Conserving Canada’s
Natural Capital: The Boreal Forest
Canada’s Boreal region comprises 6 million
square kilometers, stretching across the north in seven provinces
and all three territories and contains the last natural, original
forests remaining in the world. It is a vital part of Canada’s
“green account” – the natural capital that
makes the country one of the wealthiest in the world. In terms
of its environmental importance – as a repository for
biodiversity and a counterbalance for carbon emissions contributing
to climate change – the Boreal forest compares with
South America’s Amazon.
The goal of this program was to examine how
to balance conservation with economic activity on lands allocated
for resource development in Canada’s boreal forest through
regulatory and fiscal policy reform.
The NRTEE’s research emphasized that this
precious resource has been affected seriously in recent decades
by logging, mining and energy extraction and global warming.
Planned, measured, sustainable development of the Boreal is
essential to enable these crucial economic activities to thrive
while protecting the equally crucial natural environment.
In addition to its key recommendation –
a national conference of leaders in 2006 to address the problems
facing the Boreal – the NRTEE recommends a practical
and effective approach using a variety of market-based economic
instruments to promote conservation of the Boreal’s
natural capital.
These market-based tools include: tax policy
changes and incentives for good practice; “offsets”
(requiring enhancement or protection of an area in exchange
for development rights in another area); and, conservation
easements (permitting third parties to negotiate directly
for the right to manage Crown land in the interests of preserving
vital biodiversity outputs , such as clean air, water, etc).
Released in October 2005, Boreal Futures:
Governance, Conservation and Development in Canada’s
Boreal – State of the Debate report is the result
of extensive research and multistakeholder input and identifies
opportunities for achieving the balance in the region through
initiatives in four interrelated areas: leadership, education
and information; ecological fiscal reform; innovations in
planning and regulatory frameworks; and institution and capacity
building.
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