ForestManagementandWetlandStewardshipInitiative

CanadianInstituteofForestryConference

GrandePrairie,AlbertaSeptember18,2018

BevGingras,HeadBorealConservationPrograms

DucksUnlimitedCanadab_gingras@ducks.ca

“The link between water and forests exists within a broader

climate-forest-water-people system”

ForestManagementandWetlandStewardshipInitiative

(FMWSI)

Avisionaryinitiativetoshareknowledgeandresourcestoadvancesustainableforestmanagementandwetland

stewardshipintheborealforest.

TheBorealForest–Wetlands

TheBorealForest–Waterfowl•  Boreal forest waterfowl

–  35 waterfowl species –  Over 15 million breeding waterfowl annually –  75% of all continental waterfowl in migration or molt –  Some species are in long term decline

DucksUnlimitedCanadaOrganizationIncorporatedin1938,DUCisanot-forprofit,sciencebased,waterfowlhabitatconservationorganizationVisionAbundantwetlandsandwaterfowl–today,tomorrowandforeverMissionConserve,restore,andmanagewetlandsandassociatedhabitatsforNorthAmerica’swaterfowl.Thesehabitatsalsobenefitotherwildlifeandpeople

–  Initiatedin1997;becameacoreDUCprogramin2002–  Emphasisonretainingexistinghabitatsonpubliclands–  Focusoninfluencinggovernmentpoliciesandindustrypracticestoconservewetlands

–  Sciencetoenhancewetlandandwaterfowlknowledge•  Wetlandsandwaterfowldistribution

•  Impactofindustrialactivities

DucksUnlimitedCanadaBorealProgram

DucksUnlimitedCanadaBorealProgram

Partnershipdriven

ForestManagementandWetlandStewardshipInitiative

•  History

Ø January2016–seekcollaboration

Ø October2016–formalizecollaboration

Ø January2017–launchcollaboration

ForestManagementandWetlandStewardshipInitiative

3yearagreementbasedon4broadthemesForestManagementPlanningandOperations–projectsthatcanhelpaddressgapsandstrengthenplanningandoperationsBestManagementPractices-developmentandassemblyofexistingBMPsrelatedtowetlandstewardshipthatiscatalogued,evaluatedanddisseminatedForestCertification–undertakeprojectsthatassistforestrycompaniesmeetorexceedtherequirementsofexistingcertificationschemesClimateChangeAdaptation-investinresearchprojectsthatcanbeadoptedbytheforestindustrytodemonstrateduediligencerelativetolinkingwetlandstewardshipandclimatechangemitigation

ForestManagementandWetlandStewardship

Initiative

•  ObjectivesØ  Advancesustainableforestmanagement

Ø  Establishguidingprinciplesandbestmanagementpracticestoconservewetlandsandwaterfowlinforestmanagementplanningandoperations

Ø  Complementprovincialforestmanagementplanningrequirementsandtheneedsofforestcertificationprograms

ForestManagementandWetlandStewardshipInitiative

MemberBenefits•  Improvedefficiencyandreducedduplicationofefforts•  Leveragefinancialresources•  Jointlearning•  Improvewetlandstewardship•  Increaseconservationimpact(landscapelevel)•  Helpmeetregulatory/certificationrequirements•  PotentialDUCsupportforforestmanagementplans•  Enhancecorporateimageandsociallicense

ForestManagementandWetlandStewardship

Initiative

•  Howdoesitwork?

Ø  DUCcoordinator

Ø  Forestmanagementcompanyrepresentatives

Ø  Equalvoiceanddecisionbyconsensus

Ø  Quarterlymeetings

ForestManagementandWetlandStewardship

Initiative

•  Howdoesitwork?

Ø  Membersidentifyandselectprojectsofinterest

Ø  Membersinvestresourcestodevelopprojects

Ø  Eachprojectdevelopedbyteamof3forestrymembersandDUCstaff

Ø  Allmembersinvolvedinapprovalofcompletedprojects

ForestManagementandWetlandStewardshipInitiative

•  3priorityprojectstobecompletedovera3-yearterm(2016-2019)o  Projectsinactivedevelopmentare: 1. ForestryandWaterfowl:AssessingandMitigatingRisk

2. GuidingPrinciplesforWetlandStewardshipandForestManagement

3. GuidetoWetlandBMPsforForestManagement–Planningand OperatingPractices

ForestManagementandWetlandStewardshipInitiative

Project1ForestryandWaterfowl:

AssessingandMitigatingRisk

Ø  Atoolforassessingrisktonests,eggs,youngofdifferentactivitieswithdifferentdisturbancelevelsusinginformationaboutwaterfowl:Ø  NestingphenologyØ  AbundancedistributionØ  Nestproximitytoopenwater

Ø  Describesmitigationapproaches

ForestryandWaterfowl:AssessingandMitigatingRisk

Deliverables

ForestManagementandWetlandStewardshipInitiative

Project2GuidingPrinciplesforWetland

StewardshipandForestManagement

Ø  Alignwetlandconservationobjectiveswithinsustainableforestmanagementframeworks

•  Synthesizeinformationonwetlandsandforestmanagement

•  Providefoundationalguidingprinciplesforwetlandstewardship

ForestManagementandWetlandStewardshipInitiative

Project2GuidingPrinciplesforWetland

StewardshipandForestManagement

Ø  Deliverables•  Technicalreport•  Practitionerguide•  Infographics

ForestManagementandWetlandStewardshipInitiative

Project3GuidetoWetlandBMPsfor

ForestManagement–PlanningandOperatingPractices

Ø  Identifyanddescribeplanningandoperatingpracticesforconsideration

Ø  Focusonpracticesdesignedtoreducepotentialnegativeeffectsonwetlands(hydrologyandecology)

Ø  Collatepracticescurrentlyused,andidentifygaps

ForestManagementandWetlandStewardshipInitiative

Project3GuidetoWetlandBMPsfor

ForestManagement–PlanningandOperatingPractices

Ø  Deliverables•  Report•  Practitionerguides•  Infographics

ForestManagementandWetlandStewardshipInitiative

•  Industry&conservation-NGOworkingtogether•  Solutionbased•  Teamapproach•  Everyonehasavoice•  Consensusbaseddecisionmaking•  Buildtrust–havehonestconversations•  Learningfromeachother

ForestManagementandWetlandStewardshipInitiative

Wheredowegofromhere?

•  Finishupremainingprojects

•  Discussionsaboutanother3yearagreement

ForestManagementandWetlandStewardshipInitiative

•  Invitation

Joinus!

Questions?

b_gingras@ducks.ca