Two-Page Meeting Preparation Summary

This document summarizes some of the information found on the BorealBuzzII website and CD, consisting of two topics, public access and alternative forest products. You may find it a helpful resource to when preparing to attend the upcoming SFMAC meeting on October 4.

Public Access on Forestry Roads

The issue of public access concerns the ability of members of the public to use forestry roads for personal or commercial uses, such as fishing, trapping, hunting, harvesting non-timber forest products, recreation, cottaging and so on. Initially public access was restricted on forest roads by Manitoba Conservation during fire seasons for fire prevention. Later, public access was restricted to ensure wildlife populations, such as moose, remained healthy. Road closures are ultimately the responsibility of Manitoba Conservation, as outlined in the Crown Lands Act and the Wildlife Act.

The following table describes current access management employed by Tembec.

Another approach to maintaining healthy wildlife populations is to manage hunting. The Moose Management Committee is looking into a moose hunting management system that would work for both First Nation and licensed hunters, based on a hunting tag system. This project is currently in a consultation phase.

Consider the following questions…

 What is your biggest concern when in comes to road access?

What changes would you like to see happen to

address the issue of road access?

Alternative Forest Products

While alternative forest products can refer to tree types not currently harvested, in this case, it refers to products other than timber that can be harvested from the forest.  A broad definition of non-timber forest products is a plant or animal found in a natural landscape. These products are valued as sources of food, medicine, heritage, eco-tourism, and cultural and spiritual tradition.

There are an estimated 500 non-timber forest products in Canada, with maple syrup and mushrooms being the main products consumed. Other products include berries, medicinal plants, ornamentals, and essential oils. In 1997, the non-timber forest product industry in Canada was valued at $241,550,000, making up 0.4% of the Canadian forest industry.

Non-timber forest products can provide valuable supplemental income for families, potentially $8,000 to $10,000 per year. The products are especially favorable in communities where the forest industry is in decline or there are fewer forestry jobs due to increased use of technology. Also, for many First Nations, harvesting of non-timber forest products is considered a way of life.

Key issues with the harvesting of non-timber forest products include:

• Sustainable harvesting;
• Cooperation between harvesters and industries such as mining and forestry.
• Flexibility on the part of the harvester to allow for seasonal and yearly changes in product abundance; and,
• Intellectual property rights and fair compensation when First Nation knowledge is collected and used.

In Manitoba, The Northern Forest Diversification Center, located in the Pas, provides training in non-forest product business development for rural Manitoba communities. A 10-day training course offered to all ages and educational backgrounds focuses on local resources, plant identification and basic ecology, sustainable harvesting and handling practices, aboriginal issues, low-tech value added processing, and marketing. The center also markets products; over 200 harvesters in 22 communities were marketed last year.

 Consider the following questions…

What is your biggest concern about how forest management

practices affect alternate forest products?

What could be done to address your concerns?