Category Archives: Forest education

Healthy Forests-Healthy Communities Initiative

The Healthy forests-Healthy communities initiative was initiated to focus on BC’s future forest. Given
there is no official vision to guide legislation, regulation, policy and practices regarding the BC forest, a
draft vision statement has been produced for discussion, dialogue, debate and revision. The following
BC forest vision was created as a draft, circulated for review by 22 professionals with expertise across
the spectrum of forest management, research, community participation, forest policy and First Nations
culture and updated accordingly for use in the Community Dialogue Sessions. It is intended as guidance
for the Healthy forests-Healthy communities initiative and, if appropriate, recommended to provincial
decision makers.

Draft Vision Statement

British Columbia’s forests are managed to:

  1. Ensure the health and protection of all forest values;
  2. Support healthy, diverse and resilient communities; and
  3. Support a sustainable and globally competitive forest products economy.

The vision may be modified at the regional level to reflect local conditions and the emphases identified
through local discussion and dialogue but within the overall framework.

A Conversation on BC Forests

In a changing world, it is a challenge for resource managers to know if today’s policies and regulations are resulting in sustainable forest use * – for industry, communities, families and future generations. Through consultation and dialogue with natural resource experts and local communities (including members of the forestry profession, Aboriginals and non-Aboriginals), the Healthy Forests-Healthy Communities initiative aims to inform decision-makers about the people’s vision for the forest lands of British Columbia, identifying areas for improving long-term sustainable management to achieve expressed goals.

Scientific data and public opinion captured through the initiative will provide vital information for responding to climate change, supporting the economy, enhancing community resilience, and creating lasting natural resource policies for forest lands management in the province.

Informed decision-making will ensure healthy forests and healthy communities for a brighter BC future.

* Sustainable forest management: It is the stewardship and use of forests and forest lands in a way, and at a rate, that maintains their biological diversity, productivity, regeneration capacity, vitality and their potential to fulfill, now and in the future, productivity, regeneration capacity, vitality and their potential to fulfill, now and in the future, relevant ecological, economic and social functions, at local, national and global levels, and that does not cause damage to other ecosystems. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Canadian Institute of Forestry’s The Forestry Chronicle Vol 70 (6): 666-674)