To facilitate the sustainable management of ground hemlock, it is essential that those involved in this emerging resource sector agree to a standard set of guidelines. These guidelines, once fully developed, will serve to provide a fair and effective standard for harvesters. Through a comprehensive verification system, the guidelines will also provide processors, consumers and regulators with the assurance that the resource is being sustainably managed. It is intended that agreement from members of the Eastern Canada Ground Hemlock Working Group on the following general principles will facilitate and validate the next step in the process, the identification of specific criteria and indicators.

The Principles

1. Harvesting of ground hemlock will follow all applicable provincial and federal legislation, and international treaties.
2. Harvesting of ground hemlock will not diminish the viability of natural populations and will conserve the quality and quantity of ground hemlock biomass through the use of appropriate harvesting practices. On-site impacts associated with the harvesting of ground hemlock will be minimized
3. Harvesting practices must ensure the conservation of biodiversity, soil, water and other ecosystem attributes of harvested areas.
4. Handling and transport of the resource will be done in such a way as to maintain the quality of harvested biomass.
5. Monitoring and tracking shall be conducted to ensure that harvesting adheres to the accepted minimum standards of the Working Group (standards are to be included as criteria and indicators under principles 2, 3 and 4). Third party auditing will be an integral component of the system providing independent verification.
6. Harvesters and landowners must have access to information regarding the sustainable harvest of ground hemlock. Harvesters must be trained and supervised sufficiently to ensure adherence to the guidelines.
7. Economic and social benefits from harvesting and processing will be fairly distributed and focused on the long-term well being of forest workers, landowners and local communities.
8. Exemptions from sustainable harvesting practices may be appropriate where land-use conversions will result in the permanent elimination of a population(s) from a given site.

In April 2002, staff at the Canadian Forest Service, Atlantic Forestry Centre (AFC) organized the formation of the Eastern Canadian Ground Hemlock Working Group. The group consists of government representatives from the five eastern Canadian Provinces (Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland & Labrador), the private sector (commercial harvesters and processors), the University of New Brunswick, Falls Brook Centre (ENGO), and the Canadian Wildlife Service (Canadian coordinators for the Convention on International Trade in Threatened and Endangered Species (CITES)). Group members have agreed to cooperate with the common objectives of:

Protecting the resource while promoting a sustainable industry that provides significant social and economic value to rural Canadians,

Promoting the development of value-added biomass processing within Canada Increasing and facilitating communication amongst those working in this sector.

In addition to coordinating the formation of the working group, staff at AFC have contributed significantly in all three of the above areas including developing harvest guidelines and the first draft of a harvest verification system, and conducting research on the biology, biochemistry and genetics of ground hemlock.

Members of this unique and diverse group are demonstrating a willingness and enthusiasm to work together for the development of a long-term sustainable taxane industry in eastern Canada. By presenting a unified and consistent ‘front’, particularly on issues like sustainability, the position of this fledgling industry will be strengthened for the benefit of eastern Canadians.

For more information on the Working Group please contact Stewart Cameron.