A commentary by Kate Lindsay of the Forest Products Association of Canada appeared in The Chronicle-Journal recently, responding to a previous article in the same newspaper on Nov. 27, “Boreal Caribou: Scientists refute forestry claims.”
Lindsay noted that the Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) and its members have been involved in caribou research and adaptive management practices for caribou, as well as working collaboratively with First Nations, local communities and partners for many years, and for some companies, multiple decades.
She commented: “Actively managing our forests is complex work that includes fire suppression and pest management. This work also supports many values, including, watershed protection, wetland stewardship, and species at risk. In the boreal forest alone, our workers manage not just for caribou, but for hundreds of mammals, birds, and fish that call the forest home.”
She also reminded readers that building sustainable forest management plans includes modeling for a sustainable supply of timber on the landscape for up to a 150-year planning horizon. “In doing this, companies maintain biodiversity, provide habitat for multiple species (including caribou), emulate natural disturbance patterns and regenerate and renew forests to meet provincial requirements, incorporate local knowledge, values and interests, and contribute to the economies of the over 600 Canadian communities that depend on the forest sector.”
Lindsay is vice-president, sustainability and environmental partnerships, FPAC. Read the full article here.