors of the economy. These sectors contribute to economic diversity, community stability and employment throughout most of the province in a direct or indirect fashion.

Communities

The economic health or prosperity of forest-dependent communities is important to the people who live in them and to the Alberta economy as a whole. If the province benefits economically from the forest in a particular area, then communities in that area must have the opportunity to share in benefits, such as jobs, contracts and sales. They cannot, however, be insulated from larger economic or ecological realities tied to the concept of sustainability. For this reason, all projects that are to be developed based on resources provided from the forest should be subjected to a broad scale analysis of costs/benefits, including assessment of market and non-market values, as opposed to the traditional project-specific analysis dealing with local job creation, total capital construction cost, and potential contribution to the tax roll. All aspects of the project should be reviewed in the context of a sustainable forest ecosystem and sustainable forest economy prior to submission and approval.

Value Added

Sustainability of the forest economy will be supported by having a range of economic activity, as opposed to a singular focus on primary production. The pursuit of this type of economic diversity should be encouraged and, where possible, expanded by adding value to all sectors. Manufacturing processes for raw materials should be as efficient as possible to maximize recovery. It is equally important to explore whatever opportunities exist for the production of "value-added products" to enhance the economic return from our resource-based products.

Diversity and Stability

Alberta's forest economy should accommodate a wide range of types and scales of enterprise, each providing a variety of employment and business opportunities. This type of forest-based economy may offer more flexibility and resiliency to local, regional, and provincial economies in the face of rapidly changing markets. It will, in turn, contribute to the stability and sustainability of the forest economy in the future.

A sustainable forest economy for Alberta must consider worldwide synergies, linkages, and impacts (economic and ecological) as well as the needs of future generations. The Alberta government must work in partnership with the federal government and its trading partners to create a level playing field that adequately reflects the costs of sustainable forest management practices. Without it, Alberta may be at a disadvantage in the global marketplace, at least in the short term.

Market and Non-market Values

Our economy depends on markets for signals to producers and consumers on how best to allocate resources. In order to encourage efficiency, markets should be allowed to operate as freely as possible without compromising the goal of sustainability. Economic tools and arrangements should be used to achieve both environmental and natural resource management objectives. These tools should not, however, be used as subsidies to entice new project development or artificially stimulate markets for short term investment opportunities.

Markets do not fully account for costs (such as pollution) and benefits that are not borne by the buyer or seller. The market system can be adjusted to account for important "non-market" values and thus contribute effectively to the goal of a sustainable forest and a sustainable forest economy. The key is to internalize environmental costs, to have the producer and/or consumer of a product or service bear that cost.

Many key policy and allocation decisions involve conflicts between beliefs that are strongly held by some people and largely ignored by markets. Those responsible for management of the forest and the development of policy to guide such management must be responsive to those desires and accountable for the outcomes.

Measuring Stability of the Forest Economy

Data currently available to help us define some characteristics of a sustainable forest economy are incomplete. Indicators of sustainability are not sufficiently developed to be operational. They will be required to make better and more effective decisions than in the past in pursuit of a sustainable forest economy, and to measure our progress. The Canadian Council of Forest Ministers in consultation with a broad range of forest stakeholders, has developed a national set of criteria and indicators. Although they are national in scope, they should provide a useful foundation for the development of more appropriate provincial and regional indicators.

STRATEGIC DIRECTION

3: Protected Areas

The Special Places program is recognized as the protected-areas program of the Government of Alberta. Its vision is to complete a system of areas that represents the province's six natural regions (20 sub-regions) by the end of 1998. Alberta currently has areas protected for ecological, cultural and recreational purposes. The degree of protection and level of human activity allowed in these areas varies.

The vision and scientific basis for protected areas found in the Special Places program are compatible with the need for protected areas as identified in the Alberta Forest Conservation Strategy. However, the Special Places policy and process need greater definition to ensure that they are consistent with an ecological management approach on the forested landbase. This would not preclude establishment of Special Places for values other than ecological management.

Two types of protected areas have been identified as essential to the success of the Strategy. They include:

Special Protected Areas

• "Special Protected Areas." including unique or exceptional biological, geological or cultural features or offering unique opportunities to study natural processes;

Representative Protected Areas

• "Representative Protected Areas," containing ecosystems typical of the natural regions and sub- regions of Alberta. They should be selected on the basis of scientific criteria to provide:
• baseline or benchmark natural history data for the region or sub-region;
• opportunities to observe natural processes;
• preservation of biodiversity.

The size of representative protected areas should be related to the type and size of natural disturbance as defined by sound science, and must be suitable for use as a benchmark or scientific control with which to assess the impact of human activity. Scientific research may suggest that while some areas can be relatively small, others may need to be large. Representative areas in support of the Strategy should include existing protected areas and new ones designated under the Special Places program.

The level of protection for a designated area should depend on the purpose for its designation. Areas set aside to protect unique and highly sensitive features will have to be very strictly controlled. Areas representative of natural regions will have varying management patterns within them. Typically, they will accommodate a somewhat broader range of uses than Special Protected Areas. However, they must exclude industrial development and other activities that disturb the land surface. Other activities will only be allowed where they do not conflict with the protected purpose. Whether or not a specific activity is compatible will depend on the management purpose of the area and the manner in which the activity is to be carried out. These activities should be defined through a management planning process.

STRATEGIC DIRECTION

4: Range of Management Intensities

The Alberta Forest Conservation Strategy proposes that the public forest landbase be managed according to a range of intensities of use. This is intended to forge stronger links between human uses and desired ecological conditions. Clear descriptions of the desired ecological condition for forest ecosystems at various scales in the forest will be used to guide future management practices.

Four levels of management intensity are proposed:

• Extensive Management
• Intensive Management
• Facility
• Protection

Extensive Management

In Alberta, the public expects a variety of goods and services from forested lands, including timber, oil and gas, mineral development, wildlife production and conservation, watershed protection, the maintenance of biodiversity and a host of recreational opportunities. The Alberta Forest Conservation Strategy proposes that ecological management will be used as the management approach for extensive management areas to meet these demands. Most of the forested landbase will fall into this category.

All activities carried out on extensive management areas will be monitored in an effort to learn from past and ongoing experience. Activities that have an impact on the forest will be designed and managed to approximate, more closely than at present, the range of natural variability in forest structure and composition left by natural processes. Where particular management practices are necessary to meet special needs (such as the provision of critical wildlife habitat) they will be carried out with the utmost care and sensitivity.

Intensive Management

Some areas of Alberta's forests are well suited for the production of increasing amounts of goods and services through the implementation of intensive management practices. Areas managed in this way will provide higher levels of resource production and economic return by increasing the amount of effort and expense directly related to the management of a particular resource.

Intensive management will be practiced on areas of the forest landbase in an effort to maximize the production of a primary product (such as timber, forage production, wildlife habitat, and tourism development) and should be proposed and implemented as part of a comprehensive process such as the development of a forest management plan. This will ensure that interim management activities and their application, in terms of location and timing, fit within the larger ecologically-based landscape plan. Public involvement and ongoing monitoring and feedback mechanisms will be necessary components of both site selection and implementation phases of intensive management. Activities proposed as part of an intensive management regime must be identified and their effects on forest productivity and processes be defined to better understand the cost/benefits of intensive forest management. This type of study will also help to identify-potential impacts of intensive forest management on other forest values.

In areas where forested lands will be managed primarily for the production of commercial goods or services, secure long-term tenure systems that adequately protect the public trust in terms of accountability, the maintenance of ecological integrity, and satisfactory revenues to the Crown and profits for industry, as well as recognition of the economic risk accepted by those who practice intensive management, will need to be developed.

Facility

At the most intensive end of the management spectrum are single-use facilities including gas plants coal mines and other industrial sites, pipelines, roads, tourist resorts and communities, where the site is totally transformed from its original forested condition. The appropriateness of all sites and facilities must be evaluated in the context of the sustainability of surrounding ecosystems and landscapes. The fact that facilities have a finite lifetime, typically several decades, means reclamation and uses of the site after the project is finished are important subjects for initial project evaluation.

Protection

Some aspects of ecological management can only be achieved by setting aside areas of land protected from human uses that significantly alter the landscape. Strategic Direction 3 of this Strategy document defines the role of protected areas in ecological management.

In addition, the province of Alberta has a wide range of legislative tools and guidelines (such as the Forests Act, Alberta Timber Harvest Planning and Operating Ground Rules) already in place that provide varying forms of environmental protection for forested lands in Alberta that are managed either under an extensive, intensive, or facility management regime. Examples of these include the mandatory use of "buffer strips" or vegetated reserves along watercourses to protect water quality and to minimize sedimentation, the exclusion of timber harvesting from slopes in excess of 45 percent to minimize erosion potential, the use of appropriate bridges and culverts in road construction to minimize sedimentation and protect aquatic habitats, and timing constraints for various land use activities.

The use of these legislative tools and guidelines to protect the environment will continue as a part of the Alberta Forest Conservation Strategy, with appropriate changes to reflect the move towards ecological management.

Determining Management Intensity

The process of determining what type and extent of management intensity will apply to an area will come from one or more of the many existing processes such as the Special Places program, integrated resource planning, forest management planning, and other approval processes, including those controlled by municipal government. All of these processes may need some modifications to conform to the principles of ecological management and to reduce unnecessary duplication and red tape. All determinations of management intensity must have full and meaningful public involvement.

STRATEGIC DIRECTION

5: Participation and Partnerships

The achievement of sustainability will depend on countless large and small decisions that affect the forest. Results will be shaped according to who is involved in the decisions, how decisions are made and ultimately on the collective wisdom of the people who make them.

Sustainability calls for the participation and partnership of all Albertans, including residents, government and industry. We are all dependent upon the forest ecosystem and the economy, and we must all be part of the solutions that support the goal of sustainability.

The essence of this strategic direction is a shift towards more effective involvement of forest-based communities in the processes of decision-making and identification of objectives, as well as to ensure that all forest users assume greater responsibility for their actions. Some critical elements of this direction will include the following:

• Opportunities for involvement
• Stewardship
• Sharing of information
• Community-based participation
• Appropriate decision-making processes

Opportunities for Involvement

The management and administration of our activities in the forest must be open and transparent. This means giving everyone the opportunity to have a meaningful say. It means appreciating and accommodating other points of view, and sharing the benefits of the forest. The rights of all partners and users must be defined and mutually respected.

Stewardship

Forest users should be accountable and responsible for their actions and decisions. There is a need for a comprehensive program that encompasses elements of education, monitoring and enforcement. We must provide forest users with the information that they will require as we move to ecological management, to better understand why certain activities are no longer acceptable or are regulated to a greater degree, if we hope to gain their acceptance. Monitoring of our activities will be required to gauge the effectiveness of these information programs. Effective penalties should be put in place to better encourage respect for and compliance with legislative or regulatory requirements.

Information

Respectful partnerships require an open and accessible process for generating and sharing information. All input should be given due consideration, regardless of whether it is based on scientific study or local wisdom. The level of knowledge about all ecological and economic aspects of the forest (on public and private land) should be broadly reinforced by information and education programs. All of the information used in planning and decision-making processes should be available to those who wish to be involved.

Community-based Participation

The needs of local communities must be recognized and respected. At the same time, these needs must be considered in the context of overall provincial economic, environmental and social needs and priorities, as well as national and global responsibilities. One way that a greater emphasis on community-based involvement and participation will be realized is through local advisory groups throughout the forested area. These groups could integrate many public participation processes already in place, as well as new functions identified in the Strategy.

Decision-making Processes

The decision-making process - the scope of the questions to be addressed, the terms of reference that guide the decisions, and the decision-making process itself - must provide for public participation, and be understandable and accessible. The public should be made aware of the avenues of appeal that exist. There is a full range of decision-making processes that affect activities in the forest, including the Natural Resources Conservation Board, the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board, and various approvals at the provincial and municipal levels.

All decision-making regarding activities in the forest should be consistent with the Vision, Goal and Principles expressed in this document. They should be reviewed to ensure they recognize the principle that all Albertans must have the opportunity to contribute in meaningful ways to decisions that are important to them.

Aboriginal Peoples

The aboriginal peoples of Alberta have used the forests of the province for generations to provide for shelter, subsistence, and spiritual renewal. They have done so based on a philosophy described by some of the aboriginal peoples who participated in the development of this document as "Sagow Pematosowin", or "life as a whole", that is similar to many of the ideals set out in the Alberta Forest Conservation Strategy such as sustainable use and biodiversity.

Aboriginal peoples were given a number of opportunities to be involved in the Strategy's development and have played an important role through participation in the Aboriginal Issues Working Group, various Community Working Groups and the Stakeholder Advisory Group. They provided valuable input and identified issues that are of concern to the Aboriginal peoples of Alberta.

Although the Strategy provides a framework to address a number of the issues identified, many are beyond the scope of the Strategy or are specific to local areas or communities. Those issues that are within the scope of the Strategy should be addressed in a coordinated manner between aboriginal groups, local communities, and the appropriate levels of government as a part of the implementation phase of the Strategy.

IMPLEMENTATION

Reaching the Strategy's goal of sustainable forest ecosystems and economies will require the cooperation and dedication of all forest partners. Getting there will require that Albertans make a fundamental change in their perceptions and attitudes about the forest and their relationship to it.

This strategic framework represents the first step towards reaching the Strategy's goal. It points out the route for the start of the journey, rather than providing a complete roadmap to the destination. The broad directions contained here represent the consensus of the diverse range of stakeholders who helped develop the Strategy.

The Steering Committee recognizes that more work is required to resolve details and develop consensus on the specific actions to be taken. These actions will build on and reinforce the principles and directions in the strategic framework.

The initial requirements are revised policies, laws and programs; improvements to planning and decision-making processes; modified forest practices; scientific/research efforts; and development of cooperative relationships between forest users.

This report is presented to the Minister of Alberta Environmental Protection, with the hope that the Minister and Government of Alberta accept a leadership role in ensuring that the Strategy is implemented, in continuing cooperation with other governments, industry and all those who care about and benefit from the forest.

In addition, it is recommended that the Minister provide regular reports to the public on progress made towards implementing the Vision, Goals and Principles of the Strategy. This can be achieved through a process similar to the provincial "State of the Environment Report" or the federal government' s "State of Canada' s Forests" report.