3333333canfor ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Canfor wishes to express appreciation to all members of the Canfor Forest Management Advisory Committee, Norbord Inc., and Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development (AESRD) for the time, effort and expertise contributed toward the development of this Sustainable Forest Management Plan. Canfor would also like to thank the many individuals who provided information or contributed to specific components of this document. Canadian Forest Products Ltd. 9401 – 108 Street Postal Bag 100 Grande Prairie, Alberta Canada, T8V 3A3 Phone: (780) 538-7749 Fax: (780) 538-7800 www.canfor.com The majority of the literature cited in this document is available for viewing at Canfor’s Grande Prairie office. TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES .......................................................................................................... V LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................... VI VISION STATEMENT .................................................................................................. VII EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .............................................................................................. IX 1.0 INTRODUCTION & OVERVIEW ............................................................................... 1 2.0 GUIDING PRINCIPLES ............................................................................................ 2 3.0 THE DEFINED FOREST AREA ................................................................................ 3 3.1 AREA DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................................... 3 3.1.1 Overview ......................................................................................................................... 3 3.1.2 Communities ................................................................................................................... 4 3.1.3 Area Economy ................................................................................................................ 4 3.1.4 Environment ................................................................................................................... 5 3.1.5 Species at Risk ................................................................................................................ 7 3.1.6 Defined Forest Area Use ................................................................................................ 7 3.1.6.1 Deciduous Forest Companies ...................................................................................... 7 3.1.6.2 Oil and Gas Sector ...................................................................................................... 8 3.1.6.3 Outfitters ...................................................................................................................... 8 3.1.6.4 Grazing Dispositions ................................................................................................. 10 3.1.6.5 Registered Fur Management Areas ........................................................................... 12 3.1.6.6 General Public........................................................................................................... 14 3.2 MOUNTAIN PINE BEETLE ..................................................................................................... 14 3.2.1 Overview ....................................................................................................................... 14 3.2.2 Area Affected ................................................................................................................ 14 3.2.3 Strategy & Response ..................................................................................................... 14 3.2.4 The Extent of Current & Future Infestations ................................................................ 14 3.2.5 Factors Influencing the Severity of Attack ................................................................... 15 3.2.6 Outlook ......................................................................................................................... 15 3.3 WOODLAND CARIBOU ......................................................................................................... 15 4.0 THE PLANNING PROCESS ................................................................................... 17 4.1 THE CANADIAN STANDARDS ASSOCIATION CERTIFICATION PROCESS ............................... 17 4.1.1 Public/Aboriginal Involvement: Performance Requirements & Measures .................. 17 4.1.2 Public Review of Annual Reports and Third Party Audits ....................................... 18 4.1.3 Internal Infrastructure: Systems Components ............................................................. 19 4.1.4 Canadian Standards Association Registration ............................................................. 19 4.2 THE DEFINED FOREST AREA SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT PLANNING PROCESS 20 4.2.1 Public Participation ..................................................................................................... 20 5.0 STRATEGY GUIDING THE SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN ...... 21 5.1 LAND USE FRAMEWORK ...................................................................................................... 21 5.2 FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN .............................................................................................. 21 5.3 SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN STRATEGY FOR THE DEFINED FOREST AREA 21 5.4 ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE ...................................................................................................... 21 6.0 VALUES & OBJECTIVES....................................................................................... 22 i Criterion 1: Biological Diversity ........................................................................................... 22 Element 1.1: Ecosystem Diversity .................................................................................... 22 Element 1.2: Species Diversity .......................................................................................... 22 Element 1.3: Genetic Diversity ......................................................................................... 22 Element 1.4 Protected Areas and Sites of Special Biological and Cultural Significance . 23 Criterion 2: Forest Ecosystem Condition and Productivity .................................................. 23 Element 2.1 Forest Ecosystem Resilience ......................................................................... 23 Element 2.2 Forest Ecosystem Productivity ...................................................................... 23 Criterion 3: Soil and Water ................................................................................................... 24 Element 3.1 Soil Quality and Quantity .............................................................................. 24 Element 3.2 Water Quality and Quantity .......................................................................... 24 Criterion 4: Role in Global Ecological Cycles ..................................................................... 24 Element 4.1 Carbon Uptake and Storage ........................................................................... 24 Element 4.2 Forest Land Conversion ................................................................................ 25 Criterion 5: Economic and Social Benefits ........................................................................... 25 Element 5.1 Timber and Non-Timber Benefits ................................................................. 25 Element 5.2 Communities and Sustainability .................................................................... 25 Criterion 6: Society’s responsibility ..................................................................................... 25 Element 6.1 Aboriginal and Treaty Rights ........................................................................ 26 Element 6.2 Respect for Aboriginal Forest Values, Knowledge, and Uses ...................... 26 Element 6.3 Forest Community well-being and resilience ................................................ 26 Element 6.4 Fair and Effective Decision-Making ............................................................. 27 Element 6.5 Information for Decision-Making ................................................................. 27 7.0 INDICATORS & INDICATOR MATRICES .............................................................. 28 7.1 OBJECTIVES, INDICATORS & TARGETS ................................................................................ 28 7.2 BASE LINE FOR INDICATORS ................................................................................................ 28 7.3 CURRENT STATUS OF INDICATORS ...................................................................................... 28 7.4 FORECASTING ...................................................................................................................... 29 7.5 LEGAL REQUIREMENTS ........................................................................................................ 29 7.6 RESPONSE ............................................................................................................................ 29 7.7 INDICATORS IN THE SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN ...................................... 30 1.1.1 Representation of Plant Communities at the Landscape Level ............................ 30