The Commission for the study of public forest management
in Québec completes its mandate
Québec, December 14, 2004
– With the tabling of its report, the Commission for
the study of public forest management in Québec has
completed its mandate. Its activities have included holding
public hearings and technical meetings, conducting studies,
analyzing documents and visiting forest sites.
Commission members began their work in January
2004 with a series of meetings with individuals, groups and
organizations to gain an understanding of how Québec’s
forests are currently managed and to identify overall problem
areas. The Commission was able to count on the cooperation
of various government departments, in particular the Ministère
des Ressources naturelles, de la Faune et des Parcs (MRNFP),
the Société de la Faune et des Parcs
(a branch of the MRNFP since June 2004 under the name of Faune
Québec) and the Ministère de l’Environnement.
Public hearings were held from mid-April
to mid-June in 15 cities and in three First Nation communities
across Québec. A day was also devoted to a special
public consultation with Native communities, in conjunction
with the Assembly of First Nations of Québec and Labrador.
In Montréal, at the beginning of September, the Commission
also brought together some 50 influential leaders interested
in the future of Québec’s forest sector to discuss
various proposals for change, which, for the most part, stemmed
directly from the public hearings.
During the consultations, the Commission
received over 3 000 recommendations from the forest industry,
wildlife organisations, First Nations, regional and local
political organisations, environmental groups, forest management
companies and forest workers, outfitters, representatives
from fishing, hunting and trapping organisations, outdoor
recreational groups, private woodlot owners, etc.
Overall, the work included 39 days of public
hearings, some 1800 consultation participants, a dozen regional
discussion forums and 303 briefs submitted. Most hearing proceedings
were also broadcast live over the Internet.
The Commission also granted eight mandates
to external consultants to analyze certain specific issues
involving public forest management in Québec. The results
of these studies, of a more scientific and technical nature,
provided food for thought for the Commission and led it to
make certain recommendations.
Commission members also considered it important
to visit forest sites to get a better grasp of the different
aspects of the forest environment and its management, both
in the boreal forest and in mixed and softwood forests. Some
wood processing mills were also toured. Furthermore, meetings
in the northeast of the United States and in Ontario made
it possible to compare certain forest management systems and
tools with those used in Québec.
The general secretary, Gérard Szaraz,
pointed out that in less than a year, the Commission members
acquired a keen insight into a complex sector. “Due
to the discussions with individuals, groups and organizations
interested in the forest – especially those from forest
regions – members were able to capture the essence of
a vision to build a future for forests and identify the strategies
needed to resolutely move toward that future.”
The Commission – composed of eight
members (chair, commissioners and general secretary) and assisted
by professional, administrative and support staff –
used a budget of $3.8-million out of the $4-million allocated.
This covered operating costs and the expenses for holding
public hearings, conducting analyses and mandating scientific
and technical studies.
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