2. FACTS ABOUT CANADA AND HER FORESTS Canada is a forest nation and covers 45% of the country. Most of Canada’s forests are under public ownership. Forests play an integral role as part of world’s ecological cycle with 10% of worlds forest cover and 20% of worlds fresh water running through its water sheds. Canada’s forests are home to 2/3 of 140,000 species of plants, animals and micro organisms in Canada. Most forests under public ownership. 6 ½% under private ownership. 1 in 17 jobs links to forests.

3. LOCATION Canada’s forest are found mainly in the south of the country on the border with the USA. There are different ways to classify the diverse forest. 8 distinct regions of tree species and combinations. These are the forest regions. National ecozones monitor climate, human activity, vegetation, soils, and geology. There are 15 ecozones, forests are found in 9 of these zones. Canada has a vast variety of 8 different coniferous forests systems, mainly located in the south-west, south and south-east. With only the boreal and taiga forests extending northwards.

4. ECONOMIC Of the 418 million hectares of forest 56% is considered commercial forest, capable of growing commercial tree species in a reasonable amount of time. However only 28% are currently managed for timber production. 22% protected by legislation, regulation, policy and parks. The majority of wood harvested processed as industrial round wood as logs and bolts and used to manufacture lumber, plywood and venire. A proportion is used to produce wood pulp to make paper. Compared to other countries only a small proportion is consumed as fire wood. However the forest is being used for non traditional products such as mushrooms. Canada is a wood exporting nation.in 2001 exports valued as 44.1 billion dollars most as lumber, pulp and newsprint. USA accounts for 81%, and is the primary market for products of Canadian forests. 84% of exports of softwood go to USA. SOCIAL Canada’s forests sustain the economy of hundreds of communities across the country. In 2002 the forest sector employed 361,300 Canadians. In addition the demand for forest recreation is growing rapidly.

5. CANADIAN FOREST SERVICE As exportation of forest products is an integral part of the Canadian economy is it very important that the forest can be sustained to provide a stable economy for future generations. One agency is the Canadian Forest Service (CFS). "To promote the sustainable development of Canada's forests and competitiveness of the Canadian forest sector for the well-being of present and future generations of Canadians." Canada is becoming a world leader in sustainable forest management. The CFS delivers its science and technology Program through five national networks, each dealing with a different area of forest science and technology. The target-based networks include: Climate Change and Fire Research, Enhanced Timber Production and Protection, Forest Ecosystem Processes, Forest Health and Biodiversity, and Knowledge and Information Synthesis. The aim is to increase internal efficiency and to facilitate the development of non-governmental and international partnerships. Its scientific and technical expertise allows the CFS to play a strong role in addressing national and international issues affecting the sustainable management of Canada's forests.

6. The CFS has actively produced 5 comprehensive sustainable practice programs: Canada Wood First Nations Forestry Program Forest Communities Program Canada’s Model Forest Program National Forestry Database Program

7. One of the most successful programs launched by the CFS is the Model Forest Program. Canada's Model Forest Program represents an initiative in building partnerships locally, nationally, and internationally to generate new ideas and on- the-ground solutions to sustainable forest management issues. These grass roots partnerships include representatives from environmental organisations, native groups, industry, educational and research institutions, all levels of government, community-based associations, recreationists, and landowners. So basically everyone who could be involved is involved. The Government of Canada, through the Canadian Forest Service, launched Canada's Model Forest Program to address the challenge of balancing the extensive range of demands we place on our forests today and the needs of tomorrow’s generations. The principle behind the program is simple. Each model forest serves as a demonstration of partners with a diversity of forest values working together to achieve sustainable forest management.

8. James Bay Lowlands Boreal Great Lakes St. Lawrence Deciduous THE NORTH-EASTERN FOREST The Boreal forest in Ontario contains nearly 38 million hectares of productive forest land, with roughly 40% in north-eastern Ontario. With the dominant species of white and black spruce, jack pine, balsam fire, trembling aspen, and white birch, the Boreal forest is a fire-driven ecosystem; the forest species of forest communities are greatly influenced by the size, intensity and frequency of fires that have burned across the landscape. Fire suppression and extensive cutting are two human influences which have shifted the course of forest succession over much of the boreal landscape. The Great Lakes St.Lawrence forest region occupies the central region of the province, with the greatest concentration of the forests occurring north and east of Lake Huron in north-eastern Ontario. The region is 22.3 million hectares in size, with the majority of it found in north-eastern Ontario. Dominant species are red and white pine, red and white oak, hemlock, white birch, yellow birch and ash, with maple as the most abundant tree. BACKGROUND

9. CONSERVATION CHALLENGES Two major forces are at work in Ontario's forests, The first, fire suppression, has been in effect for the last 80 years, and its effect is perhaps less easily measured. The second force, the mechanical "harvesting" of trees, has been in place for only the last few decades, and its effect is enormous. In combination, these two forces have changed the face of the forest. For example, in the boreal forest, spruce has dropped from making up 18% of the forest to only 4%, while hardwoods have jumped from 6% to 19%. Key conservation challenges are the retention of undisturbed areas of forest land, keeping a mix of the ages of trees, which keeps the forests as sustainable for the future as possible. Also special attention to species which are particular endangered such as white pine.

10. Increasingly, industry calls the shots on the publicly owned land in Ontario. In 1985, 58% of crown land was licensed to the forest industry; by 1993, the number was 70%. The provincial government's current goal is 100%. This newest transfer of public lands to corporate control was made possible by changes to make under the Crown Forest Sustainability Act, passed into law in 1994. A tool was created for transferring the responsibilities of the Ministry of Natural Resources for planning, inventories, monitoring and silviculture to the forest industry. Called "Sustainable Forest Licenses", these new instruments give more responsibility to industry, but also more control. In the same year an almost decade-long environmental assessment hearing concluded in April 1994 with 115 conditions being placed on the management of crown lands for the production of timber. A key condition of the "Class Environmental Assessment of Timber Management on Crown Lands in Ontario" was the establishment of "Local Citizens Committees", increasing the effectiveness of the public consultations related to the timber management planning process, participating in the development of Plan objectives, monitoring the implementation of the Timber Management Plan, and providing other advice to the District Manager related to the plan. The experience of local people sitting on these committees and representing environmental or natural heritage interests has been varied, as have been the committees' structures and operating styles. Yet these individuals, along with the small percentage of the public who actively participate in forest management planning processes, have an important opportunity - and responsibility - to achieve the highest standard of care possible for the 88% of the forested landscape which is available for industrial exploitation.

11. The Forest Stewardship Council is is an organisation that sets standards to access whether practices are sustainble or not. This framework ensures that FSC policies and standards development processes are: Transparent: The process for policy and standards development is clear and accessible. Independent: Standards are developed in a way which balances the interests of all stakeholders, ensuring that no one interest dominates. Participatory: FSC strives to involve all interested people and groups in the development of FSC policies and standards. I assessed how sustainable the North-Eastern forest of Canada actually was…….

12. The north-eastern forest shows transparency by having clear acts, although the harvesting of trees can cause conservation issues such as keeping a mix of the ages of trees, which keeps the forests as sustainable for the future as possible. And keeping special attention to species which are particular endangered such as white pine, acts such as a bottom up approach of "Local Citizens Committees" increase the likelihood of these conservation challenges becoming critical, as local knowledge can put resources to tackle these issues in the right place at the right time to minimise effects. This enables that local people always have a say in planning, development and implementing schemes. Also it show it follows the independent standard as the involvement of local committees have a say and industry led acts such as the “Crown Forest Sustainability Act” and “Sustainable Forest Licenses” do no dominate proceedings of what happens, although they have a lot of control, advice from "Local Citizens Committees" are invaluable. This also follows the participatory standard. Therefore concluding that the north-eastern forest is a sustainable ecozone.