Boreal Forest Conservation Framework
CPAWS is a founding member of the Boreal Leadership Council (BLC), a group of leading companies, Aboriginal organizations and conservation groups convened by the
Canadian Boreal Initiative, who jointly support the implementation of the Boreal Forest Conservation Framework vision in Canada. The Framework’s goal is to conserve the cultural, sustainable economic and natural values of the entire Canadian boreal region by employing the principles of conservation biology to:
- Protect at least 50% of the region in a network of large interconnected protected areas, and
- Support sustainable communities, world-leading ecosystem-based resource management practices and state-of-the-art stewardship practices in the remaining landscape.
The principles of the Boreal Forest Conservation Framework are to:
- Maintain ecological processes which account for the overall health of the boreal forest across the full spectrum of human uses;
- Maintain intact areas to minimize fragmentation wherever possible;
- Ensure sustainable economic benefits to Northern communities and the viability of commercial interests;
- Respect the lands, rights and ways of life of Aboriginal peoples and First Nations;
- Acknowledge and respect the leadership role of Aboriginal people and First Nations in achieving conservation goals on their traditional lands;
- Ensure the inclusion of Aboriginal people and First Nations, through respect for their governance of the land and their traditional knowledge, in all conservation efforts in the boreal forest;
- Recognize and value the diversity of local cultures and local communities;
- Seek innovative and lasting solutions based on partnerships among all affected parties;
- Achieve optimal additional environmental and social benefit from the least raw material supply, cost, and workforce adjustment impact;
- Utilize scientific knowledge, traditional knowledge, and local perspectives to achieve the conservation of natural and cultural values; and
- Continuously improve and adapt our approaches and practices based on changing natural conditions and evolving knowledge over time.
