From Thursday's Globe and Mail
July 17, 2008 at 7:48 AM EDT
The boreal forest, named after the Greek god of the north wind, Boreas,
extends in Canada from the Yukon Territory to Newfoundland and Labrador.
Ontario's portion of the forest is home to 200 animal species described as
"sensitive" by the provincial government, black spruce and jack pine forests,
and 24,000 (mostly native) Canadians. It also constitutes part of the final
frontier for logging and mining companies.
By closing off part of that frontier, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty
has taken a lead in Canadian conservation efforts.
Within the next 10 to 15 years, Mr. McGuinty pledged on Monday, half of
Ontario's boreal forest will be protected by a permanent ban on forestry and
mining activity. It will be restricted to tourism and traditional aboriginal
uses, such as hunting and fishing.
The protected area - to be mapped around the most valuable sites for carbon storage, species protection and resource development - will cover about 225,000 square kilometres. For the remaining half, the Ontario government has stated it will work with northern communities and resource industries on a sustainable development plan.
Some industry representatives have complained of too much uncertainty; they fear the rules for development could change along the 10- to 15-year timeline, affecting companies that had begun projects under different expectations. But the Ontario Prospectors Association has expressed confidence in the certainty the measures will bring. And aboriginal leaders and environmental organizations appear to be uniformly pleased with the protection of a region that currently absorbs 12.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide each year.
Mr. McGuinty, and any successor, will have to walk a fine balance to protect the province's $11-billion mining industry. But if the Premier succeeds in securing the permanent protection of half of Ontario's boreal forest, he will have created an admirable environmental legacy. The opportunity to match or even outdo his efforts remains for the rest of the provinces and territories.
They should not allow themselves to be left behind.
July 17, 2008 at 7:48 AM EDT
The boreal forest, named after the Greek god of the north wind, Boreas,
extends in Canada from the Yukon Territory to Newfoundland and Labrador.
Ontario's portion of the forest is home to 200 animal species described as
"sensitive" by the provincial government, black spruce and jack pine forests,
and 24,000 (mostly native) Canadians. It also constitutes part of the final
frontier for logging and mining companies.
By closing off part of that frontier, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty
has taken a lead in Canadian conservation efforts.
Within the next 10 to 15 years, Mr. McGuinty pledged on Monday, half of
Ontario's boreal forest will be protected by a permanent ban on forestry and
mining activity. It will be restricted to tourism and traditional aboriginal
uses, such as hunting and fishing.
The protected area - to be mapped around the most valuable sites for carbon storage, species protection and resource development - will cover about 225,000 square kilometres. For the remaining half, the Ontario government has stated it will work with northern communities and resource industries on a sustainable development plan.
Some industry representatives have complained of too much uncertainty; they fear the rules for development could change along the 10- to 15-year timeline, affecting companies that had begun projects under different expectations. But the Ontario Prospectors Association has expressed confidence in the certainty the measures will bring. And aboriginal leaders and environmental organizations appear to be uniformly pleased with the protection of a region that currently absorbs 12.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide each year.
Mr. McGuinty, and any successor, will have to walk a fine balance to protect the province's $11-billion mining industry. But if the Premier succeeds in securing the permanent protection of half of Ontario's boreal forest, he will have created an admirable environmental legacy. The opportunity to match or even outdo his efforts remains for the rest of the provinces and territories.
They should not allow themselves to be left behind.
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