SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN

Corner Brook Pulp April 2018 and Paper Version 8 Woodlands

g SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENTPLAN PLAN

Corner Brook Pulp June 2019 and Paper Version 9 Woodlands

Sustainable Forest Management Plan Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Limited

This Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) Plan is one of a number of documents required for sustainable management of the Defined Forest Area (timber limits) of Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Limited. Separate but associated documents on the Woodlands computer network, the Environmental Management System Manuals, serve as references for the implementation and maintenance of the environmental standards to which Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Ltd. is certified: the ISO 14001 Environmental Management System Standard and the CAN/CSA Z809 Sustainable Forest Management Standard.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS ...... iii LIST OF TABLES ...... v INTRODUCTION ...... 1 DESCRIPTION OF THE DEFINED FOREST AREA (DFA) ...... 3 BIOPHYSICAL ...... 4 Geography and Terrain ...... 4 Geology and Soils ...... 4 Ecosystems 4 Forest Types 7 Wildlife and Fish ...... 8 SOCIO-ECONOMIC ...... 10 Tenure (Ownership and Management Responsibilities) ...... 10 Communities within the DFA ...... 13 Economic Impact ...... 13 Forest Uses 14 FOREST MANAGEMENT PLANNING FRAMEWORK ...... 17 Public Participation in Planning Processes ...... 17 Five-Year Operating Plan ...... 17 Annual Operating Plan ...... 18 Sustainable Forest Management Plan ...... 18 Adaptive Forest Management ...... 21 INDICATOR PROFILES ...... 22 Indicator 1.1.1 Ecosystem Diversity - Ecosystem Area by Type ...... 24 Indicator 1.1.2 Ecosystem Diversity – Working Groups ...... 28 Indicator 1.1.3 Ecosystem Diversity – Age Classes ...... 37 Indicator 1.1.4 Ecosystem Diversity – Within-Stand Structural Retention ...... 41 Indicator 1.2.1 Species Diversity – Caribou Habitat ...... 46 Indicator 1.2.2 Species Diversity – Pine Marten Habitat ...... 51 Indicator 1.2.3 Species Diversity – Non-native Species ...... 55 Indicator 1.3.1 Genetic Diversity – Sufficiently Stocked ...... 58 Indicators 1.4.1 and 1.4.2 Biological Diversity – Special Places ...... 62 Indicator 2.1.1 Forest Ecosystems Condition and Productivity – Reforestation Success ...... 66 Indicator 2.1.2 Ecosystem condition and productivity - Non-native Species ...... 70 Indicator 2.1.3 Forest Ecosystem Condition and Productivity – Preharvest Planning 73 Indicator 2.1.4 Forest Ecosystem Condition and Productivity – AAC Harvested ...... 76 Indicator 3.1.1 Soil Quality and Quantity – Soil Disturbance...... 80 Indicator 3.1.2 Soil Quality and Quantity – Downed Woody Material ...... 87 Indicator 3.2.1 Water Quality and Quantity – Stand Replacing Disturbance ...... 91 Indicator 3.2.2 Water Quality and Quantity – Buffers and No Grub Zones ...... 96 Indicator 4.1.1 Carbon Uptake and Storage – Carbon Budget Model ...... 100 Indicator 4.1.2 Carbon Uptake and Storage – Reforestation Success ...... 103

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Indicator 4.2.1 Forest Land Conversion – Pre-harvest Planning ...... 107 Indicator 5.1.1 & 5.1.2 Timber & Non-timber Benefits – Forest Stakeholders ...... 110 Indicator 5.1.4 Timber and Non – Timber Benefits – Wood Utilization ...... 117 Indicator 5.1.5 Timber and Non-timber Benefits – Access Management Plan ...... 120 Indicator 5.2.1 Communities and Sustainability – Sawlogs Available ...... 127 Indicator 5.2.2 Communities and Sustainability – Investment in Training...... 131 and Skills Development ...... 131 Indicator 5.2.3 Communities and Sustainability – DFA Wages...... 135 Indicator 6.1.1 Fair and Effective Decision-Making – Level of Satisfaction of PAC .. 139 Indicator 6.1.2 Fair and Effective Decision-making – Capacity Development and Meaningful Participation ...... 143 Indicator 6.1.3 Fair and Effective Decision-making – Environmental Progress Report ...... 146 Indicator 6.2.1 Safety – Cooperation with Workers and Unions ...... 149 Indicator 6.2.2 Safety – Worker Safety Program ...... 154 Indicator 7.2.1 Respect for Aboriginal Forest Values, Knowledge and Uses – Aboriginal Communities ...... 162 Indicator 7.2.2_7.2.3 Aboriginal Knowledge – Engagement of Aboriginal People ..... 164 REFERENCES ...... 167 APPENDIX A Public Advisory Committee ...... 169 APPENDIX B Other Interested Parties ...... 170 APPENDIX C Values, Objectives, Indicators and Targets CSA Z809-16...... 171

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LIST OF TABLES

Table 1. Native and introduced mammals on CBPPL’s Defined Forest Area1 ...... 9 Table 2. Location (FMD) and type of agreements involving CBPPL and the provincial government (Crown) ...... 11 Table 3. Timber rights relinquished by CBPPL...... 13 Table 4. Communities that benefit from CBPPL's DFA ...... 13 Table 5. Percent of the DFA harvested in poor black spruce forest and scrub types in Forest Management Districts 5, 6, 9, & 16...... 26 Table 6. Working Group Definitions ...... 29 Table 7. Area of productive forest present on the DFA, 2018...... 31 Table 8. Non-productive Forest Area Summary, 2018 ...... 31 Table 9. Comparison of Productive Forest on the DFA by Working Group ...... 33 Table 10. Comparison of Non-productive Forest and Non-forest Area on the DFA by Stand ID 34 Table 11. Age Class of the Forest on the DFA in 2018 by Area ...... 39 Table 12. Percent of Each Age Class of the Total Productive Forest on the DFA*...... 39 Table 13. Wildlife trees (per hectare) left on CBPPL cutovers...... 43 Table 14. Poor Black Spruce Forest Type (PBSFT) Harvested in Caribou Secondary Core Areas ...... 48 Table 15. Portion of non-native species planted as a percentage of the total productive ...... 56 Table 16. Percent of areas on the DFA that are sufficiently stocked...... 60 Table 17. Percent of areas on the DFA that are sufficiently stocked ...... 68 Table 18. Portion of non-native species planted as a percentage of the total productive forest on the DFA...... 71 Table 19. Annual Allowable Cut (AAC) Available and AAC Harvested by Forest Management District for 2016-2020...... 77 Table 20. Annual Allowable Cut (AAC) Available and AAC Harvested by Forest Management District for 2016-2020...... 78 Table 21. Average Width (m) of Roads Built on CBPPL Limits from 2008 to 2018 ...... 84 Table 22. The amount of residual structure retained in harvest operations as a percent of the Annual Operating Plan area, by District...... 88 Table 23. Percent of Land Area in Watersheds on CBPPL Limits with a Stand-replacing Disturbance ...... 93 Table 24. Occurrences of nonconformances associated with buffers and 30m no grub zones. ... 98 Table 25. Percent of harvested areas on the DFA that are sufficiently stocked ...... 104 Table 26. Percent of the Annual Operating Area with Preharvest Planning ...... 108 Table 27. Stakeholder confirmation of CBPPL’s compliance with Agreements/Memorandums of Understanding ...... 111 Table 29. Forest resource roads/trails on the DFA...... 115 Table 30. Bridge removals on the DFA ...... 115 Table 31. Total merchantable fibre (year-end weighted average) left on CBPPL cutovers...... 118 Table 32. Access Management Plan for CBPPL Timber Limits ...... 122 Table 33. Adherence to the Access Management Plan and the PAC’s level of satisfaction with the effectiveness of the management strategies...... 125 Table 34. Percent of total volume of sawlogs originating from the DFA for two sawmills having fibre-exchange agreements with CBPPL in 2018 ...... 128

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Table 35. Amount of sawlogs exchanged with integrated sawmills ...... 129 Table 36. 2018 Training Plan...... 133 Table 37. Classes of Workers with Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Woodlands...... 136 Table 38. Average Annual Earnings for Workers on the DFA, in Canada, and in Newfoundland and Labrador ...... 136 Table 39. Average Hourly Wage for Workers on the DFA, in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL), and in Canada...... 137 Table 40. Number of PAC meetings and field trips since its formation in 2003...... 144 Table 41. Distribution of 2017 Environmental Progress Report ...... 147 Table 42. Record of contractor jobsite meetings and attendance of employee representatives at CBPPL EHS Operations Meetings in 2018...... 152 Table 43. Contractor OHS Jobsite Meetings and CBPPL EHS Operations Meetings trends .... 152

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1. CBPPL Defined Forest Area (DFA)...... 3 Figure 2. Ecoregions of Newfoundland ...... 5 Figure 3. Land classes present on the DFA (2017) ...... 8 Figure 4. Definition of and relationship among values, objectives, indicators and targets (CSA 2008) ...... 20 Figure 5. General land and water classes on the DFA as of June 2018...... 32 Figure 6. Pine Marten Core and Harvest Deferred areas in FMD’s 14 and 15 ...... 53 Figure 7. Percent cutover disturbance 2008-2017 ...... 83 Figure 8. Watersheds for the province of Newfoundland as defined by Forestry Services Branch ...... 92 Figure 9. PAC level of satisfaction 2015-2017 ...... 140 Figure 10. Analysis of response to the PACs level of satisfaction with CBPPL management for 24 aspects of forest management in 2018...... 141 Figure 11. Trend of CBPPL Woodlands OSHA rate...... 155

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INTRODUCTION

The forest industry in Canada has evolved from the management of the timber resource to the management of the forest ecosystem. Previously, forest managers developed forest management plans in isolation, focusing on timber. But as the public began requesting the inclusion of other values, consultations with the public and other resource managers evolved simultaneously with the consideration of non-timber values. This has become a cornerstone of sustainable forest management.

Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Limited (CBPPL) has joined in this shift to sustainable forest management by incorporating social, environmental and economic values in the sustainable development of Newfoundland’s forests. While a primary objective of our forest management plan is to provide a sustainable supply of high-quality raw material to the mill at a competitive cost, Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Woodlands recognizes that forests offer a multitude of economic, environmental, and social values and benefits. The Company is committed to managing the forests under its stewardship in a sustainable manner, to ensure that a full range of forest values and benefits are respected. Regulatory agencies and CBPPL have incorporated public consultations in the forest management planning process since the 1980s, developing a positive relationship among the government, CBPPL, and the community. Public involvement in the identification of values and the development of management plans benefits present as well as future generations.

This document is the Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) Plan for the forested land on insular Newfoundland for which CBPPL has management responsibility, described as the Defined Forest Area (DFA). It was developed with the cooperation of the Public Advisory Committee (PAC), a group of dedicated individuals and organizations interested in sustainable development of the forests of the DFA. The planning process involves public consultation, and follows the principles of sustainable forest management.

CBPPL’s first SFM Plan was developed over 16 months and released in July 2004. Since registration, two revised standards have been released. The Canadian Standard Association released revised standard CSA Z809-08 in 2008, and revised standard CSA Z809-16 in 2016. The PAC began updated CBPPL’s plan to conform to the newest standard, renumbering and adding new indicators in 2017. In 2012, CBPPL was also certified to Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Boreal Standard. This certification ended in 2018 due to uncertainty with the upcoming FSC Canada-wide Standard.

CBPPL wishes to illustrate to the public (the landowners) and to its customers that the DFA is being managed on a sustainable basis. To this end, CBPPL seeks to maintain certification to CAN/CSA Z809, Canada’s national sustainable forest management (SFM) Standard. CAN/CSA Z809 gives organizations a system for continually improving their forest management performance and engaging interested parties in a focused participation process. Rigorous and regular independent third-party audits are involved in certification to the standard.

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A major strong point of the CSA Standard is the involvement of the public in the planning of forest management activities. As mentioned before, this is something CBPPL has already incorporated into their planning process. The public identifies forest values of specific importance to environmental, social, and economic concerns and needs. Another benefit of the requirements of this Standard is providing a link between local level sustainable forest management and forest policy on a provincial and national scale. This is accomplished through the use of the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers (CCFM) Criteria and Elements for sustainable forest management, which identifies local forest values across Canada. This Standard identifies 35 required core indicators under these criteria and elements. The Standard also deals with performance, by allowing the public to set targets at the local level, to which the organization will be held accountable. Finally, the CSA Standard requires a system to ensure that both the public participation and performance requirements are satisfied (CSA 2008).

CBPPL Woodlands’ Environmental Management System (EMS) is the vehicle that ensures fulfillment of the CSA SFM. CBPPL’s EMS is a registrant (2001) to the ISO 14001 Standard, a standard that incorporates environmental aspects and continual improvement into all forest operations. EMS applies to all Woodlands operations controlled by the Company including management planning, road construction and maintenance, harvesting operations, transportation of fibre, silviculture, and support services. The documented procedures of EMS will provide the system to satisfy all requirements of the ISO 14001 and CSA Z809 standards.

Throughout the text of this plan, references are made to Indicator Profiles (e.g. Indicator Profile 6.3.2). The Indicator Profiles, located in the final section of this Plan, contain the background information, management strategy, and implementation details for each of the indicators of sustainable forest management selected by the PAC.

This SFM Plan illustrates how CBPPL has satisfied the requirements of the CAN/CSA Z809-16 as laid out in the SFM Standard, by implementing the public participation, system, and performance requirements for the DFA. The auditing process, conducted by an independent third party, determines whether the SFM requirements are implemented at the DFA level.

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DESCRIPTION OF THE DEFINED FOREST AREA (DFA)

The Defined Forest Area (DFA) for this SFM Plan includes all forested land on insular Newfoundland for which Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Limited (CBPPL) has management responsibility. This does not include transmission lines that cross CBPPL limits. These timber limits span from the Codroy Valley on the southwest corner of the island, to Cat Arm on the Northern Peninsula, and east to Gander in central Newfoundland (Figure 1), and are contained within provincial forest management districts 5, 6, 9, 10, 14, 15, and 16.

CBPPL manages approximately 1.4 million hectares of Crown land on the Island of Newfoundland. The provincial government has responsibility to supervise, control, and direct various activities relating to forest resources on Crown lands (see page 10), and on their limits CBPPL is responsible for: preparing timber management plans for areas of productive forest; constructing and maintaining forest access roads; harvesting timber; and carrying out programs of reforestation and silviculture.

Figure 1. CBPPL Defined Forest Area (DFA).

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The DFA is the portion of CBPPL’s total timber license that the company currently manages. Some areas of the total timber license are temporarily transferred or exchanged to Crown (see page 11) so cannot be included in the DFA.

BIOPHYSICAL

Geography and Terrain

The Island of Newfoundland forms the northern extremity of the Appalachian geological province of Eastern North America. The island has been shaped by glaciation and is rugged as a result. The DFA includes parts of the island that have been scraped bare, and many valleys and low-lying areas with thick mantles of rocky glacial deposits. The DFA – like the island – is also characterized by rolling hills, mountainous areas, upland plateaus, and numerous bogs, barrens and ponds. There are abundant fresh water sources in the forms of large rivers, lakes and streams. Elevation on the island peaks at 814 metres above sea level in the Lewis Hills and can average 600-800 metres above sea level on other plateaus (GNL 2003).

Geology and Soils

The geology of the DFA is typical of the island. The surface geology is characterized by large areas of coarse-textured material (glacial till deposits), washed sediments, peat deposits, and rock outcrops. Rock types tend to be predominantly limestone, predominantly sandstone, conglomerate and shale, or predominantly volcanic rock. Under well-drained conditions, the most common form of mineral soil in the province is podzols. These soils typically have an organic layer (duff) over a distinctive red or reddish-brown layer rich in iron. Most of these soils tend to be coarse textured and very acidic (DFRA 2003b).

Ecosystems

Damman (1983) divided the Island of Newfoundland into nine ecoregion classifications (Figure 2). Ecoregions are defined as areas where comparable vegetation and soil can be found on the same parent material provided that these sites have experienced a similar history of disturbance. A significant portion of CBPPL’s DFA (~81%) lies within two of these ecoregions, the Central Newfoundland Forest and the Western Newfoundland Forest. Approximately 8% falls in the Long Range Barrens, over 6% in the Maritime Barrens, and almost 5% in the Northern Peninsula Forest. The North Shore Forest comprises less than 0.2% of the DFA. Following are the key characteristics of each ecoregion (DFRA 2003).

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Western Newfoundland Forest A. Serpentine Range Subregion B. Corner Brook Subregion C. Port au Port Subregion D. St. George’s Bay Subregion E. Codroy Subregion F. Bay d’Espoir Subregion Strait of Belle Isle Barrens Central Newfoundland Forest A. Northcentral Subregion B. Red Indian Subregion C. Portage Pond Subregion D. Twillick Steady Subregion North Shore Forest Northern Peninsula Forest A. Coastal Plain Subregion B. Beaver Brook Limestone Subregion C. Northern Coastal Subregion D. Eastern Long Range Subregion Avalon Forest Maritime Barrens A. Northeastern Barrens Subregion B. Southeastern Barrens Subregion C. South Coast Barrens Subregion D. Central Barrens Subregion Eastern Hyper - Oceanic Barrens Long Range Barrens A. Southern Long Range Subregion B. Buchans Plateau-Topsails Subregion C. Northern Long Range Subregion

Figure 2. Ecoregions of Newfoundland

Northern Peninsula Forest

This ecoregion differs from most other forested parts of the island by a short growing season of 110-150 days, compared to 145-170 days for other areas. Precipitation is lower than in other regions, however, due to low summer temperatures and a shorter vegetation season, soil moisture supply is adequate. Limestone underlies most of the region, with acidic rocks more common on the eastern side of the peninsula.

Balsam fir is the dominant forest cover except at high elevations (300-400m) on the eastern side of the peninsula, where black spruce appears to be a natural component of the stands. There is very little fire history in this ecoregion. Approximately 100 species of plants are excluded from this ecoregion presumably because of the difference of climate (Damman 1965, 1976, and 1983).

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Approximately 5% of the DFA is found in the Northern Peninsula Forest, in the Eastern Long Range subregion.

Western Newfoundland Forest

This ecoregion is characterized by a humid climate with a relatively longer frost-free period. It contains some of the most favourable sites for forest growth, although there is considerable variation due to altitude and proximity to the coast.

The absence of prolonged dry periods and presence of herbaceous growth appear to have excluded fires from all but the most coarse-textured soils. Consequently, balsam fir rather than black spruce is the dominant forest cover. White birch and yellow birch are common in protected valleys below 200m elevations, and red maple is more common and robust in this ecoregion than any other on the Island of Newfoundland.

The Western Newfoundland Ecoregion is subdivided into five sub-regions. The DFA’s productive forest area overlaps with four: Corner Brook, St. George’s Bay, Serpentine Range, and Codroy. The Corner Brook sub-region is hilly to undulating and supports some of the most productive forest stands of the island. The St. George’s Bay sub-region differs in its soil types and consequently, serious growth and regeneration problems may be encountered. The Codroy sub-region has some of the most favourable conditions for growth in Newfoundland, and a large portion of the area has been cleared for agriculture. The forested landscape is dominated by steep slopes. The Serpentine Range sub-region is mountainous with low, sparse vegetation dominated by rock barrens. The serpentine and ultra-basic rock types support numerous rare plant species. Almost 30% of the DFA lies in the Western Newfoundland Forest.

Central Newfoundland Forest

This ecoregion comprises the largest portion of the DFA at over 50%. Central Newfoundland has the highest summer temperatures and lowest winter temperatures on the island. Due to the warm summers and high evapotranspiration losses, soils in the northern part of this ecoregion display soil moisture deficiency.

Forest fires have played a more important role in the natural history of this region relative to other ecoregions. Much of the balsam fir-feathermoss forest types have been converted by fire to black spruce, and some of the richer site types to hardwood forests dominated by white birch and aspen. Although aspen occurs in other regions, it is most abundant and vigorous in Central Newfoundland. Yellow birch is absent from this region primarily because of the short frost-free period. Red pine, designated as rare in Newfoundland, is most common in the Central Newfoundland Forest in small patches.

Most of the DFA in this ecoregion falls within the North-central sub-region. Pure black spruce forests and aspen stands dominate this area because of the prevalence of fire in the natural history of the sub-region. A much smaller portion of the DFA in the west lies in the Portage Pond sub-region, which is comprised of balsam fir on upland sites and some very productive black spruce stands of fire origin.

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Long Range Barrens

Approximately 8% of the DFA is located in the Long Range Barrens ecoregion, and most of that is in the Northern Peninsula. This ecoregion includes the mountainous areas above treeline. Trees only occur as krummholz (stunted trees of poor form shaped by wind, salt or ice, and therefore non-productive) usually dominated by black spruce, balsam fir and eastern larch. Small patches of forest may occur in sheltered valleys. The vegetation is dominated by arctic-alpine plants clearly indicating that these barrens, unlike the Maritime Barrens, were never forested.

North Shore Forest

This ecoregion has the warmest summers of any coastal region, with a frost-free season several weeks longer than in central Newfoundland. This is the driest part of the island, and summer temperatures can cause soil moisture deficiencies. There are no sub-regions within this ecoregion, and less than 0.2% of the DFA falls into this area.

The vegetation in this ecoregion is similar to that of the Central Newfoundland Ecoregion, except that white spruce is more abundant in the forests.

Maritime Barrens

The Maritime Barrens ecoregion has the coldest summers with frequent fog and strong winds. The landscape pattern consists of usually stunted, almost pure stands of balsam fir, broken by extensive open heathland. Good forest growth is localized on long slopes of a few protected valleys. Approximately 6% of the DFA falls in the Maritime Barrens, all of it within the Central Barrens sub-region. Residual forests that have not been destroyed by fire have moderate capabilities here.

Forest Types

Of the almost 1.4 million hectares of total land area on the DFA, only 715,535 hectares are productive forest. The remainder of the land is bog, barren, water, and scrub land.

The forests of the DFA form the most eastern part of the Boreal Forest Region of North America. The forests are relatively small, primarily coniferous trees intermixed with hardwoods. The variety of species is quite limited. Repeated fires have established black spruce as a characteristic species across much of Central Newfoundland. Elsewhere, the forests are dominated by the presence of balsam fir.

The forests of the west coast are predominately balsam fir (with minor components of white spruce and white birch) which prefer moist, well-drained soils and can attain heights of 10-14 meters at 70-100 years on the best sites. Black spruce has a very high tolerance for unfavourable conditions, and is thus common on very wet and dry sites. Black spruce grows well on fertile sites, but is a poor competitor among faster growing hardwoods. Black spruce is found primarily in the central plateau of Newfoundland where forest fires are common. White spruce may be

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found on more favourable sites.

Hardwoods have not formed a major component of forest cover types in this Province. However, white birch and trembling aspen are significant components of mixed-wood and hardwood stands on better forest sites throughout the island, especially the deep river valleys of the Western Long Range Mountains, and the Humber River and Red Indian Lake watersheds. Hardwoods may reach heights of 22 meters at 80 years on moist, fertile sites. The land classes present on the DFA are delineated in Figure 3.

Total 2017 DFA: 1,399,901

Productive Forest 696,509 SCRUB 330,364

BOG 189,487

WATER 108,974

SOIL BARREN 44,213 ROCK BARREN 23,566 RIGHT OF WAY 3,266 CLEARED 1,465

Figure 3. Land classes present on the DFA (2017)

Wildlife and Fish

There are currently 28 species of mammals that make the DFA their home (FLR, 2018); 14 are native to the island and 13 have been introduced (Table 1). Of the 368 bird species that have been identified on the Island of Newfoundland (NHSNL 2003), approximately 70 are common forest-dwelling species. There are also 20 species of inland fish on the DFA, from the familiar trout, salmon and smelt to the lesser-known mummichog and windowpane (Scott and Crossman, 1964).

The provincial government is responsible for managing and conserving wildlife in Newfoundland and Labrador, while the federal government has a mandate to protect and conserve fish habitat for coastal and inland fisheries resources.

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Table 1. Native and introduced mammals on CBPPL’s Defined Forest Area1 Family Species/subspecies Origin Shrews Masked (Common) Shrew (Sorex cinereus) Introduced Bats Little Brown Bat (Myotis lucifugus) Native Northern Long-eared Bat (Myotis Native septentrionalis) Hoary Bat (Lasiurus cinereus) Native Hares Arctic Hare (Lepus arcticus/bangsii) Native Snowshoe Hare (Lepus americanus) Introduced Squirrels Chipmunk (Tamias striatus) Introduced Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) Introduced Beavers American Beaver (Castor canadensis/caecator) Native Rats and Deer Mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) Introduced Mice House Mouse (Mus musculus) Introduced Meadow Vole (Microtus Native pennsylvanicus/terraenovae) Bank Vole Introduced Red-backed vole (Clethrionomys gapperi) Introduced Muskrat (Ondrata zibethicus/obscurus) Native Norway Rat (Rattus norvegicus) Introduced Insectivore Masked Shrew Introduced Canids Newfoundland Wolf (Canis lupus/beothucus) Native Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes/deletrix) Native Coyote (Canis latrans) Introduced2 Bears Black Bear (Ursus americanus/ hamiltoni) Native Weasels Ermine (Mustela erminea) Native Mink (Mustela vison) Introduced Newfoundland Marten (Martes Native3 americana/atrata) Otter (Lutra Canadensis/degener) Native Cats Lynx (Lynx Canadensis/subsolanus) Native Deer Caribou (Rangifer tarandus/caribou) Native4 Moose (Alces alces) Introduced

1 Reference: FLR 2018 (Fisheries and Land Resources) 2 New arrival, first sighting 1986 3 Threatened: Species at Risk Act and Endangered Species Act. 4 Assessed Special Concern by COSEWIC in 2015

These wildlife species are an integral part of the Newfoundland environment. Species such as moose, snowshoe hare and grouse depend on early-successional stages of the forest. Over-mature forests are required by boreal owls for example, while many species use a mixture of forest types (CBPPL 2001). CBPPL funds research to study the effects of harvesting operations on some species inhabiting the DFA (see Indicator Profile 1.2.2). Of the many mammals, bird, and fish species on the DFA, three mammal, 10 birds, and two fish species have been designated Species at Risk by the Committee on the Status of Endangered

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Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) and by the Newfoundland Species Status Advisory Committee (SSAC). Others, such as the Song Sparrow, Winter Wren, and numerous plant species, are considered endangered or threatened but have not been legally designated national or provincially. All of these species at risk, designated or not, are considered in the Certificate of Managed Land, CBPPL’s permit to operate, granted by the provincial government. See the section on forest management planning for more information.

Forest Disturbances On portions of the DFA in central Newfoundland, fire is the most common natural disturbance. Those portions of the DFA on the western side of the island, however, experience disturbance by insects. There are five main insects with a significant impact on the DFA’s forests: hemlock looper, balsam fir sawfly, spruce budworm, balsam woolly adelgid, and birch casebearer.

SOCIO-ECONOMIC

Tenure (Ownership and Management Responsibilities) The provincial government is responsible for the planning, development and use of the forest resources of the province. The provincial government supervises, controls, and directs all matters relating to:  constructing and maintaining forest access roads;  protecting the forests of the province from fire, insect, and disease;  carrying out programs of afforestation, reforestation, forest improvement, and tree improvement;  cutting, classifying, measuring, manufacturing, marking, and inspection of trees and timber;  preparing timber management plans for areas of productive forest land; and  developing and maintaining an up-to-date inventory of the timber resources of the province.

CBPPL has exclusive ownership of the timber resource on the DFA. This right originates from several sources: a series of agreements, purchases, deeds, grants, and licenses dating from 1922 to 1994. The Bowater’s Newfoundland Act of 1938 amended the term and conditions of all timber licenses currently held and subsequently acquired by CBPPL. By this Act, the term of all licenses held by CBPPL at that time and any future licenses subsequently acquired by the Company was extended to 99 years, commencing on the 29th day of November 1938. The Act states that during the term of the license “… every such license shall operate to vest in the licensee during the continuance of such license the right to take and keep exclusive possession of the land therein described ... and shall vest in the holder thereof all right of property whatsoever in all trees and timber cut within the limit of the license…”.

The Bowater’s Newfoundland Act also requires that “The Company will at all times carry out its cutting operations in Newfoundland in accordance with good logging practice in such a manner as will best conserve the Company’s forest areas so as to ensure both the permanent supply of timber for its mills and extensions aforesaid and the export of timber as herein provided.” CBPPL’s commitment to “good logging practices” is further defined in its Forest and

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Environmental Policy (page vi). Implementation of this commitment is demonstrated in the Indicator Profiles, which are the foundation of CBPPL’s SFM Plan. CBPPL is subject to the provisions of the Forestry Act 1990 and subsequent amendments, and as a condition of the Certificate of Managed Land issued to the Company annually under this Act, must operate in accordance with the Province’s Environmental Protection Guidelines for Ecologically Based Forest Resource Management.

In order to facilitate economic development based on the hardwood timber resources in Forest Management Districts (FMD) 9, and 14, CBPPL transferred the management rights to this hardwood timber to the provincial government.

CBPPL has also entered into several other agreements with the provincial government concerning the transfer or exchange of cutting rights (Table 2). These agreements are made at the request of the provincial government, to obtain the right to fibre in various areas. Some areas are specifically for Crown (commercial) operators (e.g., White’s River, Cormack), some for local sawmills (e.g., Weir’s Pond, Chouse Brook, Clam Pond), some for domestic cutters (e.g., Westport, Chouse Brook, Howley and McIvers), and some for a combination of the three (Baie Verte). Transfer agreements allow the harvest of a specified annual allowable cut (AAC) of operable softwood stands (i.e. >60 years in Core or Operational), and any hardwood trees encountered during the harvest of operable softwood. Exchange agreements allow the harvest of all operable timber, both hardwood and softwood, on the exchange areas, tracked against the applicable AAC figures. There is no intent to balance the volume of the harvest from area to area. Table 2. Location (FMD) and type of agreements involving CBPPL and the provincial government (Crown) Name Location Type of Agreement Date of Expiry Howley FMD 16 Exchange to Crown Dec. 31, 2019 Kitty’s Brook FMD 9 & 16 Exchange from Crown Dec. 31, 2021 Baie Verte – Tommy’s Arm FMD 9 Transfer to Crown Dec. 31, 2019 White’s River FMD 16 Transfer to Crown Dec. 31, 2019 Chouse Brook – Clam Pond FMD 9 & 16 Transfer to Crown Dec. 31, 2019 Tommy’s Arm – Rodney Pond FMD 5, 6, 9, 15, & 16 Exchange to Crown Dec. 31, 2019 Twin Lakes FMD 10 Exchange from Crown Dec. 31, 2019

In 2010, CBPPL sold some of its timber limits to the Crown; some to be used as protected areas, others as sources of fibre for Crown operators, sawmills, the pellet plant, and domestic cutters. These areas can be sorted into three groups.

One group consists of areas where harvesting has been restricted. Rodney Pond Reserve (District 6) and Little Grand Lake Provisional Ecological Reserve (Districts 14 & 15) are two examples where CBPPL had already agreed to no harvesting whatsoever. However, these areas could not legally become ecological reserves while CBPPL held timber rights, even if no harvesting occurred. Two other areas in District 15 & 16 will become primarily viewshed corridors. A designated portion of the Humber Valley, from near the mouth of the Humber to the tip of Deer

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Lake, will be set aside for aesthetic purposes, and for agricultural development (a section on the north shore of Deer Lake). A corridor from Cormack to Gros Morne, along highway 430 and Bonne Bay Road, will also be designated a viewshed. Finally in this group, the Main River Management Area (watershed surrounding the Waterway Park), previously restricted to a partial harvest to conserve old-growth forest, has been handed over to the provincial government to be developed at its discretion.

A second group of areas that were previously CBPPL limits and have been sold to the Crown will be used to supply fibre to Crown operators, sawmills, the pellet plant, and domestic cutters. A large block of forest south and southwest of Gander Lake and another block around Notre Dame Junction (both in District 6) will be set aside for Crown operators and sawmills. All of CBPPL limits in District 17 have been sold to Crown to be used for Crown operators and domestic cutters. CBPPL has also relinquished “absolute right of refusal” on any Crown wood in District 17 and “first right of refusal” on any Crown wood in District 18 to allow wood to go to the pellet plant in Roddickton.

A third group of areas has also been included in this 2010 agreement – blocks of CBPPL limits where Crown currently had control. The Rodney Pond Exchange and Dead Wolf block in District 6 will be used for Crown operators, and all of CBPPL limits in District 8 will be used for Crown operators and sawmills in central and eastern Newfoundland.

In 2017 another transfer of CBPPL limits occurred involving Agriculture Areas of Interest (AOI). In order to aid the Government initiative to promote agriculture development in the province, CBPPL entered into an agreement to relinquish approximately 10,000 ha of its timber license area. The areas consist of 17 blocks spread across 5 forest Management Districts, primarily on the west coast of the island.

Through the transfers, exchanges, and sale of land, CBPPL has and continues to share its timber limits with other forest users of the forest for consumptive and non-consumptive purposes. The total timber rights relinquished in the sale transactions is outlined in Table 3.

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Table 3. Timber rights relinquished by CBPPL Land Base (less Water) Productive Non-Productive Total Block Description District (ha) (ha) (ha) Rodney Pond NASP Area 6 5,125 5,156 10,281 Little Grand Lake Reserve 14/15 24,939 16,031 40,970 Humber Valley Viewshed 15 17,165 3,811 20,976 Gros Morne Corridor Viewshed 15/16 4,030 1,906 5,936 Main River Watershed 16 26,477 27,418 53,895 District 6, East of SW Gander 6 41,942 38,534 80,476 (excluding Rodney Pond) District 6, Notre Dame Junction 6 15,860 10,376 26,236 District 17, All Holdings 17 74,907 96,302 171,209 District 8, All Holdings 8 23,956 13,492 37,448 Agricultural Areas of Interest 5,9,14,15,16 9,045 1,107 10,152 Sub-Total 243,446 214,133 457,579

Communities within the DFA Many communities in provincial economic zones within and in close proximity to the DFA benefit from the forest resource (Table 4).

Table 4. Communities that benefit from CBPPL's DFA Provincial Economic Zone Economic Zone Title Area 2 Hyron Regional EDC Lab City to Churchill Falls 3 Central Labrador EDB Inc Happy Valley Goose Bay and South 6 Nordic EDC St Anthony to Roddickton 7 Red Ochre Regional Board Rocky Harbour to Plum Point (Eastern Coast) 8 Humber EDB Inc Corner Brook, DL, Hampden to Harbour Deep 9 Long Range Regional EDB Stephenville and Port au Port, Burgeo 11 Emerald Zone Corp Baie Verte, Springdale 12 Exploits Valley EDC Grand Falls and Western part of Central 14 Kittiwake EDC Gander, Lewisporte, Terra Nova 15 Discovery Regional DB Clarenville, Bonavista 18 Avalon Gateway RED Inc Placentia, St Bride's, Branch 19 Capital Coast Development Alliance St John's, Mt Pearl, CBS 20 Irish Loop REDB Ferryland, Trepassey

Economic Impact CBPPL Woodlands employs some 175 employees in their harvest operations from almost 50 Newfoundland communities. This total includes approximately 20 seasonal forestry workers,

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who carry out silviculture operations in the summer and fall. The Company employs another 340 people at the Mill in Corner Brook and in the Deer Lake Power Company.

In addition to this direct employment, the operation of the mill also has indirect and induced impacts. Indirect impacts are realized by employees working for firms supplying CBPPL with goods and services. Induced impacts are generated by the direct and indirect income earners spending their earnings in the economy. Labour income impacts (direct, indirect and induced) of CBPPL operations totals $123.96 million (CBPPL, 2015).

Forest Uses

CBPPL shares forest resources with the residents of the province. There are many forest uses in the DFA. Consumptive values include timber products, hunting, trapping, fishing and berry picking. Non-consumptive values take in skiing, hiking, snowmobiling and bird watching. The range of values present on the DFA is described below.

Timber

The primary use of the forests of the DFA is to supply fibre to CBPPL’s newsprint mill in Corner Brook. Besides newsprint production, the forest resources of the DFA also supply the needs of local sawmills, and the newsprint mill receives chips in return. In 2015, two local sawmills employed roughly 120 people and produced approximately 22.6 million board feet of lumber from the sawlogs provided by CBPPL (Indicator Profile 5.2.1). Production fluctuates with lumber prices. Domestic wood cutting is a very common activity across the DFA and permits are issued to the public to harvest hardwoods off company limits.

Tourism and Recreation

Many recreational opportunities exist throughout the DFA, which offers outstanding scenery and interesting topography, and provides opportunities for berry picking and viewing wildlife and flora. Hiking, skiing, and snowmobiling are just a few of the activities carried out on the DFA, and all are marketed as Adventure Tourism. This non-consumptive, recreation-based sector of the province’s tourism industry is rapidly growing. Many of these activities are enhanced by or are dependent on forest resources. CBPPL has developed a “Special Places” program in its SFM Plan, which identifies and promotes areas on the DFA with distinctive natural characteristics (Indicator Profile 1.4.1). In 2010, CBPPL signed an agreement with the International Appalachian Trail Newfoundland and Labrador, providing protection for five areas on the DFA in western Newfoundland where the trail network plans to expand.

Mining

Mineral rights on the DFA are owned and administered by the provincial government, with the exception of one mining grant owned by CBPPL. This grant is approximately 83 square kilometres in area and is located on the north side of the Humber River near Hughes Brook. Mineral exploration permits issued by the Province are referred to CBPPL in order to identify

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any conflicts. Mines currently exist on the DFA in Glenwood and on the Baie Verte peninsula, and active quarries are common.

Agriculture

Some areas of the DFA are suitable for agriculture. CBPPL recognizes this potential and will continue to work with the provincial government and individual proponents of potential agricultural developments. Through the five-year forest management planning process, CBPPL will consider the potential agricultural development on the DFA. Examples are the timber rights relinquished on the north shore of Deer Lake (see page 11), which were in negotiation for some time, and the 2017 Agriculture Areas of Interest.

Outfitting

Numerous outfitters operate within the boundaries of the DFA, most of them catering to the big game hunter or angler. Some outfitters have diversified into non-consumptive areas of the tourism industry such as snowmobiling, dog sledding, kayaking, canoeing, nature viewing, hiking, and wildlife photography. These businesses depend on the forest for their livelihood. CBPPL and the Newfoundland and Labrador Outfitters Association have a Memorandum of Understanding in which both parties agree to seek reasonable and mutually acceptable measures to reduce conflicts. In Indicator Profile 5.1.1 CBPPL aims for the satisfaction of 100% of stakeholders inside CBPPL’s 5-year operating plan for each Forest Management District, with whom CBPPL has an agreement.

Cabin Development

The construction of small cottages or cabins on public lands as a base for outdoor recreational activities such as hunting, fishing or snowmobiling is a long-held tradition in Newfoundland and Labrador. The Provincial Government issues Licenses to Occupy (LTO) Crown land to individuals for recreational cottage development on public lands throughout the Province, including the DFA. A License to Occupy does not grant, convey or transfer any exclusive right, title or interest in, or to, a defined cottage lot or land area. It merely gives the licensee permission to occupy Crown Land and construct a cabin. All applications for LTOs on the DFA are referred to CBPPL for review and comment. CBPPL works with Crown Lands staff to accommodate these cottages on the DFA in areas where there is no conflict with the Company’s operations or forest management activities. The Province occasionally designates areas for permanent cottage development. In these areas, lands are alienated from the Company timber limits and either leased or sold to individuals. These areas are few in number and are subject to review under the Province’s Environmental Assessment process before they are designated.

There are many personal cabins located on the DFA, both in cabin development areas and remotely. Cabin owners are generally appreciative of the forested land adjacent to and around their properties.

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Hunting, Fishing, Trapping and Snaring Hunting, fishing, trapping and snaring are all activities commonly practiced by residents on the DFA. These activities are regulated by the provincial government.

Protected Areas

CBPPL has cooperated in the designation of protected areas on its timber limits in a number of locations. Little Grand Lake Provisional Ecological Reserve was established on the DFA in 2002, to protect the Newfoundland pine marten (endangered at that time) in the area. Main River, also part of CBPPL’s DFA, was designated as Newfoundland and Labrador’s first Canadian Heritage River in 2001, and established as a provincial park (Main River Waterway Provincial Park) in 2009. CBPPL relinquished all timber rights in these two areas to the provincial government, and agreed to carry out only selective harvesting in the 49 km² Special Management Area adjacent to Waterway Park. In 2013, CBPPL relinquished timber rights in the Main River Special Management Area (see page 13).

In December of 2016, CBPPL developed a Voluntary Protected Areas Agreement with Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) as part of the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement (CBFA). This agreement establishes 16 voluntary protected areas within the forest tenure area, supports the Large Intact Landscape deferral for the Island of Newfoundland (Cat Arm, Hampden Downs, and the southwestern portion of District 6), and supports the Natural Areas System plan for the Island of Newfoundland.

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FOREST MANAGEMENT PLANNING FRAMEWORK

In the early 1900s, Newfoundland’s forest industry began with the establishment of timber cutting rights and the development of the newsprint industry. Forest stewardship evolved from simple protection of the resource to sustained yield management. In 1973, a Provincial Forestry Task Force spearheaded the implementation of a structured management regime (DFRA 2003c). Forest management districts were designated under the new regime, each requiring a forest management plan containing:

1. A Forest Management Plan Report, one per district, outlining how the district will be strategically managed. 2. Five-Year Operating Plans, prepared by each timber cutting right holder, outlining where timber harvesting, silviculture and road construction will take place. 3. Annual Operating Plans, prepared by each timber cutting right holder, providing additional detail to the Five-Year Operating Plan.

By the 1980s, plans that had previously been prepared by forest managers alone, were being developed in consultation with other resource managers and the public. At the same time, new provincial environmental assessment legislation required five-year operating plans to be registered for review. The 1990 Forestry Act outlined its approach as providing a "continuous supply of timber in a manner that is consistent with other resource management objectives, sound environmental practices, and the principle of sustainable development.” The Act also ensured the participation of the public by requiring the Minister to consult with the public in the development of Five-Year Operating Plans. In 1995, a new “Proposed Adaptive Management Process” was implemented with three objectives:

1. To establish a proactive planning framework to include all stakeholders. 2. To learn more about forest systems while they are being actively managed (Adaptive) 3. To assume an ecosystem approach to forest management in order to sustain natural system integrity and health over the long term.

This process provided the foundation for the establishment of planning teams for each management district.

Public Participation in Planning Processes

There are two opportunities for the public to contribute to sustainable forest management of the DFA. In the Five-Year Operating Plan, the provincial government is required by legislation to include public participation in the development of operating plans for each management district. In the SFM Plan, CBPPL invites input from all stakeholders in the development of a plan for the entire DFA.

Five-Year Operating Plan

The provincial government produces a Sustainable Forest Management Strategy that outlines sustainable and adaptive ecosystem management strategies for the whole province. The

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provincial government released a 10- year Provincial Sustainable Forest Management Strategy (PSFMS) Document (2014-2024), which emerged through wide consultation with citizens of the Province. The 2014-2024 PSFMS builds on the strengths of the previous strategy plans and uses a landscape-scale planning approach to implement the progressive and innovative ecological policies required for Sustainable Forest Management (SFM). The strategy also builds on the strengths of the many modern and high-quality forest management programs that are currently being implemented in this province to ensure a vibrant and competitive forest industry. This strategy is implemented through the Five-Year Operating Plan, a planning document required by the Forestry Act and submitted to the provincial government for each Forest Management District. The Five-Year Operating Plan has a detailed format that identifies where, when and how forest management activities will occur within a particular District.

Five-Year Operating Plans are prepared by each licensee in each Forest Management District and are developed following a public consultation process that invites input from stakeholders. As new five-year plans are being developed and implemented provincially, relevant issues raised from previous planning processes are considered to be the foundation of the new plans. In 2016, in addition to transferring issues/concerns/mitigations from previous planning processes, a revised approach of stakeholder involvement for the development of this plan was implemented. Known interested stakeholders from previous planning processes were engaged on a “one-on- one” basis to evaluate potential activity.

Once the Five-Year Operating Plan is completed, it must be registered with the provincial government to undergo an environmental assessment. During this process, interested government departments and the public are consulted and submissions are reviewed. A Plan released by the Minister of Environment is subject to any terms and conditions the Minister may set.

Annual Operating Plan

The 1990 Forestry Act also requires submission of Annual Operating Plans to the provincial government in advance of harvesting planned for the coming year. In addition to providing significant detail regarding wood supply, access road development, planned harvesting, environmental concerns and forest renewal activities, the Annual Operating Plan also addresses comments and recommendations generated during the development of the Five-Year Operating Plan. Following the approval of the Annual Operating Plan by these departments, a Certificate of Managed Land is issued to CBPPL, outlining the terms and conditions of the Plan’s approval.

Sustainable Forest Management Plan

CBPPL’s Sustainable Forest Management Plan complements the provincial government’s Sustainable Forest Management Strategy, described in the previous section. CBPPL’s plan sets the strategic direction and broad goals and objectives for the Company’s forest management activities, while providing information on planned forest development activities. This plan will be reviewed annually and revised at least every five years.

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The planning processes for the development of the Five-Year Operating Plan occur at different time scales for each district; thus, meeting the public participation requirements of the CAN/CSA Z809-08 Standard through these processes would be very difficult. As such, CBPPL launched a separate SFM planning process for the entire DFA. Based on a list of participants of the Five- Year Planning processes and attendees at special SFM public meetings, individuals and organizations were asked to sit on a Public Advisory Committee (PAC) to help meet the requirements of the Standard (for PAC members see Appendix A). Those who decided not to participate on the PAC had their names compiled in a list of Other Interested Parties (Appendix B). For a detailed description of the PAC member selection, see the Public Involvement Report on the CBPPL Woodlands EMS Computer Network.

Through a series of 13 meetings from March 2003 to March 2004, the PAC was responsible for helping CBPPL identify values, objectives, indicators and targets (Figure 4) for each of the CSA SFM Elements of the CSA Z809-02 Standard. These were compiled to make up the first SFM Plan in June 2004. In February 2008, the PAC began revising the SFM Plan by assessing each existing indicator for suitability, deciding if it was measurable, relevant, understandable, valid, cost-effective, and able to be forecast. As a result of this review, some of the indicators were archived because they were poor measures of the state or condition of the goal, and some targets were changed to make them more quantifiable. New indicators that better signified the goal were also added. In December 2008 the revised CSA standard Z809-08 was released, outlining the requirements to include 35 specific core indicators, and to discuss 27 issues commonly faced by forest managers and Public Advisory Committees. Consequently, more work was required to include the core indicators not already covered and to discuss relevant issues. After incorporating these changes CBPPL was certified to CSA Z809-08 in 2010. A third revision to the CSA standard occurred in 2016. This version of the SFM Plan is based on the requirements of CSA Z809-16.

The end product of all this work, the Indicator Profiles, can be found in the remainder of this document. These Indicator Profiles outline in detail the values, objectives, indicators and targets chosen specifically for CBPPL’s DFA, explain the status of the indicator as of 2018, and include the management strategies necessary to achieve the targets. The PAC approved the revised SFM Plan in June 2019, and improvements to the indicator profiles (e.g. targets, reporting, etc.) have been made and approved subsequently. Annual Indicator Reports (available on http://www.cbppl.com/) report the most recent status of each indicator.

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Value Objective

A DFA-specific characteristic or A broad statement describing a quality considered by an desired future state or condition interested party to be important. for a DFA-specific value. E.g. a) ecosystem diversity E.g. a) maintain a natural b) timber benefits diversity of forest types and age classes b) maintain timber benefits

Indicator Target

A variable that measures the A specific statement describing state or condition of a DFA- a desired future state or specific value and for which one condition of an indicator. or more targets are set. E.g. a) maintain representation E.g. a) area and percent of the by areas of current working DFA in each working group classes group and age-class b) make available at least b) amount of sawlogs 15% of the CBPPL annual exchanged with integrated harvest as sawlogs sawmills

Figure 4. Definition of and relationship among values, objectives, indicators and targets (CSA 2008)

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Adaptive Forest Management

Management strategies for the indicators are currently being implemented, and their effectiveness is already being monitored. To follow the concept of adaptive forest management, monitoring must first determine if the management strategies are reflected in the operating practices (what we say is what we do), and then, if the management strategies are effective (targets are being met). Where desired outcomes are not met, management strategies can be changed to achieve targets, or more realistic targets can be set.

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INDICATOR PROFILES

The next section contains a profile for each CBPPL indicator, based on the CCFM Criterion, which are:

1. Biological Diversity – conserve biological diversity by maintaining integrity, function, and diversity of living organisms and the complexes of which they are a part, including ecological elements that contribute to cultural values. There are four CSA SFM Elements under this criterion: ecosystem diversity; species diversity; genetic diversity; and protected areas and sites of special biological, geological, heritage, or cultural significance. 2. Ecosystem Condition and Productivity – conserve forest ecosystem condition and productivity by maintaining the health, vitality, and rates of biological production. There is one CSA SFM Element under this criterion: forest ecosystem condition and productivity. 3. Soil and Water – conserve soil and water resources by maintaining their quantity and quality in forest ecosystems. The two CSA SFM Elements under this criterion are: soil quality and quantity; and water quality and quantity. 4. Role in Global Ecological Cycles – maintain forest conditions and management activities that contribute to the health of global ecological cycles. The two CSA SFM Elements under this criterion are: carbon uptake and storage: and forest land conversion. 5. Economic and Social Benefits – sustain flows of forest benefits for current and future generations by providing multiple goods and services. The two CSA SFM Elements under this criterion are: timber and non-timber benefits; and communities and sustainability. 6. Society’s Responsibility – society’s responsibility for worker and community safety, and the requirement for fair, equitable and effective forest management decisions. There are two CSA SFM Elements under this criterion: fair and effective decision-making; and safety. 7. Aboriginal Relations – recognize and respect the unique rights and values of Aboriginal Peoples. There are two CSA SFM Elements under this criterion: Aboriginal relations and Aboriginal and treaty rights.

Each indicator profile begins by listing the CCFM Criterion, CSA SFM Element, Value, Objective, Indicator, Target, and Acceptable Level of Variance, as well as the person responsible for that indicator. The profile then proceeds with detailed information as outlined in the topic headings below. An abbreviated version of the indicator profiles, in chart form, can be found in Appendix C. Each indicator will be monitored through the Company’s Management Review process, and reported upon in an annual Indicator Report.

Definitions – This section defines any terms or phrases necessary for full comprehension of an indicator by the general public.

Detailed Description – This section describes the indicator in detail. This section may include background information, indicator rationale, and methodology used for indicator measurement.

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Status in 2018 – This section describes the status of the indicator based on the most current available data at the time of printing in 2019.

Acceptable Level of Variance – This section will provide details about the range of values for the indicator that is considered acceptable.

Management Strategy – This section provides a description of the chosen strategy, i.e. the elements of CBPPL’s management strategy that relate to the indicator, and links between this and other indicators.

Forecast, Predicted Results or Outcome – This section describes the long-term projection of future indicator levels. Some indicators will rely on complex computer models to satisfy the forecasting requirements, whereas others will rely on more simple methods. Forecasts will include, where appropriate, links to other indicators, and potential external factors that could affect indicator performance

Implementation Schedule – This section outlines required actions for the successful tracking of each indicator. Where specific actions are required, this section identifies tasks, responsibilities and deadlines.

Monitoring / Reporting – This section outlines the frequency at which the indicator will be reported upon, as well as the frequency of monitoring/review. Sources of information necessary for reporting on the indicator are listed.

Links with Strategic and Operational Plans – This section identifies linkages between the indicator and the Newfoundland and Labrador Sustainable Forest Management Strategy, Five- Year Operating Plans, and Annual Operating Plans.

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Indicator 1.1.1 Ecosystem Diversity - Ecosystem Area by Type Criterion 1.0 Biological Diversity Element 1.1 Ecosystem Diversity Value Natural Ecosystem Diversity Objective Maintain a natural diversity of forest ecosystems

Indicator: 1.1.1 Target Acceptable Level Ecosystem area by type To ensure that of the total area of CBPPL’s harvest averaged over the last 5 years in FMDs 5, 6, 9, + 0.5% 10, & 16, no more than 5% is within the poor black spruce forest type, and no more than 10% is within poor black spruce forest and scrub types. Resource Person: District Planner

Definitions

BIODIVERSITY (BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY) — “the variability among living organisms from all sources, including inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems, and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems” [Canadian Biodiversity Strategy, 1995]

ECOSYSTEM — plants, animals and micro-organisms and their non-living environment, interacting as a functioning unit

Detailed Description

Ecosystem conservation represents a coarse-filter approach to biodiversity conservation. It assumes that by maintaining the structure and diversity of ecosystems, the habitat needs of various species will be provided. For many species, if the habitat is suitable, populations will be maintained. Two key characteristics of forest ecosystems are the community types, as driven largely by the species composition of the overstory, and community seral stages, as driven by succession and disturbance processes. These factors are strong predictors of the biotic communities that will inhabit both forest stands and the entire forest landscape.

Many foresters and forest ecologists prefer to understand forests as ecosystems, and not purely in silvicultural or timber-production terms. The CSA-SFM Standard defines an ecosystem in terms of a community of organisms interacting with the abiotic environment. Some ecosystem classifications favour characterizing ecosystems according to enduring features, such as soil type and parent material, topography, and surficial geology. Other ecosystem classifications favour characterizing ecosystems according to vegetation communities, including both understory vegetation and overstory trees.

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Dr. A. W. H. Damman developed a forest site classification for Newfoundland while working with the Canadian Forest Service (CFS) from 1956-1967. His classification method combined vegetation types with soil types to define forest types. He also predicted the successional relationships between forest types and their response to disturbance by fire and logging. With the exception of his research in central Newfoundland, much of Damman's work was unpublished, but Meades and Moores (1989) subsequently produced a field guide to the Damman forest types of Newfoundland.

To assist in developing an indicator of natural ecosystem diversity using Damman’s forest types, CBPPL consulted with retired CFS Forest Ecologist Bruce Roberts. His interpretation of Damman’s work is that it is very difficult to change the Damman forest types by harvesting. For example, planting white spruce and Norway spruce where balsam fir has been attacked by adelgid won’t change the under-story, and eventually fir and birch will come back on these sites. The challenge, however, is greater where the sites are less productive and moisture becomes a limiting factor. Mr. Roberts suggested CBPPL concentrate on marginal forest sites supporting black spruce and kalmia (sheep laurel) in Central Newfoundland, and to strive to not fall below the productivity level in the current inventory. These sites do not regenerate naturally to black spruce after harvest, but to kalmia, leaving the site less productive. Ensuring these sites are sufficiently stocked (most likely by planting) would maintain their productivity level and maintain ecosystem diversity.

Performing site preparation and planting on the poor kalmia-black spruce forest type sites is often a challenge due to the very rough ground conditions and rocky/shallow soils. Because of this, site preparation and planting may not be physically possible on a portion of these areas.

Previous to 2010, the harvest of poor kalmia-black spruce forest types was not tracked separately but included in all cutover areas. CBPPL now tracks the harvest of these forest types separately through its annual cutover updates. However, the Damman site types are not mapped within our GIS system, so we use black spruce sites with a low volume (<70 m3/ha.) and a poor site type and scrub to represent marginal forest sites supporting black spruce and kalmia.

A GIS analysis of cutover records was conducted to calculate the amount of area cut within black spruce sites with a low volume (<70 m3/ha.) and a poor site type within FMDs 5, 6, 9, 10 and 16. The analysis is averaged over a five-year period, which means the target might be exceeded in one year, but over the five-year period, the target could still be met. The first analysis was conducted for the five years between 2007 and 2011, to determine the percent of the total harvest area that occurred in the “poor” black spruce forest type (see Table 5 below). Late in 2015 the target was expanded to restrict harvest in the scrub type as well: “and no more than 10% is within poor black spruce forest and scrub types”. Reporting with scrub included began in the 2016 Sustainable Forest Management Plan Indicator Report.

Status in 2018

Through analysis of annual cutover updates, the total area harvested on the CBPPL DFA between 2014 and 2018 was 9,566 ha. The most recent analysis (2014-2018) reports the result for both parts of the target. The total area of harvested poor black spruce sites (volume less than 70m3/ha) from 2014 to 2018 was determined to be 554 ha, which is 5.8% of the total area

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harvested during that period. This is not below the 5% target. The total area of harvest that occurred in Scrub types from 2014 to 2018 was 502 ha, that is, 5.2% of the total area harvested on the CBPPL DFA. Combined, the total area harvested in poor black spruce sites and scrub was 11.0%, again above the specified target (10%). The results indicate that CBPPL has not achieved the target, rising above the percentages allowed for both Poor Black Spruce and Poor Black Spruce and Scrub combined.

Table 5. Percent of the DFA harvested in poor black spruce forest and scrub types in Forest Management Districts 5, 6, 9, & 16.

% Total Harvested Area in: Poor Black Poor Black Period Spruce Spruce and Scrub 2007-2011 1.7 N/A 2008-2012 1.7 N/A 2009-2013 1.2 N/A 2010-2014 1.0 N/A 2011-2015 1.6 5.7 2012-2016 4.2 7.2 2013-2017 4.8 9.1 2014-2018 5.8 11.0

Acceptable Level of Variance

CBPPL will endeavor to ensure that of the total area of CBPPL’s harvest averaged over the last 5 years in FMDs 5, 6, 9, 10 &16, no more than 5% is within the poor black spruce forest type and no more than 10% is within poor black spruce forest and scrub types.

Management Strategy

CBPPL has several strategies to mitigate this issue. The first is a policy that began in the summer of 2010 to avoid scheduling poor black spruce forest sites for harvest due to regeneration risk and low harvester productivity. By avoiding harvesting these site types, CBPPL will lower the amount of area that is at risk of regeneration failure.

Second, where this site type is harvested, we make a special effort to ensure the sites are promptly regenerated (within reasonable operational constraints). Stocking survey records are maintained on all poor black spruce forest sites harvested within our regular regeneration assessment program.

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By ensuring harvested areas on this site type are sufficiently stocked, either through natural or artificial regeneration, CBPPL will ensure the continuation of the black spruce component in this ecosystem type. This will maintain their productivity level and maintain ecosystem diversity.

Third, CBPPL will review the areas harvested in 2018 to determine why poor black spruce forest and scrub areas were cut more often than the target allows.

Forecast, Predicted Results or Outcome

By avoiding harvesting the poor black spruce site types, the percentage of area harvested will be lowered.

Implementation Schedule

Task Details Responsibility Frequency Determine the percentage of area cut in this site type using Determine the percentage the best available of area cut in this site information, either cutover District Planner Annually type. updates from photography or harvesting points from FP Trak.

Monitoring / Reporting

Frequency of Frequency of Monitoring and Sources of Information Reporting Review Annually in Annually CBPPL cutover records. Indicator Report

Links with Strategic and Operational Plans

20-year Strategy 5-Year Operating Plan Annual Operating Plan Establishing and maintaining This plan documents the Annual harvesting plan long term sustainable wood 5-year harvest plans activities are developed in supply levels for each figure and its line with the 5-year plan management district is a goal distribution over the 5 and the 20-year Strategy identified in this Strategy. year plan period. plan.

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Indicator 1.1.2 Ecosystem Diversity – Working Groups Criterion 1. Biological Diversity Element 1.1 Ecosystem Diversity Value Natural Ecosystem Diversity Objective To maintain a natural diversity of forest and non-forest types.

Indicator: 1.1.2 Target Acceptable Level 1.1.2 Forest area by type or To maintain representation To be within the set range species composition (by area) of current working for each of the working groups close to current groups. (See Acceptable levels. Level of Variance)

Report on area of wetlands, and other non-forest ecosystem types. Resource Person: District Planner

Definitions

FOREST STAND – A group of reasonably homogeneous trees that can be differentiated from surrounding stands by its age, composition, structure, site quality, or geography.

WORKING GROUP – A code that represents the predominant tree species of a forest stand. In the forest inventory database all forest stands are categorized by working group, as well as other measured features (e.g. height, crown density, etc). The working group code is determined based on plot data and photo interpretation. The working groups present in the CBPPL DFA are:

Working Group Code Working Group Code Balsam Fir bF Black Spruce bS Engelmann Spruce eS Hardwood Softwood hS Jack Pine jP Red Maple rM Red Pine rP Softwood Hardwood sH Trembling Aspen tA White Birch wB White Pine wP

SPECIES COMPOSITION – A code that represents the tree species that comprise a forest stand. These codes are made up of one, two or three species. One species (e.g. bF) indicates that 75- 100% of the basal area in the stand is comprised of the identified species. Two species (e.g. bFwB) indicates that 50-75% of the basal area in the stand is comprised of the first identified species, while the remaining basal area is comprised of the second identified species. Three species (e.g. bFbSwB) indicates that 40% of the basal area in the stand is comprised of the first identified species, 30% is comprised of the second identified species, and 30% is comprised of the third identified species. The following is a list of species recognized in the inventory:

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Species Code Species Code Balsam Fir bF Red Pine rP Black Spruce bS Scots Pine sP Balsam Poplar bP Sitka Spruce sS Engelmann Spruce eS Tamarack/Larch tL European Larch eL Trembling Aspen tA Jack Pine jP White Birch wB Japanese Birch jB White Pine wP Japanese Larch jL White Spruce wS Lodge pole Pine lP Yellow Birch yB Red Maple rM

Detailed Description

For this indicator, the area will be measured in hectares for each working group. (Species composition is too specific of a measure and results in excessive data, which in turn renders it difficult to set targets at this level.) Each set of species compositions has been “rolled up” to a working group using the provincial Forestry Services Branch Working Group Determination definitions (Table 6 below). Each area measurement for each working group will also be expressed as a percent.

Table 6. Working Group Definitions Species Compositions in Each Working Group (bold) bF bS sH sH hS hS tA eS wB cont’d. cont’d. bF bFbStL bFbSrM bSwBwS bFrMwB wBtAbS bP rS wB bFbS bFbSwP bFbStA bSwPwB bFtAwB wBtAtL tAwB sP wBrM bFbSwS bFtLbS bFbSwB bSwStA bFwBrM wBtAsP tA sPjP wBrMtA bFtL bS bFrM bSwSwB bFwBtA wBtAwS sS wBtA bFwP bSbF bFtA bSyB bFwByB wBtL jP sSbS wByB bFwPbS bSbFrP bFtAbS tAbFbS bFyBwB wBsW jP sSsP yB bSbFwS bSbFtL bFtLwB tAbSbF bSrMtA wBwStA jPnS jB yBtA wS bSbFwP bFwB tAbStL bStArM wBwSyB yBwB wSbF bSjB bFwBbS tAbSwS bStAwB wByBbF rM wSbFbS bSjP bFwBtL tAtLbS bWwBrM wByBwP rMwB wSbS bSlP bFwBwP tLbSwB bSwBtA wByBwS wSbSbF bSrP bFwBwS tLrM rMbS wSwBrM wSjL bSsP bFwPwB tLrA rMtAbS yBbF wSsP bSsS bFwStA tLwB rMwBbF yBbFwB wStL bStL bFwSwB tLwBbS tAbF yBbS bStLbF bFwSyB wBbFbS tAbFwB yBwBbF bStLwS bFyB wBbFtL tAbS yBwBbS bSwP bSbFrM wBbFwP tAbSwB yBwBwP bSwPbF bSbFtA wBbFwS tAwBbF yBwBwS bSwS bFbSwB wBbSbF tAwBwS yBwS

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Species Compositions in Each Working Group (bold) bF bS sH sH hS hS tA eS wB cont’d. cont’d. bSwSbF bSjPtA wBbStL tAwBbS jL bSrM wBbSwS tAwS jLbS bSrMtL wBtLbS sWbF jLeLtL bStA wBwSbF wBbFtA rP bStAbF wBwSbS wBbFyB rPbS bStAtL wPwB wBbS sPrPjP bStAwS wSbSwB wBbSrM tL bStLrM wStA wBbStA tLbF bStLtA wSwB wBbSyB tLbFbS bStLwB wSwBbF wBrMbS tLbS bSwB wSwBbS wBrMbF tLbSbF bSwBbF wSwPwB wBrMtL tLbSwS bSwBsS wSyB wBrMwS tLwS bSwBtL yBbSbF wBtAbF wSbSjP

This indicator can only be updated after calculation of the wood supply, which occurs every five years. This indicator was initiated in 2004, based on the 2001 wood supply, and reported only productive forest. The first update to report on productive forest, and non-productive forest and non-forest area was in 2010, and it reflected a significant land sale (>500,000ha) back to the Crown and changes in exchanges and transfers in Forest Management Districts (FMD) 6, 9, & 15. The resultant Defined Forest Area (DFA) was 1,493,403 ha. Further changes in exchanges and transfers initiated another update in 2012, based on the 2006 wood supply, and reduced the DFA to 1,418,922 ha. An adjustment to exchanges and transfers in 2014 decreased the DFA further to 1,417,834 ha. Yet another change in exchanges and transfers and an Agriculture Area of Interest agreement in 2017 decreased the DFA further to 1,399,901 ha. Annual progression towards the target cannot be shown, as working groups remain the same in the inventory after harvest until the wood supply has been re-calculated.

Status in 2018

The area of Corner Brook Pulp and Paper’s timber limits (DFA) is represented in the following tables for 2018 as: working groups in productive forest; and non-productive forest, non-forested land, and water. The total area is 1,399,901 hectares.

Tables 9 and 10 show that in 2018 all working groups have been maintained within the acceptable level of variance. There are nominal changes in the non-productive and non-forest areas as well.

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Table 7. Area of productive forest present on the DFA, 2018. Percent of Productive Percent of Total Total Area Forest Area on the DFA Area on the DFA Working Group (ha) (696,509 ha) (1,399,901 ha) bF 286,091 41.1 20.4 bS 180,302 25.9 12.9 DI1 118,024 16.9 8.4 sH 57,254 8.2 4.1 NS2 23,484 3.4 1.7 hS 22,284 3.2 1.6 wB 8,555 1.2 0.6 tA 416 0.1 0.0 jP 86 0.0 0.0 eS 11 0.0 0.0 rM 1 0.0 0.0 Total 696,509 100 49.8 1 Disturbed by insects or fire 2 Not sufficiently stocked

Table 8. Non-productive Forest Area Summary, 2018 Total Area Percent of Total Area on the DFA Stand ID - Description (ha) (1,399,901 ha) Softwood Scrub 330,364 23.6 Bog 143,978 10.3 Water 108,974 7.8 Soil Barren 44,213 3.2 Wet Bog 33,217 2.4 Rock Barren 23,566 1.7 Treed Bog 12,292 0.9 ROW (Transmission) 2,000 0.1 Cleared Land 1,465 0.1 Residential Land 1,319 0.1 ROW (Road) 1,266 0.1 Agricultural Land 439 0.0 Sand 209 0.0 Small Island 90 0.0 Total Non-Productive Area (ha): 703, 392 50.2

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The information in the above tables has been grouped into major categories and is represented in Figure 5.

Total 2018 DFA: 1,399,901

Productive Forest 696,509 SCRUB 330,364 BOG 189,487 WATER 108,974 SOIL BARREN 44,213 ROCK BARREN 23,566 RIGHT OF WAY 3,266 CLEARED 1,465 RESIDENTIAL 1,319 OTHER 738

Figure 5. General land and water classes on the DFA as of June 2018.

For comparison, the following tables represent working groups in productive forest and non- productive forest, non-forested land, and water for the base year of 2010, and for the years when the data was updated using the 2011 wood supply for 2012 and the 2016 wood supply for 2018. For each working group and stand ID, a percentage of the DFA is indicated. The percent change from the base year (2010) to 2012 and 2018 is also indicated. The results indicate there was little change in all stand types.

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Table 9. Comparison of Productive Forest on the DFA by Working Group

2010 2012 2018 % of % of Change of Change of % of the the the % From % From DFA Working Group DFA DFA Base Year Base Year Balsam Fir (bF) 23.6 22.9 - 0.7 20.4 - 3.2 Black Spruce (bS) 15.4 15.0 - 0.4 12.9 - 2.5 Disturbed by Insects (DI) 4.1 4.6 + 0.5 8.4 *+ 4.3 Softwood/Hardwood (sH) 3.6 3.8 + 0.2 4.1 + 0.5 Not Sufficiently Stocked (NS) 1.8 1.8 0.0 1.7 0.1 Hardwood/Softwood (hS) 1.6 1.6 0.0 1.6 0.0 White Birch (wB) 0.8 0.7 - 0.1 0.6 - 0.2 Trembling Aspen (tA) 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Jack Pine (jP) 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Engelmann Spruce (eS) 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Red Maple (rM) 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Total Productive Area 50.9 50.5 49.8 *Includes cutovers that haven’t yet been assigned a working group, thus the increase in percent from the base year. 2010 data based on a DFA of 1,493,403 ha 2012 data based on a DFA of 1,418,922 ha 2018 data based on a DFA of 1,399,901 ha

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Table 10. Comparison of Non-productive Forest and Non-forest Area on the DFA by Stand ID

2010 2012 2018 Change of Change of % of the % of the % of Stand ID % From % From DFA DFA the DFA Base Year Base Year Softwood Scrub 22.7 22.9 + 0.2 23.6 + 0.9 Bog 10.7 10.6 - 0.1 10.3 -0.4 Water 7.6 7.5 - 0.1 7.8 + 0.2 Soil Barren 2.6 2.7 + 0.1 3.2 + 0.6 Wet Bog 1.2 1.3 + 0.1 2.4 + 1.2 Rock Barren 1.7 1.8 + 0.1 1.7 0.0 Treed Bog 0.7 0.7 0.0 0.9 + 0.2 ROW (Transmission) 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.0 Cleared Land 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.0 Residential Land 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.0 ROW (Road) 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.0 Agricultural Land 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 Sand 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Small Island 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Hardwood Scrub 1.1 1.1 0.0 N/A N/A Not Interpreted 0.3 0.3 0.0 N/A N/A

Total Non-productive/non-forest Area 49.1 49.5 50.2 2010 data based on a DFA of 1,493,403 ha 2012 data based on a DFA of 1,418,922 ha 2018 data based on a DFA of 1,399,901 ha

Target

The target is to maintain representation of current working group classes close to current levels. Maintaining these levels would be based on factors that can be controlled by CBPPL. Natural phenomena such as insect infestation, blow-down, or forest fires would not fall under the category of factors that can be controlled. We will also report on the areas of wetlands and other non-forest ecosystems.

Acceptable Level of Variance The terms major and secondary are used here to classify working groups with respect to the relative area they represent on the land base.

Major working groups:  bF will be maintained at + 10% of current area.

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 bS will be maintained at + 10% of current area.  sH will be maintained at – 10% to + 25% of current area.  Secondary working groups (all others) will be maintained within + 25% of the current area.

Management Strategy

To maintain representation of current working group classes close to current levels, CBPPL can only control in what working groups they harvest wood, and ensure that cutovers regenerate to the same working group. Factors out of the company’s control include natural phenomenon as mentioned above, but also how stands are interpreted from one inventory to the next, and land base changes through exchanges and transfers.

Current areas of working groups will be based on the inventory available at the time (the government aims to inventory each Forest Management District on a 10-year cycle). The variance will be based on the wood supply model.

CBPPL Woodlands will continue to harvest AAC in the DFA within the levels set forth by government (Indicator 2.2.2). A 25-Year Spatial Plan is developed by CBPPL staff and submitted to the government for approval. This plan will ensure CBPPL stays within the assigned AAC levels. The government re-calculates the AAC every five years using the latest data possible to incorporate into the analysis. The government repeatedly monitors regeneration assumptions used in the model for required changes. This continual improvement in regeneration assumptions ensures that future projections of the areas of working groups are more reliable than in the previous model, thus providing a framework to manage this indicator more accurately with the development of each successive model.

Forecast, Predicted Results or Outcome

As is indicated in tables 9 and 10 above, the working groups bF, bS and sH will continue to maintain their current area plus or minus the acceptable level of variance. Future models will be developed to incorporate the secondary working groups as well, creating a better predictive tool to measure secondary working groups into the future, as is currently done with the bF, bS and sH working groups.

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Implementation Schedule

Task Details Responsibility Frequency Update area of Re-assess area and percent of DFA District Planner Every five working groups and in each working group and non- years after a non-forest forest ecosystems new wood ecosystems supply, or as the DFA footprint changes

Monitoring / Reporting

Frequency of Frequency of Reporting Sources of Information Monitoring and Review Every five years after a new wood Every five years after a Provincial forest inventory supply new wood supply One interim review within 5-yeqr Provincial forest inventory One interim review within period to determine trends, causes, updated with recent 5-year period explanations, and actions. disturbances (soft updates)

Links with Strategic and Operational Plans

20-year Strategy 5-Year Operating Plan Annual Operating Plan Regeneration assumptions are Five-year plans are AOPs are determined by built into the wood supply determined by the AAC. AACs, which in turn are calculation, which is used as a tool These AACs are determined by the working in developing this strategy. determined by the working group composition, among Sustaining the spruce component group composition and age other factors. of regenerating forests in class structure among Newfoundland is a goal identified other factors. in this strategy.

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Indicator 1.1.3 Ecosystem Diversity – Age Classes Criterion 1. Biological Diversity Element 1.1 Ecosystem Diversity Value Natural Ecosystem Diversity Objective To maintain a natural diversity of forest age classes.

Indicator: 1.1.3 Target Acceptable Level 1.1.3 Forest area by serial To maintain representation stage or age class by age class of the + 10% productive forest close to current levels. Retain a minimum of 20 % NA of the productive forest on the DFA as old forest (81+ years old) Resource Person: District Planner

Definitions

FOREST STAND – A group of reasonably homogeneous trees that can be differentiated from surrounding stands by its age, composition, structure, site quality, or geography.

AGE CLASS – A general classification of age given to each stand in the forest inventory based on age data derived from plots and photo interpretation. The age classes are grouped into 20-year intervals, starting at 0 – 20 years (age class 1) and ending at 121+ years (age class 7). A separate age class (9) exists for stands of mixed ages.

Detailed Description

Measuring forest area by age class relies on some form of classification that takes into account the time since stand-replacing disturbance, as well as evolving forest structural development. Older age classes are often the most difficult to manage, primarily because they require so much time to develop. However, they are often host to unique communities that would not otherwise be present across the forest landscape. Older age classes at 20% of the Defined Forest Area (DFA) is recommended by some experts.

One measure of sustainability when harvesting is having a forest with an even age-class distribution. This allows for an equal amount of forest to be harvested each year over time. The premise is, by having an equal amount of forest at various stages or ages of development, and only harvesting at the mature and over-mature stages, we will always have younger forests developing into later stages, hence sustainability. Past management practices, repeated insect attacks, and forest fires have skewed the age class distribution of the forest in Newfoundland and Labrador, so that there is a disproportionate amount of forest in the youngest (0-20 years) and oldest (81-121+) age classes. This presents problems for forest managers because older timber needs to be harvested in a timely manner, before being lost to fire, insect, disease, or blowdown. However, if harvested too quickly, the younger forest will not have time to grow to the late

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successional stages, and therefore will not reach their full productive capacity, or provide the specialized habitat of old forest required by some species. Thinning young stands can help move a proportion of the young age class into a structurally-harvestable stage, so the remainder of the young age class can grow to the mature and over-mature age classes.

It is the responsibility of the provincial government to set the Annual Allowable Cut. This is done by first removing from the equation forest required for other values – protected areas, buffers, habitat for species at risk, viewsheds, etc. Growth curves, anticipated losses to fire, insects and disease, and operational constraints (e.g. steep slopes) are then used to set the AAC. CBPPL must restrict their harvest to within the AAC allotted to them.

This indicator can be updated after the calculation of the wood supply, which occurs every five years. To show progression towards the target, it can be verified annually if the past year’s harvest fell within the AAC levels set forth by the Forestry and Wildlife Branch. These AAC levels ensure sustainability by including the constraint of harvesting older stands (81yrs +) first, while ensuring a minimum of 15% of old growth forest is maintained. See Indicator 2.1.4 for the AAC harvested in past years.

CBPPL is in the initial stages of managing by range of natural variation. More research is required to determine the natural range of variation for forest types in CBPPL’s DFA. As well, at this time, the Forestry and Wildlife Branch is not managing by range of natural variation, which complicates CBPPL’s efforts. Considering all this, and the uncertainties of the effects of climate change on our abilities to manage by range of natural variation, CBPPL will continue for the time being to maintain current level age classes.

In 2012 the spatial database to determine the DFA footprint was updated to reflect changes in exchanges and transfers in Forest Management Districts (FMD) 6, 9, & 15, resulting in a new DFA area of 1,418,922ha. Changes in 2014 through exchanges and transfers in Forest Management Districts (FMD) 6, 9, & 15 and the Muskrat Falls transmission line ROW that intersected CBPPL limits resulted in a decrease of the DFA area to 1,417,831 Ha. Further changes in 2017 through exchanges and transfers, agricultures areas, and areas in FMD 10 has resulted in a further decrease of the DFA area to 1,399,901 ha. However, since the change from 2012 to 2017 is relatively small, we have chosen to continue using 2012 as the base year.

Status in 2018

For the DFA in 2018, the age class structure of the forest (Table 11) was based on forest inventory from the 2011 Wood Supply Analysis with cutover updates up to 2018. Table 12 compares productive forest age classes on the DFA over a 7-year period, in 2012 and 2018. Representation by age class has not changed significantly from 2012 to 2018.

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Table 11. Age Class of the Forest on the DFA in 2018 by Area Age Class Total Area (Ha) 1 – (0 – 20) 257,708 2 – (21 – 40) 105,172 3 – (41 – 60) 89,849 4 – (61 – 80) 53,631, 5 – (81+) 190146 Total Productive Area 696,509

Table 12. Percent of Each Age Class of the Total Productive Forest on the DFA*. 2012 2018 Percent of Percent of Change in Productive Productive Percent Age Class of the Forest on the Forest on the Forest (Years) DFA DFA 1 – (0 – 20) 34.3 37.0 + 2.7 2 – (21 – 40) 19.7 15.1 - 4.6 3 – (41 – 60) 10.9 12.9 + 2.0 4 – (61 – 80) 8.9 7.7 - 1.2 5 – (81+) 26.2 27.3 + 1.1 *2012 based on 689,958 ha of productive forest 2018 based on 696,509 ha of productive forest

Target

The target is to maintain representation of current age classes close to current levels, and to retain a minimum of 20% of the productive forest on the DFA as old forest. Maintenance would be based on factors that can be controlled by CBPPL. Natural phenomena such as insect infestation, blow-down, or forest fires would not fall under the category of factors that can be controlled.

Acceptable Level of Variance

The acceptable level of variance in the current age class structure is + 10%. There is no acceptable level of variance for the retention of 20% of the productive forest on the DFA as old forest.

Management Strategy

CBPPL Woodlands will continue to harvest AAC in the DFA within the levels set forth by government (Indicator 2.2.2). Although AAC calculations are based on retaining a minimum of

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15 % old forest, CBPPL will monitor the percentage of old forest and retain a level above 20%. Government re-calculates the AAC every five years using the latest data possible to incorporate into the analysis. The government repeatedly monitors regeneration assumptions used in the model for required changes. This continual improvement in regeneration assumptions ensures that future projections age classes are more reliable than in the previous model, thus providing a framework to manage this indicator more accurately with the development of each successive model. More reliable data will allow us to make better management decisions.

Forecast, Predicted Results or Outcome

CBPPL will continue with the management strategy to ensure the age class of the productive forest is maintained close to current levels, while working towards a more balanced age class.

Implementation Schedule

Task Details Responsibility Frequency Starting in 2012 and every 5 years Update current age Re-assess area and percent of District Planner after, or as the DFA class DFA in each age class footprint changes significantly

Monitoring / Reporting

Frequency of Monitoring and Sources of Frequency of Reporting Review Information Every five years in Indicator Every five years (after completion Provincial forest Report of report) inventory

Links with Strategic and Operational Plans

20-year Strategy 5-Year Operating Plan Annual Operating Plan Regeneration assumptions are Five-year plans are determined AOPs are determined by built into the wood supply by the AAC. These AAC’s are the AAC, which in turn is calculation, which is used as a determined by the working determined by the tool in developing this strategy. group composition and age class working group Sustaining the spruce component structure among other factors. composition and age class of regenerating forests in structure among other Newfoundland is a goal factors. identified in this strategy.

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Indicator 1.1.4 Ecosystem Diversity – Within-Stand Structural Retention Criterion 1. Biological Diversity Element 1.1 Ecosystem Diversity Value Natural ecosystem diversity Objective To maintain ecosystem diversity through within-stand structural retention.

Indicator: 1.1.4 Target Acceptable Level Degree of within-stand To leave a minimum 100 wildlife trees or snags structural retention average of 10 wildlife in clumps or patches per trees or snags per hectare, 10ha opening. individually, in clumps, or in patches.

Resource Person: District Planner

Definitions

WITHIN-STAND STRUCTURAL RETENTION refers to the retention of patches, clumps, or corridors of trees in the vicinity of a harvested area. Newly cut areas interspersed with patches, clumps, or corridors of trees help to maintain the natural diversity of forest types and age classes in an ecosystem.

SNAGS are dead or dying standing trees. They are utilized by a wide range of wildlife for nesting (primarily cavity nesters) and for foraging. Wildlife species that use snags include a wide variety of small mammals, different forest birds and owls, and a wide range of insects and fungi communities that function as the prey base for many other species. There are three aspects of snag management that need to be considered: quantity, quality and distribution. As part of the annual harvest that now occurs in stands that had been pre-commercially thinned (PCT), snags can also be created by removing the tops of merchantable trees in areas where naturally occurring snags are not present.

QUANTITY: From a quantitative perspective more research is needed. For now, the guide used is “Where safety is not an issue, a minimum average of 10 trees or snags per hectare (average on a cut block) or a clump of trees is to be left on all sites (harvesting and silviculture)” (Environmental Protection Guidelines).

QUALITY: The Department of Environment is currently looking at a qualitative way of assessing trees and snags for wildlife. Preliminary results of CBPPL’s Snag Management Program suggest that trees or snags with a minimum of 21cm diameter at breast height are preferred. The Environmental Protection Guidelines suggest that preference should be given to

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trees or snags with a diameter over 50 cm. A Masters student’s study of the availability and quality of snags for nesting habitat recommended managing for snags >30 cm dbh.

WILDLIFE TREES: Trees with a minimum height of 2.0 m and a minimum diameter at breast height of 10 cm.

DISTRIBUTION: From a distribution point of view, the Wildlife Division has indicated that it is beneficial to leave trees in clumps or patches rather than distributing individual stems evenly across the landscape. This promotes within-stand structure.

Detailed Description

At the stand level, the key to creating higher biodiversity involves the retention of key structural elements in the stand. One example is retaining snags (dead or dying trees) on a cutover during harvest. Leaving live trees, individually and in clumps, also adds structural elements to the cutover. Leaving a combination of snags and living trees on cutovers will provide biodiversity at the time of harvest and well into the future.

Snags provide essential habitat requirements for cavity-using birds and mammals. Snags are often utilized for safe nesting sites in the form of cavities and platforms, roosting and denning sites, hunting perches, display stations, and foraging sites. They also contain numerous insects for food. When a snag eventually tumbles it becomes downed woody debris that provides shelter and denning sites for mammals and birds, as well as providing a nutrient-rich base in which the next generation forest will take root.

In Newfoundland, snags are used by both primary and secondary cavity nesters. Primary cavity nesters such as woodpeckers (hairy, downy, three-toed and northern black-back) create and use cavities in snags while secondary cavity nesters such as chickadees, nuthatches and goldeneyes nest in cavities already formed. Raptors such as boreal owls and merlins use snags for hunting perches, and bats (little brown and eastern long-eared) utilize them for roosting. Downed woody debris is used by pine marten and small mammals such as voles, shrews and squirrels.

Live trees left on cutovers also provide habitat requirements for birds and animals, as nesting sites, hunting perches, and foraging sites. Clumps of live trees provide even more value to wildlife. As well, live trees retained in cutovers become snags in the next rotation.

CBPPL measures wildlife trees (snags and living trees) on cutovers in conjunction with fibre utilization surveys. Standard sampling procedures are utilized to provide a qualitative and quantitative assessment. Criteria for wildlife tree assessment is based on the number of wildlife trees in a sample plot, the percentage of trees over 30 cm dbh, an ocular assessment to determine if 10 wildlife trees/ha can be seen in the area around the plot, and an ocular assessment to determine if there is evidence of clumps of trees, buffers, or leave areas on the surrounding cutover.

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Given the existing biodiversity native to Newfoundland, managing for snags and wildlife trees will be of great value to maintain ecosystem diversity. Even one standing snag per hectare can result in a considerable increase in biodiversity.

It is important to note that the Environmental Protection Guidelines set forth by the provincial government, state that a minimum average of 10 wildlife trees or snags per hectare must be retained on our harvest and silviculture blocks. This guideline consists of both living and non- living standing tree structures (wildlife trees). Snags refer to dead or dying trees. Up to and including 2008, surveys measured snags only, and should not be confused as an average of wildlife trees per hectare.

Beginning in 2009, an ocular assessment was conducted of wildlife trees left over on the cutover, visible from the plot location during No. 3 Inspections. Wildlife tree assessment calculations for the 2015 season indicate an average of 17.5 wildlife trees/ha are currently being retained on CBPPL’s cutovers. All areas surveyed reported evidence of clumps, buffers, and leave areas present in addition to the wildlife trees found inside the plots. Since 2015, reporting on this indicator includes a report on variable retention.

Status in 2018

From 2011 to 2018, part of the annual harvest occurred in stands that had been pre-commercially thinned (PCT), limiting the number of large wildlife trees. In other locations, trees unsuitable for pulpwood were harvested for hog fuel. Harvesting in PCT areas and harvesting for hog fuel have resulted in a reduction of high-value wildlife trees (>30cm diameter breast height [dbh]). The Residual Retention Program, started with operators in 2013 to raise awareness regarding the practice of leaving high-value wildlife trees in cutovers, continued in 2018.

Table 13. Wildlife trees (per hectare) left on CBPPL cutovers. Year Wildlife Trees % Wildlife Trees per Hectare over 30 cm 2009 Not available 19 2010 30.2 24 2011 36.7 9 2012 50.2 4 2013 61.4 4 2014 17.8 4 2015 17.5 0 2016 11.8 5 2017 55.9 5 2018 66 5

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Management Strategy

CBPP is committed to continuous environmental improvement of its woodlands operations. Through managing for snags and wildlife trees, the company will be able to contribute to within- stand structural retention and ultimately ecosystem diversity, a process that involves more than a supply of fibre for the mill.

The following is an outline of the company’s strategy to ensure within-stand structural retention:  Conduct surveys that measure the number or quantity of wildlife trees and snags left after harvest, above and below 30cm diameter at breast height.  Where possible, leave trees with a diameter greater than or equal to 30 cm at breast height.  Promote education and awareness amongst all employees. A standard operating procedure (H-06 Leaving Wildlife Trees for Biological Diversity) has been developed to help operators and cutters understand the importance of leaving wildlife trees, and the characteristics of the best quality snags.  Review and discuss results with contractors during monthly Safety and Environmental meetings and at Environmental Management System Meetings.

Forecast, Predicted Results or Outcome

Recommendations from the Wildlife Division indicate that standing living, and dead or dying trees are of equal value in terms of the maintenance of biodiversity. The snag management program will change its focus to include in the assessment not only snags, but also the number of standing living trees retained, to get a better representation of within-stand retention.

From our snag management program and other snag studies, it is apparent that both the physical appearance and dimensions of snags and their relative abundance is affected by forest stand and site type. Therefore, we can expect slight shifts in our snag retention patterns as determined by the specific stand types that we harvest on an annual basis. From the perspective of snag (habitat) value, we are expecting an increase in the retention level of higher value snags. This will be accomplished through a training and awareness program for our machine operators.

Implementation Schedule

Task Details Responsibility Frequency Continue surveying for Operations Continued surveying Annually presence of trees and snags. Superintendent Report on results of surveys Operations Report results Annually in Indicator Report. Superintendent

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Monitoring / Reporting

Frequency of Monitoring and Sources of Frequency of Reporting Review Information Annually Annually Results of surveys

Links with Strategic and Operational Plans

NL Sustainable Forest 5-Year Operating Plan Annual Operating Plan Management Strategy The Strategy is largely The 5-year operating plan The link to our annual grounded in the promotion identifies harvesting and operating plan is similar to of integrated forest silviculture treatment areas, the 5-year plan link, only on management. This project is and as such, would identify a more site-specific basis. totally in line with these the stand types where integrated forest operations will occur over the management principles. next 5 years. This would allow us to determine whether we might expect any significant shifts in snag retention pattern on a broader landscape level.

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Indicator 1.2.1 Species Diversity – Caribou Habitat Criterion 1. Biological Diversity Element 1.2 Species Diversity Value Native and non-native species diversity Objective To maintain native and non-native species habitat

Indicator: 1.2.1 Target Acceptable Level Degree of habitat protection Where an Annual Operating for selected focal species, Plan area overlaps with a 0 including species at risk caribou secondary core area (buffer), to harvest annually no more than 5% of the poor black spruce forest type, within the overlap area. Resource Person: District Planner

Definitions

CARIBOU CORE AREAS – caribou calving/post calving areas and wintering grounds. A minimum of 30% of the 5-Year Plan harvestable forest in core areas and secondary core areas must remain uncut.

CARIBOU SECONDARY CORE AREAS - Buffers around all core areas drawn based on the avoidance distance caribou exhibit as a response to disturbance. A minimum of 30% of the 5- Year Plan harvestable forest in core areas and secondary core areas must remain uncut.

FOCAL SPECIES - species that warrant special conservation attention and are thus used to guide the management of ecosystems to conserve biodiversity.

POOR BLACK SPRUCE FOREST TYPE – in the Forest Resources Inventory, black spruce sites with a low volume (<70 m3/ha) and a poor site type.

RECRUITMENT – with respect to caribou populations, the number of young in the population.

SPECIES AT RISK – species defined as at risk by provincial and national legislation applicable to a given DFA.

Detailed Description

For most species, forest managers can manipulate habitats only, not species populations. Short- term needs, particularly for critical and core habitats, must be considered for species at risk.

Woodland caribou populations on insular Newfoundland have been in a state of decline since the mid-to late 1990s (DEC 2008). From an estimated peak of more than 90,000 caribou in 1996, populations declined to an estimate of 31,000 in 2015. This mirrors a previous decline in caribou

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from a high of over 90,000 in 1890 to a low of ~10,000 in the early 1950s (DEC 2015). Although this pattern of rapid population increase followed by rapid decrease is a common pattern in wildlife populations, COSEWIC assessed Newfoundland Woodland Caribou as Special Concern in November 2014, due to the uncertainty of the future role of coyote.

In 2008, the provincial government dedicated $15.3 million to a five-year scientific and management strategy of island woodland caribou populations (DEC 2008). The strategy built upon earlier efforts to better understand and mitigate the current decline in woodland caribou numbers and the role of predators in this decline. The caribou strategy focused on the continuation of the collection of necessary caribou data; initiation of a predator-caribou ecology study; implementation of an enhanced information and education program; cooperation with the Forestry Services Branch to improve wildlife management; increased emphasis on habitat assessment; and a province-wide regional assessment of black bear populations, one of the key predators of caribou calves.

Results of the strategy, reported in 2015, indicate that high densities of caribou put a strain on food availability (DEC 2015). This resulted in smaller animals and broad scale changes in habitat use as caribou began to forage in habitat they previously avoided (which included areas where they were more likely to encounter predators) in order to get adequate food. Predators, especially black bear and coyote, took advantage of small and highly vulnerable calves and calf survival dropped dramatically. In recent years, with the decrease in caribou density, the speed of population decline has slowed. As caribou numbers reduced, calves became larger. Observations of decreased predation and increased calf survival have been noted in recent years. Although the Newfoundland population is continuing to decline, some herds are showing stable or increasing numbers.

As a response to declining populations of island caribou, the Wildlife Division developed Forest Management Guidelines for Woodland Caribou for the Island of Newfoundland in 2007, to ensure adequate caribou habitat is available at all times. All available caribou location data was used to determine core areas made up of calving/post calving areas and wintering grounds. These core areas are redrawn at intervals based on the most recent location data. The guidelines allow harvesting of 25% of overmature forests (80+ years) within the core areas. Buffers around all core areas were drawn based on the avoidance distance caribou exhibit as a response to disturbance. These buffers are referred to as secondary core areas; a minimum of 30% of the mature forest in secondary core areas must remain uncut.

In addition to following the directives of the Wildlife Division, CBPPL was also involved in a national effort to develop and accelerate implementation of plans to protect woodland caribou, through the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement. This Agreement was a collaboration between 19 forest industry companies and seven Canadian environmental non-government organizations. It directly applied to more than 73 million hectares of public forests licensed to these companies across Canada. One of the six goals of the Agreement was to fast-track plans to protect boreal forest species at risk, particularly woodland caribou. The forest companies committed to no forest harvesting or road building on 28.4 million hectares of boreal forest across Canada to allow for woodland caribou conservation planning. Working with local environmental non-

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government organizations, CBPPL has deferred harvesting and road building on 151,957 ha of their timber limits.

Yet another avenue of caribou habitat protection has emerged in the 2014-2024 Provincial Sustainable Forest Management Strategy. The strategy has identified intact landscape forest management areas, whose primary objective is to protect ecological values with a minimum of human activity. Industrial forest harvesting is deferred for a ten-year period in these areas, which cover approximately 4 million hectare. These areas closely intersect with a large portion of the current caribou core areas and caribou secondary core areas.

Caribou habitat includes black spruce sites with a low volume (<70 m3/ha) and a poor site type (poor black spruce forest type). Outfitters requested we limit the amount of harvest of the poor black spruce forest type within areas designated as caribou secondary core areas (buffers) by the Wildlife Division.

Status in 2018

Each year, CBPPL operates under an approved Five-Year Operating Plan. The plan undergoes an Environmental Assessment, at which time any concerns are assessed and dealt with appropriately. During this process Provincial Wildlife Officials ensure the Operating Plans are in agreement with the 2007 Forest Management Guidelines for Woodland Caribou for the Island of Newfoundland, as well as the new core caribou areas identified by the 2011 caribou data. In the 5-Year Operating Plan, 75% of 2005 over-mature (80+ years) forest is maintained, and harvest rotations are extended to 120 years. By following their approved Five-Year Operating Plans, CBPPL automatically follows the caribou guidelines. In our current five-year plans, CBPPL must leave 30% of the 5-Year Plan harvestable forest in Core areas and Secondary Buffers.

To report on the status of this indicator each year, it is necessary to report the percent of area harvested within the secondary core area that is of the poor black spruce forest type. In 2018 CBPPL did harvest poor black spruce forest type within the secondary core area, and it fell under the target of five percent (see following table).

Table 14. Poor Black Spruce Forest Type (PBSFT) Harvested in Caribou Secondary Core Areas Harvest in Caribou Secondary Core Areas Year Total Harvest (ha) PBSFT PBSFT as a percent of Total Harvest Ha % 2014 No Operating Areas affected N/A N/A 2015 107.1 4.4 4.1 2016 105.7 0.3 0.3 2017 407.4 14.5 3.6 2018 279.6 11.4 4.1

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Management Strategy

Thirty-seven core areas have been identified for the Island of Newfoundland. A minimum area of over-mature forest (80+ years) has been calculated for each core; this amount should remain within that core at all times. During the annual operating planning process for each forest management district, planners will ensure the recommendations (targets) are followed with reference to the retention of over-mature forest as apply in core areas, buffers and migration corridors.

Forecast, Predicted Results or Outcome

Through pre-harvest planning, CBPPL schedules stands for harvest within an operating area. Where an operating area overlaps with a caribou secondary core area (buffer), pre-harvest planning will ensure that no more than 5% of the poor black spruce forest type is harvested annually within the overlap of a caribou secondary core area (buffer).

Implementation Schedule

Task Details Responsibility Frequency Where operating areas Inside an operating area, District Annual overlap with a caribou calculate the amount of poor Planner Operating secondary core areas, ensure black spruce forest type within Plan for each that no more than 5% of the caribou secondary core areas. FMD poor black spruce forest Schedule no more than 5% of type within the overlap area this area for harvest. is planned for harvest. After harvest, calculate the Inside an operating area, District Annually amount of poor black spruce calculate the amount of poor Planner forest type within caribou black spruce forest type within secondary core areas caribou secondary core areas that (buffer) that was harvested. was harvested.

Monitoring / Reporting

Frequency of Sources of Frequency of Monitoring and Review Reporting Information Annually in Indicator Annually Annual updates Report

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Links with Strategic and Operational Plans

NL Sustainable Forest 5-Year Operating Plan Annual Operating Plan Management Strategy Intact Landscape Forest The 5-Year Operating Plan The Annual Operating Plan Management Areas links operating areas to will identify stands for identified in the Strategy caribou core areas and harvesting. closely intersect with a secondary core areas large portion of the current (buffers). caribou core areas and caribou core buffer areas.

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Indicator 1.2.2 Species Diversity – Pine Marten Habitat Criterion 1. Biological Diversity Element 1.2 Species Diversity Value Native and non-native species diversity Objective To maintain native and non-native species habitat

Indicator: 1.2.2 Target Acceptable Level Degree of suitable habitat in To ensure no harvesting in the long term for selected pine marten deferred areas 0 species, including species at and corridors, and during risk. denning period within core areas. Resource Person: District Planner

Definitions

INDICATOR SPECIES: a species of plant or animal whose presence or absence indicates the general health of the community upon which the species is most dependent. Generally, providing for the needs of the indicator species will also meet the needs of most other organisms in the community.

Detailed Description

Pine marten habitat has a very diverse structure, which benefits small mammal species that are the prey base for marten, as well as predators of marten such as lynx, fox, and coyote. It also offers shelter for wintering moose and caribou and provides habitat for various bird species. Given the existing biodiversity native to Newfoundland, managing for pine marten habitat will be of great benefit to managing overall species diversity. For these reasons, pine marten has been chosen as an indicator of overall species diversity. The pine marten is listed as a Threatened species on the Island of Newfoundland. Therefore, it is a priority to maintain its population at acceptable levels. It was listed as Endangered in 1994 due to the rate of decline in the estimated population since the last population estimate. Approximately 300 animals were thought to be left in 1994, down from the between 630 to 875 animals estimated in the early 1980s. Since 1997, improved modelling tools and ecological data for Newfoundland marten have become available to better manage for landscape-scale habitat availability. Temporally and spatially explicit models now allow both forest and wildlife managers to predict future forest landscapes and subsequently, assess the effects of forest harvesting on marten habitat.

In April 2007, the Canadian Forest Service, the Newfoundland Forest Service, and the Newfoundland and Labrador Wildlife Division, with assistance from Corner Brook Pulp and Paper, initiated a cooperative project to assess the impacts of the 25-year (2006 – 2031) forest harvest schedule for the island portion of the province. The intent was to maximize the extent to which productive forestland is managed sustainably for both marten and timber.

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Forest Management District (FMD) 15 was identified as having the highest priority and initial focus of the project. A Marten Occupancy Model predicted the amount of suitable habitat and the number of potentially suitable home ranges for marten, first based on the 2005 forest inventory, and then based on CBPPL’s 10-year harvesting plan. For a complete description of the project please see Integrated Marten Habitat – Timber Harvesting Plan for Western Newfoundland, Project Report for Forest Management District 15 (Hearn et al, 2008). The modeling results showed an increase in potential habitat in all forest management districts where CBPPL operates except one, where the amount of potential habitat would remain the same. Because the forest continues to age, even with harvesting, habitat will increase. The Marten Occupancy Model assessed the probability (0-100%) that an area can support an adult resident marten, based on the underlying and surrounding forest types. In 2007, the status of pine marten was assessed again and it was downgraded to Threatened, due to possible stabilization in the previous 10 years. A variety of factors are attributed to the increase in population since 1994:  effective regulations to reduce accidental catch by trappers;  use of specific weight wire or cord for snaring hares which help release accidentally captured marten  operative guidelines for forest harvesting in areas containing pine marten

In 2014, when five-year operating plans were developed in Forest Management Districts (FMD) 14 and 15, consultations with the provincial Wildlife Division resulted in a network of pine marten deferred areas and connecting corridors being established across both Districts (Figure 6). No harvesting is permitted within the areas set aside. At the time, in other Forest Management Districts, there was no harvesting in critical habitat, and no harvesting within core areas during the denning period.

Since the inception of restrictions with respect to pine marten areas, CBPPL has almost always been in compliance with the requirements. In 2017 a first infraction involving a pine marten leave area occurred. A forwarder trail was cut through a small peninsula delineated as a pine marten leave area, and in another section of the leave area less than 0.5 ha was harvested. As a result of this infraction, in addition to corrective actions, preventive measures have been established. The Planning Department now conducts regular reviews of harvester track logs, and reports the results at weekly management meetings. As well, during the preparation of subsequent 5-year plans, CBPPL’s Planning Department will avoid the creation of fingers/narrow peninsulas when delineating leave areas, thereby enlarging Pine Marten leave areas.

Status in 2018

The target, to ensure no harvesting in pine marten deferred areas and corridors, and during denning period within core areas, excludes legal authorizations granted by the provincial government. In 2018 CBPPL received approval from the Wildlife Division to harvest during the pine marten denning period within a number of specified core areas, excluding critical habitat areas.

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In the latest five-year operating plans for FMDs 5, 6, 9, & 16 (2017-2021), connecting corridors were established in all districts but FMD 5; no pine marten deferred areas were identified in any of the districts. In the latest five-year operating plans for FMDs 14 & 15 (2019-2023), there were no changes to the Pine Marten deferred areas, corridors, or core and critical areas. There were no infractions observed in 2018.

Figure 6. Pine Marten Core and Harvest Deferred areas in FMD’s 14 and 15.

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Management Strategy

CBPPL will observe no harvesting in pine marten deferred areas and corridors, and during denning period within core areas, as requested by the provincial Forestry and Wildlife Branch. This will ensure sufficient suitable habitat for pine marten where they currently exist, and is conducive to the expansion of pine marten occupancy.

Forecast, Predicted Results or Outcome

CBPPL will continue to cooperate with the provincial Wildlife Division, to assist with the return of pine marten to their historic range.

Implementation Schedule

Task Details Responsibility Frequency Verify observance of no harvesting in pine marten Update indicator deferred areas and corridors, District Planner Annually of marten habitat and during denning period within core areas

Monitoring / Reporting

Frequency of Frequency of Sources of Information Reporting Monitoring and Review Cutover updates, harvesting and roads Annually in the Annually pre-work forms, updated operations map Indicator Report review Bi-weekly after operations map Bi-weekly Harvester track logs review Annually to Quarterly EMS Meetings Field staff Gov’t

Links with Strategic and Operational Plans

NL Sustainable Forest 5-Year Operating Plan Annual Operating Plan Management Strategy Maintaining and protecting Management requirements The scale of change in an terrestrial wildlife habitat is for pine marten with respect AOP is too small to have identified as a goal in this to forest harvesting are any impact on available document. contained in the five-year Pine Marten habitat. operating plan.

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Indicator 1.2.3 Species Diversity – Non-native Species Indicator 2.1.2 Forest ecosystem - Regeneration Criterion 1. Conservation of Biological Diversity & 2. Ecosystem Condition and Productivity Element 1.2 Species diversity & 2.1 Forest ecosystem condition and productivity Value Indigenous tree species Objective To maintain a predominance of indigenous species.

Indicator: 1.2.3 & 2.1.2 Target Acceptable Level 1.2.3: Proportion of On a five-year basis, to regeneration comprised of average no more than 0.1% 0.03% annually native species; annually, and 5% at any given time, of the 2.1.2: Proportion of productive forest land base regeneration comprised of of the DFA regenerated native species with non-native species. Resource Person: Silviculture and Scaling Supervisor *A decrease in the area of the DFA could cause an increase in the percentage.

Definitions

INDIGENOUS TREE SPECIES – Tree species that are native to a specific geographic area. Such species are regenerated through either natural processes or artificial means including direct seeding, or through use of planting stock grown from local (native species) seed sources.

NON-NATIVE TREE SPECIES – Tree species that are not native to a specific geographic area.

Detailed Description

A cornerstone of biological diversity, conservation is the retention and maintenance of natural ecosystems. As indigenous tree species form a huge component of these natural (forest) ecosystems, it is important that these native species continue to predominate across the DFA. Indigenous species have evolved and adapted over time to the various site conditions, climatic factors and disturbances peculiar to our local area, and as such, have a considerable measure of resilience.

Approximately 65% of disturbed sites in the DFA regenerate naturally. This is particularly true for balsam fir forest types whose regeneration success rate averages 85%. While there is also a certain level of natural regeneration on black spruce sites (45%), these areas are more prone to insufficient stocking levels as black spruce is a fire-origin species, requiring forest fires to open their cones for natural regeneration. Generally, black spruce areas with insufficient regeneration are planted with black spruce seedlings grown from local seed.

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Norway spruce have typically been planted on rich, balsam fir sites that have been infested with balsam wooly adelgid, which causes severe, long-term stunting of growth. The balsam fir adelgid is itself a non-native insect and at present there is no recourse for treatment. The only option is stand replacement with an alternate species. In such cases, the spruces have been the species of choice, with Norway and White Spruce performing the best.

Status in 2018

Since 2012, CBPPL Woodlands has planted only native black spruce and white spruce seedlings on our DFA. Thus the annual target of no more than 0.1% non-native species continues to be met. The total planting of non-native species to date remains at 1,574ha. Since 2012 this has translated to 0.226% of the productive forest portion of the DFA. This is well below the aim to not exceed 5% of productive forest land regenerated with non-native species at any given time. Table 15 shows the proportion of non-native species planted on the DFA in the past.

Table 15. Portion of non-native species planted as a percentage of the total productive forest on the DFA. Year Percent for Year Percent Total 2008 0.024 0.119 20091 0 0.119 20102 0.028 0.184 2011 0.023 0.207 20123 0 0.220 2013 0 0.220 20144 0 0.220 2015 0 0.220 2016 0 0.220 20175 0 0.226 2018 0 0.226

1 Productive forest up to 2009 was ~1,000,000ha. 4 Productive forest was ~715,535ha. 2 Productive forest was ~760,000ha. 5 Productive forest was ~696,509ha. 3 Productive forest was ~716,000ha.

Management Strategy

Tree planting is a deliberate forest management activity and it is fully within the control of CBPPL. When choosing tree species for planting, CBPPL can ensure, from 2012 on, no non-

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native species will be used to regenerate cutovers. CBPPL will also monitor for invasiveness on existing areas on the DFA previously planted with Norway spruce.

Forecast, Predicted Results or Outcome

As tree planting is entirely within our control, there is no reason why we cannot be within the defined target range. Because non-native species such as Norway spruce have been planted on the DFA in the past, there will always be a percentage of the total productive forest on the DFA that will be non-native, but this should remain at 0.22, unless CBPPL decides to plant non-native species in the future.

Implementation Schedule

Task Details Responsibility Frequency Determine the proportion of non- Silviculture and Report on native species on the DFA through Scaling Annually regeneration regeneration reports Supervisor Survey existing Determine if existing Norway Silviculture and Every 5 Norway spruce Spruce on the DFA are self- Scaling years planted areas regenerating Supervisor

Monitoring / Reporting

Frequency of Monitoring Sources of Frequency of Reporting and Review Information Report on number annually in Annually Tree planting records Indicator Report Norway spruce Every 5 years Every 5 years monitoring records

Links with Strategic and Operational Plans

Provincial Sustainable Forest 5-Year Annual Operating Plan Management Strategy Operating Plan This Strategy makes provision for the Tree planting species is use of non-invasive, fast-growing, non- N/A typically decided or planned native species as a means to partially on an annual basis. satisfy increased long-term fibre demands, and to offset the loss of productive forest land to non-industrial consumption.

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Indicator 1.3.1 Genetic Diversity – Sufficiently Stocked Criterion 1. Biological Diversity Element 1.3 Genetic Diversity Value A diverse and healthy gene pool Objective To maintain a diverse and healthy gene pool

Indicator: 1.3.1 Target Acceptable Level Proportion of areas To have a minimum of sufficiently stocked after 97% of areas sufficiently -3% harvest. stocked after harvest. Resource Person: Silviculture and Scaling Supervisor

Definitions

STOCKING – refers to the degree or level to which disturbed forest sites are regenerated with seedlings, either by artificial means (planting or seeding) or through natural processes. Sufficient stocking is defined by the Province’s Minimum Stocking Standard, which states in part that the percent stocking of seedlings must be at least five percent more than stocking of merchantable trees in the pre-harvest stand, to a maximum of seventy percent stocked. Anything past the 70% stocking level would be in a “no-gain threshold”; in other words the same volume could exist but would be spread out within a higher number of smaller diameter trees.

NATURAL REGENERATION – regeneration on disturbed forest sites occurring through natural processes. This can be in the form of “advanced regeneration” which becomes established on the forest floor or understory of a mature forest stand; or it can occur from seed dissemination after the disturbance has occurred.

BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY – the variation of life forms within a given ecosystem.

GENETIC DIVERSITY - a level of biological diversity that refers to the total number of genetic characteristics in the genetic makeup of a species.

Detailed Description

Genetic diversity and biological diversity are dependent upon each other - diversity within a species is necessary to maintain diversity among species, and vice versa. Natural regeneration of harvested or disturbed areas ensures the maintenance of diversity that already exists in the ecosystem. Therefore the proportion of areas sufficiently stocked after harvest can provide some measure of genetic diversity. For example, if we harvest a balsam fir stand and it regenerates naturally to balsam fir, then we can be relatively confident that the genetic diversity of this ecosystem is intact. If a fire in a balsam fir stand results in the regeneration of white birch, genetic diversity is still present.

Regeneration surveys conducted on recent cutovers indicate the amount of regeneration present, and consequently if planting is required. Cutovers that require planting will also maintain their

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genetic diversity, as at least 100% of seedlings planted are produced from seed of local species. The provincial tree nursery collects seed from enough different sources to ensure genetic diversity, and does not practice genetic modification.

The genetic improvement of Newfoundland’s planting stock has been researched for over 30 years. The early thrust was to identify the fastest growing, straightest, and healthiest individual trees in the wild and either collect seed, or clone them by grafting branch tips. To date, over 850 of these individual trees representing 5 native species are planted in seed orchards. Currently the province is mating these superior trees with one another, trying to find the parent combinations that produce even faster growing trees. All white and black spruce seedlings grown for reforestation are “improved”, that is, they come from seed produced in the province’s seed orchards.

CBPPL conducts regeneration surveys to assess harvested areas for sufficient stocking using the provincial government’s Regeneration Stocking Standard for Newfoundland and Labrador, and Regeneration Assessment Procedures for Newfoundland and Labrador. The assessment procedures record the presence of acceptable softwood regeneration (black and white spruce and balsam fir), and other species on predetermined plots. CBPPL’s Certificate of Managed Lands requires that the company provide results of the regeneration surveys to the provincial government. As of 2016, in harvested areas of previously mixedwood stands, regeneration surveys assess the presence of hardwood species as well as spruce and fir.

The analysis for this indicator is based on a ten year average, back dated to allow 5 years to conduct a regeneration survey plus 3 years to plan for and implement a planting program. An analysis of the 2001-2010 cutovers within the DFA indicates that 64% of harvested areas have adequate regeneration, i.e., stocking levels that meet the Minimum Stocking Standard, based on 61,640 ha of regeneration surveys. The (natural) regeneration success rate for the balsam fir working group is approximately 85%, and 45% for the black spruce working group. Tree planting is undertaken in areas with insufficient stocking to ensure fully stocked stands.

Status in 2018

Tree planting is undertaken in areas with insufficient stocking to ensure fully stocked stands. As of the end of 2018, 99.8% of all cutovers had been surveyed. The analysis of the 2001-2010 cutovers shows that 95.6% of the area surveyed was adequately stocked either by natural regeneration or by planting. The remaining 4.4% is regenerating, but not to fully stocked standards. Approximately 1% is scheduled for re-assessment to re-check stocking levels, and some areas are not able to be planted due to isolation or site conditions. CBPPL plants ap- proximately 2.1 million seedlings per year.

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Table 16. Percent of areas on the DFA that are sufficiently stocked.

Year Areas Sufficiently Stocked 2007 96% 2008 97% 2009 94% 2010 94% 2011 95% 2012 95% 2013 96% 2014 98.7% 2015 96.1% 2016 95.1% 2017 95.6% 2018 95.6%

Acceptable Level of Variance

CBPPL will endeavour to ensure that 97% (-3%) of areas harvested are sufficiently stocked.

Management Strategy

Provincial guidelines stipulate that regeneration assessments should be made within 5 years of harvesting, and that areas not sufficiently stocked must be brought up to stocking standards. Depending on the nature of the area, these assessments are sometimes done much earlier (e.g. 2 years), so that any required remedial treatments can begin sooner. Stocking survey records will be maintained on all harvested areas, and we will work towards being able to generate reports on a regular basis for harvested areas. Our regeneration survey record system is currently made available for periodic audit by the provincial government.

By ensuring harvested areas are sufficiently stocked, either through natural regeneration or planting, CBPPL will ensure the maintenance of genetic diversity.

Forecast, Predicted Results or Outcome

Based on historic patterns, we would anticipate that natural regeneration will continue to be a dominant factor in overall softwood stocking levels. The extent to which natural regeneration coupled with tree planting will approach this level will be determined as we compile our regeneration status reports.

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Implementation Schedule

Task Details Responsibility Frequency Silviculture and Prepare indicator Indicator report should be prepared Scaling Annually report on stocking* every year Supervisor * For procedures see Regeneration Assessment Procedures for Newfoundland and Labrador and A Regeneration Stocking Standard for Newfoundland and Labrador, both in the Forest Regeneration Binder.

Monitoring / Reporting

Frequency of Monitoring Frequency of Reporting Sources of Information and Review Annually (after completion of Regeneration stocking Annually in Indicator Report report). surveys.

Links with Strategic and Operational Plans

NL Sustainable Forest 5-Year Operating Plan Annual Operating Plan Management Strategy Assumptions relating to 5-Year tree-planting Annual tree-planting plans natural regeneration levels operating plans are in place are developed based on on various site types within based on historic natural regeneration survey results the province are used in the regeneration levels by site from the previous year. calculation of the Annual type. Annual planting activities Allowable Cut. Planting are relatively predictable areas that do not regenerate and in line with the 5-year naturally following plan and the 20-year disturbance is a goal Strategy outlooks. identified in this Strategy.

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Indicators 1.4.1 and 1.4.2 Biological Diversity – Special Places Criterion 1. Biological Diversity Element 1.4 Protected Areas and Sites of Special Biological, Geological, Heritage or Cultural Significance Value Special sites Objective To identify and maintain special sites

Indicator: 1.4.1 & Target Acceptable Level 1.4.2 1.4.1: Protection of sites of To implement a “Special Places” No less than one site special significance; program that will identify, per year. describe, and promote two special 1.4.2: Proportion of sites per year on the DFA, and identified sites with maintain them through implemented management management strategies specific to strategies. each site. Resource Person: Environmental Management Representative

Definitions

SPECIAL PLACES / SPECIAL SITES – A project initiated from CBPPL Environmental Management System (EMS) review was the development of a “unique” areas program. There are plenty of special places on our limits - places people frequent to fish, camp or just spend time. The goal of CBPPL is to locate and describe these locations. They will be highlighted on our operating maps, and measures will be implemented to ensure the particular qualities that make the sites special places are considered when operating in or adjacent to these areas.

Detailed Description

CBPPL recognizes that our DFA provides more than just a supply of fibre for our mill. Other ecological, historical, cultural, and sacred values exist and should be carefully managed.

Woodlands staff and members of the Public Advisory Committee have developed a list of Special Places. The Company intends to evaluate all listed sites so that CBPPL can make decisions on how to maintain the special qualities or characteristics of the sites.

Each designated Special Places is considered significant for one or more of the following reasons:  areas containing rare plants  wetland areas  areas of particular value to animal species (bird, fish, invertebrate, mammal)  interesting or unique geological features  areas of sacred, cultural or historical significance  areas containing high quality, representative or unusual forest types

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 areas with aesthetic appeal

The list was reviewed with the goal of ensuring that controls are in place to manage them, and preserve or maintain the attributes that make the areas special. Adding sites to this list in no way indicates that CBPPL will never operate there; it means these areas will be highlighted in our database so that appropriate management measures are taken to ensure contractors are fully aware of their existence and importance when operating near them.

These controls will include:  identifying and evaluating suggested sites  recording the location of each site  entering the information into the Woodlands GIS database so it will appear when developing annual and five-year operating plans  ensuring that before any operation commences, a Pre-Work Form will be completed and reviewed with the contractor. The Pre-Work Form will identify the significance of the special place and include any requirements for the contractor.

Status in 2018

Our Special Places program was implemented in 2007 and launched via the CBPPL website. Since then, 20 Special Places have been identified: Airport Nordic Ski Park Birchy Basin (Upper Humber Wetlands Complex) Blow-Me-Down Trails Bottom Brook Arboretum Chimney Cove Cook’s Marsh Corner Brook Stream Trail Crescent Pond Sitka Spruce Stand Freshwater-Alexander Bays Watershed Hampden Downs Indian Bay Watershed Inner Loon Pond Forest International Appalachian Trail Newfoundland & Labrador *Little Grand Lake Provisional Ecological Reserve Lomond Sink Hole *Main River Waterway Provincial Park *Pasadena Ski and Nature Park Thomas Howe Demonstration Forest *T’Railway Provincial Park *West Brook Ecological Reserve

* Some of these Special Places were at one time part of CBPPL’s timber limits, while others are on Crown land within or adjacent to CBPPL’s timber limits. None of the sites indicated are maintained by CBPPL.

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All of CBPPL’s Special Places can be viewed at www.cbppl.com on the “Special Places” page.

Three of the Special Places listed above (Little Grand Lake Provisional Ecological Reserve, Main River Waterway Provincial Park and Pasadena Ski and Nature Park) were at one time part of CBPPL’s timber limits. These areas were sold back to the provincial government, the first two based on their value as protected areas and Pasadena Ski and Nature Park as part of a tourism initiated viewshed corridor from the mouth of the Humber River to the northeast tip of Deer Lake. T’Railway Provincial Park runs through CBPPL’s timber limits in many areas and frequently influences CBPPL’s management plans. CBPPL timber limits surround West Brook Ecological Reserve on three sides.

Since 2014, Public Advisory Committee members have agreed to help provide sources of information for future Special Places.

Several of the Special Places already have various forms of management strategies in place. Existing strategies developed by various agencies such as Ducks Unlimited, the provincial government, and the Corner Brook Stream Trail Association will be incorporated into site- specific management strategies developed for the Special Places program.

Management Strategy

Our intent is to have all of these sites fully evaluated so that CBPPL can make informed decisions on how to maintain the special attributes or qualities of the site, within the boundaries of a larger operating area. Information including photographs, why the site is special, vegetation surveys where applicable, and appropriate management recommendations will be gathered for these Special Places.

CBPPL also supports in principle the provincial government’s protected areas strategy, administered by the Natural Areas Program of the Department of Fisheries and Land Resources. Where these protected areas fall on CBPPL’s DFA, they will be incorporated into the special places program. An example is the West Brook Ecological Reserve. A complete list of protected areas can be found at: http://www.env.gov.nl.ca/env/parks/apa/index.html.

Areas of sacred or archaeological significance on the DFA are identified and protected through an Environmental Assessment of the Five-Year Operating Plan. Submitted to the Department of Municipal Affairs and Environment, the Five-Year Operating Plan is sent to various government departments for comments. Areas of sacred or archaeological significance are identified by the Department of Tourism, Industry and Innovation, and requirements for protection of these areas are included in the Certificate of Managed Land, which is awarded annually by the Forestry Services Branch. However, CBPPL may not be able to add all of these areas to the Special Places program, as some archaeological/sacred sites might not be public knowledge.

Forecast, Predicted Results or Outcome

Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Limited believes it is in the best interest of the public and the Company to support a Special Places Program. By incorporating a Special Places Program into

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the current management strategy, CBPPL can decide how to maintain the special qualities or values of the sites, to the benefit of all, within the boundaries of our DFA.

The site locations will be marked on a Special Places Map. This information, available on the Company's website, will allow users of the DFA to enjoy sites identified as having special ecological, cultural or recreational significance.

Before any operation commences in or adjacent to these areas, a Pre-work Form will be completed and reviewed with the contractor to ensure that the special attributes of these sites are maintained for future generations.

Inviting our PAC, interested persons, local recreational groups and other special-interest groups to suggest additional Special Places will ensure the program continues in the future.

Implementation Schedule

Task Details Responsibility Frequency Environmental Describe the A description should be provided for two Management Annually special sites sites each year Representative Map the Each special site should be identified in District Annually special sites the GIS database Planner

Monitoring / Reporting

Frequency of Monitoring Frequency of Reporting Sources of Information and Review CBPPL staff and employees, Annually in Indicator Annually (after completion CBPPL Public Advisory Report of report) Committee, and the public

Links with Strategic and Operational Plans

20-year Strategy 5-Year Operating Plan Annual Operating Plan The designation of special As special sites are entered Any special sites will be places has been identified as in the GIS database, they located on relevant a value in the will be incorporated in the operational maps to ensure Newfoundland and 5-year plan that they are maintained on Labrador Sustainable Forest the DFA. Management Strategy Pre-work meetings with contractors before any operation commences in these areas will further ensure that their special significance is maintained for future generations.

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Indicator 2.1.1 Forest Ecosystems Condition and Productivity – Reforestation Success Criterion 2. Ecosystem Condition and Productivity Element 2.1 Forest ecosystem condition and productivity Value Natural resilient ecosystems Objective To maintain natural resilient ecosystems

Indicator: 2.1.1 Target Acceptable Level Reforestation success To have a minimum of 97% of areas sufficiently - 3% stocked after harvest. Resource Person: Silviculture and Scaling Supervisor

Definitions

STOCKING – refers to the degree or level to which disturbed forest sites are regenerated with seedlings, either by artificial means (planting or seeding) or through natural processes. Sufficient stocking is defined by the Province’s Minimum Stocking Standard, which states in part that the percent stocking of seedlings must be at least five percent more than stocking of merchantable trees in the pre-harvest stand, to a maximum of seventy percent stocked. Anything past the 70% stocking level would be in a “no-gain threshold”; in other words the same volume could exist but would be spread out within a higher number of smaller diameter trees.

NATURAL REGENERATION – Regeneration on disturbed forest sites occurring through natural processes. This can be in the form of “advanced regeneration” that becomes established on the forest floor or understory of a mature forest stand; or it can occur from seed dissemination after the disturbance has occurred.

Detailed Description

The resiliency of natural ecosystems refers to their tendency or ability to return to some “normal state” over time after a disturbance. The various successional stages following such (natural) disturbances are generally predictable and more or less repeat themselves over long time periods.

The proportion of areas with sufficient natural regeneration after harvest is at least one indicator that can provide some measure of ecosystem resiliency. For example, if we harvest a balsam fir stand and it regenerates naturally to balsam fir, then we can be relatively confident that the resiliency of this ecosystem is intact. This is not to say, however, that if areas fail to regenerate after a disturbance, then that particular ecosystem is no longer resilient. Other (natural) factors can result in regeneration failures or a major shift in dominant species. Fire in balsam fir stands often results in white birch stands. Eventually however, these stands usually revert back to balsam fir, even though it may take one or two generations for this to occur. Insect infestations that sometimes kill the advanced regeneration can also cause these sorts of developments. In these examples, balsam fir is demonstrating resiliency, even though there may have been regeneration failures along the way. Maintenance of the distribution of ecosystem types, forest

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types, and forest ages within the range of natural variation that can occur through time and across the DFA landscape helps to ensure that the DFA is resilient to disturbance introduced by harvesting or other activities.

CBPPL conducts regeneration surveys to assess harvested areas for sufficient stocking using the provincial government’s Regeneration Stocking Standard for Newfoundland and Labrador, and Regeneration Assessment Procedures for Newfoundland and Labrador. The assessment procedures record the presence of acceptable softwood regeneration (black and white spruce and balsam fir), and other species on predetermined plots. CBPPL’s Certificate of Managed Lands requires that the company provide results of the regeneration surveys to the provincial government. As of 2016, in harvested areas of previously mixedwood stands, regeneration surveys assess the presence of hardwood species as well as spruce and fir.

The analysis for this indicator is based on a ten year average, back dated to allow 5 years to conduct a regeneration survey plus 3 years to plan for and implement a planting program. An analysis of the 2001-2010 cutovers within the DFA indicates that 64% of harvested areas have adequate regeneration, i.e., stocking levels that meet the Minimum Stocking Standard, based on 61,640 ha of regeneration surveys. The (natural) regeneration success rate for the balsam fir working group is approximately 85%, and 45% for the black spruce working group. Tree planting is undertaken in areas with insufficient stocking to ensure fully stocked stands.

Status in 2018

Tree planting is undertaken in areas with insufficient stocking to ensure fully stocked stands. As of the end of 2018, 99.8% of all cutovers had been surveyed. The analysis of the 2001-2010 cutovers shows that 95.6% of the area surveyed was adequately stocked either by natural regeneration or by planting. The remaining 4.4% is regenerating, but not to fully stocked standards. Approximately 1% is scheduled for re-assessment to re-check stocking levels, and some areas are not able to be planted due to isolation or site conditions. CBPPL plants ap- proximately 2.1 million seedlings per year.

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Table 17. Percent of areas on the DFA that are sufficiently stocked.

Year Areas Sufficiently Stocked 2008 97% 2009 94% 2010 94% 2011 95% 2012 95% 2013 96% 2014 98.7% 2015 96.1% 2016 95.1% 2017 95.6% 2018 95.6%

Acceptable Level of Variance

CBPPL will endeavor to ensure that 97% (-3%) of areas harvested are sufficiently stocked.

Management Strategy

Provincial guidelines stipulate that regeneration assessments should be made within five years of harvesting. Depending on the nature of the area, these assessments are sometimes done much earlier (e.g. two years), so that any required remedial treatments can begin sooner. Stocking survey records will be maintained on all harvested areas, and we will work towards being able to generate reports on a regular basis for harvested areas. Our regeneration survey record system is currently made available for periodic audit by the provincial government.

Forecast, Predicted Results or Outcome

Based on historic patterns, we would anticipate that natural regeneration will continue to be a dominant factor in overall softwood stocking levels. The extent to which natural regeneration coupled with tree planting will approach this level will be determined as we compile our regeneration status reports.

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Implementation Schedule

Task Details Responsibility Frequency Silviculture and Prepare indicator Indicator report should be prepared Scaling Annually report on stocking* every year Supervisor * For procedures see Regeneration Assessment Procedures for Newfoundland and Labrador and A Regeneration Stocking Standard for Newfoundland and Labrador, both in the Forest Regeneration Binder.

Monitoring / Reporting

Frequency of Frequency of Monitoring and Sources of Information Reporting Review Annually in Indicator Annually (after completion of Regeneration stocking Report report). surveys.

Links with Strategic and Operational Plans

NL Sustainable Forest 5-Year Operating Plan Annual Operating Plan Management Strategy Assumptions relating to 5-Year tree-planting Annual tree-planting plans natural regeneration levels operating plans are in place are developed based on on various site types within based on historic natural regeneration survey results the province are used in the regeneration levels by site from the previous year. calculation of the Annual type. Annual planting activities Allowable Cut. Planting are relatively predictable areas that do not regenerate and in line with the 5-year naturally following plan and the 20-year disturbance is a goal Strategy outlooks. identified in this Strategy.

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Indicator 2.1.2 Ecosystem condition and productivity - Non-native Species Indicator 1.2.3 Species Diversity - Non-native Species Criterion 1. Conservation of Biological Diversity & 2. Ecosystem Condition and Productivity Element 1.2 Species diversity & 2.1 Forest ecosystem condition and productivity Value Indigenous tree species Objective To maintain a predominance of indigenous species.

Indicator: 1.2.3 & 2.1.2 Target Acceptable Level 1.2.3: Proportion of On a five-year basis, to regeneration comprised of average no more than 0.1% 0.03% annually native species; annually, and 5% at any given time, of the 2.1.2: Proportion of productive forest land base regeneration comprised of of the DFA regenerated native species with non-native species. Resource Person: Silviculture and Scaling Supervisor *A decrease in the area of the DFA could cause an increase in the percentage.

Definitions

INDIGENOUS TREE SPECIES – Tree species that are native to a specific geographic area. Such species are regenerated through either natural processes or artificial means including direct seeding, or through use of planting stock grown from local (native species) seed sources.

NON-NATIVE TREE SPECIES – Tree species that are not native to a specific geographic area.

Detailed Description

A cornerstone of biological diversity, conservation is the retention and maintenance of natural ecosystems. As indigenous tree species form a huge component of these natural (forest) ecosystems, it is important that these native species continue to predominate across the DFA. Indigenous species have evolved and adapted over time to the various site conditions, climatic factors and disturbances peculiar to our local area, and as such, have a considerable measure of resilience.

Approximately 65% of disturbed sites in the DFA regenerate naturally. This is particularly true for balsam fir forest types whose regeneration success rate averages 85%. While there is also a certain level of natural regeneration on black spruce sites (45%), these areas are more prone to insufficient stocking levels as black spruce is a fire-origin species, requiring forest fires to open their cones for natural regeneration. Generally, black spruce areas with insufficient regeneration are planted with black spruce seedlings grown from local seed.

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Norway spruce have typically been planted on rich, balsam fir sites that have been infested with balsam wooly adelgid, which causes severe, long-term stunting of growth. The balsam fir adelgid is itself a non-native insect and at present there is no recourse for treatment. The only option is stand replacement with an alternate species. In such cases, the spruces have been the species of choice, with Norway and White Spruce performing the best.

Status in 2018

Since 2012, CBPPL Woodlands has planted only native black and white spruce seedlings on our DFA. In 2017 a small number of native white pine seedlings were also planted. The annual target of no more than 0.1% non-native species has been met, with no non-native species planted. The total planting of non-native species to date remains at 1,574 ha. Since 2012 this has translated to 0.22% of the productive forest portion of the DFA. Because the DFA and the amount of productive forest decreased in 2017, the percent changed to 0.226. This is well below the aim to not exceed 5% of productive forest land regenerated with non-native species at any given time. Table 18 shows the proportion of non-native species planted on the DFA in the past.

Table 18. Portion of non-native species planted as a percentage of the total productive forest on the DFA. Year Percent for Year Percent Total 2008 0.024 0.119 20091 0 0.119 20102 0.028 0.184 20112 0.023 0.207 20123 0 0.220 20133 0 0.220 20144 0 0.220 20154 0 0.220 20164 0 0.220 20175 0 0.226 2018 0 0.226

1 Productive forest up to 2009 was ~1,000,000ha. 4 Productive forest was ~715,535ha. 2 Productive forest was ~760,000ha. 5 Productive forest was ~696,509ha. 3 Productive forest was ~716,000ha.

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Management Strategy

Tree planting is a deliberate forest management activity and it is fully within the control of CBPPL. When choosing tree species for planting, CBPPL can ensure, from 2012 on, no non- native species will be used to regenerate cutovers. CBPPL will also monitor for invasiveness on existing areas on the DFA previously planted with Norway spruce.

Forecast, Predicted Results or Outcome

As tree planting is entirely within our control, there is no reason why we cannot be within the defined target range. Because non-native species such as Norway spruce have been planted on the DFA in the past, there will always be a percentage of the total productive forest on the DFA that will be non-native, but this should remain at 0.22, unless CBPPL decides to plant non-native species in the future.

Implementation Schedule

Task Details Responsibility Frequency Determine the proportion of non- Silviculture and Report on native species on the DFA through Scaling Annually regeneration regeneration reports Supervisor Survey existing Determine if existing Norway Silviculture and Every 5 Norway spruce Spruce on the DFA are self- Scaling years planted areas regenerating Supervisor

Monitoring / Reporting

Frequency of Monitoring Sources of Frequency of Reporting and Review Information Report on number annually in Annually Tree planting records. Indicator Report Norway spruce Every 5 years Every 5 years monitoring records

Links with Strategic and Operational Plans

Provincial Sustainable Forest 5-Year Annual Operating Plan Management Strategy Operating Plan This Strategy makes provision for the Tree planting species is use of non-invasive, fast-growing, non- N/A typically decided or planned native species as a means to partially on an annual basis. satisfy increased long-term fibre demands, and to offset the loss of productive forest land to non-industrial consumption.

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Indicator 2.1.3 Forest Ecosystem Condition and Productivity – Preharvest Planning Criterion 2. Ecosystem Condition and Productivity Element 2.1 Forest Ecosystem Condition and Productivity Value A productive forest ecosystem Objective To maintain productive forest ecosystems

Indicator: 2.1.3 Target Acceptable Level Additions and deletions to the To carry out pre-harvest forest area. planning on 100% of the -20% annual operating area.

Resource Person: District Planner

PRE-HARVEST PLANNING - On-the-ground field surveys of operating areas before and after road construction but before harvesting occurs, to verify forest inventory information.

RESOURCE ROADS – Include all unpaved roads constructed to access resources and developments (forest access roads).

Detailed Description

Resource roads are customarily permanent structures that provide a route by which transportation to and from the forest is possible. The primary function of these roads is the extraction of wood fibre, but various groups such as hikers, hunters, anglers, snowmobilers and berry pickers utilize these roads to access the forest for recreational activities.

Although resource roads are necessary, it is beneficial both financially and environmentally to build the minimum amount of road required. This can be accomplished through proper planning. The environmental benefits of minimizing the amount of roads include keeping the maximum amount of land in productive forest. Sustainability involves matching actual timber harvest to the long-term production capability of the forest. The long-term capability is only a theoretical calculation, so it is best to maximize the amount of land in productive forest to maximize production capability. Healthy, productive forests also help mitigate climate change by sequestering and storing carbon from the atmosphere.

Residual retention (preharvest) planning is another way to maintain productive forest ecosystems. CBPPL must develop a management strategy and operating procedures that:  Generate clusters of small to medium size cutover areas scattered in the landscape (10- 50% by area) that are in line with the results of the Pre Industrial Forest Condition (PIFC) analysis,  Evaluate the degree to which harvest/silvicultural operations compare with best estimates on sizes and spatial patterns in the pre-industrial era (PIFC report) and sizes and patterns associated with ecological values,

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 Specify objectives for the retention of stems or residual structure to be left after stand management activities in normal harvesting or salvage operations (following natural disturbances).

CBPPL Planners carry out on-the-ground field surveys of operating areas to verify forest inventory information before harvesting and road building occurs. Verifying forest inventory prior to building roads allows CBPPL Planners to locate roads in a more cost-effective manner, maximizing forwarder distance and eliminating any unnecessary road building. In the office, they also capture leave areas such as required buffers, permanent sample plot (PSP) buffers, harvest deferral areas, etc. Contractor foremen also capture leave areas on GPS units during their pre-harvest operational layout stage. Examples of leave areas identified in the field are insular patches, peninsular patches, and small blocks of inaccessible timber. The GPS data collected in this stage by the contractor foremen is exported from their GPS and sent weekly to CBPPL planners as a shapefile via email. Harvester operators also play a significant role in the creation of residual structure. In addition to instructions from the foremen, operators are constantly making decisions that result in leave patches. They often use their own judgment when working around wet or soft areas, on steep slopes, and ledges or drop-offs. Operators will also avoid bird nests and denning sites when encountered. Operator leave patches are communicated by contractor foremen to CBPPL planners.

Status in 2018

District Planner carry out on-the-ground field surveys of operating areas to verify forest inventory information before road building and harvesting occurs. Verifying forest inventory prior to building roads allows planners to locate roads in a more cost-effective manner, maximizing forwarding distance and eliminating any unnecessary road building. From 2011, when this indicator profile was developed, until 2018, 100% of operating areas had forest inventory information verified before roads were built.

Management Strategy

CBPPL will endeavour to conduct preharvest planning on 100% of annual operating areas in a given year. When forest inventory information is verified, roads can be constructed in the best possible location to maximize forwarder haul distance and minimize the amount of productive land converted to road. Pre-harvest planning and operational layout will also identify leave areas of residual retention.

Forecast, Predicted Results or Outcome

Preharvest planning will result in a reduction in the amount of productive area lost due to permanent roads and landings on an operating area basis. Preharvest planning and operational layout will also contribute to maintaining productive forest ecosystems.

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Implementation Schedule

Task Details Responsibility Frequency CBPPL Planners will verify forest Carry out preharvest inventory information before roads District Planner Annually planning are constructed and ensure forwarder distance is maximized. Contractor Foremen will identify At each Carry out preharvest leave areas before harvesting is District Planner operating operational layout conducted. area

Monitoring / Reporting

Frequency of Monitoring and Frequency of Reporting Sources of Information Review Annually in the Indicator Annually (after completion of Progress reports from Report report). District Planner

Links with Strategic and Operational Plans

NL Sustainable Forest 5-Year Operating Plan Annual Operating Plan Management Strategy The proportion of forest The preharvest planning The preharvest planning land base occupied by work will be incorporated work will be incorporated permanent forest access into the 5-Year Operating into the Annual Operating roads is an indicator Plan. Plan. identified by the Newfoundland and Labrador Sustainable Forest Management Strategy

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Indicator 2.1.4 Forest Ecosystem Condition and Productivity – AAC Harvested Criterion 2. Ecosystem Condition and Productivity Element 2.1 Forest ecosystem condition and productivity Value A productive forest ecosystem Objective To maintain productive forest ecosystems

Indicator: 2.1.4 Target Acceptable Level Proportion of the calculated To harvest no more than Not to exceed the AAC long-term sustainable harvest 100% of the AAC over a over a 5-year period level that is actually being 5- year period. harvested. Resource Person: District Planner

Definitions

AAC – ANNUAL ALLOWABLE CUT – The volume of timber that can be harvested each year on a sustainable level, considering only the productive forest.

Detailed Description

This indicator seeks to measure the proportion of the Annual Allowable Cut harvested from CBPPL limits in a given year, and a figure can be provided annually for this indicator. It can be assumed that harvesting the entire AAC will provide the maximum possible amount of timber- related benefits; however, harvesting less than the AAC will add to the production capacity of the remaining forest.

During the 2001 Wood Supply Analysis, new Computer Models were used to derive the AAC numbers for Newfoundland. These models are known as Woodstock and Stanley. The new advantage of the Stanley Model is that it allows us to produce a spatial model of our forest and see on maps how and where the forest changes over time. With this new model our AAC was also broken down into three classes: Base AAC includes the timber stands we believe are readily accessible under normal operating conditions; Partition AAC is made up of small-scattered stands less than 50 hectares in size that cannot be blocked by Stanley using current spatial parameters; Class III AAC encompasses timber stands that are isolated and on steep slopes, making them very difficult and costly to harvest.

During the 2006-2010 Wood Supply Analysis productive forestland on the island was categorized as either Class I (available for harvest) or Class III (partially available for harvest). The calculated AAC accommodates constraints such as including an Operable Growing Stock Buffer, where in any harvest period no more than half of the accessible timber volume available may be harvested. Another constraint incorporated into the AAC calculation is the Old Forest Target, where 15% of the total productive forest within a Forest Management District must be older than 80 years. Along with these constraints, the AAC also takes into account areas that are protected due to the requirement to leave a buffer on water bodies, wildlife corridors and provincial and federal reserves.

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During the 2011-2016 Wood Supply Analysis, productive forest on the island was categorized similar to the 2006-2010 analysis, i.e., as either Class I (available for harvest) or Class III (partially available for harvest). During the 2016-2020 Wood Supply Analysis, productive forest on the island was categorized as either Core (available for harvest) or Operational (partially available for harvest).

Actual volumes harvested in any one year are updated by Oct. 15 of the following year. If the actual harvest is greater than the AAC for one year, an adjustment will be made in the following year. AACs are calculated for a five-year period. For the ACC period of 2011-2015, final harvest figures are based on CBPPL’s Report of Past Annual Operations for those years (Table 20).

Status in 2018

In previous years, CBPPL tracked softwood harvested only. Starting in 2017, CBPPL began tracking hardwood harvested as well. For the new AAC period, 2016-2020, the total available AAC and the data for final harvest figures for 2016 and 2017 are in the following tables (Tables 19 & 20).

Table 19. Softwood Annual Allowable Cut (AAC) Available and AAC Harvested by Forest Management District for 2016-2020.

Forest Total Harvested Harvested Harvested Harvested Harvested Harvested % of AAC Mgmt. Available 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2016 - 2020 Harvested District (Net) (Ave./Yr.) 2016-2020*

53,326 49,138 18,496 0 0 0 33,817 25.4% 5

69,342 0 0 0 0 0 - 0.00% 6

169,248 121,694 131,102 0 0 0 126,398 29.9% 9

122,262 123,496 83,995 0 0 0 103,746 33.9% 14

283,431 173,709 121,605 0 0 0 147,657 20.8% 15

139,400 70,431 128,220 0 0 0 99,326 28.5% 16

837,009 538,468 483,418 0 0 0 510,944 24.4% Total

* In any one year the harvest may exceed the AAC, but the average for the 5 years cannot exceed the AAC available.

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Table 20. Hardwood Annual Allowable Cut (AAC) Available and AAC Harvested by Forest Management District for 2016-2020.

% of AAC Forest Total Core & Harvested Harvested Harvested Harvested Mgmt. Operational AAC 2016 2016-2020 2017 2016- District Available (Net)1 (Average/Yr.) 2020*

5 3,795 0 800 400 4.2% 6 2,730 0 0 0 0% 9 5,084 1,058 612 835 6.6% 14 5,002 0 0 0 0% 15 3,198 0 0 0 0% 16 1,312 0 0 0 0% Total 21,121 0 0 0 2.3%

* In any one year the harvest may exceed the AAC, but the average for the 5 years cannot exceed the AAC available.

Management Strategy

It is our intention not to harvest 100% of the AAC available to CBPPL. The most recent Wood Supply analysis was conducted in 2016, resulting in an AAC for Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Limited reportable in 2018. Since 2001 we have not harvested 100% of our available Base and Partition AAC; however, we have been able to harvest a portion of our Operational AAC.

Forecast, Predicted Results or Outcome

CBPPL will not harvest 100% of our AAC.

Implementation Schedule

Task Details Responsibility Frequency Cutover Updates are used to verify Update what volumes were harvested from District Planner Annually harvests. the DFA by operating area and Forest Management District.* * Procedure- The volumes harvested each year in each AAC class are determined by overlaying the updated cutover layer on an AAC Code layer developed by the provincial forestry department. This AAC layer shows what AAC class each stand in the land base belongs to. The overlay is then used to determine the percentage of each AAC class

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harvested by area. The volume delivered (by Forest Management District) is proportionalized by the % area harvested in each AAC class. Therefore, if 60% of the harvested area in Forest Management District 15 was Base AAC, then 60% of the delivered volumes from that district would be Base AAC. This procedure is done as part of an annual AAC rationalization analysis.

Monitoring / Reporting

Frequency of Monitoring Frequency of Reporting Sources of Information and Review Annually in Indicator Annually Annual Updates Report

Links with Strategic and Operational Plans

NL Sustainable Forest 5-Year Operating Plan Annual Operating Plan Management Strategy Establishing and maintaining This plan documents the This plan documents the long-term sustainable wood five-year AAC figure and specific areas in each supply levels for each its distribution over the district in which the AAC management district is a goal five-year period by will be harvested. identified in this document. district.

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Indicator 3.1.1 Soil Quality and Quantity – Soil Disturbance Criterion 3. Soil and Water Element 3.1 Soil quality and quantity Value Soil Integrity Objective To maintain soil integrity.

Indicator: 3.1.1 Target Acceptable Level Level of soil disturbance 1. Minimize soil 1. No greater than 6% of disturbance on the the Annual Operating harvested land base to Plan area less than 6% of the Annual Operating Plan (AOP) area

2. Ensure roads are built 2. No more than 0.5m within CBPPL greater than the road specifications specification

3. On identified sites with 3. No greater than 10% low soil strength, limit within the operating excessive soil block disturbance to 8% within the operating block Resource Person: Roads Planning Technician

Definitions

ANNUAL OPERATING PLAN (AOP) – All operating areas planned for harvest across the DFA in one year.

COMPACTION – the increase in soil density resulting from repeated passes by heavy equipment.

OPERATING BLOCK – a specific operating area within the AOP, e.g., Dawes Pond.

RUTTING – occurs when the bearing capacity of the soil is exceeded by logging equipment. This is most common on wet sites. The wheels/tracks of the machine break through the surface of the soil making indentations commonly known as ruts.

SOIL DISPLACEMENT – The mechanical movement of soil from one area to another.

SOIL DISTURBANCE – The exposure of mineral and organic soils and the depositing of mineral or organic soils on top of undisturbed soil. On the DFA, this is due to construction of primary and secondary haul roads and the travel of tree harvesting, extraction, and site

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preparation equipment. Such equipment can compact, rut, gouge and scuff the forest floor resulting in immediate disturbance, or later disturbance through soil erosion.

SCARIFICATION – A method of site preparation for planting. Scarification is often used on cutovers not naturally regenerated, to remove heavy logging debris or deep organic soils, so that optimal planting sites are exposed.

Detailed Description

Ground disturbance refers to a change in the natural state of the soil caused by an artificially imposed force. Forest activities can lead to soil disturbances that include compaction, rutting, and soil displacement. In addition to the negative visual image associated with ground disturbance, other negative effects include reduced opportunities for regeneration, reduced site productivity, and the potential for surface soil movement by means of erosion.

Although an extraction trail may exhibit soil disturbance characteristics, depending on the type and amount of disturbance, it may be more of a benefit to seedling development than a hindrance. For example, areas where the organic layer has been removed, and the mineral soil exposed, is often quite comparable to scarification. Not all soil disturbances are negative resulting in area taken from production.

Sampling procedures adopted from the Forestry Services Branch provide a quantitative assessment for soil disturbance. Criteria for soil disturbance include compaction, soil displacement, and rutting.

In 2002 as part of CBPPL’s EMS program, an assessment survey to measure soil disturbance on CBPPL’s harvesting areas was commenced. Approximately 10 % of the 2002 cutovers were measured. Upon analyzing the data collected from the first year surveys, it was calculated that an average of 4.88% of the total operating area sustained soil disturbance on the cutover. As expected, summer harvest areas have significantly more soil disturbance than winter cutovers. The data also showed a correlation between each of harvest system type, soil type, and season (wetness of the ground) and the level of ground disturbance.

In 2004, the method to assess soil disturbance was revised to enable us to better determine the real negative impacts of soil disturbance. In August of 2004, the soil disturbance program was combined with the Fibre Recovery Program for the following reasons:  Traditional procedures for assessing soil disturbance were very time consuming (involved a detailed measure of all soil disturbance in an operating area), and due to time limitations very few operating areas were assessed. Through combining utilization and soil disturbance surveys, all operating areas would be assessed.  The results (i.e.: percent soil disturbance) did not provide an adequate measure of the true impacts of soil disturbance on our operations. For example, an area with 6% soil disturbance can in reality be worse than an area with 10% soil disturbance. The foremost concern involves how much area is removed from tree production.  The new procedures do not involve calculating percent disturbance associated with roads. It has been found during past years’ assessments that the percent disturbance associated

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with roads is directly affected by the area of productive forest within the operating area, and therefore does not present an adequate measure of soil disturbance – based on the use of best road construction methods. Therefore ensuring that roads are built within specifications is the best way to minimize the amount of disturbance associated with road construction. Measurements to the specifications take place during final inspection for payments to contractors. Width specifications for CBPPL roads are: Class I – 8.5m, Class II – 7.5m, Class III – 5.5m, Class IV – 5.0m (as per CBPPL’s Forest Access Roads Classification Standards and Specifications/Road Construction Contracts).

Another way CBPPL currently minimizes ground disturbance due to road construction is by building winter roads. Winter roads are generally constructed for short service during freezing temperatures. They are built from a mixture of soil, snow, and ice, and therefore require less building material.

In 2015, the Government guidelines changed to require that no more than 6% of the total forest within an operating area can be disturbed due to forest operations, which includes roads and disturbance in the cutovers. Arbitrarily dividing the disturbance between the roads and cutovers, if disturbance on the cutover is greater than 3%, then the roads will have to be measured, berm to berm, to determine if the total disturbance on the Annual Operating Plan area is less than 6%. If total disturbance is greater than 6% of the Annual Operating Plan area, then rehabilitation measures must be taken to reduce the disturbed area on the cutover to an acceptable amount.

In 2017, CBPPL added a third target, “on identified sites with low soil strength, limit soil disturbance to 8% within the operating block”. This recognizes the likelihood of greater impacts in areas with low soil strength (soils highly prone to disturbance), while at the same time maintaining an acceptable level of soil disturbance no greater than 6% of the Annual Operating Plan area. Each year the Annual Operating Plan (AOP) undergoes a Planner’s Assessment of Areas, in which ground conditions are assessed and determined if they are suitable for spring operations. Areas with low soil strength will be identified using available government soils mapping combined with CBPPL professional knowledge and historic harvesting information. If a site is determined to have low soil strength, harvesting will not be scheduled in that area during the spring season, thus further helping to minimize soil disturbance impacts attributed to harvesting. To further minimize the potential for soil disturbance, particularly in the spring, sites with low soil strength will be noted under Special Considerations in the Operations Pre-Work Form. These practices began in 2017.

To monitor this target, surveys of areas that have identified low soil strength through the Planner’s Assessment of Areas will be reviewed for percent disturbance within the operating block, and will be reported on in 2018.

Status in 2018

Target 1: Soil Disturbance

In past years, the Percent Cutover Disturbance table used results from operating areas that were cut in the previous year only. Most areas that were cut late in the fall were not able to be assessed

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until the following summer once snow had melted. As these indicators are generally updated in the spring each year, the decision was made to include data from areas surveyed within the previous calendar year in each annual update instead of only using areas that were harvested within the previous year. The method of surveying has not changed but the timeline included will be different going ahead.

The table below shows the results of surveys conducted from 2010 to 2018. In 2018, 12 operating areas were assessed; 7 summer and 5 winter. The result for 2018 of 0.87%, which is a slight increase from the 0.41% of cutover disturbance observed in 2017 (a record low). This value is still significantly lower than the government target of 6%. Due to excessive disturbance observed in the Canoe Pond area in 2017, an awareness session on soil disturbance was conducted prior to the start of spring operations. The following figure shows the results of surveys conducted from 2010 to 2018.

2010 - 2018 Percent Cutover Disturbance (Weighted)

4.50 2010 Average Cutover Disturbance (ACD) = 4.00 1.59% 3.50 2011 ACD= 3.88% 3.00 2012 ACD= 0.66% 2013 ACD= 1.38% 2.50 2014 ACD= 0.74% 2.00 2015 ACD= 2.11% 2016 ACD= 0.46% 1.50 2017 ACD= 0.41%

1.00 2018 ACD= 0.87% Percent DisturbancePercent 0.50 0.00 Soil Cutover Ruts Compaction Displacement Disturbance 2018 0.21 0.32 0.33 0.87 2017 0.12 0.23 0.06 0.41 2016 0.07 0.20 0.20 0.46 2015 0.34 1.21 0.56 2.11 2014 0.07 0.09 0.58 0.74 2013 0.22 0.70 0.45 1.38 2012 0.04 0.32 0.30 0.66 2011 1.36 2.17 0.35 3.88 2010 1.18 0.11 0.30 1.59

Figure 7. Percent cutover disturbance 2008-2017

Target 2: Road Disturbance

Although the area of ground disturbed by roads is not determined by the current assessment method, the area of productive land on the DFA that has been converted to roads has been

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calculated as 0.5%. This calculation is based on 2016 statistics from the Forestry and Wildlife Branch roads database. Ensuring roads are built within specifications is the best way to minimize the amount of disturbance associated with road construction. All new roads are measured as a part of a final inspection before payment is released to contractors.

The table below indicates the surface widths of roads are being built close to CBPPL specifications. Results show that with the exception of 2007 and 2008, CBPPL has been within the identified variance (0.5m) of specifications for Class IV roads. With respect to Class III roads, CBPPL has been within the identified variance (0.5m) except for those constructed in 2005-2007. From 2005 to 2016 no Class I or Class II roads were constructed. We do not anticipate the construction of Class I roads in the future.

Table 21. Average Width (m) of Roads Built on CBPPL Limits from 2008 to 2018

Year Class II Class III Class IV 2008 * 5.9 6.2 2009 * 5.7 5.27 2010 * 5.3 *** 2011 * 5.5 *** 2012 * 5.8 5.5 2013 * ** 5.3 2014 * ** 5.28 2015 * ** 5.3 2016 * ** 5.29 2017 7.36 ** 5.32 2018 7.08 ** 5.39 * No Class II roads built ** No Class III roads built *** Data unavailable

Management Strategy

CBPPL will continue to survey soil disturbance to determine the area of ground disturbed on cutovers. Survey results will allow us to guide our contractors to purchase the right equipment, plan our areas by season and type of existing equipment, and implement harvesting operation procedures that will minimize ground disturbance. Examples of these procedures could be guidelines for the percentage of a cutover on which machines can travel, or the standard width of operational roads.

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CBPP is strongly committed to improving soil disturbance performance and has developed the following points of strategy to ensure effective remedial action:  Conduct assessments that measure soil disturbance to enable effective management action.  Identify specific problem areas of soil disturbance.  Develop and implement an appropriate action plan.  Develop a reporting system where results are communicated to the appropriate personnel to ensure necessary remedial action.  Promote education and awareness amongst all employees.

CBPPL will continue to track adherence to roads specifications through periodic checks and measurements during final inspections. This will allow us to address any issues before they become problems, and therefore minimize the amount of soil disturbance associated with road building. When and where possible, we will also build winter roads to access wood harvested in the winter.

Forecast, Predicted Results or Outcome

CBPPL should be able to meet our target of less than 3% of the operating area disturbed in cutovers and adhere to best management practices for road construction.

Implementation Schedule

Task Details Responsibility Frequency Procedures for soil Operations Annually Conduct soil disturbance disturbance surveys are Superintendent survey, and report on road detailed in Soil Disturbance widths vs. specifications. Program Annual Report Calculate ground Environmental Annually Will describe the % of disturbance attributed to Management operating areas that have cutovers. Representative been disturbed

Will describe the actual Roads Planning Annually Determine actual road average width of capital and Technician width vs. specification. operational roads. Measure roads berm to Roads Planning As required If disturbance on the berm, to calculate Technician cutover is greater than 3%, disturbance attributed to then measure roads to roads. Calculate total determine total disturbance on operating disturbance. area. Assess ground conditions of District Planner Annually Conduct Planner’s operating areas to determine Assessment of Areas if they are suitable for spring operations.

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Monitoring / Reporting

Frequency of Frequency of Monitoring and Sources of Information Reporting Review Soil disturbance Every year (after completion of Annually surveys, assessment of report) by EMS Review Committee areas.

Links with Strategic and Operational Plans

NL Sustainable Forest 5-Year Operating Plan Annual Operating Plan Management Strategy The proportion of total 5-year operating plans will Soil disturbance surveys productive forest area give guidance in planning should use the AOP to plan without measurable soil for operations in areas with for representative samples erosion and soil compaction low soil strength from a soil based on harvest system, due to forest operations has disturbance viewpoint. season and soil types. been identified as an indicator of this Strategy.

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Indicator 3.1.2 Soil Quality and Quantity – Downed Woody Material Criterion 3. Soil and Water Element 3.1 Soil Quality and Quantity Value Soil integrity Objective To maintain soil integrity

Indicator: 3.1.2 Target Acceptable Level Level of downed woody To leave a minimum of material 10% of the Annual N/A Operating Plan area, by district, in residual structure after harvesting activities. Resource Person: District Planner

Definitions

ANNUAL OPERATING PLAN (AOP) – All operating areas planned for harvest across the DFA in one year.

RESIDUAL STRUCTURE1: Elements such as living trees (individuals or patches), snags, cavity trees, downed woody material and plants that are left behind following a harvest operation to maintain the biological legacies of the stand.

SNAGS are dead or dying standing trees. They are utilized by a wide range of wildlife for nesting (primarily cavity nesters) and for foraging. Species include a wide variety of small mammals, different forest birds and owls, and a wide range of insects and fungi communities that function as the prey base for many other species. There are three aspects of snag management that need to be considered: quantity, quality and distribution. WILDLIFE TREES: Trees with a minimum height of 2.0m and a minimum diameter at breast height of 10cm.

Detailed Description

Dead wood is an important component of a healthy forest ecosystem. Live trees can blow down and die, or trees can die standing (snags). These snags serve as important habitat for a wide range of decomposing organisms, as well as cavity-nesting species such as woodpeckers. Coarse woody material includes both downed woody material and standing trees that have been left to allow the woody material to decompose, both resulting in organic matter that eventually becomes part of the soil. Living trees may be left as well, with the intent that they will be dead or dying by the next rotation. Downed woody material can be managed by leaving both dead and live trees, downed decayed stems, as well as residual structure, during a harvesting operation.

1 From Forest Stewardship Council Canada Working Group National Boreal Standard, Version August 6, 2004.

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The amount of downed woody material left on site is, in part, a factor of the harvesting system used. CBPPL uses a shortwood harvesting system whereby all trees are felled, limbed, topped, and cut into 2.5 metre lengths in the woods. This means that only the merchantable wood is brought to roadside, and everything else is left on the cutover as downed woody material. Leaving snags and wildlife trees in harvested operating areas can also eventually contribute to downed woody material. A third way forest management planning can contribute to downed woody material is to plan for residual retention.

CBPPL manages “for the retention of stems or residual structure to be left after stand management activities in normal or salvage operations (following natural disturbances).” Maintaining residual structures in sufficient quantities and distribution will fulfill their ecological functions. One of these functions is to provide downed woody material.

Status in 2018

Downed woody material can be managed by residual structures during a harvesting operation. Cutover updates are required to report residual structure, and for any one year, cutover updates will be completed shortly after the harvest operation is finished. The following table reports on residual structure left on operating areas after harvest. CBPPL has left the minimum (and in most cases well above the minimum) of 10% of the operating area in residual structure after harvesting activities.

Table 22. The amount of residual structure retained in harvest operations as a percent of the Annual Operating Plan area, by District. Year Forest Management District 5 6 9 10 14 15 16 2014 19 42 24 N/A N/A 33 * 2015 N/A 34 40 N/A 51 31 35 2016 N/A 35 33 N/A 16 19 * 2017 87 N/A 81 N/A 98 52 66 N/A – No harvesting in that district in that year * - Unavailable

Management Strategy

CBPP is committed to continuous environmental improvement of its woodlands operations. Through managing for within-stand structural retention, the company will be able to contribute to downed woody material and ultimately ecosystem diversity, a process that involves more than a supply of fibre for the mill.

The company’s management strategy for retaining residual structure is outlined in detail in Standard Operating Procedure PL-07. It involves four stages: 1. During the office preparation stage, Planners identify leave areas such as riparian and other required buffers, and harvest deferral areas.

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2. On the ground, during their pre-harvest operational layout, Contractor Foremen identify leave areas such as insular and peninsular patches and small blocks of inaccessible timber. 3. During the actual harvesting, Harvester Operators leave areas around wet or soft sites, steep slopes, ledges or drop-offs, bird nests, and denning sites. 4. After harvest is complete the best available information will be used to create cutover updates, using photography (if available) or buncher, harvester, and forwarder points from FP Trak. The cutover mapping stage will capture the remaining residual retention areas left for a variety of reasons.

An evaluation of the level of retention can be determined after the final stage, based on a sample of the harvested areas in each district where harvesting occurred.

Forecast, Predicted Results or Outcome

CBPPL conducts exercises to determine the amount of productive residual structure left on operating areas after harvest. Results show that in western Newfoundland, due to the topography, at least 10% of the operating area is already left in residual structure due to buffers, harvest deferral areas, steep slopes, ledges or drop-offs, and inaccessible timber. In some areas of central Newfoundland, however, efforts must be made to ensure the appropriate amount of residual structure remains after harvest. CBPPL is committed to reach the target set for residual structure. In addition, we expect to maintain the high level of downed woody material that currently exists in CBPPL cutovers after harvest solely as a result of the short-wood harvesting system used.

Implementation Schedule

Task Details Responsibility Frequency Retain residual Follow stages outlined in SOP PL- structure on 07 to retain at least 10% of the District Planner Annually operating areas operating area in residual structure. After cutover photography has been flown or buncher, harvester, and Evaluate level of forwarder points have been District Planner Annually retention received, determine the level of retention of residual structure.

Monitoring / Reporting

Frequency of Monitoring Frequency of Reporting Sources of Information and Review Annually in Indicator Annually Results of evaluation Report

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Links with Strategic and Operational Plans

NL Sustainable Forest 5-Year Operating Plan Annual Operating Plan Management Strategy The Strategy is largely The 5-year operating plan The link to our annual grounded in the promotion identifies harvesting and operating plan is similar to of integrated forest silviculture treatment areas, the 5-year plan link, only on management. This project is and as such, would identify a more site-specific basis. totally in line with these the stand types where integrated forest operations will occur over management principles. the next 5 years.

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Indicator 3.2.1 Water Quality and Quantity – Stand Replacing Disturbance Criterion 3. Soil and Water Element 3.2 Water quality and quantity Value Water quality and quantity Objective To minimize the effects that stand-replacing disturbances have on water quality and quantity

Indicator: 3.2.1 Target Acceptable Level Proportion of watershed or To limit the proportion of + 5% water management areas with watershed with recent recent stand-replacing stand-replacing disturbance disturbance within the DFA to 25% or less. Resource Person: District Planner

Definitions

STAND-REPLACING DISTURBANCES: Any disturbance to a forest ecosystem (human or natural-caused) that will result in the removal of the over story. For CBPPL this will include clear-cutting, selection cutting, forest fires and wind throw.

WATERSHED: The region draining into a river, river system or other body of water.

Detailed Description

Fresh water is considered one of the most precious natural resources in the world today. A large percentage of Newfoundland’s fresh water filters through the ecosystem before entering our rivers and lakes, and is found in wetlands such as swamps, marshes, and bogs. In Newfoundland almost 50% of the land base is made up of such areas. Forested watersheds provide a range of important services to residents including the provision of clean (potable) water and the support of healthy aquatic ecosystems.

Research has shown that the most significant impacts to forested watersheds following timber harvest are changes in water table levels and stream flow. It is likely that similar changes occur after fire. As a general rule, harvesting impacts on streamflow regimes are usually short-lived and less severe than those brought about by land-use changes, provided that forests soils are protected and vegetation recovery is rapid. In more well-watered areas, rapid revegetation often limits meaningful water yield increases to the first 3-5 years after treatment (Megahan & Hornbeck, 2000). Research by Natural Resources Canada provides a basis for the improvement of harvesting regulations by the provinces. This, coupled with the strict process management provided by forest certification, helps CBPPL evaluate and manage water quality and quantity on our land base.

A GIS analysis was undertaken in April 2011 to investigate the area in each watershed on CBPPL limits that had undergone a stand replacing disturbance in the past five years. Watershed boundaries used (Figure 9) were based on Forestry Services Branch defined watersheds for the

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province of Newfoundland. This scale of watershed classification was the only one available at the time with a GIS layer, which was necessary for the analysis.

In 2017 an analysis of watershed size was carried out to determine if watershed data was available to help downsize the watersheds currently being used, yet still maintain a scale that could provide reliable results. Digital watershed data was used to build a hydrology component/layer to the conservation feature analysis to develop a series of watersheds that intersect our DFA. Although some smaller watersheds were found, there were a number that were much larger. Consequently, we will continue using the current data set, but will keep looking for new watershed data to satisfy this core indicator.

Status in 2018

To report on recent stand replacing disturbances within a watershed, we had to define “recent”. The research discussed in the previous section, indicates that “rapid revegetation often limits meaningful water yield increases to the first 3-5 years after treatment”. Based on this we defined recent as 5 years after harvesting, and provide an update every two years. The results in the table below for two five-year periods (reported in 2015 and 2018) show that CBPPL harvesting falls within the target of 25% or less disturbance in a watershed.

Figure 8. Watersheds for the province of Newfoundland as defined by Forestry Services Branch

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Table 23. Percent of Land Area in Watersheds on CBPPL Limits with a Stand-replacing Disturbance

CBPPL Land Limits Within 2011-2015 Cuts Within 2014-2018 Cuts Within Watershed Watershed Watershed Area (ha) Area (ha) % Area (ha) % Watershed Bonne Bay 94,188 3,090 3.88 1,731 1.83 Exploits 27,694 421 1.77 461 1.66 Gander 210,922 3,625 1.58 1,646 0.78 Hermitage Bay 4,797 0 0.00 0 0.00 Humber—Lower 189,989 2,357 1.21 1,708 0.89 Humber—Upper 207,019 3,054 1.50 3,080 1.48 La Poile Bay 1,046 0 0.00 0 0.00 Northwestern 49,177 851 1.84 673 1.36 Bonavista Bay Port au Port Bay 92,035 1,849 2.03 2,844 3.09 Portland Creek Pond 457 0 0.00 0 0.00 Red Indian Lake 4,038 0 0.00 0 0.00

Southern and Eastern 89,988 2,700 3.01 2,216 2.46 White Bay Southwestern Notre 90,168 605 0.67 647 0.72 Dame Bay St. George’s Bay 128,425 386 0.29 690 0.29

Western Notre Dame 77,397 9 0.01 350 0.54 Bay Western White Bay 20,686 0 0.00 0 0.00

Grand Total 1,288,024 18,947 1.47 16,047 1.25

*All area figures are of the watershed area within CBPPL DFA and not the total watershed area.

Management Strategy

Corner Brook Pulp and Paper’s target is to have no more than 25% of a watershed within the DFA affected by some sort of recent stand-replacing disturbance, natural or human caused. Literature reviews indicate that effects of forest harvesting on water quality are negligible when disturbance levels are below 30% (Kotak et al, 2009), and minor effects on water yield (quantity)

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at harvesting levels of 30-40% of a watershed area (Rothwell, 1997). This level of disturbance is generally used as an upper limit for harvesting in watersheds in forest management plans. CBPPL has chosen as a management strategy to limit recent (within five years) disturbance levels, both human and natural caused, in each watershed to 30% or less. Harvesting disturbances will not exceed 25%.

This is the first step in our management approach to stabilize water quantity and will be reviewed and updated every two years through GIS analysis. To ensure recent harvesting disturbances do not exceed 25% of the watershed, another step is required.

Cutover updates are done annually by Corner Brook Pulp and Paper planners and submitted to Forestry Services Branch, which conducts a wood supply analysis every five years to calculate the Province’s growing stock, which helps make adjustments to annual allowable cuts. This analysis also includes all recent cutover updates provided by CBPPL and any other major disturbances to the province’s forest.

During the preparation of Annual Operating Plans (AOP) by CBPPL, planners will monitor the amount of area recently disturbed in any watershed. Not all watersheds will have operations annually so the system is always in a state of flux, with older disturbances re-vegetating and consequently, actively contributing to water retention.

There are many factors to be assessed before an area is submitted to provincial government in an AOP. In addition to Annual Allowable Cuts in a forest management district, the amount of area disturbed in a watershed will play a factor in the planning of the wood supply for CBPPL.

Coniferous forests have a greater influence on water yield than deciduous forests, and species conversions from softwood to hardwoods or grass will usually increase water yields (Megahan & Hornbeck, 2000). CBPPL has no stand conversion from softwood to hardwood occurring on our land base. Each stand replacing disturbance is quickly regenerated either naturally or through the help of planting coniferous tree species. Vegetation re-growth is usually very rapid with a complete coverage after one year. Since recent changes to the species mix required by the mill, all hardwood species are being left standing on cut blocks to help with water retention, wildlife habitat, biodiversity, and fuel wood.

Forecast, Predicted Results or Outcome

Initial analysis of the stand replacing disturbances created by Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Ltd. in each watershed over a five-year period was 1.04%, well within the acceptable level. More recent analyses show harvesting disturbances remain at a very low percentage of the watershed land base.

Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Ltd. does not forecast any drastic change to the percentage of area disturbed in the future.

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Implementation Schedule

Task Details Responsibility Frequency Calculate the amount of District Planner Bi-annually stand replacing disturbance % of area disturbed in each watershed Review with District Create awareness and District Planner Bi-annually Planner gather input

Monitoring/Reporting

Frequency of Reporting Frequency of Monitoring Sources of Information and Review

Bi-Annually in the Annually (after the  Cutover Updates Indicator Report completion of analysis)  Gov’t Watershed Layer

Links with Strategic and Operational Plans

NL Sustainable Forest 5-Year Operating Plan Annual Operating Plan Management Strategy Evaluating the influence Harvest areas are Harvest blocks are identified and of forest management outlined and volume net down volume calculations actions on water quantity estimates calculated on a are completed annually. is a goal of this strategy 5-year basis.

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Indicator 3.2.2 Water Quality and Quantity – Buffers and No Grub Zones Criterion 3. Soil and Water Element 3.2 Water quality and quantity Value Water quality and quantity Objective To minimize and mitigate impacts to water quality and quantity

Indicator: 3.2.2 Target Acceptable Level Proportion of forest To have zero management activities, nonconformances 0 consistent with prescriptions associated with to protect identified water watercourse buffers and features 30m no grub zones Resource Person: Environmental Management Representative

Definitions

WATERCOURSE BUFFER: A band of forest left relatively undisturbed so as to protect a water body from erosion.

NO GRUB ZONES: Areas extending on either side of a water crossing, adjacent to a road, where the removal of stumps or shrubs from the ground is prohibited.

Detailed Description

Fresh water is considered one of the most precious natural resources in the world today. A large percentage of Newfoundland’s fresh water filters through the ecosystem before entering our rivers and lakes, and is found in wetlands such as swamps, marshes, and bogs. In Newfoundland almost 50% of the land base is made up of such areas. Forested watersheds provide a range of important services to residents including the provision of clean (potable) water and the support of healthy aquatic ecosystems.

There are many aspects of forest management activities including infrastructure construction (roads, bridges, landings, etc.) that may affect water quality and quantity and each of these activities may have immediate or long-term effects. Direct measurements of water quality and quantity are largely unfeasible across entire working forests. Established research on the effects of certain field practices on local water quality and flows have been used to establish regulations and guidelines to control field practices. These regulations and guidelines address such topics as fish habitat, stream crossings, and riparian areas. Forest planning and operational strategies may be guided by best management practices to minimize and mitigate impacts to water quality and quantity. Having detailed maps of surface water and wetland systems can help identify areas within a management area where certain planning, avoidance and mitigation strategies might be required. Environmental Protection Guidelines for Forestry Operations in Newfoundland and Labrador (EPG) states “A 20-metre, no harvesting activity buffer zone shall be established around all

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water bodies that are identified on the latest 1:50,000 topographic maps and along streams greater than 1.0 metre in width that do not appear on the maps. Where the slope is greater than 30% there shall be a no-harvest buffer of 20 m + (1.5 x % slope).” The EPG also states that “A "no-grub" zone of 30 metres of undisturbed ground vegetation must be maintained around any waterbody crossing to minimize the damage to the lower vegetation and organic cover, thus reducing erosion potential.” Thirty metre no-grub zones are marked on brooks on the latest 1:50,000 topographic maps and other brooks greater than or equal to 1m in width.

All required watercourse buffers are marked with pink flagging tape with the lettering “Lake and Watercourse Buffer Zone” prior to harvesting activities. Winter and spring operating areas are surveyed by Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Ltd. staff before snowfall, collecting the digital location of all waterbodies to be buffered, which are then displayed on the contractor’s operations map. This ensures that contractor foremen will be able to establish watercourse buffers on brooks which may be buried in snow and therefore indiscernible. For areas to be harvested during the summer period, waterbodies to be buffered are indicated on operational maps. Contractor foreman establish these watercourse buffers and all other permanent brooks not visible on inventory maps. When Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Ltd. staff mark the location of new access roads, or plan for the upgrade of old roads, the required no grub zones are identified at every water crossing with yellow flagging tape bearing the words “No Grub Zone”. In addition to the marking of watercourse buffers and no grub zones on the ground, these are also indicated on the operational maps found on the onboard computers in every harvesting, processing, forwarding, and excavating piece of equipment on Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Ltd.’s operations.

Status in 2018

Cutting established watercourse buffers and disturbing 30m no grub zones are considered legal noncompliances by Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Ltd. Harvesting and road construction contractors report any occurrences of these incidents to Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Ltd. who in turn report them to the Provincial Government.

The table below reports occurrences of these incidents for the past ten years.

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Table 24. Occurrences of nonconformances associated with buffers and 30m no grub zones. # No Grub Zones Year # Buffers Cut Disturbed Total 2008 1 0 1 2009 1 0 1 2010 1 2 3 2011 1 0 1 2012 0 0 0 2013 0 1 1 2014 1 0 1 2015 1 1 2 2016 1 3 4 2017 0 0 0 2018 0 1 1

Infractions associated with watercourse buffers and no grub zones have occurred in the past ten years, and with greater frequency in the 2015 and 2016. Many of these were due to operator inexperience or complacency and lack of proper supervision. Corrective measures were taken to mitigate the environmental implications, and to educate employees in environmental awareness and standard operating procedures.

In 2018 there were 0 watercourse buffer infractions and 1 instance of a no grub zone disturbance. An Environmental Incident report from the contractor was provided and the EMR conducted an investigation. Part of the investigation included a site visit by Conservation Officers and CBPPL Woodlands staff.

Management Strategy

Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Ltd.’s target is to have zero nonconformances associated with watercourse buffers and 30m no grub zones. In most of the infractions over the past ten years there was no issue with the marking of the buffers and no grub zones. In 2017, CBPPL revised employee orientation guidelines to include any employee that has worked offsite for more than three years as part of improved employee education.

Forecast, Predicted Results or Outcome

Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Ltd. has been working to reduce the number of watercourse buffer and no grub zone infractions as occurred in 2016 in particular and aims to achieve the target of zero infractions, which we achieved in 2017.

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Implementation Schedule

Task Details Responsibility Frequency EMS As Determine the cause Management watercourse of the infractions and Review buffer and Discuss watercourse buffer develop corrective Committee no grub and no grub zone infractions actions to prevent zone recurrence. infractions occur Determine the number of Environmental Annually Review records of watercourse buffer and no Management environmental grub zone infractions each Representative incidents year

Monitoring/Reporting

Frequency of Reporting Frequency of Monitoring Sources of Information and Review

Annually in the Indicator As watercourse buffer and no  Incident Reports and Report grub zone infractions occur Investigations

Links with Strategic and Operational Plans

NL Sustainable Forest 5-Year Operating Plan Annual Operating Plan Management Strategy Evaluating the influence Environmental Assessment The Environmental Protection of forest management (a condition of the 5-Year Guidelines for Forestry actions on water quality Planning Process) Operations in Newfoundland is a goal of this strategy addresses requirements for and Labrador (as per CBPPL’s the protection of water Certificate of Managed Lands) quality addresses requirements for watercourse buffers and no grub zones

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Indicator 4.1.1 Carbon Uptake and Storage – Carbon Budget Model Criterion 4. Role in Global Ecological Cycles Element 4.1 Carbon Uptake and Storage Value Total Ecosystem Carbon Objective To measure total ecosystem carbon

Indicator: 4.1.1 Target Acceptable Level Net carbon uptake To partner with Canadian Forest Service Integrated N/A Assessment research applying the carbon budget model in Newfoundland

Resource Person: Environmental Management Representative

Detailed Description

In 2017, CBPPL entered into a research agreement to partner with the Canadian Forest Service (CFS) Integrated Assessment project for forest management in Newfoundland. CBPPL is the industrial partner in the carbon accounting group (with federal, provincial, and industrial partners). This project will develop a framework for integrated assessment of forest productivity in Newfoundland. Integrated assessment will include considerations for biodiversity, regeneration, and carbon accounting, using the federally developed model carbon budget model, CBM-CFS3. The CBM-CFS3 is an aspatial, stand- and landscape-level modeling framework to simulate the dynamics of all forest carbon stocks required under the Kyoto Protocol (aboveground biomass, belowground biomass, litter, dead wood and soil organic carbon. The model uses much the same information that is required for forest management planning (e.g., forest inventory, tree species, growth and yield curves, natural and human-induced disturbance information, forest harvest schedule and land-use change information), supplemented with information from national ecological parameter databases. Users apply their own stand- or landscape-level forest management information to calculate carbon stocks and stock changes for the past (monitoring) or into the future (projection). Users can also create, simulate and compare various forest management scenarios in order to assess impacts on carbon (NRC, 2009).

Built on over a decade of research and development, the model was intended for application at the operational scale of forest management units. The model, which is now operational, enables us to measure the amount of carbon in our forests and predict how our management actions will affect carbon amounts. Pilot sites will be selected for the development and testing of the integrated assessment process in Newfoundland.

There will be two components of the research project that are of interest to CBPPL: 1. A baseline run of the carbon budget model for pilot sites in Newfoundland. 2. Refining and calibration of the carbon budget model for the province.

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The CBM-CFS3 was designed to function in tandem with the province’s wood supply model, Woodstock. Data from Newfoundland will be provided to the CFS team by the provincial government for inclusion in the integrated assessment.

Status in 2018

A Carbon Budget Model Working Group comprised of staff from CBPPL, CFS, MUN, and the DFLR was created in 2018. This professional group worked to evaluate the current state of our provincial forests, quantify benefits associated with a variety of forest management strategies, related to Green House Gas emissions, climate change mitigations and carbon credit opportunities.

The carbon pricing system was rolled out by the Provincial Government in 2018 with a Jan 1, 2019 commencement date. The regulatory approach taken by the province was a “hybrid” carbon pricing system. The first element was to place a carbon tax on all combusted fuels except where exemptions were provided. Those exemptions included: Home heating fuel, prescribed activities (e.g. agriculture, fishing, mining, forestry and silviculture), offshore and onshore petroleum and mineral exploration activities, electricity generation, aviation fuel and municipalities. The second element was to establish a performance standard system for large industrial facilities.

Impacts to CBPPL as a whole are two tiered. Forest activities, minus trucking, are considered to be carbon neutral and therefore exempt from taxation at this point. Trucking will be impacted at the pump as diesel fuel carbon tax is 5.37cents/litre. The mill site however is covered under a performance based system, set to begin this year. Facility specific greenhouse gas targets include a 6% reduction target below baseline in 2019, rising by 2% per year, to 12% below baseline by 2022.

Management Strategy

CBPPL will support the integrated assessment research project, in the development of the carbon budget model. This research will help CBPPL to determine how the model could be used to predict the amount of carbon in the forest on the DFA and how harvesting and silviculture practices could affect carbon amounts. CBPPL could use model outcomes to set targets for impacts in the future. For example: “…must maintain X percentage of young age classes (0-20) on the DFA at all times.”

Because the carbon budget model cannot be used immediately for carbon accounting, CBPPL will use indicators from Criteria 1, 2, and 3 to contribute to carbon sequestration. Indicator 1.1.4, Degree of Within-Stand Structural Retention, contributes to carbon sequestration by leaving wildlife trees and snags in clumps, patches, and buffers. By minimizing the amount of roads and landings in a harvesting block (Indicator 2.1.1, Additions and Deletions to the Forest), the amount of forest land changed to non-forest that is incapable of sequestering carbon is lessened. And by restricting the proportion of a watershed areas with recent stand-replacing disturbance to 25% or less (Indicator 3.2.1), CBPPL is ensuring carbon sequestration in these areas.

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Forecast, Predicted Results or Outcome

Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Limited is committed to support the development of a baseline carbon budget, and the application and calibration of the carbon budget model. It will be an important decision-making tool to evaluate net carbon levels and to assess the impacts, if any, our forest management activities are having on ecosystem net carbon storage levels.

The assumptions and analytical methods used in the carbon budget model are described in following documents: 1) Operational Scale Carbon Budget Model of the Canadian Forest Sector (CBM-CFS3) Beta – User Guide 2) Tutorial 1 – Woodstock Import Tool

Implementation Schedule

Task Details Responsibility Frequency Participate in CBPPL is the industrial research Environmental Annually the baseline run partner with CFS and FSB. CBPPL Management of the CBM- will provide forestry management Representative CFS3 input as needed and request updates as the project progresses.

Monitoring/Reporting

Frequency of Reporting Frequency of Monitoring Sources of Information and Review Every year in Indicator Every five years Provincial forest inventory; Report CFS publications

Links with Strategic and Operational Plans

NL Sustainable Forest 5-Year Operating Plan Annual Operating Plan Management Strategy Participating in the When the CBM-CFS3 is It is doubtful that the CBM- development of the Carbon operational, the model will CFS3 will be used to assess Budget Model is identified be used to assess the impacts impacts of our AOPs as the as a goal in this strategy. of a five year plan on the net scale of change in an AOP is carbon storage levels. too small to have any impact on the CBM over the long term.

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Indicator 4.1.2 Carbon Uptake and Storage – Reforestation Success Criterion 4. Role in Global Ecological Cycles Element 4.1 Carbon Uptake and Storage Value Total Ecosystem Carbon Objective To maximize carbon sequestration and storage

Indicator: 4.1.2 Target Acceptable Level Reforestation success To have a minimum of 97% of areas sufficiently -3% stocked after harvest. Resource Person: Silviculture and Scaling Supervisor

Definitions

STOCKING – refers to the degree or level to which disturbed forest sites are regenerated with seedlings, either by artificial means (planting or seeding) or through natural processes. Sufficient stocking is defined by the Province’s Minimum Stocking Standard, which states in part that the percent stocking of seedlings must be at least five percent more than stocking of merchantable trees in the pre-harvest stand, to a maximum of seventy percent stocked. Anything past the 70% stocking level would be in a “no-gain threshold”; in other words the same volume could exist but would be spread out within a higher number of smaller diameter trees.

NATURAL REGENERATION – Regeneration on disturbed forest sites occurring through natural processes. This can be in the form of “advanced regeneration” which becomes established on the forest floor or understory of a mature forest stand; or it can occur from seed dissemination after the disturbance has occurred.

Detailed Description

Forests help mitigate climate change by sequestering and storing carbon from the atmosphere. Therefore it is good for the global carbon cycle to maintain land in forest cover across its natural range.

Carbon accumulation in forests eventually reaches a saturation point, beyond which additional sequestration is no longer possible. This happens, for example, when trees reach maturity. An old forest containing a large carbon stock shows a lower rate of carbon uptake than a vigorously growing young forest. Rapidly growing forests are the best at capturing and sequestering carbon.

Sustainable management practices keep forests growing at a higher rate over a potentially longer period of time, thus providing additional net sequestration benefits over unmanaged forests. Since forests have a great potential to sequester and store carbon from the atmosphere, it is imperative to keep forest lands in vigorous tree growth at all times. This includes ensuring prompt tree regeneration following harvest.

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CBPPL conducts regeneration surveys to assess harvested areas for sufficient stocking using the provincial government’s Regeneration Stocking Standard for Newfoundland and Labrador, and Regeneration Assessment Procedures for Newfoundland and Labrador. The assessment procedures record the presence of acceptable softwood regeneration (black and white spruce and balsam fir), and other species on predetermined plots. CBPPL’s Certificate of Managed Lands requires that the company provide results of the regeneration surveys to the provincial government. As of 2016, in harvested areas of previously mixedwood stands, regeneration surveys assess the presence of hardwood species as well as spruce and fir.

The analysis for this indicator is based on a ten year average, back dated to allow 5 years to conduct a regeneration survey plus 3 years to plan for and implement a planting program. An analysis of the 2001-2010 cutovers within the DFA indicates that 64% of harvested areas have adequate regeneration, i.e., stocking levels that meet the Minimum Stocking Standard, based on 61,640 ha of regeneration surveys. The (natural) regeneration success rate for the balsam fir working group is approximately 85%, and 45% for the black spruce working group. Tree planting is undertaken in areas with insufficient stocking to ensure fully stocked stands.

Status in 2018

Tree planting is undertaken in areas with insufficient stocking to ensure fully stocked stands. As of the end of 2018, 99.8% of all cutovers had been surveyed. The analysis of the 2001-2010 cutovers shows that 95.6% of the area surveyed was adequately stocked either by natural regeneration or by planting. The remaining 4.4% is regenerating, but not to fully stocked standards. Approximately 1% is scheduled for re-assessment to re-check stocking levels, and some areas are not able to be planted due to isolation or site conditions. CBPPL plants ap- proximately 2.1 million seedlings per year.

Table 25. Percent of harvested areas on the DFA that are sufficiently stocked Year Areas Sufficiently Stocked 2007 96% 2008 97% 2009 94% 2010 94% 2011 95% 2012 95.5% 2013 96.1% 2014 98.7% 2015 96.1% 2016 95.1% 2017 95.6% 2018 95.6%

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Acceptable Level of Variance

CBPPL will endeavour to ensure that 97% (-3%) of areas harvested are sufficiently stocked.

Management Strategy

Provincial guidelines stipulate that regeneration assessments should be made within 5 years of harvesting. Depending on the nature of the area, these assessments are sometimes done much earlier (e.g. 2 years), so that any required remedial treatments can begin sooner. Stocking survey records will be maintained on all harvested areas, and we will work towards being able to generate reports on a regular basis for harvested areas. Our regeneration survey record system is currently made available for periodic audit by provincial government.

Forecast, Predicted Results or Outcome

Based on historic patterns, we would anticipate that natural regeneration will continue to be a dominant factor in overall softwood stocking levels. The extent to which natural regeneration coupled with tree planting will approach this level will be determined as we compile our regeneration status reports.

Implementation Schedule

Task Details Responsibility Frequency Silviculture and Prepare indicator Indicator report should be prepared Scaling Annually report on stocking.* annually Supervisor * For procedures see Regeneration Assessment Procedures for Newfoundland and Labrador and A Regeneration Stocking Standard for Newfoundland and Labrador, both in the Forest Regeneration Binder.

Monitoring / Reporting

Frequency of Frequency of Monitoring and Sources of Information Reporting Review Annually in Indicator Regeneration stocking Annually (after completion of report). Report surveys.

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Links with Strategic and Operational Plans

NL Sustainable Forest 5-Year Operating Plan Annual Operating Plan Management Strategy Assumptions relating to 5-Year tree-planting Annual tree-planting plans natural regeneration levels on operating plans are in place are developed based on various site types within the based on historic natural regeneration survey results province are used in the regeneration levels by site from the previous year. calculation of the Annual type. Annual planting activities Allowable Cut. Planting are relatively predictable areas that do not regenerate and in line with the 5-year naturally following plan and the 20-year Strategy disturbance is a goal outlooks. identified in this Strategy.

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Indicator 4.2.1 Forest Land Conversion – Pre-harvest Planning Criterion 4. Role in Global Ecological Cycles Element 4.2 Forest Land Conversion Value Forested Land Objective To minimize the amount of forest land converted to non-forest ecosystems

Indicator: 4.2.1 Target Acceptable Level Additions and deletions to the To carry out pre-harvest forest area. planning on 100% of the - 20% annual operating area.

Resource Person: District Planner

Definitions

PRE-HARVEST PLANNING - On-the-ground field surveys of operating areas before any road building and harvesting occurs to verify forest inventory information.

RESOURCE ROADS – Include all unpaved roads constructed to access resources and developments (forest access roads).

Detailed Description

Resource roads are customarily permanent structures that provide a route by which transportation to and from the forest is possible. The primary function of these roads is the extraction of wood fibre but various groups such as hikers, hunters, anglers, snowmobilers and berry pickers utilize these roads for access to the forest for recreational activities.

Although resource roads are necessary, it is beneficial both financially and environmentally to build the minimum amount of road required. This can be accomplished through proper planning. The environmental benefits of minimizing the amount of roads include keeping the maximum amount of land in productive forest. Sustainability involves matching actual timber harvest to the long-term production capability of the forest. The long-term capability is only a theoretical calculation, so it is best to maximize the amount of land in productive forest to maximize production capability. Healthy, productive forests also help mitigate climate change by sequestering and storing carbon from the atmosphere.

CBPPL Planners carry out on-the-ground field surveys of operating areas to verify forest inventory information before any harvesting and road building occurs. Verifying forest inventory prior to building roads allows CBPPL Planners to locate roads in a more cost-effective manner, maximizing forwarder distance and eliminating any unnecessary road building. In the office, they also capture leave areas such as required buffers, permanent sample plot (PSP) buffers, harvest deferral areas, etc. Contractor foremen also capture leave areas on GPS units during their pre-harvest operational layout stage. Examples of leave areas identified in the field are insular patches, peninsular patches, and small blocks of inaccessible timber. The GPS data collected in this stage by the contractor foremen is exported from their GPS and sent weekly to

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CBPPL planners as a shapefile via email. Harvester operators also play a significant role in the creation of residual structure. In addition to instructions from the foremen, operators are constantly making decisions that result in leave patches. They often use their own judgment when working around wet or soft areas, on steep slopes, and ledges or drop-offs. Operators will also avoid bird nests and denning sites when encountered. Operator leave patches are communicated by contractor foremen to CBPPL planners.

Status in 2018

District Planner carry out on-the-ground field surveys of operating areas to verify forest inventory information before any harvesting and road building occurs. Verifying forest inventory prior to building roads allows planners to locate roads in a more cost-effective manner, maximizing forwarding distance and eliminating unnecessary road building. In 2017, 100% of operating areas had forest inventory information verified before any roads were built. This has been the case since the target for this indicator was revised in 2010.

Table 26. Percent of the Annual Operating Area with Preharvest Planning Year Percent With Preharvest Planning 2010 100 2011 100 2012 100 2013 100 2014 100 2015 100 2016 100 2017 100 2018

Management Strategy

CBPPL will endeavor to conduct pre-harvest planning on 100% of annual operating areas in a given year. When forest inventory information is verified, roads can be constructed in the best possible location to maximize forwarder haul distance and minimize the amount of productive land converted to road.

Forecast, Predicted Results or Outcome

Pre-harvest planning will result in a reduction in the amount of productive area lost due to permanent roads and landings on an operating area basis.

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Implementation Schedule

Task Details Responsibility Frequency District Planner will verify forest Carry out pre- inventory information before roads District Planner Annually harvest planning are constructed and ensure forwarder distance is maximized.

Monitoring / Reporting

Frequency of Monitoring and Frequency of Reporting Sources of Information Review Annually in the Indicator Annually (after completion of Progress reports from Report report). District Planner

Links with Strategic and Operational Plans

NL Sustainable Forest 5-Year Operating Plan Annual Operating Plan Management Strategy The proportion of forest The pre-harvest planning The pre-harvest planning land base occupied by work will be incorporated work will be incorporated permanent forest access into the 5-Year Operating into the Annual Operating roads is an indicator Plan. Plan. identified by the Newfoundland and Labrador Sustainable Forest Management Strategy

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Indicator 5.1.1 & 5.1.2 Timber & Non-timber Benefits – Forest Stakeholders Criterion 5. Economic and Social Benefits Element 5.1 Timber and Non-timber Benefits Value Non-timber Benefits Objective To help maintain social, ecological and economic benefits

Indicator: 5.1.1 & 5.1.2 Target Acceptable Level 5.1.1: Documentation of the To aim for the diversity of timber and non- satisfaction of 100% of timber resources, including stakeholders inside products and services CBPPL’s 5-year -10% produced in the DFA. operating plan for each Forest Management 5.1.2: Evidence of open and District, with whom respectful communications CBPPL has an with forest dependent agreement. businesses, forest users and Resource Person: Environmental local communities to Management Representative integrate non-timber resources into forest management planning. When significant disagreement occurs, efforts towards conflict resolution are documented.

Definitions

STAKEHOLDER - A person, group or organization that has interest or concern in an organization. Stakeholders can affect or be affected by the organization's actions, objectives and policies.

Detailed Description

There are many stakeholders on CBPPL limits, with interests in the social, cultural, ecological and economic benefits the forest can provide. Some draw their livelihood from the forest (outfitters and other tourism operators and commercial firewood operators), some use the forest for their recreational activities (e.g., snowmobiling, skiing, camping, fishing, hunting, hiking, boating) while others aim to ensure conserve, restore and manage forest habitat for wildlife and humans alike. Interactions between stakeholders and CBPPL occur on several levels, some with the Planning Department of CBPPL through details of an Agreement or Memorandum of Understanding, and others through requirements to environmental and forestry certifications.

CBPPL is committed to ensuring the interests of stakeholders are maintained on the DFA. This is demonstrated in the pro-active approach CBPPL takes when approaching stakeholders to discuss proposed forest management operations in the vicinity of their interests. This mainly occurs

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during the 5-year planning process. Cooperating with stakeholders on the DFA can help to ensure their interests are protected.

A target has been established to include all stakeholders inside CBPPL’s 5-year operating plan for each Forest Management District, with whom CBPPL has an agreement. This target will aim to meet with and satisfy the concerns of these stakeholders during the 5-year planning process and during consultations concerning the environmental and forestry certifications.

Status in 2018

The most recent 5-Year Planning process (2019-2023) was conducted in 2018 for Forest Management Districts 14 & 15. The 5-Year Planning process (2017-2021) for Forest Management Districts 5, 6, 9 & 16 was conducted in 2016. During the development of 5-Year Plans, CBPPL seeks the input of all stakeholders located within or in close proximity of the company’s timber license areas. This consultation approach can result in site specific mitigation measures, Memorandum of Understandings, harvest deferrals or continual communication regarding yearly activities. Agreed upon action items are warehoused in the Woodlands Department and reviewed during the preparation of Annual Harvest Plans to ensure compliance. As well, annual consultations with stakeholders occurred concerning the maintenance of high conservation values on CBPPL’s limits.

CBPPL has been tracking their compliance with Agreements struck with various stakeholders since 2014. The following table lists the stakeholder, what type of mutual arrangement exists between the two parties (agreement or memorandum of understanding), and if the stakeholder confirms that CBPPL has been compliant over the past year.

Table 27. Stakeholder confirmation of CBPPL’s compliance with Agreements/Memorandums of Understanding

Stakeholder Agreement or 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Memorandum of Verification Verification Verification Verification Verification Understanding (MOU) Canadian Boreal Agreement 07/05/2015 03/06/2016 N/A N/A N/A Forest Agreement CPAWS/CBFA Joint Voluntary N/A N/A N/A 17/04/2018 01/05/2019 National Regional Protected Areas Working Group Agreement (NRWG) Ducks Unlimited Ducks Unlimited 07/05/2015 19/05/2016 27/04/2017 20/04/2018 13/03/2019 Canada – NL Upper Humber Wildlife Stewardship Agreement

Ducks Unlimited Cooks Marsh Agreement

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Stakeholder Agreement or 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Memorandum of Verification Verification Verification Verification Verification Understanding (MOU) Ducks Unlimited Data Use Agreement 12/08/2015 19/05/2016 27/04/2017 20/04/2018 13/03/2019 Canada Freshwater- FABEC Memorandum of Contacted 03/06/2016 27/04/2017 16/04/2018 07/03/2019 Alexander Bays Understanding 07/05/2015 Ecosystem 12/08/2015 Corporation (FABEC)

NL Dept. of Fisheries Hardwood Agreements- FMD 14: FMD 14: FMD 14: FMD 14: FMD 14: and Land Resources FMD’s 9, 14 16/11/2015 05/05/2016 No response 20/06/2018 12/03/2019

FMD 9: FMD 9: FMD 9: FMD 9: FMD 9: 20/11/2015 No response 05/05/2017 17/04/2018 09/04/2019 Indian Bay IBEC Memorandum of Contacted 25/05/2016 14/06/2017 20/06/2018 08/03/2019 Ecosystem Understanding 07/05/2015 Corporation (IBEC) 12/08/2015

International IATNL 07/05/2015 17/05/2016 22/05/2017 24/04/2018 17/03/2019 Appalachian Trail NL Memorandum of (IATNL) Understanding Nature Conservancy NCC Data Sharing 24/08/2015 16/05/2016 27/04/2017 17/04/2018 09/04/2019 of Canada (NCC) Agreement

Newfoundland and NLOA Memorandum of 07/05/15 03/05/2016 27/04/2017 16/04/2018 08/03/2019 Labrador Outfitters Understanding Association (NLOA) Newfoundland and NLSF Memorandum of 08/05/15 04/05/2016 No response 18/05/2018 07/03/2019 Labrador Understanding Snowmobile Federation Ski Clubs:

Airport Nordic Ski Agreement 07/05/15 03/05/2016 15/06/2017 17/05/2018 23/34/2019 Club

Blow Me Down Agreement Not Not Not Not Not Trails contacted contacted contacted contacted contacted yet – yet – yet – yet – yet – pending pending pending pending pending agreement agreement agreement agreement agreement Camp 33 Trailer Park Trailer Park Agreement 08/05/15 31/05/2016 No response 18/04/18 8/03/2019 Inc. Mitacs N/A N/A Did not 27/04/2017 17/04/2018 07/03/2019 verify AWARE N/A N/A Did not 28/04/2017 16/04/2018 12/03/2019 verify

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Management Strategy

It is our intention to continue meeting with stakeholders as required in the agreements. As new Five-Year Plans are developed we will endeavor to involve all stakeholders with interests on our DFA and get them involved in the public consultation process to develop Five-Year Forest Management Plans. Through this process we should be able to reduce any future conflicts with our plans. Any conflicts that cannot be settled at the Five-Year Planning Team level will be dealt through the process agreed to in the Agreement/Memorandum of Understanding that Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Limited signed with the stakeholder.

Forecast, Predicted Results or Outcome:

Cooperation between CBPPL, and its stakeholders with agreements should result in the resolution of all outstanding issues.

Implementation Schedule

Task Details Responsibility Frequency Meet or consult with Purpose of meeting/consultation Environmental Annually stakeholders as will be to review current status of Management required. agreements/MOUs and any Representative unresolved issues, or to discuss existing and potential high conservation values.

Monitoring / Reporting:

Frequency of Reporting Frequency of Monitoring Sources of Information and Review Annually in Indicator Annually Notes from meetings with Report stakeholders; correspondence with stakeholders

Links with Strategic and Operational Plans

NL Sustainable Forest 5-Year Operating Plan Annual Operating Plan Management Strategy The Provincial Sustainable Stakeholders will be invited Arrangements agreed to Forest Management Strategy to participate in a renewed with stakeholders through identifies numerous goals and public planning team Agreements and MOUs will indicators to help maintain process, a goal of the be implemented in the AOP ecological, social, and nontimber Provincial Sustainable as required. economic values of the forest. Forest Management Strategy.

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Indicator 5.1.3 Timber and Non-timber Benefits – Resource Roads Accessibility Criterion 5. Economic and Social Benefits Element 5.1 Timber and Non-timber Benefits Value Forest Access Objective To ensure that roads constructed are accessible/available to the public.

Indicator: 5.1.3 Target Acceptable Level Amount of resource roads in CBPPL resource roads N/A the DFA under CBPPL will be 100% accessible to control that are accessible to the public, subject to the public. natural reclamation, removal of temporary infrastructure such as bridges and culverts, safety (firefighting), and agreements (Memorandums of Understanding). Resource Person: Roads Planning Technician

Definitions

RESOURCE ROAD – Include all unpaved roads constructed to access resources and developments (forest access roads).

HISTORIC RESOURCE ROAD/ABANDONED ROAD – Older resource roads that have grown in and/or washed out. Some are navigable by truck, but most are navigable by ATV or walking only.

ACCESSIBLE – Being permitted to move over the road by some means (i.e., vehicle, ATV, snowmobile, or foot).

Detailed Description

Resource roads provide a route by which transportation to and from the forest is possible. Although the primary function of such a road is the extraction of wood fibre, they are also used for access by the general public. Various groups such as hikers, hunters, anglers, snowmobilers, and berry pickers utilize these roads for access to the forest for recreational activities. Road development will continue to provide these users with access to all limits. This accessibility may, over time, become limited due to natural reclamation, safety (firefighting), agreements (Memorandums of Understanding), and removal of temporary infrastructure.

In particular, some sections of road are deactivated through the removal of bridges, plate arches, and culverts, which will subsequently be used in other locations. Bridges will be returned to areas where follow- up silviculture treatments are required, and roads will be upgraded and

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bridges returned when preparing the area for a second or third harvest. New bridges that will be removed are posted as such.

Status in 2018

During 2018, all roads under CBPPL management were accessible to the public, whether by vehicle, bike or foot. During the hunting season, hunting was not permitted in the vicinity of active logging or silviculture operations, but this restriction was lifted when operations were completed in the area.

CBPPL has a vast network of resources roads and extraction trails established. The first table below summarizes all resource roads on the CBPPL DFA available to the public. The second table indicates the location and number of bridges removed in a particular year.

Table 29. Forest resource roads/trails on the DFA. Description Length (km) Forest Resource Roads 5,675 Winter Roads 328 Extraction Trails 6,645

Table 30. Bridge removals on the DFA Year FMD Area No. of Bridges Removed 2017 5, 6, 9, 14, 15, 16 N/A 0 2018 15 Lady Slipper Road 1 (Meadows Pond)

Management Strategy

CBPPL’s policy for access management is that roads constructed and maintained by the Company are available for public use, subject to natural reclamation, removal of temporary infrastructure such as bridges and culverts, safety (firefighting), and agreements (Memorandums of Understanding). When installing crossings that will be of a temporary nature, CBPPL will erect a sign indicating that the crossing infrastructure is subject to removal.

While the protection of non-timber values has been identified as a specific concern, the control of public access on Company roads is sometimes warranted. When necessary, various means of access control will be considered while forest management activities are ongoing. The Company, in co-operation with the Department of Natural Resources, will determine the appropriate means of access control.

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Forecast, Predicted Results or Outcome

Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Limited is committed to the principal that their resource roads will be 100% accessible to the public, subject to natural reclamation, removal of temporary infrastructure such as bridges and culverts, safety (firefighting), and agreements (Memorandums of Understanding).

Implementation Schedule

Task Details Responsibility Frequency Complete indicator Report on areas where bridges Roads Planning Annually report. have been removed in accordance Technician with permits

Monitoring / Reporting

Frequency of reporting Frequency of Monitoring Sources of Information and Review Annually Annually Annual Operating Plan

Links with Strategic and Operational Plans

NL Sustainable Forest 5-Year Operating Plan Annual Operating Plan Management Strategy Accessibility of the forest Resource roads are Resource roads are through resource roads initially submitted for incorporated into the AOPs affects forest-based approval in the 5-year and have to be approved recreational activities. plan. If they are approved, before construction can Increasing the amount and they have to be re- begin. Annually, 70+ km of diversity of such activities is submitted in the relevant resource roads are identified as a goal of the AOP plan. constructed and upgraded. Newfoundland and Labrador Sustainable Forest Management Strategy.

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Indicator 5.1.4 Timber and Non – Timber Benefits – Wood Utilization Criterion 5. Multiple Benefits to Society Element 5.1 Timber and Non-timber Benefits Value Timber Benefits Objective To maintain timber and non-timber benefits

Indicator: 5.1.4 Target Acceptable Level Wood utilization To average 2.5m3 /ha of residual commercial +1m3 /ha volume on cutovers Responsible Person: Operations Superintendent

Definitions

WOOD UTILIZATION – The proportion of wood fibre actually harvested and extracted from a given forest area, relative to the total merchantable wood fibre available. It is also referred to as fibre recovery.

Detailed Description

Fibre utilization is an important and integral part of forest management. It directly affects our fibre costs and AAC, and fibre recovery is an important element in the CBPPL Environmental Management System (EMS). By ensuring the maximum amount of merchantable fibre is taken off all areas harvested, it minimizes the number of hectares of forest harvested in any one year.

In 2000, the Forestry Services Branch determined that CBPPL was leaving 10.15m3/ha of merchantable fibre on cutovers, which is above the government standard of 6.0m3/ha set in 1996. In response, CBPPL initiated an aggressive action plan in 2001 to improve fibre recovery from its harvesting operations, including surveys to monitor the success of the fibre recovery program. As indicated in the table below, significant improvements have been made since then.

Since 2001, CBPPL has been conducting detailed assessment surveys on all of our cutovers using a methodology similar to that used by the Department of Natural Resources. Residual wood volumes are categorized by pieces, tops, brows, butt junks, down trees, standing trees and stumps. This breakdown is used to pinpoint specific problems and allows the Company to put remedial measures in place.

Status in 2018

Utilization survey results for 2018 show that 1.49 m3/ha of merchantable fibre was left behind on cutovers after harvest, well below the target of 2.5. This is a very good utilization rate. CBPPL continues to show great results in 2018 due to attention to detail by the contractor supervisors and high performance by the harvesting crews.

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Table 31. Total merchantable fibre (year-end weighted average) left on CBPPL cutovers.

Residual Merchantable Fibre* Year (m3/ha) 2008 2.31 2009 2.19 2010 1.11 2011 1.52 2012 2.04 2013 2.15 2014 3.38 2015 1.88 2016 1.59 2017 1.21 2018 1.49 * excluding non-recoverable tops

Management Strategy

Our management strategy will be a continuation of our current program, which involves the following:  Measure the residual volumes on all our cutovers;  Identify the sources or categories of fibre losses (e.g. stumps, tops, etc.), which will enable us to identify specific problems and take corrective actions.  Implementation of an on-the ground education and awareness program for employees  Frequent reporting on progress  Constant communications with all employees  Financial incentives for contractors to meet requirements

Forecast, Predicted Results or Outcome

The Fibre Recovery Program has produced favorable results. It is evident through the evaluation of past and present data that the program is an effective method of managing fibre loss. Each new operating season presents different challenges that must be effectively managed and addressed. For example, the largest contributing factor to the 2014 increase related to the high percentage of new operators we had working that year. While we are aware that from time to time we may have a bad year which adversely affects our overall results, we are still firmly convinced that we can achieve our stated target of 2.5 m3 /ha. We are clearly trending in that direction, from 2015 on.

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Implementation Schedule

Task Details Responsibility Frequency An annual utilization report shall be Prepare annual Operations completed and the results shall be Annually utilization report* Superintendent reported. * For procedure see Fibre Utilization Control Program Procedures Manual.

Monitoring / Reporting

Frequency of Monitoring and Sources of Frequency of Reporting Review Information Annually (after completion of Annually in Indicator Report Utilization surveys report).

Links with Strategic and Operational Plans

NL Sustainable Forest 5-Year Operating Plan Annual Operating Plan Management Strategy Improving harvesting The 5-year plan describes As with the 5-year utilization of individual the stands and general area Operating Plan. trees and forest stands is where we will be operating identified as an action of the over a 5-year period. Newfoundland and Furthermore, it provides Labrador Sustainable Forest specific wood volumes Management Strategy. available in each operating Maximizing fibre recovery area. These volumes, and from our forest operations is hence the plan itself, are fundamental to this strategy. based on a calculated AAC and assume a certain fibre recovery level based on past experience. Improvements over our past experience may trigger an adjustment to our AAC and, by extension, future 5-year operating plans.

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Indicator 5.1.5 Timber and Non-timber Benefits – Access Management Plan

Criterion 5. Economic and Social Benefits Element 5.1 Timber and Non-timber Benefits Value Forest Access and Maintain Ecological Function Objective To ensure access to the forest and at the same time, address the role that access and linear disturbances play in fragmenting forests.

Indicator: 5.1.5 Target Acceptable Level Implementation of the Access 1. Ensure the management 1. N/A Management Plan strategies of the Access Management Plan are implemented 2. Aim for 100% 2. – 20% satisfaction of PAC members that the Access Management Plan effectively manages for the identified values of the forest. Resource Person: Environmental Management Representative

Definitions

FECV – Forests with Exceptional Conservation Value: Forests with Exceptional Conservation Value are home to critically imperiled and imperiled species and ecological communities. a) Critically imperiled: a plant or animal or community, often referred to as G1, that is globally extremely rare or, because of some factor(s), especially vulnerable to extinction. b) Imperiled: plant or animal or community, often referred to as G2, that is globally rare, or because of some factor(s), is very vulnerable to extinction or elimination.

REMOTE - Areas without motorized access because roads to the area are non-existent, seasonal, closed, abandoned, or re-vegetated.

RIPARIAN ZONES - 1. The area related to the bank or shore of a water body. 2. The area of forest having qualities influenced by proximity to a water body.

FOREST ACCESS ROAD – Includes all unpaved roads constructed to access resources and developments.

NATURAL RECLAMATION – Older forest access roads that have grown in and/or washed out. Some are navigable by truck, but most are navigable by ATV or walking only.

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Detailed Description

Forest access roads provide a route by which transportation to and from the forest are possible. Although the primary function of such a road is the extraction of wood fibre, they are also used for access by the general public. Various groups such as hikers, hunters, anglers, snowmobilers, and berry pickers utilize these roads for access to the DFA

Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Limited builds approximately 70+ kilometers of forest access road each year. These roads are required to facilitate the harvest of ~530,000 m3 of timber annually. A study carried out in 2005 showed that, 1.06% of the DFA used for forest management (approximately 750,000 ha), was converted to roads.

Roads provide many positive economic and social benefits such as recreation, forest management, fire protection, and non-timber forest products, but at the same time can have a negative impact on the ecological function of an area. Direct effects are habitat loss, fragmentation, hydrological impacts, and over hunting due to increased public access.

A comprehensive access management plan is being implemented that:

. Avoids road building (and construction of other linear disturbances) in or near protected areas or candidate areas; . Describes abandonment and maintenance strategies for all roads in the forest; . Maintains remoteness in areas with sensitive biological or cultural values or where required for tourism; and, . Identifies and maintains level of remoteness based on achieving a fair and equitable balance based on independent expert input between the ecological, social, and economic importance of remoteness, and the recreational and operational desire for motorized access.

In order to strengthen this indicator, the target was changed in 2015 to include a measure of satisfaction of the Public Advisory Committee with the effectiveness of Access Management Plan strategies.

As CBPPL’s Access Management Plan, Table 32 lists values of the forest identified by all stakeholders, the impact of forest access roads on these values, and a management strategy to eliminate or minimize any negative impacts.

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Table 32. Access Management Plan for CBPPL Timber Limits Value Road Impact Management Strategy Operational Monitoring Timber Can have positive Construct access roads to  Road Inspection Reports Harvesting and negative stands of timber in  Culvert Installation impacts as accordance with CBPPL Checklist described above Standard Operating  Road Final Payment Procedures (SOP),  Environmental Environmental Work Compliance Inspections Instructions (EWI) and  Indicator 3.1.1 Provincial Environmental Protection Guidelines. Silviculture Positive impact, Upgrade roads to CBPPL  Environmental (reforestation providing access to Standard Operating Compliance Inspections and perform required Procedures (SOP),  Indicator 3.1.1 precommercial activities. Environmental Work thinning) Winter roads may Instructions (EWI) and have a negative Provincial Environmental impact to cost of Protection Guidelines. providing access to perform required activities. Recreation Provides access to Road development will  Indicator 5.1.3 otherwise remote continue to provide users areas This can be a with access to all limits positive or that are currently active negative impact (harvesting, road building and silviculture 5-10 years). Some sections of road are deactivated by the removal of bridges, plate arches, and culverts thus limiting the access to foot or ATV traffic only. FECV Interferes with the CBPPL will limit road  FECV Report ecological function construction to comply  Road Construction Pre- of the FECV with recommendations as work Forms identified in the FECV  Road Inspection Reports  Environmental Compliance Inspections

Critical Provide access for CBPPL will limit road  Annual Operating Plan Wildlife increased hunting construction in identified  Road Construction Pre- Habitat pressure critical habitat areas to that work Forms

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Value Road Impact Management Strategy Operational Monitoring approved by the Provincial Forestry Services Branch. Fish Habitat Road and bridge Road and bridge  Road Inspection Reports construction have construction is carried out  Culvert Installation the potential to in accordance with CBPPL Checklist alter fish habitat SOPs, Provincial  Road Final Payment Environmental Protection  Environmental Guidelines, and conditions Compliance Inspections of permits issued by  Road Construction Pre- regulatory agencies. work Forms

In addition some sections of road are deactivated by the removal of bridges, plate arches, and culverts. This will reduce the potential for washout of culverts on roads that are not maintained, and consequently reduce the potential for siltation of fish habitat. Riparian Interferes with the Road construction in  Road Inspection Reports Zones ecological function established riparian areas  Culvert Installation of the riparian will be limited to Checklist zone and increases perpendicular crossings  Road Final Payment the potential for where possible. Excavation  Environmental degradation of for the purpose of sub Compliance Inspections water quality. grade construction will be  Road Construction Pre- kept to a minimum and all work Forms construction will be carried out in accordance with CPBPPL Woodlands Standard Operating Procedures and the provincial Environmental Protection Guidelines. Outfitting Positive: access In areas where business  Road Inspection Reports will be provided to could be negatively  Culvert Installation areas otherwise impacted by forest access Checklist inaccessible to roads, CBPPL will work  Road Final Payment vehicular traffic with individual outfitters in  Environmental accordance with the Compliance Inspections Negative: access Memorandum of  Road Construction Pre- may devalue the Understanding with the work Forms

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Value Road Impact Management Strategy Operational Monitoring hunting conditions Newfoundland Outfitters advertised and sold Association as a wilderness experience. Viewscapes Road Right of This may be an issue from  Annual Operating Plan Ways (ROWs) the time of harvest to when  Road Construction Pre- visible along a sufficient growth has taken work Forms hillside place to hide the road. Planning road location to limit the view of road right of ways will be carried out where possible. Protected Increased public Road and bridge  Road Inspection Reports Water Supply access with the construction is carried out  Culvert Installation Areas potential for the in accordance with CBPPL Checklist degradation of Standard Operating  Road Final Payment water quality Procedures, Provincial  Environmental Environmental Protection Compliance Inspections Guidelines, and conditions  Road Construction Pre- of permits issued by work Forms regulatory agencies.

Status in 2018

CBPPL Woodlands constructed 57.2 kilometers and upgraded 13.9 kilometers of forest access road in 2018. Through a questionnaire in the annual PAC survey, CBPPL determined the level of satisfaction of PAC members that the Access Management Plan effectively manages for the identified values. As with other questions in the survey, the number of members satisfied was a summary of the responses “very satisfied” and ‘average satisfied”. “Slightly satisfied” and “not satisfied” were grouped as not satisfied. The following table shows that roads built in 2018 adhered to all management strategies for the various values outlined in the Access Management Plan. Of the PAC members who responded to the survey, 80-100% were satisfied that the Access Management Plan was effectively managing for all values except FECV and Outfitting. The rest fall within the variance of 80% (100% - 20%).

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Table 33. Adherence to the Access Management Plan and the PAC’s level of satisfaction with the effectiveness of the management strategies.

2016 2017 2018 PAC PAC PAC Value Adherence Adherence Adherence Satisfaction Satisfaction Satisfaction Timber Harvesting Yes 100% Yes 100% Yes 93% Silviculture Yes 91% Yes 91% Yes 80% Recreation Yes 100% Yes 100% Yes 87% FECV Yes 73% Yes 90% Yes 79% Critical Wildlife Yes 82% Yes 90% Yes 80% Habitat Fish Habitat Yes 91% Yes 100% Yes 87% Riparian Zones Yes 91% Yes 100% Yes 93% Outfitting Yes 82% Yes 100% Yes 67% Viewscapes Yes 82% Yes 91% Yes 87% Protected Water Yes 100% Yes 100% Yes 100% Supply Areas

Management Strategy

The management strategy for each value is listed in Table 32.

Forecast, Predicted Results or Outcome

Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Limited is committed to adhering to all strategies with regard to access as outlined in the above plan.

Implementation Schedule

Task Details Responsibility Frequency Adhere to Access During planning and road Roads Planning Annually Management plan construction stages, follow Technician management strategies in Access Management Plan Environmental Administer surveys Administer surveys annually, to Management Annually to PAC monitor PAC effectiveness Representative Environmental Compile results of Annually compile results of Management Annually surveys surveys into report form Representative Review survey Develop an action plan to address Environmental results with PAC any values for which <80% of the Management Annually and address PAC are not satisfied Representative

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Task Details Responsibility Frequency deficiencies if required Complete indicator Report on Access Management Environmental Annually report. Plan review and record updates Management Representative

Monitoring / Reporting

Frequency of reporting Frequency of Monitoring Sources of Information and Review Annually in Indicator Annually Results of surveys Report

Links with Strategic and Operational Plans

NL Sustainable Forest 5-Year Operating Plan Annual Operating Plan Management Strategy Accessibility of the forest Resource roads are Resource roads are through resource roads initially submitted for incorporated into the AOPs affects forest-based approval in the 5-year and have to be approved recreational activities. plan. If they are approved, before construction can Increasing the amount and they have to be re- begin. Annually, diversity of such activities is submitted in the relevant approximately 70+ km of identified as a goal of the AOP plan. resource roads are Newfoundland and Labrador constructed and upgraded. Sustainable Forest Management Strategy.

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Indicator 5.2.1 Communities and Sustainability – Sawlogs Available Criterion 5. Economic and Social Benefits Element 5.2 Communities and Sustainability Value Long-term viability of forest-based communities Objective To help maintain the economic viability of sawmills

Indicator: 5.2.1 Target Acceptable Level Level of participation and Because of Kruger’s support in initiatives that commitment to maintain an contribute to community operation in Corner Brook, Minimum of 12% sustainability. CBPPL will make available for sawlogs 15% of the CBPPL annual harvest level. Resource Person: Operations Superintendent

Definitions

INTEGRATED SAWMILL – An integrated sawmill is one that maximizes the value from the forest resource. An integrated sawmill has debarking and chipping functions in addition to the sawmilling process, and can produce two products from the sawlogs - lumber and pulp chips.

Detailed Description

This indicator seeks to provide an indication of CBPPL’s contribution to community sustainability. CBPPL currently works with many of the Province’s integrated sawmills to provide them with logs in exchange for pulp chips and pulpwood, as long as the exchange does not result in fibre loss or increased cost for CBPPL. These exchanges help to ensure that the timber resources from the DFA are being shared, when possible, to benefit the most communities.

The provision of fibre from the DFA is important to the continued operation and viability of these sawmills as well as the jobs that depend on them. These sawmills are often located in smaller communities and thus CBPPL has a role to play in contributing to the sustainability of these communities.

Previous to 2011, the target for this indicator was to make available to sawmills 100,000m3 of sawlogs (approximately 12% of the then annual harvest). Because of the shutdown of two paper machines in 2007 and 2009, to relate the target directly to the harvest level and also increase CBPPL’s commitment to the sawmill industry, the target to provide sawlogs was changed to a percentage of CBPPL’s total harvest level. This has effectively increased CBPPL’s commitment from 12 % (the previous target of 100,000m3) to 15% of the annual harvest.

There has never been a detailed measurement of the volume of sawlog material in the annual harvest. Many of CBPPL operations produce sawlogs for only part of the year, while others produce no sawlogs at all, depending on market conditions. The drop in log production in 2006,

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2007, and 2008 was mainly due to reduced demand from sawmills, with a small impact from the reduced total harvest level. The effect of shutting another paper machine in 2009 can be seen in the total annual harvest and the sawlogs exchanged. Lumber prices improved a little in the spring of 2010 but overall 2010 was a marginal year for profitability in the sawmill industry. Poor lumber markets continued in 2011 and into the first part of 2012, resulting in a sluggish demand for sawlogs. The second half of 2012 showed a steady improvement in lumber prices that continued into 2013 and to the end of 2014. In 2015 lumber prices dropped to 2011 levels.

Status in 2018

In 2018, CBPPL had sawmill exchange agreements with Burton's Cove Logging & Lumber (BCLL) and Sexton Lumber (SL). Lumber prices remain high, thus having a positive effect on the sawmill industry again in 2018.

In 2018, CBPPL contractors delivered 44,274 m³ to BCLL, 12,915 m³ to SL, 2,663 m3 to Cottles Island (CIL), and 1,045 m3 to Harold Sheppard Ltd. (HSL) for a total of 60,897 m³. The total harvest by CBPPL contractors on CBPPL limits in 2018 was 494,331 m³. The percentage of logs actually sold from harvest on CBPPL limits was 12.3%. This does meet CBPPL’s minimum acceptable variance of making at least 12% of the harvest available to sawmills in the form of sawlogs. The two main reasons for not achieving the minimum target of 15% harvest targets are: 1) Sexton Lumber’s decision not to purchase sawlogs from CBPPL in FMD 5 after the winter harvest; and 2) BCLL’s own contractors had more available logs to cut again this year, meaning less demand for CBPPL to produce logs.

With the price of lumber remaining stable, both BCLL and Sexton Lumber continue to make improvements to increase production in 2019. BCLL is expected to go from 20,500,000 fbm in 2018 to over 22,000,000 in 2019. Sexton Lumber have installed a third ring debarker and expect to have a third hew saw line running by the end of 2019. This will enable SL to increase lumber production from current levels of approximately 60,000,000 fbm to 70,000,000 in 2019 and over 80,000,000 fbm in 2020. Finally, although relatively small volumes compared to BCLL and SL sawlog demand, we expect to sell logs to CIL and HSL again in 2019. Increased sawmill production and log sourcing to other mills will increase demand for CBPPL contractors to produce and a higher volume of sawlogs is anticipated in 2019.

Table 34. Percent of total volume of sawlogs originating from the DFA for two sawmills having fibre-exchange agreements with CBPPL in 2018 Sawmill Location Number of % Volume Originating From Direct CBPPL Operations in DFA in 2018 Employees Sexton Lumber Bloomfield 115 6 % Burtons Cove L & L Hampden 50 52 %

The total sawlog consumption by these two sawmills in 2018 was approximately 290,000 m3. Twenty-one percent (60,897m3) of the consumption of the above sawmills came from CBPPL’s DFA.

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At the beginning of 2016 prices began to increase to record highs through to the 1st quarter of 2018. Table 35 shows the total sawlogs exchanged with integrated sawmills since 2008.

Table 35. Amount of sawlogs exchanged with integrated sawmills Year Annual Harvest Sawlogs Exchanged (m3) (m3) (% of Total Harvest) 2008 618,200 65,000 10.5 2009 434,322 58,000 12.6 2010 355,000 62,100 17.5 2011 463,889 60,856 13.1* 2012 391,529 57,500 14.7 2013 454,280 77,990 17.2 2014 503,488 71,875 14.3* 2015 546,374 86,405 15.8 2016 538,468 79,500 14.8 2017 492,763 68,888 14.0* 2018 494,331 60,897 12.3* * More sawlogs were available for exchange but were not purchased by sawmills.

Management Strategy

CBPPL will enter into sawlog exchange agreements with sawmills that are interested in exchanging pulpchips and pulpwood for sawlogs where sawlogs are available. These agreements must not result in fibre loss or increased cost for CBPPL

Forecast, Predicted Results or Outcome

CBPPL will make available 15% of the harvest in sawlog volume on average from all Company operations on the DFA, depending on lumber market prices, lumber demand, sawlog availability in non-DFA areas, and an equal amount of exchange fibre available (AAC).

In order to produce the maximum amount of sawlogs that markets can absorb, CBPPL will continue their policy of requiring CBPPL harvesting contractors to produce sawlogs when instructed to do so. This condition is included in the harvesting contract. However, it is uncertain that there will be a continuous market for the maximum volume of sawlogs due to the volatility of the sawmilling industry.

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Implementation Schedule

Task Details Responsibility Frequency Sawlog Continue with current sawlog Operations Ongoing Exchanges exchange agreements Superintendent Contact Sawmills If interest exists, negotiate sawlog Operations in or near the exchange agreement. Superintendent Annually DFA Planning Meet with operations and planning Operations Annually staff when preparing annual Superintendent / operating plan for coming year, to District Planner work on best strategy to meet sawlog requirements Sawlog Harvest At the beginning of each winter and Operations Annually and Delivery summer operating season, a sawlog Superintendent Schedule harvest and delivery schedule will be prepared and delivered to Company Contractors

Monitoring / Reporting

Frequency of Reporting Frequency of Monitoring Sources of Information and Review Monitor Ongoing Weekly Report EX1 CBPPL’s sawlog cut and Sawlog Reports submitted delivery report weekly Annually in Indicator Review once per year in first Sawmills to which CBPPL Report quarter against target of 15% supplies sawlogs and CBPPL’s of harvest made available in sawlog cut and delivery reports. sawlogs.

Links with Strategic and Operational Plans

NL Sustainable Forest 5-Year Operating Plan Annual Operating Plan Management Strategy Facilitating fibre exchanges Areas must be put in 5-year Areas may be put in AOPs to fulfill between the pulp and paper Operating Plans to fulfill commitments for sawlog supply, as companies and the sawmill commitments for sawlog part of sawmill exchange and value-added industries supply, as part of sawmill agreements. This could be areas for is identified as an action in exchange agreements. This sawmills to harvest, areas of higher the NL Sustainable Forest could be areas for sawmills to sawlog content for CBPPL to Management Strategy. harvest or areas of higher harvest, or areas that are within an sawlog content for CBPPL to economically feasible transporting harvest. distance of a sawmill and CBPPL.

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Indicator 5.2.2 Communities and Sustainability – Investment in Training and Skills Development Criterion 5. Economic and Social Benefits Element 5.2 Communities and Sustainability Value Long-term viability of Forest-based Communities Objective To maintain viability of forest-based communities

Indicator: 5.2.2 Target Acceptable Level Level of participation and Train 100% of the workforce to -10% support in training and the requirements set out in the skills development training matrix Resource Person: Safety and Training Supervisor

Definitions

GENERAL SAFETY COMMITTEE - CBPPL holds bi-monthly General Safety Meetings. One purpose of the General Safety Committee is to review items from operations and jobsite meetings that could not be resolved. Woodlands management also meet weekly and issues that require immediate attention are dealt with at these meetings.

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT - A learned power of doing something competently: a developed aptitude or ability.

Detailed Description

Forests represent not only a return on investment for the organization but also a source of income and non-financial benefits for DFA-related workers, contractors, and others; stability and opportunities for communities; and revenue for local, provincial, and federal governments. Investment in the training and skills development of its workers and contractors serves to strengthen the organization and its viability, which in turn strengthens the viability of forest- based communities in its DFA.

One of the goals of CBPPL’s Forest and Environmental Policy is that the Company will “Promote environmental awareness among our employees and contractors and train employees in their specific environmental and forest management responsibilities.” This commitment to training and skills development is incorporated into the company’s Environmental Management System (EMS).

Training needs are identified by the General Safety Committee and form the basis for any training plans required. A Training Needs Matrix lists every possible job classification in CBPPL Woodlands and the training requirements for each. The training database, in Intelex, tracks the employees’ training and skills development, based on the requirements of the job classifications established in the Matrix.

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When the EMS was implemented in 2000, job specific training needs were determined using a Training Skills Analysis and Record Form in which each employee’s training records were reviewed to ensure they had the training required to manage Significant Environmental Aspects (SEA’s) and emergency response. At the time, Superintendents and Contractors evaluated each employee and completed the form based on training received or assessed competency based on job experience.

This database, a computer software program, is maintained by the Safety and Training Supervisor and the Administrative Assistant, and employee training records are entered as training is complete. The database is periodically checked against the Training Needs Matrix, thus ensuring employees have received competency training for their respective jobs.

The active employee list in the training database was reviewed against the Training Needs Matrix to determine the annual training program (table below). Because not all employees scheduled for training are able to attend, more than the minimum number required are notified. Status in 2018

In 2018, the total number of employees trained was within the minimum number required; that is, 103% of the workforce to the requirements set out in the training matrix. However, on an individual course basis, Transportation of Dangerous Goods, WHMIS 2015 and OHS Committee training did not reach the minimum required trained.

Typically CBPPL offers training to more individuals than is required by Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations. As a result, even though not everyone CBPPL schedules for training receives it, the legal requirements for training are being satisfied.

The Transportation of Dangerous Goods training is required to drive a fuel truck - all contractors are aware that if a TDG certificate expires the employee is no longer certified to operate the equipment. The new WHMIS 2015 training was required for all employees by December 1, 2018. We did not meet the target but the OHS division is aware of the company’s training plan and no OHS orders have been issued to date. Since the OHS Committee training is required for all contractors that have an OHS Committee and submit completed minutes to Workplace NL, we have added this training to our Training Plan list for reporting. There were no issues in 2018.

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Table 36. 2018 Training Plan

Training Courses Minimum # Minimum # Trained Required Required Trained %

First Aid 12 26 216%

New Employee Orientation/Emergency 20 20 100% Response/Environmental Awareness

Power Line Hazard 21 23 91%

Transportation of Dangerous Goods 6 5 83%

WHMIS 2015 56 45 80%

OHS Committee Training 6 5 83%

Total 121 124 103%

Management Strategy

Skills development training will continue to be a very important component of CBPPL’s Safety and Training Program and the Environmental Management System. The training database will be maintained by the Safety and Training Supervisor and the Administrative Assistant. The active employee list in the database will be reviewed annually against the Training Needs Matrix to determine an annual training program. The Administrative Assistant will inform the Environmental Management Representative of employee training requirements with regard to Environmental Awareness and Emergency Response as new employees are hired.

Forecast, Predicted Results or Outcome

Investment in the training and skills development of its workers and contractors serves to strengthen the organization and its viability

Implementation Schedule

Task Details Responsibility Frequency Review Safety and Training training data Determine annual training program for Supervisor and base and employees based on results of data base Annually Administrative training and matrix review. Assistant matrix

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Task Details Responsibility Frequency Safety and Training Arrange for Supervisor and Organize course offerings for required required Environmental Annually training if economies of scale permit training Management Representative

Monitoring / Reporting

Frequency of Monitoring Frequency of Reporting Sources of Information and Review Annually in Indicator Training Needs Matrix Annually Report Training database

Links with Strategic and Operational Plans

20-year Strategy 5-Year Operating Plan Annual Operating Plan Newfoundland and Labrador Training requirements for Training requirements for Sustainable Forest Management all personnel involved with personnel involved in Strategy to continue to train developing and carrying out all aspects of department staff and district implementing 5 year the annual operating plans Planning Team members on factors operating plans i.e. planning, layout and pertaining to managing forests. harvesting.

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Indicator 5.2.3 Communities and Sustainability – DFA Wages Criterion 5. Economics and Social Benefits Element 5.2 Communities and Sustainability Value Fair Wages for DFA Workers Objective To ensure that DFA workers are earning appropriate wages

Indicator: 5.2.3 Target Acceptable Level Level of direct and indirect To maintain DFA To always be above the employment wages in line with the Provincial average wage. Provincial average wage. Resource Person: Operations Superintendent

Definitions

DFA HOURLY WORKER - An employee of Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Woodlands, working on the defined forest area, i.e., the area of CBPPL’s tenure managed by the company.

DFA HOURLY WAGE RATE - The rate paid to a DFA worker, which includes regular pay; it does not include overtime, night shift differential and vacation pay, or fringe benefits.

AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS – These figures (with the exception of the DFA figures) were taken from the following: Statistics Canada Table Earnings, average hourly for hourly paid employees, by province and territory

Detailed Description

One of the requirements of the Sustainable Forest Management Standard is that the company must contribute to the sustainability of communities by providing diverse opportunities to derive benefits from forests, and by supporting local community economies. Through its newsprint operation CBPPL provides employment to ~450 people, 175 of these in Woodlands.

To ensure that CBPPL Woodlands employees are realizing a fair distribution of benefits from the company’s operation, the PAC set a target to maintain wages of workers on the Defined Forest Area (DFA) in line with the provincial average wage. Since this target was set in 2004, DFA Wages have remained above the provincial and federal averages.

There are a variety of different occupations associated with the forest industry, and Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Woodlands has 14 different classes identified in harvesting, road building and tug activities (Table 37).

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Table 37. Classes of Workers with Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Woodlands. Harvester Operator Dump Truck Operator Forwarder Operator Tractor Operator Loader Operator Conventional Cutter Excavator Operator Precommercial Thinner Mechanic Wood Truck Driver Grader Operator Assistant Engineer (Tug) Subforeman Deckhand (Tug)

Of the approximately 175 personnel working on the DFA, the majority are covered by a Collective Agreement; the remaining are not. The DFA wages used as the basis for this indicator are derived from a weighted average of both categories of workers. The DFA wages include the base pay rate plus, where applicable, scheduled overtime, a premium for working night shifts, and vacation pay. This rate is then compared to the average hourly earnings for Canada and for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, as derived from Statistics Canada Census data.

In previous years we reported annual earnings for workers on the DFA, and used the wages of the most common occupation, mechanical harvester operator, to represent the workers. The table below shows that for the last seven years DFA wages have been higher than the provincial and national average wages. This is true since we started tracking annual earnings in 2000. The gap narrowed in 2011, probably due to higher incomes earned by residents working offshore and at Long Harbour, or commuting to work in Labrador and Alberta. In 2015, a number of factors contributed to the jump in annual earnings for DFA workers: worker wages rose, and there was an increase in the proportion of wood cut by operators under CBPPL’s Collective Agreement.

Table 38. Average Annual Earnings for Workers on the DFA, in Canada, and in Newfoundland and Labrador Average Annual Earnings for Equivalent # of Weeks

Jurisdiction 2000 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

$34,585 $39,488 $40,813 $41,276 $42,282 $49,756 $54,582 $55,026 DFA

$31,757 $35,936 $36,896 $40,523 $41,538 $42,805 $46,582 $52,324 Canada

Newfoundland $24,165 $33,440 $34,304 $40,781 $40,902 $44,619 $43,959 $54,272 and Labrador

Status in 2018

In 2016 we started tracking hourly wages (Table 39) of DFA workers, based on all work classes as listed in the table. This gives a truer picture of income for all workers rather than using the

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annual earnings of one job class to represent all workers. The results to date indicate that DFA hourly wages are above the provincial and national average wage.

Table 39. Average Hourly Wage for Workers on the DFA, in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL), and in Canada. Average Hourly Wage Jurisdiction 2016 2017 2018 DFA $24.94 $25.77 $26.09 NL $24.06 $24.51 $25.16 Canada $23.39 $23.77 $24.55

Management Strategy

CBPPL will continue to work with employees to maintain a high standard of employment. The Company will continue to negotiate in good faith with UNIFOR Local 60N to maintain a Collective Agreement.

Forecast, Predicted Results or Outcome

Wages paid will continue to be higher than the provincial average (subject to existing Collective Agreement with UNIFOR Local 60N).

Implementation Schedule

Task Details Responsibility Frequency Complete indicator Re-assess DFA worker wages Operations Annually report. annually* and census data as Superintendent available. Review indicator Compare forecasts with actual Operations Annually performance figures at Management Review. Superintendent * As described in Detailed Description.

Monitoring / Reporting

Frequency of Frequency of Sources of Information reporting Monitoring and Review Annually in Annually . CBPPL Collective Agreement with Indicator Report UNIFOR Local 60N. . Contractors on DFA outside Collective Agreements. . Statistics Canada

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Links with Strategic and Operational Plans

Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Limited has a set AAC (Annual Allowable Cut) that determines how much wood the Company can harvest, which impacts the amount of work available and thus the annual earnings of DFA employees.

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Indicator 6.1.1 Fair and Effective Decision-Making – Level of Satisfaction of PAC

Criterion 6. Society’s Responsibility Element 6.1 Fair and Effective Decision-Making Value Public Involvement in sustainable forest management Objective To increase the effectiveness of public participation in SFM.

Indicator: 6.1.1 Target Acceptable Level Level of participant To report on the level of satisfaction with the public satisfaction of members of the participation process. PAC with the SFM Planning N/A Process, and take corrective action to address deficiencies if required. Resource Person: Environmental Management Representative

Definitions

PUBLIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE (PAC) – A group made up of a broad range of interested parties and individuals, including DFA-related workers that assist CBPPL in the development and continual improvement of a Sustainable Forest Management Plan for their Defined Forest Area.

INTERESTED PARTY – An individual or organization interested in and/or affected by the activities of the management of a DFA.

Detailed Description

Public participation is a vital component of SFM in Canada. Members of the public are widely considered to have the right to be involved in the management of publicly-owned forests. Through their participation in the process, PAC members can expect to enhance their knowledge of SFM, in general, and of other interests and values related to local forests. They also gain a valuable opportunity to be involved in the decision making for the management of local forests. Nonetheless, members should not expect to be able to change existing public policies, laws, and regulations established by governments, nor to promote a concept that is illegal. The organization and the public participation process shall ensure that the values, objectives, indicators, and targets are consistent with relevant government legislation, regulations, and policies (from CSA Z809-16).

During its first five years of existence, CBPPL’s Public Advisory Committee participated in a nation-wide study focused on public participation in forest management planning. It was a chance to see what was working and why, and to develop ideas on how to improve the process, both provincially and across Canada. The results of these surveys were used to give CBPPL a

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clear indication of the level of satisfaction of participants and were used as a measure of this indicator until 2007.

In 2007 the survey was changed to better reflect the current dynamics of the Public Advisory Committee. Whereas the initial survey dealt mainly with establishing a PAC, the newer survey deals with the level of satisfaction of members of a well-established and functioning committee. Below are the results of one part of the survey for 2015-2017, how satisfied the PAC are with CBPPL’s record with respect to various forest-related management categories.

In 2013, the PAC website (www.cbpplpac.ca) was created to better communicate with the public regarding members of the committee, as well as activities they partake in. There is also an option for members of the public to contact the PAC through the website.

Figure 9. PAC level of satisfaction 2015-2017

Status in 2018

In 2018, a survey was again issued to members of the Public Advisory Committee (PAC) to determine their level of satisfaction with CBPPL’s SFM Planning Process. The survey covered 24 aspects of forest management and asked members if they were satisfied with their participation in the PAC. This year, CBPPL offered an online version of the survey as well as a written version to increase the response rate. Overall, 93% of respondents were moderately or very satisfied with their participation in the PAC. An analysis of the response to the PAC’s level of satisfaction with 24 aspects of CBPPL’s forest management practices is presented in the graph below. The analysis showed that 80% or more of the respondents were satisfied with 22 of the 24 items. Areas where respondents were most unsure were communication with the public and non-timber products. CBPPL will attempt to address these concerns in 2019.

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PAC Level of Satisfaction 2018

100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10%

0% Percentage of people surveyed people of Percentage A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X

Forest Management System

A Ecological integrity I Visual quality Q Forest conservation Wildlife habitat B J Water quality R Riparian management requirements C Tree species diversity K Economic stability S Watershed management D Insect control L First Nations benefits T Forest research Healthy and productive E M Communication with public U Sustainable harvest forest Appropriate harvest Cultural/heritage F N V Reforestation treatments significance Public involvement in G O Outdoor recreation W Species at risk management decision making Sustainability for future Protection of soils and water H P Non-timber products X generations from contamination Figure 10. Analysis of response to the PACs level of satisfaction with CBPPL management for 24 aspects of forest management in 2018.

Management Strategy

The surveys are completed by PAC members during the fall meetings and are then compiled to report on the results. The results of the survey are distributed to members prior to being reviewed at the first meeting of the new year.

Forecast, Predicted Results or Outcome

CBPPL will be able to achieve and maintain CSA certification, through the continuing involvement of the PAC.

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Implementation Schedule

Task Details Responsibility Frequency Environmental Administer surveys Administer surveys annually, to Management Annually to PAC monitor PAC effectiveness. Representative Environmental Compile results of Annually compile results of Management Annually surveys surveys into report form. Representative Review survey results with PAC Develop an action plan for any Environmental and address management categories for which Management Annually deficiencies if <80% of the PAC are not satisfied. Representative required * The survey questions are available on request.

Monitoring / Reporting

Frequency of Monitoring and Frequency of Reporting Sources of Information Review Annually in Indicator Annually (after completion of Results of surveys Report report).

Links with Strategic and Operational Plans

NL Sustainable Forest Management 5-Year Operating Annual Operating Strategy Plan Plan Fair decision-making has been identified as a value in the Newfoundland and Labrador Sustainable Forest Management Strategy

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Indicator 6.1.2 Fair and Effective Decision-making – Capacity Development and Meaningful Participation Criterion 6. Society’s Responsibility Element 6.1 Fair and Effective Decision-making Value Public Involvement in sustainable forest management Objective To increase the effectiveness of public participation in SFM.

Indicator: 6.1.2 Target Acceptable Level Evidence of efforts to To hold six Public Advisory promote capacity Committee meetings /tours + 2 meetings or tours development and meaningful each year participation in Resource Person: Environmental general Management Representative

Definitions

PUBLIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE (PAC) – A group made up of a broad range of interested parties, including DFA-related workers, invited to participate in the public participation process to develop a Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) Plan for CBPPL.

INTERESTED PARTY – An individual or organization interested in and/or affected by the activities of the management of a Defined Forest Area (DFA).

Detailed Description

Public participation is a vital component of SFM in Canada. Members of the public are widely considered to have the right to be involved in the management of publicly-owned forests. Through their participation in the process, PAC members can expect to enhance their knowledge of SFM in general, and of other interests and values related to local forests. They also gain a valuable opportunity to be involved in the decision making for the management of local forests. Nonetheless, members should not expect to be able to change existing public policies, laws, and regulations established by governments, nor to promote a concept that is illegal.

As a requirement for certification to the Sustainable Forest Management Standard, CBPPL formed its Public Advisory Committee (PAC) in 2003. The PAC began the process of identifying values and objectives, and setting targets for the forests on CBPPL limits. By 2004, this process was complete, and after a successful audit, CBPPL was certified to the CSA Z809- 02 Standard. Since that time, the PAC has met for meetings or field trips three to seven times per year (see table). These meetings and field trips have provided members with the opportunity to share information, discuss and solve problems, and set and meet objectives — the key to achieving and maintaining meaningful participation. Educational opportunities through guest speakers and field trips are also essential to meaningful participation. Of the current members in 2018, 41% have been members since the inception of the PAC. That means a lot of the educational initiatives afforded the members have remained with the group’s

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“original” members. Continually including new members rejuvenates the membership by adding further opportunities for education from each new member’s background. Status in 2018

In 2018, the PAC held three regular meetings, and one field tour, complying with the target of six meetings (±2) per year. Table 40. Number of PAC meetings and field trips since its formation in 2003. Year # of Meetings # of Field Trips Total 2003 11 1 12 2004 4 1 5 2005 2 2 4 2006 1 2 3 2007 3 1 4 2008 5 2 7 2009 5 1 6 2010 7 2* 9 2011 4 1 5 2012 7** 1 8 2013 4*** 1* 5 2014 5*** 1 6 2015 5*** 1 6 2016 3 1 4 2017 4 1* 5 2018 3 1 4 * Includes one combined meeting and field tour ** Includes two communication subcommittee meetings and two website subcommittee meetings *** Includes two communication subcommittee meetings

Management Strategy

At least 4 PAC meetings per year are required in order to maintain meaningful participation, group cohesion, and maintenance of the many indicators included in the SFM plan. More meetings may be necessary should circumstances warrant. Our management strategy is to set a target of more than we feel is necessary, but to never fall below the minimum requirement.

Forecast, Predicted Results or Outcome

CBPPL will be able to achieve and maintain CSA certification, through the continuing involvement of the PAC.

Implementation Schedule

Task Details Responsibility Frequency

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Environmental Hold PAC Organize and hold 6 PAC Management Annually Meetings meetings per year Representative

Monitoring / Reporting

Frequency of Monitoring Frequency of Reporting Sources of Information and Review Annually in Indicator Quarterly PAC Agendas Report

Links with Strategic and Operational Plans

NL Sustainable Forest Management 5-Year Operating Annual Operating Strategy Plan Plan Fair decision-making has been identified as N/A N/A a value in the Newfoundland and Labrador Sustainable Forest Management Strategy.

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Indicator 6.1.3 Fair and Effective Decision-making – Environmental Progress Report Criterion 6. Society’s Responsibility Element 6.1 Fair and Effective Decision-making Value Public Awareness Objective Public education initiatives that increase the public's knowledge of ecosystem processes and management practices.

Indicator: 6.1.3 Target Acceptable Level Availability of summary To produce an annual report on the information on issues of progress of CBPPL’s environmental concern to the public. management and sustainable forest N/A management systems, and distribute the report to libraries, employees, government offices, etc. Resource Person: Environmental Management Representative

Detailed Description

This indicator serves to provide an idea of CBPPL efforts to keep the public and interested parties informed about ecosystem processes, management practices and the progress of sustainable forest management on the DFA. CBPPL accomplishes this through various public awareness and education formats including: stories in the media; tours of forest operations; trade fairs/exhibitions; presentations to schools, youth groups and service organizations; public meetings and publications. A report produced annually to inform the public of the company’s progress toward achieving its environmental objectives and sustainable forest management is called the Environmental Progress Report.

The Environmental Progress Report is published each year and reports on activities from the previous year. It contains a feature article on relevant issues of the day, but most of all it is a report card on the company’s environmental performance for the previous year. In addition to the feature article, sections of the report are dedicated to the findings of outside auditors, an update on programs implemented to help achieve our goals, our outstanding performers, a report on our environmental inspections, plus numerous other facts and findings from the previous year.

The Environmental Progress Report covering improvements of the previous year is available on the CBPPL Woodlands website at www.cbppl.com.

Status in 2018

An Environmental Progress Report is produced each year to report on CBPPL’s environmental performance of the previous year. In 2018, the report described activities for 2017 and was available on Woodlands’ website at www.cbppl.com and distributed to members of the Public Advisory Committee, Kruger Head Office and provincial and federal government forestry

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offices; updated distribution lists were created for all groups listed below. The report is distributed by email to all recipients with the exception of the Public Advisory Committee.

Table 41. Distribution of 2017 Environmental Progress Report # # Recipient Recipient Distributed Distributed

Kruger Head Office 4 NL & Federal Government 15

Education: Newfoundland English Environmental/Non- School District, Memorial 6 19 government Organizations University/Grenfell, College of the North Atlantic

Public Libraries 4 Public Advisory Committee 33

Management Strategy

Keeping the public informed is one way CBPPL can show that it is truly committed to environmental management and sustainable forest management on the land that it manages.

Forecast, Predicted Results or Outcome

CBPPL will monitor the distribution of the Environmental Progress Report and look for opportunities to increase distribution.

Implementation Schedule

Task Details Responsibility Frequency The Environmental Progress Produce an Report, an update of CBPPL’s Environmental environmental efforts in environmental and Management Annually progress report sustainable forest management, is Representative distributed to the public. An indicator report to include Environmental Produce an updated distribution of the Management Annually indicator report Environmental Progress Report. Representative

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Monitoring / Reporting

Frequency of Monitoring Frequency of Reporting Sources of Information and Review Annually (after completion Communications Annually of report). Records

Links with Strategic and Operational Plans

NL Sustainable Forest 5-Year Operating Plan Annual Operating Plan Management Strategy Informed and responsible As increasing numbers of decision-making has been the public are educated N/A identified as a value in the about ecosystems processes Newfoundland and and forest management, Labrador Sustainable Forest they will be able to provide Management Strategy more informed input to the 5-Year Plan public consultation process.

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Indicator 6.2.1 Safety – Cooperation with Workers and Unions Criterion 6. Society’s Responsibility Element 6.2 Safety Value Safety in the Workplace Objective To conduct forest management activities in a manner designed to protect the health and safety of our employees.

Indicator: 6.2.1 Target Acceptable Level Evidence of co-operation 1. To hold monthly with DFA-related workers Occupational Health and -1 meeting and their unions to improve Safety (OHS) Jobsite and enhance safety standards, Meetings on each jobsite procedures, and outcomes in when operating; all DFA-related workplaces 2. For jobsites greater and affected communities. than 10 employees, a jobsite employee -1 meeting representative will attend monthly CBPPL Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) Operations Meetings. Resource Person: Safety and Training Supervisor

Definitions

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY (OHS) - a cross-disciplinary area concerned with protecting the safety, health and welfare of people engaged in work or employment. The goal of all occupational health and safety programs is to foster a safe work environment. As a secondary effect, it may also protect co-workers, family members, employers, customers, suppliers, nearby communities, and other members of the public who are impacted by the workplace environment.

JOBSITE MEETINGS - Jobsites with greater than 10 employees are required under the Provincial Occupational Health and Safety regulations to hold quarterly safety meetings with representatives of the workforce. CBPPL requires their contractors to hold monthly jobsite meetings when they are operating.

ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH & SAFETY (EHS) OPERATIONS MEETINGS - CPBBL Woodlands hold monthly meetings with representatives from all jobsites that are active. Generally the jobsite supervisor and OHS representative from the monthly jobsite meetings attend EHS Operations Meetings.

GENERAL SAFETY MEETINGS - CBPPL holds bi-monthly General Safety Meetings. One purpose of the General Safety Committee is to review items from operations and jobsite

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meetings that could not be resolved. Woodlands management also meet weekly and issues that require immediate attention are dealt with at these meetings.

Detailed Description

All workers have a fundamental right to a workplace that neither impairs their health nor imperils their safety. This is achieved by working with stakeholders to establish, promote and enforce workplace practices, standards and procedures.

Occupational health and safety is a discipline with a broad scope involving many specialized fields.2 In its broadest sense, OHS should aim at:  the promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and social well- being of workers in all occupations;  the prevention among workers of adverse effects on health caused by their working conditions;  the protection of workers in their employment from risks resulting from factors adverse to health;  the placing and maintenance of workers in an occupational environment adapted to physical and mental needs;  the adaptation of work to humans.

In other words, occupational health and safety encompasses the social, mental and physical well- being of workers, that is, the “whole person”.

Successful occupational health and safety practice requires the collaboration and participation of both employers and workers in health and safety programs, and involves the consideration of issues relating to occupational medicine, industrial hygiene, toxicology, education, engineering safety, ergonomics, psychology, etc. It is crucial that employers, workers and unions are committed to health and safety and that:  workplace hazards are controlled - at the source whenever possible;  records of any exposure are maintained for many years;  both workers and employers are informed about health and safety risks in the workplace;  there is an active and effective health and safety committee that includes both workers and management;  worker health and safety efforts are ongoing.

Effective workplace health and safety programs can help to save the lives of workers by reducing hazards and their consequences. Health and safety programs also have positive effects on both worker morale and productivity, which are important benefits. At the same time, effective programs can save employers a great deal of money.

Health and safety are important in the workplace because the human resource is the most important resource of an organization. A safe situation is one where the risks of injuries or

2 International Labour Organization (http://actrav.itcilo.org/actrav-english/telearn/osh/intro/introduc.htm)

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damage to property are low. Improvements to worker safety standards can be developed and promoted through joint company/union health and safety conferences held regularly each year.

A major part of our commitment to safety is the implementation of regular meetings of Occupational Health and Safety Committees at the job site, EHS operations, and management levels. Contractors are required to hold monthly job site occupational health and safety meetings. At these meetings, employees have the opportunity to voice health and safety-related concerns. Matters not resolved at this level are brought forward to the monthly EHS Operations Meetings, which deal with health and safety, as well as environmental issues and updates. Job site contractor and employee occupational health and safety representatives, union representatives, and CBPPL staff attend these meetings. Issues still unresolved at this level are brought forward to the General Safety Committee, where they are ultimately settled by CBPPL senior management staff. This three-level process ensures all outstanding concerns brought forward on the job-site level are subsequently dealt with at a higher level of management.

Since CBPPL began holding EHS Operations meetings, the jobsite was represented at the meeting by the employer OHS representative, which is the Contractor Supervisor. Often operators (employee representatives) attended the meetings as well, although it was not compulsory for them to do so. At the EHS Operations Meeting of December 17, 2010, a recommendation was made to “Assign contractors to bring an operator to each meeting next year.” This began in January 2011. It was further clarified at the meeting of February 18, 2011 that “Harvesting contractors that are working should have an OHS rep or alternate to attend monthly meetings”.

Currently each jobsite holds monthly OHS Jobsite Meetings during the months that operations are ongoing. These meetings are attended by contractor staff and employee OHS representatives. In addition, a jobsite employee representative attends monthly CBPPL EHS Operations Meetings to bring forward issues not settled at the jobsite meetings. If issues cannot be resolved at the EHS Operations Meetings they are brought forward to the General Safety Committee. General Safety Committee meetings are held bi-monthly. A Woodlands Management Committee also meets weekly and issues that require immediate attention are dealt with at these meetings. Minutes and attendance are kept at all meetings.

Status in 2018

Currently each jobsite holds monthly OHS Jobsite Meetings during the months that operations are ongoing. These meetings are attended by contractor staff and employee OHS representatives. In addition, a jobsite employee representative attends monthly CBPPL EHS Operations Meetings to bring forward issues not settled at the jobsite meetings. If issues cannot be resolved at the EHS Operations Meetings they are brought forward to the General Safety Committee. General Safety Committee meetings are held bi-monthly. A Woodlands Management Committee also meets weekly and issues that require immediate attention are dealt with at these meetings. Minutes and attendance are kept at all meetings.

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The following table tracks monthly OHS Jobsite Meetings held and the attendance of employees at monthly CBPPL EHS Operations Meetings for 2018. Monthly OHS Jobsite Meetings met the target for 2018. At the September EHS Operations meeting one employee representative was missing, falling within the variance of -1 meeting and also meeting the target.

Table 42. Record of contractor jobsite meetings and attendance of employee representatives at CBPPL EHS Operations Meetings in 2018. Month Jobsite OHS Meetings Held Required # Actual # by all Contractors Operating Employee Employee Rep./Alts at Rep./Alts at (Y/N) EHS Meeting EHS Meeting January Y 5 5 February Y 5 5 March Y 4 4 April N/A 0 0 May Y 3 3 June Y 4 4 July Y 5 5 August Y 6 6 September Y 6 5 October Y 4 4 November Y 3 3 December Y 3 3 N/A: Operations shutdown

The table below shows the trend of results of this indicator since the target was established in 2011.

Table 43. Contractor OHS Jobsite Meetings and CBPPL EHS Operations Meetings trends Target Met

Target 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Jobsite OHS Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Meetings Held Employee Rep at Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes EHS Operations Meeting

Management Strategy

Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Ltd. will continue to implement its occupational health and safety program, including all of the elements required by the Occupational Health and Safety Act of

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Newfoundland and Labrador. CBPPL will continue to adhere to this rigid schedule of safety jobsite and operations meetings and require employee OHS representatives at both meetings.

Forecast, Predicted Results or Outcome

Corner Brook Pulp and Paper will hold monthly Operations Meetings to resolve outstanding concerns arising from the jobsite level. The General Safety Committee will meet six times per year to resolve outstanding concerns arising from the Operations Meetings, as well as to propose and produce Company policy and practices as they relate to health and safety. The monthly Health and Safety meetings and the Workplace Health and Safety Program will help save lives by reducing hazards and their consequences, and will also have positive effects on both worker morale and productivity.

Implementation Schedule

Task Details Responsibility Frequency Hold monthly A jobsite representative will ensure Safety and Monthly jobsite meetings; a issues are dealt with by all levels of Training jobsite the organization. Supervisor representative is to attend monthly Resolve outstanding concerns CBPPL Operations arising from the jobsite level, and Meetings distribute and review health and safety policies and practices.

Monitoring / Reporting

Frequency of Reporting Frequency of Monitoring Sources of Information and Review Annually Annually Woodlands Safety files

Links with Strategic and Operational Plans

Not Applicable.

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Indicator 6.2.2 Safety – Worker Safety Program Criterion 6. Society’s Responsibility Element 6.2 Safety Value Safety in the Forest Workplace Objective To conduct forest management activities in a manner designed to protect the health and safety of our employees

Indicator: 6.2.2 Target Acceptable Level Evidence that a worker safety Develop and maintain a program has been Preventative Index yearly -1% implemented and is average of 95% for all periodically reviewed and Woodlands operations. improved. Resource Person: Safety and Training Supervisor

Definitions

ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH & SAFETY (EHS) OPERATIONS MEETINGS - CPBBL Woodlands hold monthly meetings with representatives from all jobsites that are active. Generally the jobsite supervisor and OHS representative from the monthly jobsite meetings attend EHS Operations Meetings.

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY - a cross-disciplinary area concerned with protecting the safety, health and welfare of people engaged in work or employment. The goal of all occupational health and safety programs is to foster a safe work environment. As a secondary effect, it may also protect co-workers, family members, employers, customers, suppliers, nearby communities, and other members of the public who are impacted by the workplace environment.

OSHA RATE – Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rate. The industry standard for determining safety performance. OSHA rate is calculated by the following equation: (Total number of injuries and illnesses x 200,000) /number of hours worked by all employees.

PREVENTATIVE INDEX - A type of performance measurement to evaluate the success of CBPPL’s safety program.

Detailed Description

All workers have a fundamental right to a workplace that neither impairs their health, nor imperils their safety. This is achieved by working with stakeholders to establish, promote and enforce workplace practices, standards and procedures.

Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Woodlands is committed to providing a healthy and safe work environment for its employees and is dedicated to eliminating the possibility of injury and workplace illness. This commitment is demonstrated in the implementation of an occupational health and safety program. Elements of the program include:

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 Leadership and Administration  Communication  Education and Training  Safe Work Practices and Procedures  Hazard Recognition, Evaluation and Control  Accident/incident Investigations  Workplace Inspections  Emergency Preparedness  Disability Management  Ergonomics  Occupational Health and Safety Committees

Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Woodlands is committed to employee health, safety, and welfare, and abides by all regulations and guidelines in the Occupational Health and Safety Act of Newfoundland and Labrador as they pertain to our operations. Implementation of CBPPL’s occupational health and safety program has resulted in a decline in injuries over the years. The following figure shows the trend of CBPPL Woodlands OSHA rate, which is the industry standard for determining safety performance. OSHA rate is calculated by the following equation: (Total number of injuries and illnesses x 200,000) /number of hours worked by all employees.

CBPPL Woodlands OSHA Rate Trend 12 11.4

10

8

5.6 6.2 6 5 4 4.2 2.1 2 1.4 0.93 0.52 1.77 1.5 1.15 0 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Figure 11. Trend of CBPPL Woodlands OSHA rate.

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CBPPL Woodlands has created the Preventative Index to measure the performance of our Safety Program. In the first table below, the Preventative Index guidelines are outlined. In the following table the individual items used in the measurement are described.

Table 44. Preventative Index Guidelines. Woodlands Preventative Index Structure

PREVENTATIVE CBPPL Manager/ Woodlands Site Employees INDEX Superintendents Supervisor/ Supervisor Staff /Contractors

Monthly Actual Woodlands 10% As required and as per actions items identified during Jobsite Corrective/Preventative meetings Action Items (CA/PA) Incident Investigations 30% As required and as per CBPPL Policy H & S Audit – Focus 30% 2 / bi-monthly* 2/month * 4/month** N/A Audits Service NL - OHS Orders 5% As required and as per actions items identified during inspection BBS 15% 0 0 0 4/month ** Safety Meetings 5% 1/month ** 1/month ** 1/month ** 1/month ** Pre-Use Equipment 0% N/A N/A N/A 1/day ** Checklist Safety Chats / Hazard 5% 2/week * 2/week * 1/day ** 1/day ** Assessments No. 2 Workplace 0% As required and as per CBPPL Policy & Schedule Inspections & Follow-up Maximum Score Actual / Target 100% possible 100% CALCULATIONS CA/PA Items & Incident Investigation calculations will follow the example, depending on amount of points weighted for the section: (ex. CA/PA section - 15 total action items and 4 are over 60 days - 11/15=73% complete = 73% of 10 total points = 7.3 out of the 10 points)

Other calculations will be based on target value: (ex. 12 focus audits is the target for the month, 9 focus audits completed for the month = 9/12=75% = 75% of 15 points = 11.25 out of the 15 points)

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Table 45. Preventative Index Item Descriptions.

Descriptions

Woodlands Joint Occupational Health and Safety (JOHS) committee Corrective/Preventative members are part of the Jobsite OHS committee meeting. These Action Items - JOHS items are carried forward to the Monthly EHS Operations Committee action item meeting; items are tracked in this section for all operations. All from all operations. action items to be completed before Past Due Date set in Intelex or points will be lost. Incident Investigations All safety investigations are to be held in a timely manner as per CBPPL policy and follow-up corrective/preventative actions to be completed before Past Due Date, unless deferred for seasonality or outstanding circumstances. Marks will be lost for action exceeding Past Due Date. Calculations will follow the same concept as above for the amount of points weighted on the section. Health & Safety Focus To ensure completion of focus audits by contractors and CBPPL Audits staff, a yearly schedule has been set. - Contractors pass focus audits in at monthly EHS Operations meetings - CBPPL staff are required to complete two as per schedule. - Manager/designate completes 3 bi-monthly with CBPPL staff following the Management Process Focus Audit ; Peer-to-Peer discussion regarding their performance when completing any audit. Audit Action Items - OHS This section will continue to monitor the progress of the action Orders (Service NL) items that are identified in an audit or government inspection (Service NL). This section will be managed within the Process Nonconformance module of Intelex. BBS (Behaviour Based BBS are designed to drive safety discussions/interactions Safety) between employees. General Manager/designate and Safety & Training Supervisor are required to review BBS program to ensure effectiveness, as per focus audit schedule.

Preventative Index also recognizes contractors/operations that did not submit a weekly BBS report during the month. This ensures commitment from the supervisors in the BBS process. Safety Meetings (Jobsite All active operations are expected to hold one safety meeting per OHS meeting / Woodlands month. The number required is dependent upon the number of Monthly EHS Operations operations that are operating at the given time during the month. meeting) EHS Operations meeting required once per month.

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Emergency Response All active operations are expected to hold emergency response Drills drills as per schedule. Completed drills are submitted and logged in the EMS within Woodlands and reviewed at the monthly EHS Operations meeting. Points will be lost if scheduled drill are not completed for the month. Pre-use checklists are required to be done by all employees Pre-Use Equipment once/day; first line supervisors are required to review checklist Checklist - Not included once/week. All checklists are reviewed by CBPPL staff during on Preventative Index #2 workplace safety inspections. Completed checklists are submitted to Safety & Training Supervisor. Safety chats are required to be completed once/day. The safety chats include a hazard assessment (take 5) with the whole crew, Safety Chats / Hazard corrective action/follow-up are recorded, and responsibility given Assessments - Not for the hazard completion. Documentation (SOP updates, etc.) included on Preventative and safety moments are also reviewed during this time. Index Woodlands staff would be involved in the weekly meeting to address safety related issues. Woodlands staff to have safety chat or take 5 during the week. JOHS committee members participate in the workplace inspections and sign off on the completed inspection form. Each woodlands site has 3 inspections completed per year. All action items to be completed in 90 days. This element also monitors No. 2 Workplace outside regulatory workplace inspections and the completion of Inspections & Follow-up - all action items to the committed time line. Action items are Not included on followed up to ensure completion during the next workplace Preventative Index inspection. All required actions are recorded in the directives booklet which are on-site. Points are lost during No. 2 workplace inspections if items are not completed. This system within Woodlands is very effective and functional.

Status in 2018

CBPPL met or exceeded most safety standards in 2018. Areas that performed well include the following Preventative Index categories: OSHA monthly values, JOHS Meeting Correction Actions Past Due, Incident Investigation Report timing, Contractor Focus Audits, Service NL OHS Order Past Due, BBS Observations, and Safety Meetings. Areas that require improvement in 2019 include: OSHA year-to-date value (our target is 1.0), Incident Corrective Actions Past Due Date (our target is 0), Total Severity (our target is 70) and Focus Audits completed by CBPPL Staff.

Tracking of Corrective Actions for all CBPPL Staff, Field Staff and Contractor Supervisors and Focus Audit programing for CBPPL Staff will improve in 2019. The tracking of Emergency Response Tests started in 2018 to ensure a minimum of one per month as a target for all operations and was completed as per CBPPL Management Team requirements. We continue to exceed the requirements related to scheduled tests each year. With monthly Preventative Index

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values ranging from 90.7% to 99.7%, and a yearly average of 96.3%, we surpassed our goal yearly average in 2018.

Corner Brook Pulp and Paper WOODLANDS Monthly Statistics 2017 Target Actual Score OSHA Month 0.0 0.0 OSHA YTD 0.52 1.0 1.78 1 2 3 Consecutive Total Severity YTD 70.0 74.4 days with no Hours since Last Lost Time Injury 33,349 DECEMBER recordable Hours since Last Recordable Injury 33,349 4 5 6 MTD YTD # of OSHA Recordables (LTI, Restricted, 40 0 3 Medical) # of Lost Time Incidents (LTI) 0 2 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 # of Near Miss / Minors / First Aids 2 27

WOODLANDS CORRECTIVE/PREVENTIVE ACTION ITEMS 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 All Action Items 8 Completed (Month) 5 Completed (YTD) 73 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 In Process 3 OHS meeting CA/PA Past Date Due 0 10.0

28 29 30 INCIDENT INVESTIGATIONS New Incidents for the Month 2 Previous Investigation Completed (Month) 2 record of days 31 Incidents Investigations (YTD) 30 with no Supervisor Reporting <48hr >48hr 2 2 5.0 recordable Incident Investigation Report <7day >7day 2 2 10.0 357 Completed Incident Action Items (Month) 13 In Process Incident Action Items (Month) 4 OSHA Recordable Incident CA/PA Past Date Due 2 13.4 First Aid PATH TO ZERO HARM Completed Incident Action Items (YTD) 149 Minor Employee Hurt YTD Near Misses HEALTH AND SAFETY AUDITS No Incidents 20 Completed Focus Audits (Month) - Contractors 12 12 10.0 Completed Focus Audits (Month) - CBPP Staff 12 10 12.5 Total Focus Audits Completed (YTD) 288 336 TOP 3 RISK TASK HAZARDS Internal Audit Actions Items Completed (Month) 0 1.) EXITING AND ENTERING MOBILE EQUIPMENT - SLIP, TRIP & FALLS Internal Audit Actions Items In Process 29 2.) COMMUTING TO AND FROM WORK - ROADWAY INCIDENTS Internal Audit Actions Items Completed (YTD) 2 3.) CHANGING HARVESTER CHAIN & BAR - STRUCK BY / STRUCK AGAINST In Process Service NL - OHS Inspection Orders 0 Service NL Orders Past Date Due 0 5.0 Service NL - OHS Inspection Orders Completed (YTD) 11 Total Audit/Inspection Actions Items Completed (YTD) 13

BBS OBSERVATIONS Monthly Total 136 168 10.0 YTD 2052 2667 Operations completing target BBS 3 3 5.0

SAFETY MEETINGS Monthly Contractor Jobsite OHS Meetings 3 3 5.0 Monthly Operational OHS Meetings (Joint) 1 1 5.0 Emergency Response Drills Completed (Month) 1 1 5.0 Prepared By: C. Chubbs Emergency Response Drills Completed (YTD) 12 17 Date: 31-Dec-18 Score 95.9

Figure 12. Preventative Index for December 2018 year end.

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Table 46. Preventative Index Results Monthly and Yearly Average.

Month Preventative Index Results Year 2016 2017 2018 January 98.1 90.8 95.4 February 100.0 97.5 98.5 March 100.0 99.6 99.7 April 100.0 95.6 99.4 May 100.0 93.6 99.0 June 99.0 88.5 90.7 July 100.0 100.0 93.8 August 100.0 94.6 98.0 September 90.4 97.5 91.3 October 100.0 98.2 95.4 November 96.1 100.0 98.8 December 90.6 98.0 95.9 Yearly Average 97.9 96.2 96.3

Management Strategy Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Ltd. will continue to implement its occupational health and safety program, including all of the elements required by the Occupational Health and Safety Act of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Forecast, Predicted Results or Outcome:

Corner Brook Pulp and Paper will continue to assess key performance indicator to the health & safety program. The Workplace Health and Safety Program will help save lives by reducing hazards and their consequences, and will also have positive effects on both worker morale and productivity.

Implementation Schedule

Task Details Responsibility Frequency Develop and Measure our health & safety Safety and Monthly maintain monthly performance as per set of guidelines Training preventative index approved by the General Safety Supervisor report. Committee.

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Monitoring / Reporting:

Frequency of Reporting Frequency of Sources of Information Monitoring and Review Annually in Indicator Annually EHS Operations Meetings Report Minutes

Links with Strategic and Operational Plans

NL Sustainable Forest 5-Year Operating Plan Annual Operating Plan Management Strategy N/A N/A N/A

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Indicator 7.2.1 Respect for Aboriginal Forest Values, Knowledge and Uses – Aboriginal Communities Criterion 7. Aboriginal Relations Element 7.2 Respect for Aboriginal Forest Values, Knowledge and Uses Value Aboriginal participation in sustainable forest management planning Objective To promote capacity development and meaningful participation for Aboriginal communities.

Indicator: 7.2.1 Target Acceptable Level Evidence of efforts to To have representation of promote capacity the Aboriginal people on N/A development and meaningful the Public Advisory participation for Aboriginal Committee individuals, communities and Resource Person: Environmental forest-based companies. Management Representative

Definitions

ABORIGINAL PEOPLE - In the Constitution Act, 1982, "aboriginal peoples of Canada" includes the Indian, Inuit, and Metis peoples of Canada.

Detailed Description

Aboriginal people on the Island of Newfoundland are primarily Mi’kmaq, and have Aboriginal rights. There are two First Nation Bands on the island of Newfoundland that follow their traditional values on CBPPL limits: Miawpukek First Nation and Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band. Miawpukek First Nation has a reserve of 548 hectares in Baie D’Espoir; Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band is a landless band.

Aboriginal people on the island of Newfoundland have knowledge of sustainable forest management, which will be taken into account in the development of CBPPL’s Sustainable Forest Management Plan. This will be achieved through active participation of Aboriginal People on our Public Advisory Committee (PAC). It is important, therefore, that the target of representation of the Aboriginal People on our PAC be maintained. Through the participation of the Aboriginal People in the PAC, they will be able to share information with other members, discuss and solve problems, and set and meet objectives associated with CBPPL’s Sustainable Forest Management Plan. They will also be able to take advantage of presentations from guest speakers invited as sources of information on various forestry topics, so PAC members can make informed decisions.

Miawpukek First Nation (MFN) representatives have participated in the PAC, but in 2014 advised that “MFN will no longer be a part of the Public Advisory Committee due to the fact there are no benefits for the Miawpukek Mi’kmaq people of Conne River in protecting their traditional territories.” Since that time, CBPPL has made continued efforts to reopen discussions with MFN. Both Qalipu FN and MFN were members of the Newfoundland Regional Working Group (NRWG) of the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement (CBFA). As a signatory to the CBFA

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agreement and a member of the NRWG, CBPPL engaged with aboriginal partners through this process.

Status in 2018

Representatives from Qalipu First Nation continued to participate with the Public Advisory Committee (PAC) in 2018.

Management Strategy

CBPPL will monitor PAC membership to ensure aboriginal people are represented, so they are given the opportunity for capacity development and meaningful participation.

Forecast, Predicted Results or Outcome

If at some point aboriginal representation should fall short and not meet the target requirements, CBPPL will actively seek new representatives.

Implementation Schedule

Task Details Responsibility Frequency Monitor aboriginal Actively seek new representation Environmental involvement on the should there be no aboriginal Management Quarterly PAC representation on the PAC. Representative

Monitoring / Reporting

Frequency of Monitoring Frequency of Reporting Sources of Information and Review Annually in Indicator Annually PAC Attendance Records Report

Links with Strategic and Operational Plans

NL Sustainable Forest 5-Year Operating Plan Annual Operating Plan Management Strategy Aboriginal perspectives and Participation in the public N/A involvement has been consultation process, to identified as a value in the prepare 5-Year Forest Newfoundland and Management Plans is open Labrador Sustainable Forest to all groups and Management Strategy individuals.

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Indicator 7.2.2_7.2.3 Aboriginal Knowledge – Engagement of Aboriginal People Criterion 7. Aboriginal Relations Element 7.2 Respect for Aboriginal Forest Values, Knowledge, and Uses Value Aboriginal Knowledge Objective To understand and take into account aboriginal knowledge in sustainable forest management planning

Indicator: 7.2.2 & 7.2.3 Target Acceptable Level 7.2.2 Evidence of 1. Offer to meet with 1. No variance understanding and use of Miawpukek First Nation Aboriginal knowledge and Qalipu Mi’kmaq First through the engagement of Nation Band to understand willing Aboriginal their forest values, communities, using a process knowledge and uses, as that identifies and manages they apply to the 5 year culturally important resources plan areas. and values. 2. Discuss adaptive forest 2. No variance management strategies for 7.2.3 Level of management the above values, and/or protection of areas knowledges and uses. where culturally important 3. Indicate in annual 3. No variance practices and activities occur. operating plan agreed- upon strategies. Resource Person: Environmental Management Representative

Definitions

ABORIGINAL PEOPLE - In the Constitution Act, 1982, "Aboriginal peoples of Canada" includes the Indian, Inuit, and Metis peoples of Canada.

Detailed Description

Aboriginal people on the Island of Newfoundland are primarily Mi’kmaq, and have Aboriginal rights. There are two First Nation Bands on the island of Newfoundland that follow their traditional values on CBPPL limits: Miawpukek First Nation and Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band. Miawpukek First Nation has a reserve of 548 hectares in Baie D’Espoir (outside of CBPPL limits); Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band is a landless band.

First Nation’s knowledge of sustainable forest management and their culturally important resources and values will be taken into account in the development of CBPPL’s Sustainable Forest Management Plan and in operating plans.

Kruger Inc. has a Policy to Promote Harmonious Relations with First Nations, and Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Woodlands has drafted a Vision for Harmonious Relations with First Nations and Memorandums of Understanding between Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Ltd. and each of the two

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First Nation bands. Woodlands staff have met with both First Nation bands and presented this documentation for consideration. CBPPL would like to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with each First Nation band.

Both QFN and MFN were members of the Newfoundland Regional Working Group (NRWG) of the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement (CBFA) and CBPPL engaged with Aboriginal partners through this process.

Status in 2018

In 2018 CBPPL went through the 5-Year Planning Process for Districts 14 and 15. Qalipu First Nation were contacted and feedback was requested for any areas of concern. No concerns were raised during this process. The approved 5-Year Plan D14/15 and Annual Operating plans for 2019 were delivered to the Qalipu First Nation Office by District Planners.

In 2018, representatives from MFN and Kruger Inc. met to further discuss MFN’s request for a complete deferral of forest management activities in the southern portion of District 6. CBPPL has continued to defer harvesting in District 6, such that there was no AOP for any areas of interest to MFN again in 2018.

Representatives from Miawpukek First Nation, Qalipu First Nation, and Kruger Inc. met to further discuss opportunities for cooperation and engagement during The Way Forward Process as lead by the Provincial Government in 2018.

Management Strategy

CBPPL meets with forest stakeholders during the 5-Year Planning Process to discuss their values. CBPPL will now offer to meet with Miawpukek First Nation and Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band as well, to identify their values, which will then be integrated into the 5-Year Operating Plan and Annual Operating Plans. CBPPL will provide digital data from each Annual Operating Plan for the First Nation bands to review, to ensure that the commitments of the 5- Year Operating Plan are being followed.

Forecast, Predicted Results or Outcome

CBPPL will offer to meet with Miawpukek First Nation and Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band to discuss the incorporation of their values into the 5-Year Operating Plan. By providing the First Nation bands with digital data of the Annual Operating Plans, they can verify that their values are being respected and incorporated into the plans as agreed.

Implementation Schedule

Task Details Responsibility Frequency

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Meet with Offer to meet with Miawpukek Environmental During 5-Year First First Nation and Qalipu Management Planning Nation Mi’kmaq First Nation Band to Representative Processes Bands identify First Nation values. Once a management strategy has been agreed upon by CBPPL and Environmental Incorporate First Nations, incorporate First Management Annually values Nation values into the 5-Year Representative and annual operating plans when applicable. Provide digital data from each Provide annual operating plan to Environmental Annual Miawpukek First Nation and Management Annually Operating Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Representative Plan Band, to show integration of identified First Nation values.

Monitoring / Reporting

Frequency of Monitoring Frequency of Reporting Sources of Information and Review Annually in Indicator Annually Annual Operating Plans Report

Links with Strategic and Operational Plans

20-year Strategy 5-Year Operating Plan Annual Operating Plan Aboriginal perspectives and Participation in the public Aboriginal perspectives and involvement have been consultation process, to involvement will be sought identified as a value in the prepare 5-Year Forest concerning annual operating Newfoundland and Management Plans is open plans affecting their Labrador Sustainable Forest to all groups and traditional areas. Management Strategy individuals.

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REFERENCES

CBPPL. 2001. Five Year Operating Plan (2002-2006) Forest Management District 16.

CBPPL. 2015. Social Economic Assessment Report.

CSA. 2008. Sustainable forest management. Canadian Standards Association. 81p.

Damman, A.W.H. 1983. An ecological subdivision of the island of Newfoundland. Monographiae Biologicae 48:163-206. Biogeography and Ecology of the Island of Newfoundland. Edited by G. R. South, Dr. W. Junk Publishers, The Hague.

DEC. 2008. Five-year caribou strategy seeks to address declining populations. http://www.releases.gov.nl.ca/releases/2008/env/0207n06.htm. Accessed on October 16, 2009.

DEC. 2010. Land Mammals of Newfoundland. Department of Environment and Conservation. http://www.env.gov.nl.ca/env/snp/programs/education/animal_facts/mammals/index.html. Accessed June 3, 2010

DEC. 2015. A report on the Newfoundland caribou. http://www.env.gov.nl.ca/env/caribou_complete.pdf. Accessed March 14, 2016

DFRA. 2003. Ecoregions of Newfoundland. Department of Forest Resources and Agrifoods. . Accessed on May 26, 2003.

DFRA. 2003b. Soil and Land Overview. Department of Forest Resources and Agrifoods. . Accessed on May 26, 2003.

DFRA. 2003c. Forest Management and Planning Alternatives. (unpublished).

DFRA. 1995. Proposed Adaptive Management Process.

FLR. 2018. Mammals Native to Newfoundland. http://www.flr.gov.nl.ca/wildlife/snp/programs/education/animal_facts/mammals/index.html. Accessed April 12, 2018.

FSB. 2014. Provincial Sustainable Forest Management Strategy: Growing our Renewable and Sustainable Resource 2014-2024.

GNL. 2003. Newfoundland and Labrador: Discovering, Learning, Living. Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. Accessed on May 26, 2003.

Hearn, Brian J., John T. Neville, William J. Curran, and Dean P. Snow. 2006. First record of the Southern Red-Backed Vole, Clethrionomys gapperi, in Newfoundland: implications for the endangered Newfoundland Marten, Martes americana atrata. Canadian Field Naturalist 120(1): 50–56.

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Hearn et al. 2008. Integrated Marten Habitat – Timber Harvesting Plan for Newfoundland. Project Report for Forest Management District 15. Draft. 32 pp.

Kotak, B.G., V.T. Keenan, J. Lidgett and S. Day. 2009. High Conservation Value Forest Assessment, Tembec Forest Management Licence (FML) 01. 216 pp.

Megahan, Walter F. and J. Hornbeck, 2000. Lessons Learned in Watershed Management: A Retrospective View. USDA Forest Service Proceedings RMRS-P-13. 2000.

NHSNL. 2003. Natural History Society of Newfoundland and Labrador. http://naturenl.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/bird_checklist.pdf . Accessed on May 26, 2003.

NRC, 2009. Forest Carbon Accounting: The Operational-Scale Carbon Budget Model of the Canadian Forest Sector (CBM-CFS3).

Rothwell, R.L. 1997. Saskfor MacMillan Limited Partnership Twenty-Year Forest Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement for the Pasquia-Porcupine Forest Management Area: Forest Hydrology and Watershed Management. 70pp.

SARA. Species at Risk Public Registry. http://www.sararegistry.gc.ca/default.asp?lang=En&n=24F7211B-1. Accessed on June 3, 2016.

Scott, W.B. and E.J. Crossman. 1964. Fishes occurring in the freshwaters of insular Newfoundland. Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans.

Weirathmueller, F. 2018. NL Forest Industry Strategic Opportunities Analysis. F.W. Technologies.

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APPENDIX A Public Advisory Committee (As of June 1, 2019)

Last Name First Name Affiliation Bartlett Wilfred Private Citizen Baird John Freshwater-Alexander Bays Ecosystem Corporation Blackwood James Town of Gander Brake Mike Private Citizen Careen Anthony Private Citizen/Mill Employee Childs Kim CBPPL Woodlands Colbourne Overton Private Citizen Decker Stephen Grenfell Campus Memorial University Dolter Sean Facilitator English Basil Private Citizen Foster Cory NL Outfitters Association Fudge Terrance Burtons Cove Logging and Lumber Goudie Carl Town of Deer Lake Goulding Keith Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band Harris Darrell Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service Hearn Debbie Hearn Consulting Inc. Howell Carl Indian Bay Ecosystem Corporation Jackson-Park Danica Ducks Unlimited Canada Knee Glen Forest Resources Instructor, College of the North Atlantic Knott Faron CBPPL Woodlands MacLellan John CBPPL Woodlands Major Dean Major’s Logging Morgan Wes Fisheries and Land Resources, Provincial Gov’t Moulton Tim Private Citizen Pelley Cyril NL Outfitters Association Philpott Tom Private Citizen Rice Ralph Private Citizen Sheppard Tony NL Snowmobile Federation St. George Sean Red Ochre Regional Board Taylor Paul Dept. of Tourism VanDusen George Private Citizen Vincent Lindy UNIFOR Wheeler Robert City of Corner Brook

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APPENDIX B Other Interested Parties (As of June 1, 2019)

Last Name First Name Affiliation Applin Shannon Private Citizen Ball Betty Private Citizen Callahan Chris Dept. Natural Resources, Wildlife Division Carter Brian Dept. Natural Resources, Ecosystem Manager Davis Trevor Salmonid Council of NL Evans Dave Victoria Outfitters Hewitt Wayne Private Citizen Humphries Colleen City of Corner Brook Temple Katie Western Environment Centre of Newfoundland and Labrador Keough Rod Private Citizen King Travis Private Citizen Lewis Ted Northern Peninsula Forest Resources Association – District 18 Moores Len Private Citizen Payne Keith Private Citizen Peddle Craig Private Citizen Scott Allan Private Citizen Thomas Scott Private Citizen Wessel Chris Private Citizen

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APPENDIX C Values, Objectives, Indicators and Targets CSA Z809-16 CCFM CSA SFM Value Objective Indicator Target Acceptable Background Legal Means of Achieving Monitoring & Criterion Elements Variance Requirements and Objective and Measurement Other Agreements Target 1. Biological 1.1 Ecosystem Natural Maintain a 1.1.1 Ecosystem To ensure that  The poor Black Maintaining and/or  Planners will,  Using cutover Diversity Diversity Ecosystem natural diversity area by type of the total area Spruce forest types enhancing tree where possible, avoid records, CBBPL will Diversity of forest of CBPPL’s + 0.5% naturally regenerate to productivity in including the poor determine how much ecosystems harvest kalmia, rather than areas managed for Black Spruce forest of the poor Black averaged over black spruce, following timber production types for harvest in Spruce forest type the last 5 years logging. is a goal identified the harvest plan. was harvested in in FMDs 5, 6,  Sites with kalmia are in the NL  Where this site type FMDs 5, 6, 9, 10 9, 10 &16, no difficult to reforest as Sustainable Forest is harvested, we make &16 more than 5% is tree seedlings can’t Management a special effort to  Regeneration within the poor keep pace with the Strategy. ensure the sites are surveys will track black spruce spread of kalmia. promptly regenerated harvested poor Black forest type and (within reasonable Spruce forest type no more than operational and scrub adjacent to 10% is within constraints). Stocking this forest type poor black survey records are separately. spruce forest maintained on all and scrub types. poor black spruce forest sites harvested within our regular regeneration assessment program.

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CCFM CSA SFM Value Objective Indicator Target Acceptable Background Legal Means of Achieving Monitoring & Criterion Elements Variance Requirements and Objective and Measurement Other Agreements Target Natural To maintain a 1.1.2 Forest area To maintain To be within  The measurement of  CBPPL is required  CBPPL will  Every five years Ecosystem natural diversity by type or representation the set range forest area by type or to cut no more than continue to harvest after a new wood Diversity of forest types species (by area) of for each of species composition the AAC set by the AAC in the DFA supply, or as the and age classes composition current working the groups. should include provincial within the levels set DFA footprint (successional groups close to wetlands and other government, under forth by government. changes stages). current levels. non-forest ecosystem the Forestry Act,  A 25-year Spatial Report on types; even if they are 1990 Plan is developed by wetlands, and relatively stable CBPPL staff and other non-forest through time, as forest submitted to the ecosystem management can government for types. directly affect them, if approval. This plan in a relatively minor will ensure CBPPL way. Plantations stays within the should also be included assigned AAC levels. in the analysis.  AAC is recalculated every 1.1.3 To maintain + 10%  Maintenance of the five years using Forest area by representation current balance of updated regeneration age class by age class of working groups and assumptions, the productive age classes will ensure ensuring that future forest close to continued ecosystem projections of current levels. diversity. working-groups areas  Ecosystem diversity are more reliable than Retain a NA sustains the natural in the previous minimum of 20 flow of values from the model. % of the forest. productive forest on the DFA as old forest (81+ years old).

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CCFM CSA SFM Value Objective Indicator Target Acceptable Background Legal Means of Achieving Monitoring & Criterion Elements Variance Requirements and Objective and Measurement Other Agreements Target To maintain 1.1.4 Degree of To leave a 100 wildlife  Newly cut areas  The legal  Promote education  Continue ecosystem within-stand minimum trees or interspersed with requirement set by and awareness among surveying for diversity structural average of 10 snags in patches, clumps, or the NL Forestry employees e.g. presence of snags through within- retention wildlife trees or clumps or corridors of trees helps and Wildlife standard operating and wildlife trees. stand structural snags per patches per to maintain the natural Branch in the procedure Leaving  Report on results retention. hectare, 10 ha diversity of forest types Environmental Wildlife Trees for of surveys in individually, in opening. and age classes in an Protection Biodiversity Indicator Report. clumps or ecosystem. guidelines for  Conduct surveys patches  A wildlife tree is Ecologically Based that measure the considered any tree Forest number or quantity of with a minimum height Management is to wildlife trees and of 2.0m and a leave 10 snags or snags left after minimum diameter at wildlife trees/ha harvest, above and breast height of 10cm. below 30cm diameter  Criteria for wildlife at breast height. tree assessment is  Where possible, based on the number of leave trees with a wildlife trees in a diameter greater than sample plot, the or equal to 30cm at percentage of trees over breast height. 30cm dbh, an ocular  Review and discuss assessment to results with determine if 10 wildlife contractors during trees/ha can be seen in monthly the area around the Environmental, plot, and an ocular Health and Safety assessment to meetings and at determine if there is Environmental evidence of clumps of Management System trees, buffers, or leave Meetings. areas on the surrounding cutover.

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CCFM CSA SFM Value Objective Indicator Target Acceptable Background Legal Means of Achieving Monitoring & Criterion Elements Variance Requirements and Objective and Measurement Other Agreements Target 1..2 Species Native and To maintain 1.2.1 Degree of Where an  Although data Forest  During the planning  After harvest, Diversity non-native native and non- habitat Annual 0 suggests that at present Management process, Planners will calculate the amount species native species protection for Operating Plan habitat is not a limiting Guidelines for ensure the of poor black spruce diversity habitat selected focal area overlaps factor, leaving buffers Woodland Caribou recommendations in forest type within species, with a caribou for calving, wintering for the Island of the guideline are caribou secondary including secondary core grounds, and travel Newfoundland set followed. core areas (buffer) species at risk area (buffer), to corridors will ensure out required buffers  Inside an Annual that was harvested harvest caribou habitat is areas. Operating Plan area, annually no available at all times. calculate the amount more than 5% of poor black spruce of the poor forest type within black spruce caribou secondary forest type, core areas. Schedule within the no more than 5% of overlap area. this area for harvest.

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CCFM CSA SFM Value Objective Indicator Target Acceptable Background Legal Means of Achieving Monitoring & Criterion Elements Variance Requirements and Objective and Measurement Other Agreements Target Native and To maintain 1.2.2 Degree of To ensure no  Pine Marten habitat  Agreements with CBPPL will observe  Verify annually non-native native and non- suitable habitat harvesting in 0 has a very diverse the provincial no harvesting in pine observance of no species native species in the long term pine marten structure, which also government to marten deferred areas harvesting in pine diversity habitat for selected deferred areas benefits small protect pine marten and corridors, and marten deferred areas focal species, and corridors, mammals (marten habitat. during the denning and corridors, and including and during the prey), lynx, fox, and period within core during denning species at risk. denning period coyote (marten areas, as requested by period within core within core predators), moose, the provincial areas areas. caribou, and various government. bird species. Therefore marten habitat can be used as an indicator of overall habitat diversity  The Marten Occupancy Model determines the amount of suitable Pine Marten habitat in a given area, and was run to assess the impacts on marten habitat of CBPPL’s current 25-year forest harvest schedule.  The results indicate that in the districts where CBPPL operates, marten habitat will increase, even with harvesting. Because the forest continues to age, even with harvesting, habitat will increase.  Further direction on ensuring marten habitat will be done through submission of the 5- year Plan to the Environmental Assessment.

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CCFM CSA SFM Value Objective Indicator Target Acceptable Background Legal Means of Achieving Monitoring & Criterion Elements Variance Requirements and Objective and Measurement Other Agreements Target Indigenous To maintain a 1.2.3 Proportion On a five-year  A cornerstone of  Some 67% of  Annually report on tree species predominance of regeneration basis, to biological diversity disturbed sites in the regeneration to of indigenous comprised of average no conservation is the N/A DFA regenerate determine the tree species native species more than 0.1% ±0.03% retention and naturally. proportion of non- annually, and annually maintenance of natural  When choosing native species on the 5% at any given ecosystems. tree species for DFA. time, of the  Indigenous species planting, CBPPL can  Survey existing productive have evolved and ensure no non-native Norway spruce forest land base adapted over time, and species will be used planted areas every of the DFA as such, have a to regenerate five years to regenerated considerable measure cutovers. determine if existing with non-native of resilience.  Because non- Norway spruce on species.  In conformance with native species such as the DFA are self- the Forest Stewardship Norway spruce have regenerating. Council National been planted on the Boreal Standard, DFA in the past, CBPPL has stopped there will always be a planting non-native percentage of the species on the DFA. total productive  CBPPL will also forest on the DFA monitor for that will be non- invasiveness on native, but this existing areas on the should remain at DFA previously 0.22, unless CBPPL planted with Norway decides to plant non- spruce. native species in the future.

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CCFM CSA SFM Value Objective Indicator Target Acceptable Background Legal Means of Achieving Monitoring & Criterion Elements Variance Requirements and Objective and Measurement Other Agreements Target Genetic A Diverse and To maintain a 1.3.1 Proportion To have a  The proportion of  Provincial  Stocking surveys  Conduct Diversity Healthy Gene diverse and of areas minimum of -3% areas sufficiently guidelines stipulate will be conducted regeneration Pool healthy gene sufficiently 97% of areas stocked after harvest that regeneration and records assessments of pool stocked after sufficiently can provide some assessments should maintained on all cutovers within five harvest. stocked after measure of genetic be made within five harvested areas. years of harvesting. harvest. diversity. years of harvesting.  Tree planting will  Prepare indicator  The regeneration This is a requirement be undertaken in report on stocking. survey results for of the Certificate of areas with cutovers show the Managed Land, as insufficient stocking. percentage of stated in the  Seedlings planted harvested areas with Regeneration will be free of adequate regeneration. Assessment genetically-modified Procedures for organisms Newfoundland and Labrador. The company must also provide results of the regeneration surveys to the provincial government.

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CCFM CSA SFM Value Objective Indicator Target Acceptable Background Legal Means of Achieving Monitoring & Criterion Elements Variance Requirements and Objective and Measurement Other Agreements Target 1.4 Protected Special Sites To identify and 1.4.1 Proportion To implement a  Each of the Agreements exist for  Examine sites fully  A description Areas and Sites maintain special of sites with "Special designated Special the protection and/or so that CBPPL can should be provided of Special sites. special Places" No less than Places has a significant use of special sites: make informed for each of the Biological significance program that one site per attribute such as  Upper Humber decisions on how to special sites based on Significance will identify, year. specific habitat, fossils, Wetlands Complex maintain the its significance. 1.4.2 Proportion describe, and or cultural or historical Stewardship uniqueness of the  Each special site of identified promote two importance. Agreement sites within the should be identified sites with special sites per  CBPPL supports in  Ducks Unlimited boundaries of a in the GIS database. implemented year on the principle the provincial Projects – Cooks working forest.  Signage should be strategies DFA, and government’s Marsh, Birchy Basin  Individuals, local erected where maintain them protected areas  Certificate of recreation and special appropriate to inform through strategy. Managed Land interest groups may the general public management  Where these contact the Company about the special strategies protected areas fall on and add other special features of each site. specific to each CBPPL’s DFA, they places to the list. site. will be incorporated into the special places program.  Areas of sacred or archaeological significance on the DA are identified and protected through an Environmental Assessment of the 5- Year Plan

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CCFM CSA SFM Value Objective Indicator Target Acceptable Background Legal Means of Achieving Monitoring & Criterion Elements Variance Requirements and Objective and Measurement Other Agreements Target 2. Ecosystem 2.1 Forest Natural To maintain 2.1.1 To have a  The proportion of  Provincial  Stocking surveys  Conduct Condition and Ecosystem Resilient natural resilient Reforestation minimum of - 3% areas with sufficient guidelines stipulate will be conducted regeneration Productivity Condition and Ecosystems ecosystems. success 97% of areas natural regeneration that regeneration and records assessments of Productivity sufficiently after harvest can assessments should maintained on all cutovers within five stocked after provide some measure be made within five harvested areas. years of harvesting. harvest. of ecosystem years of harvesting.  In harvested areas  Prepare indicator resiliency. This is a requirement of previously report on stocking.  The regeneration of the Certificate of mixedwood stands, survey results for Managed Land, as regeneration surveys cutovers show the stated in the assess the presence of percentage of Regeneration hardwood species as harvested areas with Assessment well as spruce and fir adequate regeneration. Procedures for starting in 2015. Newfoundland and  Tree planting will Labrador. The be undertaken in company must also areas with provide results of the insufficient stocking. regeneration surveys to the provincial government.

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CCFM CSA SFM Value Objective Indicator Target Acceptable Background Legal Means of Achieving Monitoring & Criterion Elements Variance Requirements and Objective and Measurement Other Agreements Target Indigenous To maintain a 2.1.2 Proportion On a five-year  A cornerstone of  Some 67% of  Annually report on tree species predominance of regeneration basis, to biological diversity disturbed sites in the regeneration to of indigenous comprised of average no conservation is the N/A DFA regenerate determine the species. native species more than 0.1% ±0.03% retention and naturally. proportion of non- annually, and annually maintenance of natural  When choosing native species on the 5% at any given ecosystems. tree species for DFA. time, of the  Indigenous species planting, CBPPL can  Survey existing productive have evolved and ensure no non-native Norway spruce forest land base adapted over time, and species will be used planted areas every of the DFA as such, have a to regenerate five years to regenerated considerable measure cutovers. determine if existing with non-native of resilience.  Because non- Norway spruce on species.  In conformance with native species such as the DFA are self- the Forest Stewardship Norway spruce have regenerating. Council National been planted on the Boreal Standard, DFA in the past, CBPPL has stopped there will always be a planting non-native percentage of the species on the DFA. total productive  CBPPL will also forest on the DFA monitor for that will be non- invasiveness on native, but this existing areas on the should remain at DFA previously 0.22, unless CBPPL planted with Norway decides to plant non- spruce. native species in the future.

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CCFM CSA SFM Value Objective Indicator Target Acceptable Background Legal Means of Achieving Monitoring & Criterion Elements Variance Requirements and Objective and Measurement Other Agreements Target 2.1 Forest A Productive To maintain 2.1.3 Additions To carry out  Preharvest Planning  The current CBPPL will  Pre-inspect each Ecosystem Forest productive and deletions to pre-harvest is on-the-ground field Government endeavour to conduct cutting block before Condition and Ecosystem forest the forest area. planning on - 20% surveys of cutting guidelines require a preharvest planning any harvesting Productivity ecosystems. 100% of the blocks before any maximum of 6 % of on 100% of annual occurs. annual harvesting occurs, to an area can be operating areas in a  Produce an annual operating area. produce a map that disturbed due to given year. When report on pre-harvest identifies main roads, forest operations. forest inventory planning. forwarder trails, and information is major obstacles (wet verified, roads can be areas, rock outcrops, constructed in the streams, etc.). best possible location  Pre-harvesting to maximize planning will minimize forwarder haul the amount of land distance and converted to permanent minimize the amount access roads. of productive land  Flagging the location converted to road. of roads in advance Pre-harvest planning will reduce any and operational unnecessary road layout will also construction identify leave areas of residual retention. A Productive To maintain 2.1.4 Proportion To harvest no Not to  Harvesting less than  Legislation states  Harvest no more  Verify annually Forest productive of the calculated more than exceed the the AAC can add to the that no more than than the AAC volumes harvested Ecosystem forest long-term 100% of the AAC over a productive capacity of the assigned AAC available to CBPPL. from the DFA by ecosystems sustainable AAC over a 5- 5-year the remaining forest may be cut over a 5- operating area and harvest level year period. period.  Assume that year period – The Forest Management that is actually harvesting the entire Forestry Act, 1990. District. being harvested. AAC will maximize timber-related benefits.  The calculated AAC accommodates constraints such as the operable growing stock buffer, the old forest target, waterbody buffers, and wildlife corridors.

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CCFM CSA SFM Value Objective Indicator Target Acceptable Background Legal Means of Achieving Monitoring & Criterion Elements Variance Requirements and Objective and Measurement Other Agreements Target 3. Soil and 3.1 Soil Quality Soil Integrity To maintain soil 3.1.1 Level of 1. To minimize 1. No  Forest activities can  The current  Continue to survey  Calculate ground Water and Quantity integrity. soil disturbance soil disturbance greater than lead to soil Government soil disturbance disturbance on the 6% of the disturbances that guidelines require a  Survey results will attributed to cutovers harvested land Annual include compaction, maximum of 6% of allow us to: guide our  Conduct soil base to less than Operating rutting, and soil an area can be Contractors to disturbance survey; 6% of the Plan area; displacement disturbed due to purchase the right report on road widths Annual  Sampling procedures forest operations, equipment; plan our vs. specifications. Operating Plan using these disturbance including roads and areas by season and area; criteria provide a disturbance in the type of existing quantitative assessment cutovers. equipment; and 2. Ensure roads 2. No more of soil disturbance. (Environmental implement harvesting are built within than 0.5 m  It has been found Protection operations CBPPL greater than that the percent Guidelines for procedures that will specifications. the road disturbance associated Ecologically Based minimize ground specification with roads is directly Forest Harvesting,) disturbance affected by the area of  CBPPL will 3. On identified 3. No productive forest continue to track sites with low greater than within the operating adherence to roads soil strength, 10% within area. Therefore specifications limit excessive the ensuring that roads are through periodic soil disturbance operating built within checks, and to 8% within block specifications is the measurements during the operating best way to minimize final inspections. block the amount of  The Annual disturbance associated Operating Plan with road construction. undergoes a  There is a likelihood Planner’s Assessment of greater impacts in of Areas, in which areas with low soil ground conditions are strength (soils highly assessed and prone to disturbance). determined if they are suitable for spring operations.

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CCFM CSA SFM Value Objective Indicator Target Acceptable Background Legal Means of Achieving Monitoring & Criterion Elements Variance Requirements and Objective and Measurement Other Agreements Target 3.1.2 Level of To leave a N/A  Dead wood is an N/A  Planners identify  Levels of downed woody minimum of important component leave areas and retention are material 10% of the of a healthy forest harvest deferral areas. evaluated after Annual ecosystem.  Foremen on the harvest. Operating Plan  Downed woody ground identify leave area in residual material and standing areas and blocks of structure after decomposing trees inaccessible timber. harvesting result in organic matter  Operators identify activities. that eventually leave areas during becomes part of the harvest. soil.  Harvested area is  Downed woody mapped and material can be remaining residual managed by leaving areas identified. both dead and live trees, as well as downed decayed stems, whenever timber harvests are taken.  CBPPL uses a shortwood harvesting system whereby tops and limbs are left on the cutover.

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CCFM CSA SFM Value Objective Indicator Target Acceptable Background Legal Means of Achieving Monitoring & Criterion Elements Variance Requirements and Objective and Measurement Other Agreements Target 3.2 Water Water Quality To minimize the 3.2.1 Proportion To limit the + 5%  Forest ecosystems Harvesting within a When preparing Recent disturbances Quality and and Quantity effects that of watershed or proportion of subject to fire, watershed that Annual operating in watersheds will Quantity stand-replacing water watershed with windthrow, or supplies drinking Plans, Planners will be monitored disturbances management recent stand- clearcutting can water to a monitor the amount annually after the have on water area with recent replacing temporarily lose their municipality of area recently completion of quality and stand replacing disturbance ability to ameliorate requires a Certificate disturbed in any cutover updates. quantity. disturbance within the DFA water flows associated of Approval from watershed, to ensure to 25% or less with large rainfalls and the Dept. of no more than 25% is snowfalls Environment. harvested within the  Forested watersheds last five years. provide a range of important services to residents including drinking water.  Managing water quality and quantity on CBPPL’s land base can be achieved by limiting the proportion of the watershed harvested within a specific time period.

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CCFM CSA SFM Value Objective Indicator Target Acceptable Background Legal Means of Achieving Monitoring & Criterion Elements Variance Requirements and Objective and Measurement Other Agreements Target To minimize 3.2.2 Proportion To have zero 0  There are many Environmental All required buffers Environmental and mitigate of forest non- aspects of forest Protection are marked with pink compliance impacts to water management conformances management activities Guidelines for flagging tape with the inspections are quality and activities, associated with including infrastructure Forestry Operations lettering “Lake and conducted three quantity consistent with buffers and construction (roads, in Newfoundland Watercourse Buffer times per year on prescriptions to 30m no grub bridges, landings, etc.) and Labrador Zone” prior to harvesting protect zones that may affect water establish harvesting activities. operations and twice identified water quality and quantity. requirements for The required no grub per year on roads features  Forest planning and buffers on zones are identified at operations. operational strategies waterbodies and no every water crossing Maintenance of may be guided by best grub zones on water with yellow flagging buffers and no grub management practices crossings. tape bearing the zones are part of the to minimize and words “No Grub inspection. mitigate impacts to Zone”. Buffers and no water quality and grub zones are also quantity. indicated on the operational maps found on the onboard computers in every harvesting, processing, forwarding, and excavating piece of equipment

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CCFM CSA SFM Value Objective Indicator Target Acceptable Background Legal Means of Achieving Monitoring & Criterion Elements Variance Requirements and Objective and Measurement Other Agreements Target 4. Role in 4.1 Carbon Total To measure 4.1.1 Net carbon To partner with  Forests can absorb  CBPPL will  Monitor Global Uptake and Ecosystem ecosystem uptake Canadian Forest N/A carbon and act as a N/A support CFS’ implementation of Ecological Storage Carbon carbon. Service sink or storage. Integrated the CBM-CFS3. Cycles Integrated  The carbon budget Assessment Research Assessment model must be Project to determine research operated in tandem how the carbon applying the with the provincial budget model could carbon budget wood supply model be used to predict the model in Woodstock. amount of carbon in Newfoundland.  The Forestry and the forest on the Wildlife Branch will DFA, and how be responsible for harvesting and running the carbon silviculture practices budget model with the will affect carbon wood supply model. amounts.  In 2017, CBPPL entered into a research agreement to partner with the Canadian Forest Service (CFS) Integrated Assessment project for forest management in Newfoundland.

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CCFM CSA SFM Value Objective Indicator Target Acceptable Background Legal Means of Achieving Monitoring & Criterion Elements Variance Requirements and Objective and Measurement Other Agreements Target To maximize 4.1.2 To have a  Forests have great  Provincial  Stocking surveys  Conduct carbon Reforestation minimum of - 3% potential to sequester guidelines stipulate will be conducted regeneration sequestration Success 97% of areas and store carbon from that regeneration and records assessments of and storage sufficiently the atmosphere, assessments should maintained on all cutovers within five stocked after making it imperative to be made within 5 harvested areas. years of harvesting. harvest. ensure prompt years of harvesting.  Tree planting will  Prepare indicator regeneration after This is a requirement be undertaken in report on stocking. harvest. of the Certificate of areas with  The regeneration Managed Land, as insufficient stocking. survey results for stated in the cutovers show the Regeneration percentage of Assessment harvested areas with Procedures for adequate regeneration. Newfoundland and Labrador. The company must also provide results of the regeneration surveys to the provincial government. 4.2 Forest Land Forested Land To minimize the 4.2.1 Additions To carry out  Forests help mitigate  The current CBPPL will  Pre-inspect each Conversion amount of and deletions to pre-harvest climate change by Government endeavor to conduct cutting block before forested land the forest planning on - 20% sequestering and guidelines require a pre-harvest planning any harvesting converted to 100% of the storing carbon from the maximum of 10 % on 100% of annual occurs. non-forest annual atmosphere. of an area can be operating areas in a  Produce an annual ecosystems. operating area.  It is good for the disturbed due to given year. When report on pre-harvest global carbon cycle to forest operations. forest inventory planning. maintain land in forest information is cover across its natural verified, roads can be range. constructed in the  Pre-harvesting best possible location planning will minimize to maximize the amount of land forwarder haul converted to permanent distance and access roads. minimize the amount  Flagging the location of productive land of roads in advance converted to road. will reduce any unnecessary road construction

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CCFM CSA SFM Value Objective Indicator Target Acceptable Background Legal Means of Achieving Monitoring & Criterion Elements Variance Requirements and Objective and Measurement Other Agreements Target 5 Economic 5.1 Timber and Timber and To help 5.1.1 To aim for the  CBPPL is committed Memorandums of  Continue meeting  Monitor all and social Non-Timber Non-timber maintain Documentation satisfaction of -10% to ensuring that the Understanding with individual concerns as they benefits Benefits Benefits commercial of the diversity 100% of livelihood of outfitters Between Corner outfitters and the occur. opportunities of timber and stakeholders is maintained on the Brook Pulp and Newfoundland and  Stakeholder non-timber inside CBPPL’s DFA. Paper and Labrador Outfitters Confirmation of resources, 5-year The Newfoundland Association (NLOA). CBPPL’s including operating plan and Labrador  Endeavour to Compliance with products, and for each Forest Outfitters involve all Outfitters Agreements/Memora services Management Association working on our DFA ndums of produced in the District, with in the public Understanding DFA. whom CBPPL consultation process has an to develop 5 Year 5.1.2 Evidence agreement. Forest Management of open and Plans. respectful communications with forest dependent businesses, forest users and local communities to integrate non- timber resources into forest management planning. When significant disagreement occurs, efforts towards conflict resolution are documented.

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CCFM CSA SFM Value Objective Indicator Target Acceptable Background Legal Means of Achieving Monitoring & Criterion Elements Variance Requirements and Objective and Measurement Other Agreements Target Forest Access To ensure that 5.1.3 Amount of CBPPL  Various groups  Roads constructed  CBPPL’s policy  Report on areas roads resource roads resource roads N/A utilize DFA roads for and maintained by for access where bridges have constructed are in the DFA will be 100% access to the forest for the Company are management is that been removed. accessible/avail- under CBPPL accessible to recreational activities. available for public roads constructed and able to the control that are public, subject  New bridges use, as outlined in maintained by the public accessible to the to natural installed to access a the Forest Company are public. reclamation, block of wood may be Management available for public removal of removed when Planning and use. temporary harvesting is complete, Operating  CBPPL may close infrastructure so the bridges can be Procedures manual. roads where public such as bridges used in another area. safety or fire hazards and culverts, dictate. safety (firefighting) and other agreements (Memorandums of Understanding) Timber To maintain 5.1.4 Wood To average  Residual fibre left on  Legislation states  Identify the  Measure the Benefits timber and non- Utilization 2.5m3 /ha of +1m3/ha has shown that no more than 6 sources or categories residual volumes on timber benefits. residual improvement from m3/ha can be left on of fibre losses to all cutovers commercial 10.15 m3/ha in 2000 to the cutover after enable us to identify  Frequent reporting volume on 1.59 m3/ha in 2016. harvest – The specific problems on progress cutovers.  Fibre utilization Forestry Act, 1990. and take corrective directly affects fibre actions. costs and AAC.  Implementation of an education and awareness program for employees  Constant communications with all employees  Financial incentives for contractors to meet requirements

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CCFM CSA SFM Value Objective Indicator Target Acceptable Background Legal Means of Achieving Monitoring & Criterion Elements Variance Requirements and Objective and Measurement Other Agreements Target Forest Access To ensure 5.1.5 Ensure the  Forest access roads  Road and bridge  CBPPL is  Report on Access and Maintain access to the Implementation management N/A provide many positive construction are committed to Management Plan Ecological forest and at the of the Access strategies of the economic and social carried out in adhering to all review and record Function same time, Management Access benefits; can also have accordance with the strategies with regard updates address the role Plan Management negative ecological Company’s to values and access that access and Plan are impacts. operating procedures as outlined in the linear implemented;  An access and relevant Federal Access Management disturbances management plan will and Provincial Plan play in Aim for 100% be implemented to departmental fragmenting satisfaction of -20% identify Stakeholder approval and/or forests. PAC members values, the impact of permits. that the Access forest access roads on Management these values, and a Plan effectively management strategy manages for the to eliminate or identified minimize any negative values of the impacts. forest. 5.2 Long-term To help 5.2.1 Level of Because of  The provision of  Sawlog Exchange  CBPPL will enter  Monitor CBPPL’s Communities Viability of maintain the participation Kruger’s Minimum of fibre from the DFA is Agreements between into sawlog exchange sawlog cut and and Forest-Based economic and support in commitment to 12% important to the CBPPL and agreements with delivery report Sustainability Communities viability of initiatives that maintain an continued operation individual integrated sawmills that are  Review target of to sawmills. contribute to operation in and viability of these sawmills interested in make available 15% community Corner Brook, sawmills as well as the exchanging pulp of the CBPPL annual sustainability. CBPPL will jobs that depend on chips and pulpwood harvest level in make 15% of them. for sawlogs. Annual Report the CBPPL  CBPPL has a role to  These agreements annual harvest play in contributing to must not result in level available the sustainability of fibre loss or as sawlogs. these communities. increased cost for CBPPL.  Work with operations and planning staff to develop the best strategy to meet sawlog requirements

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CCFM CSA SFM Value Objective Indicator Target Acceptable Background Legal Means of Achieving Monitoring & Criterion Elements Variance Requirements and Objective and Measurement Other Agreements Target Long-term To maintain the 5.2.2 Level of Train 100% of -10%  Forests represent not  One of the goals  A training database  A training database Viability of long-term investment in the workforce only a return on of Corner Brook will be reviewed will be reviewed Forest-Based viability of Training and to the investment for the Pulp and Paper annually against the annually against the Communities forest-based Skills requirements organization but also a Woodlands’ Training Needs Training Needs communities Development set out in the source of income and (CBPPL) Forest Matrix to determine Matrix to determine training matrix. non-financial benefits and Environmental an annual training an annual training for DFA-related Policy is that program. program. workers, contractors, CBPPL will  Organize course and others; stability and “Promote offerings for required opportunities for environmental training if economies communities; and awareness among of scale permit. revenue for local, our employees and provincial, and federal contractors and governments. train employees in  Investment in the their specific training and skills environmental and development of its forest management workers and contractors responsibilities”. serves to strengthen the organization and its viability, which in turn strengthens the viability of forest-based communities in its DFA Long-term To maintain the 5.2.3 Level of To maintain  CBPPL Collective  CBPPL Collective  Work with  Annual Viability of long-term direct and DFA wages in To always Agreement with Agreement with employees to reassessment of DFA Forest-Based viability of indirect line with the be above the UNIFOR Local 60N UNIFOR Local 60N maintain a high worker wages Communities forest-based employment Provincial Provincial  Company policy standard of  Re-assess census communities average wage regarding contractors employment data as available on DFA outside  Continue to Collective Agreement negotiate in good  Statistics Canada faith with UNIFOR census data Local 60N to maintain a Collective Agreement.

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CCFM CSA SFM Value Objective Indicator Target Acceptable Background Legal Means of Achieving Monitoring & Criterion Elements Variance Requirements and Objective and Measurement Other Agreements Target 6 Society's 6.1 Fair and Public To increase the 6.1.1 Level of To report on the  Members of the  A survey is  Administer Responsibility Effective Involvement in effectiveness of participant level of public are widely administered to surveys annually, to Decision sustainable public satisfaction with satisfaction of -20% considered to have the N/A CBPPL’s Public monitor PAC Making forest participation in the public members of the right to be involved in Advisory Committee effectiveness. management forest participation PAC with the the management of to determine the level  Annually compile management. process SFM Planning publicly owned forests. of satisfaction of results of surveys Process and their participation in into report form. take corrective sustainable forest  Review survey action to management. results with PAC and address  The results of this address deficiencies deficiencies if survey will be used if required and required. to try and improve, if develop an action necessary, the level plan to address any of satisfaction of the management PAC. categories for which <80% of the PAC are not satisfied. 6.1.2 Evidence To hold 6  Through their  Corner Brook  Schedule a total of  CBPPL’s EMS of efforts to Public Advisory participation in the Pulp and Paper 6 meetings/tours per Management promote Committee + 2 process, PAC members Forest and year for the Public Committee monitors capacity meetings each meetings or can expect to enhance Environmental Advisory Committee the functioning of the development year tours their knowledge of Policy PAC Committee, and and meaningful SFM in general, and of will review quarterly participation in other interests and the number of general values related to local meetings held. forests.  They also gain a valuable opportunity to be involved in the decision making for the management of local forests.

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CCFM CSA SFM Value Objective Indicator Target Acceptable Background Legal Means of Achieving Monitoring & Criterion Elements Variance Requirements and Objective and Measurement Other Agreements Target 6.1.3 To produce an A report produced  Produce an  CBPPL will Availability of annual report N/A annually to inform the N/A Environmental monitor the summary on the progress public of the Progress Report distribution of the information on of CBPPL’s company’s progress  Produce an Environmental issues of environmental toward achieving its indicator report Progress Report and concern to the management environmental look for public and sustainable objectives and opportunities to forest sustainable forest increase distribution management management is called systems, and the Environmental distribute the Progress Report. report to libraries, employees, government offices, etc 6.2 Safety Safety in the To conduct 6.2.1 Evidence To hold  Worker safety  Occupational  Hold monthly  A jobsite Forest forest of co-operation monthly -1 meeting programs that involve Health and Safety jobsite meetings; for representative will Workplace management with DFA- Occupational employees at the grass Act of jobsites with greater ensure issues are activities in a related workers Health and roots level have a Newfoundland and than 10 employees, a dealt with by all manner and their unions Safety meetings greater chance of Labrador jobsite employee levels of the designed to to improve and on each jobsite engaging workers in representative is to organization. protect the enhance safety when operating; safe practices, and attend monthly health and standards, ensuring accidents are CBPPL safety of our procedures, and For jobsites kept to a minimum. Environmental employees. outcomes in all with greater -1 meeting  Safety programs Health and Safety DFA-related than 10 must be reviewed Operations Meetings. workplaces and employees, a regularly to ensure affected jobsite they address new and communities employee OHS current practices. representative to attend monthly CBPPL Environmental Health and Safety Operations Meetings.

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CCFM CSA SFM Value Objective Indicator Target Acceptable Background Legal Means of Achieving Monitoring & Criterion Elements Variance Requirements and Objective and Measurement Other Agreements Target 6.2.2 Evidence Develop and > 94%  Worker safety  Occupational  Corner Brook Pulp  The Preventative that a worker maintain a (yearly programs that involve Health and Safety and Paper Ltd. will Index measures our safety program Preventative average) employees at the grass Act of continue to health & safety has been Index for all roots level have a Newfoundland and implement its performance as per implemented Woodlands greater chance of Labrador occupational health and is operations. engaging workers in and safety program, set of guidelines periodically safe practices, and including all of the approved by the reviewed and ensuring accidents are elements required by General Safety improved. kept to a minimum. the Occupational Committee.  Safety programs Health and Safety Act must be reviewed of Newfoundland and regularly to ensure Labrador. they address new and current practices  Preventative Index: A type of performance measurement to evaluate the success of CBPPL’s safety program. 7 Aboriginal 7.1 Aboriginal Relations and Treaty Deemed not applicable Rights 7.2 Respect for Aboriginal To promote 7.2.1 Evidence To have  There are two First  Ruled in 2003 and  Actively seek new  Monitor Aboriginal participation capacity of efforts to representation N/A Nation Bands on the upheld in 2007 that representation should Aboriginal People forest values, in Sustainable development promote of Aboriginal island of the Mi’kmaq have there be no involvement on the knowledge, and Forest and meaningful capacity Peoples on the Newfoundland that no special Aboriginal People on PAC. uses Management participation for development Public Advisory follow their traditional Aboriginal rights to the PAC Aboriginal and meaningful Committee values on CBPPL hunt, fish, or trap in individuals, participation for limits: Miawpukek forested areas. communities Aboriginal First Nation and and forest-based communities. Qalipu Mi’kmaq First companies. Nation Band.

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CCFM CSA SFM Value Objective Indicator Target Acceptable Background Legal Means of Achieving Monitoring & Criterion Elements Variance Requirements and Objective and Measurement Other Agreements Target Aboriginal To understand 7.2.2 Evidence 1. Offer to meet  There are two First  Ruled in 2003 and Offer to meet with  Report annually in Knowledge and take into of with No variance Nation Bands on the upheld in 2007 that Miawpukek First Indicator Report account understanding Miawpukek island of the Mi’kmaq have Nation and Qalipu Aboriginal and use of First Nation and Newfoundland that no special Mi’kmaq First knowledge in Aboriginal Qalipu follow their traditional Aboriginal rights to Nation Band to sustainable knowledge Mi’kmaq First values on CBPPL hunt, fish, or trap in identify First Nation forest through the Nation Band to limits: Miawpukek forested areas. values. management engagement of understand their First Nation and planning. willing forest values, Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Once a management Aboriginal knowledge and Nation Band. strategy has been communities, uses, as they agreed upon by using a process apply to the 5 CBPPL and First that identifies year plan areas. Nations, incorporate and manages First Nation values culturally 2. Discuss into the 5-Year and important adaptive forest No variance annual operating resources and management plans when values. strategies for applicable. the above values, Provide digital data 7.2.3 Level of knowledges and from each annual management uses. operating plan to and/or Miawpukek First protection of 3. Indicate in Nation and Qalipu areas where annual No variance Mi’kmaq First culturally operating plan Nation Band, to show important agreed-upon integration of practices and strategies. identified First activities occur. Nation values.

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