Part of The British Columbia Coastal Group, the Forest Project Team allocates land resources into three zones, each with a unique mix of management objectives and techniques: Timber, Habitat, and Old Growth. Even in the timber zone, clear-cutting has been eliminated and each zone is managed with a distinct mix of partial cutting systems. The program utilizes input from the scientific and environmental communities and government, as well as employee safety considerations, to better manage the resources and the land.
The ecologists and staff of MacMillan Bloedel Limited, a large forest products company operating in British Columbia, Canada in the late 1990's, originated this new approach to ecosystem management in 1997. The Forest Project planning and stewardship approach persisted through the purchase of the company by Weyerhauser in 1999. The project has formed notable partnerships since its formation, including the creation of Iisaak Forest Resources.
Nominations for the Corporate Award came from various individuals at Simon Fraser University and the University of Washington.
"ESA commends Weyerhaeuser Company Limited British Columbia Coastal Forest Project Team for their efforts to incorporate responsible forestry management with multiple viewpoints from the scientific, corporate, and environmental communities," says ESA President Stephen Carpenter.
The Forest Project Team is regarded as a model for others who strive to balance ecology and economics in forestry management. The British Columbia Coastal Group is currently working with environmental groups and t
'"/>
Contact: Nadine Lymn
Nadine@esa.org
608-261-4666
Ecological Society of America
8-Aug-2001