Another really interesting example of ecosystem management is the
"Scientific Panel for Sustainable Forest Practices in Clayouquot Sound."
This area located in British Columbia was designated by an act in the
provincial legislature to both protect areas unique to conservation and to
aboriginal sustenance. The panel members include Dr. Jerry Franklin, Dr.
Nancy Turner, Dr. Chris Pielou, Dr. Fred Bunnell as well as other experts.
Since the area was recommended for "an ecosystem-based approach to planning
which the primary planning objective ... to sustain the productivity and
natural diversity of the Clayoquot Sound region" one of the companies in the
area has decided to abandon clearcut logging of the forests it has rights to
harvest in that are outside the planning area. The company is called
McMillan Bloedel and is the largest company in the province and was third
largest in the world at one time in terms of forest products revenue. Even
Greenpeace has come out in support of the company despite the fact that
Greenpeace is opposed to the harvest of old growth rainforest of British
Columbia.
I quess the ethical implication involved in the decision was that not just
profits but long term sustainable forest practices which include
preservation are required to satisfy the customer base that these large
companies now have in foreign markets such as Europe; a region which has
almost eliminated its old growth forests. People are organizing and
effectively demanding greater ecological stewardship from firms that
potentially damage ecosystems.
The nice thing is that the government did not force this through legislation
to make the company abandon clearcutting.
Ciao
John Foster
At 02:51 PM 9/4/1998 +1000, you wrote:
>Thanks to Robert Lackey (US/EPA) who - I assume - fowarded me material on
>ecosystem management. I received it this morning and am very grateful.
>
>Corey
>---------------------------------------------------------
>Corey Watts
>PGDipSc Student
>Centre for Conservation Biology
>University of Queensland
>St Lucia, Qld, AUSTRALIA 4068
>
>email: [log in to unmask]
>Ph: +61 7 3365 2475
>Fax: +61 7 3365 1655
>
>"Wings and feathers on the crying mysterious Ages...
>All that is right, all that is good..."
>-- D.H.Lawrence, 'The Wild Common'
>
>
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