Understanding forest values, Canada's model forest program

Abstract

The Canadian Model Forest program was established in 1992 as an initiative to accelerate the implementation of sustainable forest management (SFM). There are eleven Model Forests (MFs) in Canada, each designed to involve a variety of different stakeholders and partnership groups from the local, regional area in which they exist. The purpose of this research was to compare how various MFs have attempted to ascertain and integrate information about forest values into their specific projects and activities in order that they might demonstrate sustainable forest management practices. The specific objectives were: to determine which forest values have been identified or documented; to establish the process(es) used to ascertain the forest values of various partner groups; to document the use of forest values in management, decision making and activities; and, to illustrate ways in which forest values have been, or could be, incorporated into sustainable forest management practices as learned from the activities attempted by each of the Model Forests. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)