Forest Caucus ReportA Newsletter of the Canadian Environmental Network Forest Caucus
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| Observations
at the Boreal Ecoregional Session The World Forestry Congress hosted ‘Ecoregional Sessions (roundtables)’. At the roundtables participants shared their perspectives in developing a vision of harmony between people and the forest in 2021. Next they developed a strategy to move towards the vision by the World Forestry Congress in 2009, and identified who would be responsible for moving the strategy forward. A room was designated for each of the five ecoregions; temperate, boreal, dry sub-tropical, dry tropical, and sub tropical and tropical humid forests. Here ten to twelve participants of differing perspectives gathered around each table (under the direction of designated chairpersons and co-chairs) to develop a collective vision before lunch. The boreal session was well attended and once participants had listened to instructions of the process, and a characterization of the boreal ecoregion, they set to work. Most roundtables consisted mainly of government, academics and NGOs, with industry being only one or two participants at each table. Groups consisted of people, from around the world, whose communities, work or studies were connected to the boreal forests. As an advisor to several tables I had the opportunity to listen to conversations, observe process and watch body language. Participants voiced genuine concern for the boreal and it’s communities. Some groups chose not to use the prescribed process of voting on proposed visions, and instead used forms of consensus to build a common vision. The groups using the consensus method spent much more time investigating each other’s perspectives, and barely had enough time to finish their vision in the morning session. Regardless of process, participants remained engaged and in the boreal session, over 90% of the participants returned to their roundtable after lunch. Body language that appeared terse in the morning grew accepting and patient into the afternoon. Groups worked together until the sessions wrapped up and on completion of their task many groups applauded their efforts. In reading through the boreal ecoregion visions and strategies prepared by several of the groups, I found in general that the desired vision for the boreal contained similar statements and words. Healthy forests, maintenance of ecological integrity, healthy communities that have a say in how boreal forests are managed, and those from outside the communities being aware of their actions on the communities and forests within the boreal ecoregion. Strategies were also similar. Including for example, active local participation, sustainable integrated forest management and planning, informed decision making, development of certification and monitoring systems, and changes in legislative and political frameworks. Not surprising, the combined summary of the ecoregional sessions presented September 26th, a the Synthesis Report, Ecoregional Sessions at the WFG, captured what I thought was the essence of the boreal session’s visions and strategies. The conclusions presented in the Synthesis Report at the WFG are as follows:
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