Evelyne Thiffault and Nancy Gélinas – Key Elements of the New Forest Regime!
In two interviews, one granted to the program Tout un matin on ICI Radio-Canada – Grand Montréal, and the other to Bonjour la Côte on ICI Radio-Canada – Côte Nord, forest researcher Evelyne Thiffault presented and discussed the key elements of the new forest regime implemented in Quebec. She also addressed the challenges related to balancing the economic, ecological, and social uses of forests, while emphasizing the importance of a scientific and collaborative approach to ensure the sustainability of forest ecosystems.
As for Nancy G̩linas, Dean of the Faculty and Full Professor, in her interview on Info-R̩veil on ICI Radio-Canada РOHDIO, she highlighted that this regime stands out for its aim to modernize forest management, particularly focusing on sustainability, resilience to climate change, and increased participation from local communities.
Both researchers highlighted several key issues in current forest management, stressing the need to reconcile the economic, ecological, and social uses of forests. They both emphasized the importance of a scientific and collaborative approach to ensure the sustainability of forest ecosystems. In short, they present the new forest regime as a major step towards more responsible and sustainable forest management in Quebec, integrating ecological, economic, and social issues into a modern and collaborative framework.
Key elements of the new forest regime include:
- Sustainability and resilience: The regime focuses on more adaptive forest management, taking into account the impacts of climate change. This includes improving silvicultural practices to strengthen forest resilience against natural disturbances such as fires, diseases, and storms.
- Integrated and participatory management: The regime strengthens the participation of local communities in forest management, particularly by involving Indigenous peoples and regional actors more. It aims to adopt a collaborative approach, considering various social, economic, and environmental interests.
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Balancing multiple uses: A key feature of the new regime is its intent to balance the economic, ecological, and social uses of forests. The goal is to find a balance between the needs of the forestry industry, biodiversity protection, and the expectations of local communities.
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Modernization of management practices: The regime also provides for the updating of forest management methods by implementing new technologies and practices aimed at optimizing resource use while minimizing environmental impacts.