Vision from the Boreal Released by Greenpeace Canada

Greenpeace released a new vision for Canada’s Boreal forest on June 10th that will reinvigorate northern forest communities, improve the struggling forest economy and create new jobs while protecting the health and integrity of forests for future generations. Also this week, Time magazine featured the issue of tissue paper sourced from old-growth forests in the Canadian Boreal and Greenpeace's campaign against the current practices of Kimberly-Clark/Kleenex brand.

The document, Greenpeace’s Vision for a New Conservation Based Forest Economy in Canada’s Boreal Forest, is an innovative look at how forest communities, industry and environmental groups can work together to protect forest integrity and help the forest sector, whose troubles have driven northern communities to brink of collapse.

“Canada needs a new vision for its Boreal Forest and needs it now,” said Kim Fry, Greenpeace forest campaigner. “Ontario’s forest communities have been struggling since long before the current economic crisis. Our vision shows how with the right political leadership, forest industry initiative and community support, we can act immediately to save our forests and strengthen our economy.”

The new Greenpeace vision comes after a week of mass cross-country protests from Canada’s forestry workers who demanded provincial and federal action to stop the years of mill closures and job losses. Through the vision the forest industry and workers would work together to ensure efficiency, effectiveness and most importantly, forest sustainability.

Highlights of the vision include:

• Increased community control over surrounding forest areas,
• Strict adherence to Forest Stewardship Certification (FSC) standards to ensure Industrial practices protect the fragile biodiversity of Canada’s Boreal Forest,
• Shift towards value added forestry products as well as economic diversification, and
• More community input and involvement in political policy for the Boreal Forest.

“There is a real opportunity for forestry workers and environmentalists to come together and build good, long-term, sustainable jobs,” said Fry. “With the right vision, political leadership and resources, it is possible to build a sustainable forest economy now so that our children inherit forests that are healthy and intact in the future.”