Office of the Premier
VANCOUVER – The B.C. government has agreed to protect significant valleys within the internationally-recognized Great Bear Rainforest and is entering into a unique agreement with First Nations on Land Resource Management Planning in B.C.’s central and north coast regions, Premier Ujjal Dosanjh announced today.
These two achievements mark the latest milestones in B.C.’s 10-year Land Resource Management Planning initiative program, which has put more responsibility for regional Land Resource Management Planning in the hands of local communities and residents.
“While the preliminary recommendations of the Central Coast land-use process are still a work in progress, the government is accepting them today to give protection to more of B.C.'s unique natural heritage and provide greater economic and community stability for the region,” Dosanjh said.
“The people of the coast – and all British Columbians – can take pride in these achievements,” said Dosanjh. “They have reached a hard-won consensus aimed at saving areas of global significance. They’ve shown that what is good for the environment can be good for working people and communities.”
Dosanjh says said the government has accepted the preliminary map agreed upon by the Central Coast land-use table, including the protection of major valleys within the Great Bear Rainforest and other areas, subject to consultation with First Nations and confirmation of boundaries.
In creating the 96,458-hectare Spirit Bear protection area (an area of 96,458 hectares), the government is saving essential habitat of the Spirit Bear – a rare white subspecies of black bear – and recognizing the cultural significance of the area to the Kitasoo and Gitga’at nations.
“The area referred to as the Great Bear Rainforest is an icon of the unique environmental and cultural values B.C. can share with the world,” said Dosanjh. “All of the people involved in this decision – First Nations, environmentalists, industry, workers, communities and government – have recognized what’s at stake, and have fulfilled B.C.’s role as environmental leaders on the world stage.”
“We are also preparing an enabling agreement for signature between to be signed by the Province and the 17 central coast First Nations participating in the planning process. This agreement will set out a process for their continued participation, as well as a mechanism for further discussion of resource management issues.”
The B.C. government is also signing today a First Nations protocol on interim measures and Land Resource Management Planning with six First Nations today. This Protocol Agreement covers an area ranging from Cape Caution in the south to the Alaska border – including Haida-Gwaii – and has a population of around 80,000. It includes the territories of the First Nation signatories tos signing the agreement.
“This Protocol Agreement will establish a leadership role for First Nations in remaining land-use decisions and ongoing management, helping ensure that future decisions respect the region’s unique environmental, cultural, tourism and resource values,” said Dosanjh. “First Nations may develop their own Land Resource Management Plans, work with stakeholders and be able to address any outstanding issues with the province. The Protocol Agreement will ensure regional economic opportunities and environmental sustainability that will benefit coastal communities and families.”
Guujaw, president of the Council of the Haida Nation – speaking for the six First Nations – welcomed the Protocol Agreement. "It involves compromise from all parties, including ourselves and the B.C. government. While compromising can be difficult, the alternative is much less acceptable." He also noted that the ongoing conflicts on the coast are detrimental to everyone's interests.
The agreement was also hailed by environmentalist David Suzuki, whose foundation works with the First Nations involved in the agreement. “I am proud that the B.C. government has signed this agreement. This could lead to a sustainable, diversified economy for generations to come.”
Other areas of agreement stemming from the coastal land-use process to date include:
- The designation of protection, operating and “option” areas, as well as special management zones for visual quality as recommended in the preliminary map (see backgrounder for further details).
- Further implementation of ecosystem-based logging in Operating areas that seeks to encourage a viable future for forestry on the coast while ensuring the coexistence of healthy, fully -functioning ecosystems and human communities. This principle has been agreed to by the forest companies in the Central Coast region.
- Shared economic transition strategies:
- While Land Resource Management Planning continues, agreement has been reached that Forest Renewal B.C. (FRB.C.) will contribute $10 million for short-term mitigation.
- It is anticipated that government, the forest industry and the environmental community will share in the costs of longer-term community transition strategies.
- Creation of an independent information team to examine outstanding issues and make recommendations to the Land Resource Management Planning tables. The team must consider ecological and socio-economic impacts.
“This is a large and unique part of our province – the planning achievements reached so far reflect those unique values and set the stage for the successful resolution of outstanding issues,” said Dosanjh.
“I’d like to applaud the work of the many people who contributed to this complex process. In all, around 60 groups and over 100 people have participated, and their ability to reach this initial consensus speaks to the commitment they share of protecting our environment while furthering economic stability and prosperity for local communities.”
Participants in the Central Coast land-use process are welcoming welcomed today’s achievements.
“International markets want resolve on issues involving critical ecosystems and endangered forests on the B.C. coast,” said Linda Coady, vice-president of Weyerhaeuser. “This agreement will help the coastal B.C. forest sector address other market access challenges, including pressures for independent, third-party certification and competition from other forest jurisdictions and wood substitutes.”
“This is a real turning point for the future of B.C.’s rainforests,” said Merran Smith, Senior Forest Campaigner, for the Sierra Club of B.C. “It means that the ancient rainforests that have stood in over 40 coastal valleys for the last thousand years will be standing for the next thousand.”
“As a result of these agreements, we will suspend our campaigns targeting the major coastal logging companies,” said Tzeporah Berman, B.C. co-ordinator for forest ethics. “We look forward to working with all stakeholders over the next two years to achieve final resolution.”
It’s estimated the work of the independent information team and the resolution of outstanding land-use issues and final boundaries will take between 12 and 24 months. With today’s Protocol Agreement, it’s also been agreed that any final decisions by government in response to the final land-use recommendations will be made in consultation with First Nations.
The Central Coast land-use region ranges from Bute Inlet in the south to Princess Royal Island in the north – including the coastal nearshore waters – and incorporates much of Tweedsmuir Park to the east. About 4,500 people live in this area, most of whom are First Nations.
Contact: |
Tamara Armstrong |
For Immediate Release
April 4, 2001
