Southwest Alberta groups release new recommendations for sustainable forest management

Today sees the release of a new report, Sustainable Forests, Sustainable Communities: The Future of Alberta’s Southwestern Forests. Citizens and associations from communities throughout southwestern Alberta have joined together to document serious concerns with current industrial-scale logging practices, and present an alternative vision for the management of Alberta's southwestern forests.

The new report contains a series of recommendations for a new model of forest management in Alberta, based on ecosystems, guided by independent scientific expertise and augmented by local community participation and benefit.

“We are not opposed to all logging,” say the groups in the report. “Instead we support the development of a forest management model that maintains healthy forest ecosystems as its primary function, and offers sustainable benefits to communities from the wise use of these forests.”

Recommendations from the report include:

• “The first priority of forest management in southwestern Alberta forests will be the conservation of the ecological values of the forest, including provision of clean, abundant water, diverse forest ecosystems, wildlife habitat and connectivity, and natural carbon capture and storage.
• “The second priority will be appropriate human use of the same forested landscape, including appropriate recreation and tourism, and sustainable forestry.
• “Public consultation processes will be accessible, accountable and transparent.”

Signatories to the new report include:

• Alberta Wilderness Association
• Beaver Mines store
• Bert Riggall Environmental Foundation
• Bow Valley Naturalists
• Bragg Creek Environmental Coalition
• Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society
• Castle Crown Wilderness Coalition
• Crowsnest Conservation Society
• Full Circle Adventures
• Ghost Watershed Alliance Society
• Livingstone Landowners Group
• South Porcupine Hills Stewardship Association
• Southern Alberta Group for the Environment
• Stop the Castle Logging Group
• Trail of the Great Bear
• Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative

The full report, Sustainable Forests, Sustainable Communities: The Future of Alberta’s Southwestern Forests can be downloaded here... [8]

For more information:

• Nigel Douglas, Conservation Specialist, Alberta Wilderness Association. (403) 283-2025
• Ralph Cartar, Bragg Creek Environmental Coalition. (403) 949-3307
• Carolyn Aspeslet, Castle Crown Wilderness Coalition. (403) 627-5059
• Marina Krainer, Ghost Watershed Alliance Society. (403) 604-2601
• David McIntyre, Livingstone Landowners Group. (403) 564-4289
• Sarah Pasemko, Senior Conservation Planner, CPAWS‐Southern Alberta. (403) 232-6686
• Peter Sherrington, Stop Castle Logging. (403) 627-3522