Promise to Protect Great Bear Rainforest Becomes Reality - Five-Year Plan in Place

A Place Where Environment and Economy Are In Tune Emerging on
                             Canada's West CoastVANCOUVER, March 31 /CNW/ - The promise made three years ago to protect
one-third of British Columbia's globally unique Great Bear Rainforest and
develop the foundations for a conservation-based economy in the region has
been fulfilled. Today's announcement is greatly welcomed by ForestEthics,
Greenpeace and Sierra Club BC, the three leading environmental groups that
have worked with the B.C. government, First Nations and industry leaders to
ensure the promise would be kept. Today's announcement lays out the tremendous
ecological and economic gains for the region and the long-term commitment to
ensure the health of the rainforest and communities.
    "A vision born from environmental and economic necessity is becoming a
reality on Canada's west coast," said Stephanie Goodwin of Greenpeace. "It's a
conservation model that other parts of the world can look to, a model that
shows how protection of ecological values and human well-being can be advanced
without undermining each other."Major milestones achieved are:

    -   2.1 million hectares, or 5 million acres, an area half the size of
        Switzerland, have been legally protected from logging.
    -   $120 million is available to First Nation communities to help kick-
        start a new conservation economy as an alternative to logging
        throughout the rainforest.
    -   A new system of 'lighter touch' logging, based on Ecosystem-based
        Management (EBM), has been legislated. This system maintains 50 per
        cent of the natural level of old growth forest in the region. This
        translates to an additional 700,000 hectares (1.7 million acres) of
        forest set aside from logging.All parties involved in achieving today's major milestones agree that
transitioning from a resource-based economy to a conservation-based economy
will require more time. Environmental groups, along with the B.C. government,
industry and First Nations, have endorsed a five-year plan that will see the
long-term goals of low ecological risk and high quality of life in communities
achieved by 2014. To meet this goal, annual reports will assess progress.
    "The Great Bear Rainforest is now one of the most protected forest
regions in the world," said Jens Wieting of Sierra Club BC. "But we must
continue to meet key milestones we've set to achieve our long term goals of
full ecosystem health and thriving local communities."The five-year plan includes:

    -   Milestones for reaching 70 per cent old growth maintained over time,
        from 50 per cent
    -   Ongoing science-based collaborative planning
    -   Development of a reserve network outside of the protected areas"If everyone remains committed to the goals and follows through, this
astoundingly rich coastal ecosystem will continue to support iconic species
like the Spirit bear, the conservation of massive carbon storehouses in
thousand year old trees and a bright future for the First Nations
communities," said Valerie Langer of ForestEthics.
    Today's announcement is the result of intensive work by the BC government
and First Nations governments in collaboration with Western Forest Products,
BC Timber Sales, Canfor, Catalyst Paper, Interfor and the three environmental
organizations.

For further information: Valerie Langer, ForestEthics, [phone];
Jens Wieting, Sierra Club BC, [phone]; Stephanie Goodwin, Greenpeace,
[phone]; www.savethegreatbear.org