November 21, 2008
Province Proposes Historic Changes To Preserve Provincial Parks For Future Generations
– – –New Legislation Would Phase Out Commercial Harvesting From Manitoba Parks: Doer
The provincial government will introduce legislation which would prohibit logging in 79 out of 80 provincial parks and all future parks effective April 1, 2009, Premier Gary Doer announced today.
“This is an historic step forward in our government’s efforts to preserve and protect the environment and support our rapidly growing recreational and tourism industry,” said Doer. “Previous governments have issued long-term tenure to logging companies in provincial parks. The province has moved to take action to reverse this course, in partnership with industry.”
The government is pleased to have reached agreements with the two major logging companies with harvesting rights within four of the five parks that currently have logging, said Doer, adding new legislation will be introduced in the coming days that would phase out logging from parks.
· All commercial operations would cease in Whiteshell, Nopiming, Clearwater and Grass River provincial parks. The two major forest product companies, Tembec Inc. and Tolko Industries Ltd. have agreed to move operations out of the four parks.
· An additional 16 smaller quota holders would also be moved out of these four parks.
· The complexity of agreements with commercial harvesters in Duck Mountain Provincial Park will not allow operations to end at this time. Mills and jobs are completely dependent on the wood supply.
A total of just over $3 million in one-time financial compensation will be paid to Tembec and Tolko to reflect the cost of moving operations out of parks.
“Ending the practice of logging inside provincial parks will leave a permanent, positive environmental legacy for future generations of Manitobans,” said Conservation Minister Stan Struthers. “The amount of work it has taken to end a practice that was entrenched decades ago cannot be understated.”
Manitoba’s primary forest sector, which includes logging and paper manufacturing, is responsible for approximately $259 million of Manitoba’s gross domestic product (GDP). The forest industry employs Manitobans in approximately 2,500 direct jobs in logging, paper product manufacturing and related support activities.
In order to allow Tembec to prepare an updated forest management plan, a five-year licence extension to their forest management license agreement will be required.
“This agreement is a truly sustainable solution where economic impacts were recognized, environmental objectives protected and social dynamics taken into consideration. Tembec is proud to partner with Manitoba to pursue economic activity while leading resource stewardship,” said Dennis Rounsville, executive vice-president and president of Tembec’s Forest Products Group.
“The forestry industry overall continues to be a major economic contributor in Manitoba, providing significant employment and revenues to the province,” said Dave Knight, regional woodlands manager of Tolko Industries. “This announcement balances the needs of changes to our park management with the needs of maintaining a healthy and robust forest industry and the communities that depend on them.”
“Prohibiting logging in provincial parks will contribute to preserving Manitoba’s rich diversity of habitats and species,” said Canadian Parks and Wilderness Societyspokesperson Ron Thiessen. “Protecting these natural areas will benefit park visitors and sustainable tourism entrepreneurs for generations to come.”
The five provincial parks were formally established in the 1960s and 1970s. Timber from Whiteshell Provincial Park area was historically used to supply many smaller sawmills dating back to the 1880s. The history of logging in Nopiming Provincial Park area dates back to the 1920s.
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Backgrounder
Proposed End Of Logging In Manitoba’s Provincial Parks - https://www.gov.mb.ca/asset_library/en/newslinks/2008/2008nov./LoggingMain.C.doc