Media Critique Conservation of Canadian Forestry

Media Critique- Conservation of Canadian Forestry
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Media Critique- Conservation of Canadian Forestry
Introduction
Canada forest conservation opinions differ. The contentious issue in Canada forest conservation is how to balance the ecological integrity with the socio-economic needs. Various ongoing commentaries talks about different views related to conservation and forest land usage. To understand the current situation of forest conservation, it is important to analyze the three current issues related to forestry and forest conservation such as the human impact like harvesting and silviculture. Some of the ongoing debates include forest certification in Canada and sustainable forest management. To understand the current issues related to forest conservation and sustainable forest management in Canada, some of the media commentaries are presented by various agencies.Human Impact Based On Harvesting and Silviculture
In a press release by the Government of Canada through the Department of Natural Resources, the press release is in response to criticism over the disappearance of traditional forest products (Government of Canada, 2105). The government acknowledges that historically, humans have actively manipulated where they stay including the environment to fulfill their needs and necessities. In summary, human impact on landscape started way back with land clearing for agriculture. By then, land utilization was limited to firewood gathering. As population increased during the industrialization, with advanced technology, timber harvesting became more than a local interest. The efforts of expanding forest management outside the direct vicinity of a settlement are the beginning of landscape management. Increasing human population has resulted in industrial demand for wood in Canada and outside Canada. There is a need for application of forest management procedures (Government of Canada, 2105).The government has initiated a forest sector transformation process in addressing some of the challenges cited by stakeholders using new technology and product diversification to remain competitive and stay economically sustainable. According to the statement released by the government, forest transformation process does not mean that traditional forest products industry is disappearing (Government of Canada, 2105). The traditional industry is important because it makes wood affordable and offers stable wood supply. To maintain a stable wood supply involves renewing harvested stands to fully stocked stands especially for valuable species as quickly as possible .managing existing stands to maximize product quality, quantity, and value.
In the statement presented by the government, Canada strongly supports their commitment to forest conservation. For instance, the article states clearly that some of the research findings by the Canadian Wood Center includes hardwood boreal and great Lakes St. Lawrence forest zone mixed woods that has proven to be successful in minimizing forest degradation (Government of Canada, 2105). The target audience are the forest manager and policy makers who need to adopt strategies for lowering production costs at the same time increase volume and quality of raw materials produced, maintaining landscape-level ecological function ,diversity, and sustainability (Government of Canada, 2105). The article fits in the ongoing discussion about forest conservation concerns and the issues being raised by various stakeholders. Other perspectives of forest conservation are presented; the article clearly states some of the ongoing efforts to maintain a stable wood supply at the same time converse the environment (Government of Canada, 2105). A press release is direct to the point; it states the facts and measures that are in place to address the issue at hand. This changes my perception of journalism and scholarly work because media release presents facts with evidence of success while scholarly articles review the work of other past presentation based on individual perception.
In relation to forest conservation efforts in Canada, the World Wide Fund criticizes some of the government initiatives terming the as not sustainable. Silvicultural decisions like layout, size and timing of harvest operation are driven by economic priorities rather than ecological conditions. An ideal forest composed of even –aged fully stocked stands with a balanced size class distribution. A number of stands should correspond to rotation length. One age –class is harvested each year (WWF, 2014). Normally forest has constant increment and value and provides a continuous supply of wood. However focusing on trees to the exclusion of other plants, animal and ecosystem function has been the problem. Applying agricultural approaches of silviculture by forest owners who only favors short rotation, fast growing species alternates the original intention of forest management. Canada silviculture approaches are very broad, there are around 100-5000 silvicultural systems. Canada uses only six silvicultural systems to manage Canada forest that are not locally adopted (WWF, 2014).
With the economic liberation, silviculture has a profound effect on the expansion of artificial regeneration making it a common practice. Silviculture has always struggled to weigh the benefits and costs of applying true and tried practices versus developing new tools specific to local conditions. Looking at the experience from other regions like North America has not helped in developing successful local practice. Lack of scientific understanding about the importance of local site adaptation and lack of ecological understand leads to inappropriate silviculture (WWF, 2014).Forest Certification in Canada
Another concern for forest conservation is about forest certification process, a draft manuscript presented by three environmental experts from Yale school of forestry, and environmental studies examine the politics around forest certification through non – state environmental entities. The draft talks about credible forest certification. According to the expert forest certification covers much more than just logging practices, it also accounts for the social and economic well-being of workers and local communities, transparency and inclusiveness in decision-making (Cashore ,Graeme, and Newsom, 2002).
The draft talks about two types of certification systems, system –based certification and performance-based certification. The system-based approach is where a certification evaluates how managers are incorporating environmental objectives and the targets into the overall management systems (Cashore, Graeme, and Newsom, 2002). Performance based certification Performance-based evaluate if the management of the forest meets specific ecological and social performance measure. The monitoring process includes verifying whether specified performance requirement like conserving biodiversity is being met. Performance based certification is more of the outcomes which is considered to be accurate and a true representation of conditions on the ground (Cashore, Graeme, and Newsom, 2002).
The draft appears to focus more of FSC and its flexibilities and conformation to landowners making other certification programs less attractive. In addition the draft does not present the benefits of other certification programs; it only focuses on (FSC), most of the draft content does not present a global perspective of certification efforts. Instead, it only focuses on the successful and the most preferred certification program mainly used in Canada. The article tone is more subject as it dwells in one perspective t...