MARCH 31, 2009: Great Bear Rainforest Agreements become reality
In February 2006 an historic agreement was reached between environmentalists, logging companies, First Nations communities and the British Columbia government after years of protests, markets campaigns, land use planning, and negotiations.
The 2006 Great Bear Rainforest Agreements had three components: a new land management regime called Ecosystem-Based Management that includes more than 2 million hectares protected from logging and new lighter touch logging regulations applied outside of protected areas; support for conservation-based economies in coastal communities and strengthened First Nations involvement in decisions affecting their traditional territory. The deadline for implementing the Great Bear Rainforest Agreement was March 31st, 2009.
- "Promise to protect Great Bear Rainforest becomes reality" Read press release
- "Great Bear Rainforest Agreements become reality (Mar 31 09 Backgrounder)" Read backgrounder
- "The New GBR Map, March 2009" See the new map of the GBR
| Key milestones achieved: 2006 – 2009 |
Next steps: 2009 – 2014 |
| Protected areas legislated 2.1 million hectares protected from logging in conservancies, parks and biodiversity areas, covering one third of the Central and North Coast. |
Reserve Network By September 2009 an initial reserve network will be developed outside of protected areas, followed by a more detailed reserve network by March 2014. |
| Lighter touch logging implemented New logging regulations require the maintenance of 50% of the natural level of old growth of all forest ecosystems across the region. |
Logging regulation review By March 2014 logging regulations will be reviewed and amended to achieve the goal of low ecological risk for the forest and key species, along with community wellbeing. |
| Funding for Conservation Economy A $120 million funding package for conservation management and ecologically sustainable business ventures in First Nation territories. |
Building the conservation economy Transition underway from an economy based on resource-extraction to a diversified conservation economy with a high quality of life in coastal communities. |
| New governance and decision-making First Nations and the BC government have developed a new government-to-government relationship and mechanisms for collaborative stakeholder involvement. |
Ongoing collaborative planning Governments, environmental organizations and logging companies will engage in science-based collaborative planning guided by a five year workplan. |
