Climate change Conservation planning Peatlands

WCS Canada Comments - MNRF Forest Carbon Policy - January 2017

WCS Canada

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Abstract

This Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry discussion paper sets the stage for Ontario’s emerging “forest carbon policy”, which will be directed at managed forests in Ontario. Our comments express significant concerns about the lack of details of the science underpinning the proposed direction of the carbon policy, and weakness of assumptions behind the certainty claimed in this discussion paper that mitigation of climate change will be accomplished by increasing carbon in boreal forests through forest management. We also have significant apprehensions about the limited scope of this policy, which is restricted to forests that are managed for timber production, comprising about half of the forest cover in Ontario. We explain why it is problematic to ignore both the positive and negative contributions of unmanaged forest, including carbon-rich ecosystems such as wetlands and peatlands, particularly in the Far North, and offer five recommendations for a path forward as part of Ontario’s climate change strategy.

Recommended citation

WCS Canada (2017). WCS Canada Comments - MNRF Forest Carbon Policy - January 2017. WCS Canada. https://global.wcs.org/Resources/Publications/Publications-Search-II/ctl/view/mid/13340/pubid/DMX3268500000.aspx