On April 4, 2001-after years of intense
negotiations-environmental groups, First Nations, coastal
communities, logging companies, forest workers and the provincial
government together endorsed an historic agreement that established
the framework for what could become one of the largest conservation
initiatives in North American history-the Great Bear Rainforest
agreement. Phase 1 of this agreement included the proposed
protection of a total of 603,000 hectares on the central coast,
outlined a framework for developing a locally administered,
ecosystem-based approach to planning, and detailed a protocol
between coastal First Nations and the provincial government
concerning land-use planning and interim measures.
“Today the government has renewed its commitment to move forward
to ensure greater conservation of British Columbia’s rainforests
and sustainability of coastal communities,” stated Merran Smith,
Director of the BC Coastal Program for ForestEthics. “We have
outstanding concerns about the process as currently designed.
However, we are hopeful that the process will be transparent,
scientifically rigorous and stand up to international scrutiny, as
well as continuing the conservation and sustainability initiative
that all parties have been working on.”
Customers in the United States, Europe and Japan, who
collectively purchase more than $2 billion worth of BC forest
products each year, have made strong statements in support of
conservation of endangered forests and the move toward ecologically
based logging. They include Home Depot, IKEA, Lowe’s and the
Mitsubishi Corporation of Japan.
“Customers around the world are keeping a close eye on the BC
coast and expect this government to follow through on the consensus
agreement announced in April,” said Catherine Stewart of
Greenpeace. “But the government can still maintain the confidence
of the global marketplace if it acts quickly to legislate
protection for the 20 areas agreed to in the first phase of the
Central Coast LRMP.”
The environmental groups are pleased to be part of establishing
the Coast Information Team, an independent multi-disciplinary group
of experts who will provide analysis to help implement
ecosystem-based planning for the coast.
“Current scientific information reveals that there are serious
threats to the long-term viability of many species on the coast,”
said Bill Wareham, executive director of the Sierra Club of British
Columbia. “So we are encouraged that the government has committed
to establishing an independent science team that will further
advise the Central Coast land use process. However, we want the
government to ensure that the planning process incorporates
recommendations from this independent science team.”
Government’s own analysis has shown that long-term industrial
forestry at the current scale is likely not viable in this region,
and economic diversification is the key to healthy communities.
Forest Ethics, Greenpeace, RAN and the Sierra Club are
announcing five key benchmarks to gauge progress on the central
coast and adherence to the April 4, 2001 consensus agreement:
Benchmark 1: Have the protection areas agreed to in the
provincial government’s April 4 announcement been formalized
through Orders in Council?
Benchmark 2: Does the Coast Information Team have an arms-length
standing from all parties? Will the land-use planning tables have
adequate time to incorporate the Coast Information Team
recommendations in their decision making?
Benchmark 3: Is the team evaluating regional economic options
for BC’s rainforests, in addition to logging?
Benchmark 4: Has the government reduced the rate of logging in
the immediate term to take into account new protected areas and
deferrals to ensure that logging pressure is not transferred to
other sensitive areas while planning continues?
Benchmark 5: Are there transition funds and plans for
communities, workers and contractors to adapt to change?
The environmental groups will be monitoring the process closely,
keeping the BC public and the international marketplace fully
informed of new developments.
