FONOM’s efforts come on the heels of an announcement from the eNGO
community that threatens the work of the historical Canadian Boreal
Forest Agreement.
Named ‘Boreal Matters’, the campaign will use a website and social
media to encourage direct engagement with Ontarians to appreciate
managing forest in an economic and environmentally sustainable manner.
In December 2012, Greenpeace Canada made a series of false
accusations regarding Resolute Forest Products operations within the
Boreal and walked away from the CBFA in protest, accusations which
Greenpeace Canada has since admitted were false. Recently,
Vancouver-based Canopy pulled out of the CBFA as well, being frustrated
with the speed of the CBFA’s work.
As a representative of many communities that rely heavily on the
sustainable management of boreal forest resources, FONOM is concerned
about the impact these moves will have on Northern Ontario residents and
our province’s economy as a whole.
“FONOM understands the importance of sustainably and responsibly
harvesting the boreal forest. It is a resource that has helped develop
the north and needs to be responsibly managed to allow for Northern
Ontario’s future success, said Al Spacek, Mayor of Kapuskasing and
president of the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities. “FONOM
is disappointed Greenpeace and Canopy have unilaterally withdrawn from
the agreement to go their own way. We want to ensure Northern
communities, that rely on the boreal forest as a key economic driver,
are part of the discussion.”
The campaign will be calling on Ontarians to express their support for the extension of the CBFA through the Boreal Matters Facebook page and website www.borealmatters.org
“We believe Ontarians are supportive of any effort to combine
economic growth with environmental sustainability, and we hope to
convince CBFA members that an extension of the agreement is important to
the future of the north,” said Spacek.
Facts About the Boreal Forest:
- Canada continues to maintain 90 per cent of its pre-European settlement forest cover.
- The deforestation rate in Canada is zero, with three trees being planted for every harvested tree.
- 650 million seedlings are planted each year in Canada.
- Forest biomass now constitutes 60 per cent of energy needs of Canada’s pulp and paper industry.
- 0.2 per cent of the boreal forest is harvested each year. In
comparison, one per cent of the forest is disturbed by wildfires,
disease and insects. - nine per cent of the Ontario’s boreal forest is within parks and protected areas.
- By law, all forests harvested in Canada’s public land must be successfully regenerated.
