Canadian Forest Service

The Canadian Forest Service (CFS) is a federal government agency with a responsibility to conduct research and analyze information related to the sustainable use of the Canadian forest resource. Because of the importance of the forest industries to the Canadian economy, CFS is a department with its own minister in the federal cabinet.

In Canada, provincial and territorial governments have the responsibility for establishing allowable forest harvests and establishing criteria for acceptable management plans for provincial-crown land, which comprises the bulk of the economic forest resource of the nation. CFS integrates with relevant departments of the provinces and territories through the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers.

CFS operates six forest research centers in the regions of Canada, as well as two research institutes: the Petawawa National Forestry Institute at Chalk River, Ontario, and the Forest Pest Management Institute at Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Collectively, these institutions and their staff comprise the major force in forestry-related research in Canada.

The Government of Canada has committed to the practice of ecologically sustainable forestry , and CFS works with other levels of government, industry, educational institutions, and the public towards this end.

Research programs within CFS are diverse, and include activities related to tree anatomy, physiology, and productivity, techniques of biomass and stand inventory, determination of site quality, and research of forest harvesting practices, management practices aimed at increasing productivity and economic value, and forest pest management.

CFS also supports much of the forest management and research conducted within each of the provinces and territories, through joint federal-provincial Forest Development Agreements. CFS also supports much of the forestry research conducted at Canadian universities through research contracts and joint-awards programs with other government agencies and industry.

An important initiative, begun in 1992, is the Model Forest Program under Canada's Green Plan. The intent of this program is to provide substantial support for innovative forest management and research, conducted by integrated teams of partners involving industry, all levels of government, universities, non-government organizations, woodlot owners, and other groups and citizenry. A major criterion for success in the intense competition for funds towards a model forest is that the consortium of proponents demonstrate a vision of ecologically sustainable forest management, and a likely capability of achieving that result.

CFS's most recent endeavor is titles Forest 2020. This project was established at the 2001 Annual Meeting of Canadian Council of Forest Ministers (CCFM), and revolves around "incorporating wood fibre production through the establishment of plantations of fast growing high-yield tree species , and intensified silviculture in previously harvested, or second growth, forest areas."

[David A. Duffus and Amy Strumolo ]

RESOURCES

BOOKS

The State of Canada's Forests, 1991. Second Report to Parliament. Ottawa: Canadian Forest Service, 1992.

ORGANIZATIONS

Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada, 580 Booth Street, 8th Floor, Ottawa, OntarioCanada K1A 0E4 (613) 947-7341, Fax: (613) 947-7397, Email: [email protected], <http://www.nrcan-rncan.gc.ca/cfs-scf>