EXECUTIVE SUMMARY — A Cut Above: Ecological Principles for Sustainable Forestry on B.C.’s Coast

Published by: David Suzuki Foundation
Authored by: Ronnie Drever

Biodiversity British Columbia, forests, industry, land use, policy and regulation, conservation

This is the executive summary of a report that outlines nine principles to guide the development and implementation of ecologically sustainable forest practices in coastal British Columbia. Drafted with help from an advisory team of leaders in the field of ecological sustainability, these guiding principles illustrate a fundamentally different approach to forest management and planning in comparison to the current, industrial model.

The report provides an ecological rationale for each principle, as well as examples of “best practices” drawn from existing frameworks in other jurisdictions to illustrate realistic models of how the principles can be applied on the ground. Also detailed are relevant current practices in British Columbia and key areas of ecological uncertainty that exist regarding each principle.