2024 August Newsletter
Dear Reader,
September is already upon us and every year, we feel like it comes up on us all too quickly. The last few weeks of the summer season are always bittersweet. This year it seems especially so as we reflect on weeks spent shielding ourselves from extreme heatwaves and another devastating wildfire season in Alberta.
In this monthly edition of our newsletter, we are turning to a topic that’s been on many minds recently: the health of Alberta’s forests and forestry practices in the province. As an added note, our Annual General Meeting is Thursday, September 26. More details can be found below to join us in-person or online.
Defining Forestry
Forestry, as listed on the Government of Alberta website is defined as “sustainable forest management, wildfire prevention and management, and forest tenure, trade and market access.” Alberta’s current definition of forestry includes the privatization of forests through tenure and the management of forests for economic profit. The sector, although a fraction of the province’s GDP, holds an important role within many Albertan communities providing employment, mitigating wildfire risk through implementing FireSmart practices around communities, and facilitating research in the field.
However, the primary focus of commercial forestry of maximizing timber harvest is at odds with the wider public interest and with international movements to halt and reverse biodiversity loss.
We want to be clear: the forestry industry can, and should, be an ally in managing forests to protect communities from wildfire risk and to promote biodiversity, but this is not the current reality of widespread practices.
FMUs, FMAs, and FMPs – oh my!
To say that it isn’t straightforward how forestry functions within Alberta’s forests seems to be an understatement. Forest Management Areas (FMAs) predate many of us and the release of updated Forest Management Plans for areas under these agreements are few and far between (usually every 10 years). Forestry practices impact communities and the health and resilience of forests. The word “bureaucracy” is not synonymous with “leisurely reading”, but we promise you that having a solid foundation of forestry’s bureaucratic infrastructure will arm you with some powerful information to speak on behalf of Alberta’s forests.
We just released a new forestry web page that is rich in information about the infrastructure of forestry, threats to Alberta’s forests, opportunities for improved management, and some key definitions.
Wildfire Risk: Untangling What We Can and Cannot Change
The wildfire season in Alberta, once again, had a large impact on communities and forests across the province. An event that was felt across the country was the Jasper Wildfire Complex, which prompted many statements from the Government of Alberta on how Alberta’s forests should be managed to prevent such risks. While we agree that forestry does play an important role in mitigating wildfire risk surrounding communities the same practices cannot and should not be uniformly applied across Alberta.
In the boreal region, wildfire is a natural occurrence that is necessary for the forest to regenerate and to foster biodiversity. Forestry practices cannot replicate the ecological benefits of wildfire. CPAWS Northern Alberta is concerned that the Government of Alberta may permit expanded harvest in Alberta’s forests under the guise of wildfire mitigation, and this could ultimately weaken forests and watersheds, diminish their ability to buffer against floods and drought, and further impact species at risk.
We are aware of industry campaigns that promote change within Alberta’s forestry industry, supposedly to protect forests and communities. While some of the messaging we agree with, looking into it further there is some wording that concerns us.
Key things to look for in communications about forestry:
- What is the source? Is it an unbiased source?
- What is the language surrounding harvesting? Does it imply increased harvesting throughout Alberta’s forests?
- Is there mention of practices to conserve and protect species at risk within Alberta’s forests?
- Does it imply forestry practices replicate the benefits of wildfire?
We also previously published a blog unpacking forestry myths, which you can read here.
Caribou Tracks and Timber Trails
Alberta’s caribou depend on intact and connected forest habitats for their survival – a habitat need that is at odds with current logging rates and practices in much of the province. The added pressure of extreme wildfire season is exacerbating the pressures from human habitat disturbance like forestry and oil and gas infrastructure.
The Alberta Monitoring Institute put out a telling report of the 2023 wildfire seasons which includes how much it impacted caribou habitat.
We followed up with our blog putting together the ABMI’s report findings and how that should influence sub-regional plans for caribou recovery. Read that here.
The Clear Cut: A Podcast By Wildlands League (A chapter of CPAWS)
“The Clear Cut steps into Canada’s forests and unpacks expert viewpoints on Canada’s forest management systems and what needs to change. The podcast embarks on a journey to better understand how forestry in Canada works, and how we got to this point in the first place. Together, we will use the power of podcasting to facilitate change, and save our forests.”
Our colleagues from the CPAWS Southern Alberta chapter were featured on two episodes: “Trouble in Alberta’s Headwaters” and “How does Forestry Operate in Forest Dependent Communities”.
In the News
- Only 3 countries produced more emissions than Canada’s wildfires last year, study finds
- Logging is the 3rd highest emitter in Canada. It should be measured that way, a new report says
- Wildfires are destroying habitat for Alberta’s ‘grey ghosts.’ Can they survive?
- Opinion: Add your voice to Alberta’s plan for parks
- What happens to Jasper’s animals when wildfire rips through their home?
- Alberta regulator fines Imperial Oil over Kearl tailings pond leaks
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Share your support for National Urban Parks
Email your MLA to let them know you support National Urban Parks and would like to see Alberta be a part of a national network of urban parks.
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