MILESTONE REACHED: COASTAL BC ON TARGET FOR EBM BY 2009

VANCOUVER – Forest resource development on the Central and North Coast of B.C. is now subject to a new legal framework that begins the process of establishing ecosystem-based management (EBM), Agriculture and Lands Minister Pat Bell announced today, along with First Nations, industry representatives and environmentalists.

“The new legal framework covers an area of 6.4 million hectares,” said Bell. “Plans are being finalized to ensure ecological integrity and improve human well-being in the region by March 31, 2009. This will ensure that ecosystems and critical wildlife habitat will be protected from resource development, including the protection of culturally significant 1,000-year-old cedars and salmon-rich streams.”

This EBM framework is an important step forward that will protect key elements of old growth forests, such as representative ecosystems, freshwater ecosystems and critical grizzly bear habitat. A major component of the EBM framework is the recognition and management of important First Nations cultural and heritage resources, including monumental cedar and culturally modified trees. The Province is committed to implementing ecosystem-based management in a way that maintains ecosystem integrity and improves human well-being as supported by a viable forest industry and a new conservation-based economy by March 2009.

“I am very pleased with progress that has been made on land-use planning in the last two years,” said Kitasoo Xaixais Chief Percy Starr. “I am particularly happy with the Province’s continued collaboration on this work with First Nations and its continued commitment to work with First Nations on the Central and North Coast to create a healthy coastal economy.”

The achievement of the EBM legal framework further highlights the New Vision for Coastal B.C. announced on this day two years ago and is the result of government-to-government negotiations between the Province and First Nations, as well as collaboration from environmentalists and industry. To mark this special anniversary, the Province and partner organizations have reconvened at the site of the original announcement.

“These land-use objectives are integral to ensuring our cultural values are taken into consideration outside of the existing conservancies,” said Dallas W. Smith, President of the Nanwakolas Council.

“A great deal has been accomplished since the land-use agreements for the Central and North Coast were ratified two years ago,” said Reynold Hert, CEO of Western Forest Products. “It has taken the collaborative effort of stakeholders, First Nations and the Province, and the committed participation of environmental groups and forest sector partners WFP, Interfor, BCTS, Catalyst and Canfor to reach this point. It will take this same effort in the months ahead to reach our goal of full implementation and I am confident we will.”

Bell has now signed a second ministerial order to legally establish the Central and North Coast Land Use Objectives. The order complements the South Central Coast Land Use Objective Order announced on July 31, 2007 and means that, with both orders in effect, a major step has been taken in covering the entire Central and North Coast area with a groundbreaking EBM legal framework. The legal orders require forest licensees to integrate EBM legal objectives into their forest development operations in the plan area. The order and a map outlining the areas where the objectives will be applied is available at: http://ilmbwww.gov.bc.ca/lup/.

The historic Coast Land Use Decision encompasses the North and Central Coast plan areas and protects one of the world’s greatest ecological gems while balancing the needs of the environment with the people who depend upon the land for their livelihoods and way of life. Greenpeace, ForestEthics, Sierra Club BC, communities and the coastal forestry industry, including the Coast Forest Conservation Initiative, were integrally involved with the Province in building this collaborative solution for more than five years.

The combined areas of the decision are approximately 6.4 million hectares, which is more than twice the size of Vancouver Island. The total combined protected areas for these regions are approximately 1.8 million hectares, or more than three times the size of Prince Edward Island. Vast areas of temperate coastal rainforest that are home to thousands of species of plants, birds and animals are now protected from natural resource development. Ancient cedar trees and tall Sitka spruce lined streams that weave through valley bottoms, providing food for orcas, black bears, grizzlies and eagles will be preserved for generations to come. The region is also home to the elusive Spirit Bear, the Province’s official mammal.

See backgrounder for a detailed outline of Central and North Coast achievements to date.

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1 backgrounder(s) attached.
Media contact:	Liz Bicknell Communications Director Ministry of Agriculture and Lands 250 356-2862 250 213-3072 (cell)

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