5 Things to Know About OECMs in Canadian Forests

In 2023, Canada, along with  195 other countries, agreed to a set of targets intended to halt and reverse the loss of biodiversity.

Target 3 of the Global Biodiversity Framework, better known as 30 x 30, is the commitment to protect 30% of lands and waters by 2030.  Other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) contribute to 30x30 by identifying areas with high biodiversity value.

OECMs are a formal recognition of areas with high biodiversity value, that have strong conservation guardrails in place, allowing them to be protected for the long term.

FSC Canada, supported by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), is looking at exciting opportunities for recognition of OECMs in Canadian managed forests.

This topic is new to many of us, so here’s a quick introduction, with 5 things to know about OECMs. For more detail, download our FAQs.

 

1. How do OECMs help address climate change and biodiversity loss?

Areas that may qualify as OECMs, like peat-based wetlands and intact forests, absorb and store carbon in above-ground biomass and in their soils. In some areas they may also contribute to climate risk reduction like flood abatement or windbreaks.

They also provide ecosystem services like biodiversity conservation, habitat protection, and sustainable non-industrial resource use.

 

2. Are OECMs permanent?

Similar to formally protected areas, OECMs should be managed in a way that conserves biodiversity in perpetuity. Forestry management rotation areas are not considered eligible to be OECMs under the international and pan-Canadian guidance. However, existing areas set aside for conservation in managed forests may meet the OECM criteria, helping to raise the profile of conservation efforts.

 

3. Is OECM recognition a new legal status?

No, OECM designation doesn’t give an area a new or different legal status. Instead:

• Recognizing and reporting an area as an OECM is a formal acknowledgment of legal, policy, and/or other mechanisms that are used to manage threats and support biodiversity for the long term. It is these rigorous guardrails that make an area more likely to meet the criteria for recognition as an OECM.
• Having an area recognized as an OECM does raise the profile of its value to biodiversity. The work underway to address 30 x 30 can also lead to new OECMs as partners work together to strengthen existing management approaches.
   

4. Does OECM recognition mean an area can’t be used?

It’s a common misconception that areas recognized for their conservation value must be closed off to human activity. In fact, hunting, fishing, trapping, and many recreational activities are generally allowed or even welcomed in many OECMs.

OECM recognition doesn’t mean an area is open for access by all. It also doesn’t remove existing access by current users.
 

5. What is FSC doing in relation to OECMs?

FSC Canada has received funding from Environment and Climate Change Canada to examine how the FSC standards align with and support OECM recognition in managed forests across the country. In partnership with Ontario Nature, we are:

• Convening conversations with government and industry representatives, ENGOs and Indigenous rights holders.
• Working with industry, partners, and government to identify and propose solutions to barriers to OECM recognition.
• Determining the best avenues to facilitate OECM recognition, which may include possible future updates to existing FSC tools.
• Sharing lessons learned across the country.
   

If you’d like to know more about OECMs, download our fact sheet.

Want to join future studies or focus groups about OECMs? Please contact Vivian Peachey.

Thank you for the support from Environment and Climate Change Canada.