Forest Management Wetland Stewardship Initiative Extends Partnership to 2022
Seven forest products companies and Ducks Unlimited Canada to continue developing wetland management resources for the health of Canada’s boreal region
September 23, 2019 (Edmonton, AB) Today, members of the Forest Management Wetland Stewardship Initiative (FMWSI) announce that, based on the success of the last three years, the partnership will continue for a second three-year term.
FMWSI is a partnership between Alberta-Pacific Forest Industries Inc., Canfor, Forest Products Association of Canada, Millar Western Forest Products Ltd., Tolko Industries Ltd., West Fraser and Weyerhaeuser Company, and Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC). The goals of the partnership are to share knowledge and resources to advance sustainable forest management and wetland stewardship in the working forests of Canada’s boreal region.
In its first term (2017 to 2019), the partnership determined there was a need to address how to maintain healthy wetlands when working in the Boreal region. In response, three guidebooks were developed to assist with the identification and management of boreal wetlands. These guidebooks are now available for download and purchase. They are:
- Forestry and Waterfowl: Assessing and Mitigating Risk Practitioner Guide
- Guiding Principles for Wetland Stewardship and Forest Management Practitioner Guide
- Wetland Best Management Practices for Forest Management Planning and Operations Practitioner Guide
“Healthy boreal wetlands are important to both DUC and the forest sector. They maintain water quality and supply, regulate global climate, and provide habitat to an abundance of plant and animal species,” states Bev Gingras, Head Boreal Conservation Programs with DUC. “Because roads and other infrastructure are necessary for forestry operations, it is important that forest practitioners understand how their activities may affect wetlands and, in turn, how wetlands can affect their operations.”
“This collaborative initiative between Ducks Unlimited Canada and the forest industry is an example of how landscape-scale forest management planning can work to enhance and conserve wetlands and biodiversity, through partnership. We are proud of the work accomplished to date under the initiative and look forward to further opportunities to work together,” said Kate Lindsay, Vice President, Sustainability and Environmental Partnerships, FPAC.
To learn more about FMWSI and the upcoming projects the members are developing, please visit the link here.
FMWSI members are in Edmonton today celebrating a successful three-year term as a partnership, and discussing the roadmap for the next three years. From (L), Wendy Crosina (Weyerhaeuser Company), Laura Trout (West Fraser), Allan Bell (Tolko Industries Ltd.), Kevin Smith (DUC), Margaret Donnelly (Alberta-Pacific Forest Industries Inc.) and Bob Mason (Millar Western Forest Products Ltd.). © DUC
About Ducks Unlimited Canada: Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) is the leader in wetland conservation. A registered charity, DUC partners with government, industry, non-profit organizations, and landowners to conserve wetlands that are critical to waterfowl, wildlife and the environment.
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