CANADA FOREST ACCORD
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    OUR FOREST

Forested landscapes define Canada. Much of our original forest remains today. Covering nearly half of the country, the forest is fundamental to our environment, economy, culture, traditions and history - and to our future. It is both a public good and private concern, with 94 per-cent being publicly owned and 6 per-cent belonging to approximately 425,000 families. Our forest is a part of the place we call home, as well as a global natural resource whose care and stewardship matters to every Canadian and to all citizens of the world. It is critical to realizing our aspirations as a society and as a nation. Accordingly, our vision for our forest underscores the primary importance of sustaining its vitality.


    OUR VISION

The long-term health of Canada's forest will be maintained and enhanced, for the benefit of all living things, and for the social, cultural, environmental and economic well-being of all Canadians now and in the future.


    OUR PRINCIPLES

Canadians care about the sustainability of their forest and believe in the primary importance of nurturing its health through an ecosystem-based approach. Forest management must therefore sustain ecosystem health while meeting expectations of social well-being as well as continued environmental services and economic activity.

Canadians have an important role in shaping the decisions affecting forest conservation and use. The sustainability of Aboriginal and other forest-based communities rests on their ability to participate effectively in forest management. This requires goodwill and long-term foresight by all parties.

  The sound stewardship of private forest lands contributes significant public benefits.
  The broad range of benefits provided by the forest contributes to the quality of life of all rural and urban Canadians.
  The competitiveness of forest-based industries depends on adapting to changes in domestic and international markets and in public expectations.
  Innovation is to be pursued continuously, for new ideas to be generated and translated into new products, processes and services. This requires maintaining a highly skilled workforce and fostering a learning culture.
  Comprehensive information about the state of the forest and the social well-being, environmental services and economic wealth that are derived from forest conservation and use must be available publicly.
  As stewards of forest heritage, Canadians continually seek: to improve the quality of information, public involvement and reporting; to promote the public accountability of all those involved in forest conservation and use; and, to communicate their vision, goals and results.


    OUR COMMITMENT

To realize our vision, we the undersigned commit ourselves to applying our knowledge, expertise and resources to sustainable forest management, guided by the spirit and intent of Canada's National Forest Strategy 2003-2008, in a way that is appropriate to our individual circumstances and capabilities, by:

  Managing Canada's natural forest through an ecosystem-based approach.
  Adopting policies and practices that support forest-based community sustainability.
  Accommodating Aboriginal and treaty rights in the sustainable use of the forest in a manner consistent with constitutional requirements.
  Understanding and developing markets, and increasing the value of all forest products and services.
  Maintaining and enhancing the skills and knowledge of forest practitioners.
  Mobilizing the broader Canadian knowledge community to establish and implement a new forest innovation agenda for Canada.
  Actively engaging Canadians in managing the urban forest and in being stewards of the entire forest.
  Recognizing and fostering the contribution of Canadian woodlots to society.
  Establishing a comprehensive national forest reporting system.
  We also pledge our cooperation, assistance and energies toward sustainable forest management, nationwide, and encourage others to do the same.


CANADA FOREST ACCORD
ACCORD CANADIEN SUR LA FORÊT


To realize our vision, we the undersigned commit ourselves to applying our knowledge, expertise and resources to sustainable forest management. We also pledge our cooperation, assistance and energies toward sustainable forest management nationwide and encourage others to do the same.

Pour réaliser notre vision, nous, soussignés, nous engageons à contribution nos connaissances, notre expertise et nos ressources afin d'aménager de manière durable nos forêts. Nous promettons de plus notre collaboration, notre aide et notre énergie afin de réaliser l'objectif d'aménagement durable de la forêt à l'échelle nationale, et nous encourageons les autres à faire de même.

Alberta Wilderness Association • Association des biologistes du Québec • Association of British Columbia Forest Professionals • Barrett Lumber Company • BIOCAP Canada Foundation • British Columbia Ministry of Forests • Canadian Forestry Association • Canadian Institute of Forestry • Canadian Insitute of Forestry - Central Ontario Section • Canadian Institute of Forestry - Ottawa Valley Section • Canadian Institute of Forestry - Saskatchewan Section • Canadian Institute of Forestry - Southern Ontario Section • Canadian Model Forest Network • Canadian Silviculture Association • Canadian Wildlife Federation • College of Alberta Professional Foresters • Conservation Ontario • Council of Forest Industries • Counseil de l'industrie forestière du Québec • Ducks Unlimited Canada • Farm Woodlot Association of Saskatchewan • Fédération des Producteurs de Bois du Québec • Forest Renewal Co-op Inc. • ForestCare Corp. • Forest Engineering Research Institute of Canada (FERIC) • Forintek Canada Corp. • FORREX • Friends of the Oldman River • Fur Institute of Canada • Manitoba Conservation • Maritime Lumber Bureau • Natural Resources Canada - Canadian Forest Service • National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy • New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources • Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Forest Resources and Agrifoods • Northwest Territories Department of Resources Wildlife and Economic Development • Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources • Ontario Forestry Association • Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters • Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources • Ontario Professional Foresters Association • Ontario Urban Forest Council • Ontario Woodlot Association • Ordre des ingénieurs forestiers du Québec • Prince Edward Island Department of Agriculture and Forestry • Prince Edward Island Nature Trust • Pulp and Paper Research Institute of Canada (PAPRICAN) • Registered Professional Foresters Association of Nova Scotia • Saskatchewan Department of Environment • Sierra Club of Canada • Sustainable Forest Management Network • Tree Canada Foundation • Trees Ontario Foundation • Union of British Columbia Municipalities • University of British Columbia - Faculty of Forestry • Université Laval - Faculté de foresterie et de géomatique • Wildlife Habitat Canada • Woodlot Association of Alberta • Yukon Territory Department of Renewable Resources