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January 26, 2004

Forest industry takes step towards boreal conservation

Backgrounder

Towards conservation of Canada's boreal region

About Canada's boreal region
Canada's boreal region contains one-quarter of the world's remaining original forests, and huge expanses of wetlands. It is an immensely important buffer against climate change. One of the largest intact forest ecosystems left on Earth, Canada's boreal is home to a rich array of wildlife including migratory songbirds, fish, waterfowl, bears, wolves and caribou. The boreal region's natural wealth sustains many of Canada's aboriginal communities. Its resources also support thousands of jobs, contributing billions to the Canadian economy.

A collaborative approach
The Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) and the Canadian Boreal Initiative (CBI) have agreed to work together to develop projects that will advance boreal research and conservation. Their representatives will meet regularly to identify emerging issues and evaluate progress on existing initiatives. This engagement is part of broader efforts on the part of both bodies to expand dialogue and work collaboratively on initiatives to support the long-term conservation of the boreal region. These efforts are intended build on existing initiatives and encourage discussion and cooperation among interests within the CBI and FPAC stakeholder groups.

The Canadian Boreal Initiative (www.borealcanada.ca)
Working independently with a wide range of conservation organizations, First Nations, industry and other interested parties, the CBI links science, policy and conservation activities in Canada's boreal region, and supports on-the-ground boreal conservation work. Since its inception in 2003, the CBI has released two research reports. It also released the Boreal Forest Conservation Framework – the most extensive national conservation vision ever, developed in concert with leading conservation organizations, resource companies and First Nations.

The Forest Products Association of Canada (www.fpac.ca)
The national public policy voice for the forest products industry, FPAC regularly participates in the development of effective, knowledge-based tools for environmental stewardship. Through its Boreal Stewardship Task Force, consisting of FPAC member companies and provincial association partners across the country, FPAC is accelerating activities to improve the collective knowledge regarding boreal forest sustainability. FPAC is committed to developing information helpful to the forest industry in achieving substantive progress in sustainable forest management, and continual improvement of practices on the ground.

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