Addressing Species at Risk (Woodland Caribou) in the National Forest Management Standard

The impact of forest management practices on Species at Risk (SAR), including woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou), has emerged as an issue of significant debate in Canada. Populations of woodland caribou are at varying degrees of risk and are particularly sensitive to habitat disturbance. Considering the concern among many FSC customers and stakeholders regarding the impact of forestry operations on species at risk such as the woodland caribou, providing clear and consistent direction on this issue is of particular importance.

November 17, 2014

As the current National Forest Management Standards (National Boreal Standard, Maritimes Standard, BC Standard and Great Lakes-St. Lawrence draft Standard) are being revised and aligned to the new Principles and Criteria and International Generic Indicators, FSC Canada will work to develop normative requirements for managing species at risk (i.e woodland caribou).

FSC Canada will develop normative requirements based on the FSC Canada Caribou Science Panel Report (2010), the new FSC Principles and Criteria (v5), relevant science, traditional Aboriginal Peoples knowledge and the Environment Canada Recovery Strategy for the Woodland Caribou, Boreal Population, in Canada (2012).

FSC Canada recognizes the Canadian Federal Recovery Strategy as a key document that was developed through a rigorous national process and reflects current scientific approaches for woodland caribou management. As such, the FSC Canada Board of Directors encourages all* FSC-certified Forest Management operations to work to implement the goals and objectives of the federal recovery strategy through the development of proposed caribou action plans on their certified forest areas in a manner that engages Aboriginal Peoples, communities and other interested parties and through participating in government processes aimed at completing caribou action plans and range plans.

FSC Canada will develop normative requirements (e.g. indicators and possibly supplementary materials) for managing Woodland Caribou to be used in FSC Canada’s National Forest Management Standard. In carrying out this important work, FSC Canada has put together an Expert Technical Panel to provide oversight and strategic direction on the development of the requirements, host public consultations and will produce a field-tested draft by fall 2014.

For questions or concerns, please contact Vivian Peachey, Director of Standards, E: v.peachey@ca.fsc.org or T: 647-528-0140.

* Refers to FSC certified forests or those under assessment which overlap the range of Boreal Woodland Caribou as defined by best available information of Provincial and Territorial jurisdictions.