How sustainable forestry evolved from the early 1900s until now

Forests have played a critical role in shaping Canada’s history and economy. The concept of forest management has evolved over the past centuries. What was once as simple as harvesting timber to satisfy economic demand, has expanded to include conservation as well as societal and cultural values. Forest products, as well as forestry principles, practices, methods and technologies have all advanced to ensure the sustainability of our natural resources.

Early practices in Canadian forests (up to the early 1900s)

Until about 10,000 years ago, nearly all of Canada was covered with glaciers. As the world slowly warmed and the ice receded, human beings began populating the landscape. Following this period, Indigenous Peoples managed forests to meet their needs, for fuel and shelter. For example, large areas of forest were burned to facilitate travel, and to increase grazing lands area for buffalo, deer and elk. With their knowledge of the land, trading networks, and skilled labour, indigenous peoples also took active part in the booming fur trade.
European settlers removed patches of forest in order to build an agricultural economy. During this process, there was no notion of sustainable forestry and trees as a renewable resource, so long-term planning was excluded. Harvesting practices were not regulated because forests were viewed as impeding to the economic priority at that time: agriculture.

Emergence of environmental awareness (early to mid-1900s)

By the early 1900s, the impacts of overharvesting and deforestation were evident. This led to an important environmental awareness.
As a result, what is now known as the Canadian Forest Service (CFS) was established by the Government of Canada in 1899 with a budget of $1,000. Elihu Stewart, the first employee, focused on protecting forests from fire, planting trees in the Prairies to provide settlers with windbreaks and harvesting timber for fuel and building materials. Forest protection from destructive insects became an important activity shortly thereafter.
The logging boom of the 1920s and 1930s further emphasized the need to sustain the timber yield.

Shift toward sustainable wood production practices (mid to late 1900s)

Establishment of forest management regulations

Since the mid-1900s, federal, provincial and territorial governments have implemented a range of regulations and policies aimed at promoting sustainable yield forestry. These regulations required forest managers to provide a sustainable wood supply over the long-term and reforest where natural regeneration was insufficient.
- Federal examples include the Canada Forestry Act (1949) and the Forestry Act (1985).
- Nearly 90% of Canada’s forests are publicly owned, being managed by provincial or territorial governments through their laws. Provincial examples include the Forest Act of New Brunswick (1980), Québec (recasting of the 1986 Forest Act leading to the 2013 Sustainable Forest Development Act) and British Columbia (1996).
The Canadian Council of Forest Ministers was formed in 1985, providing a framework for cooperation between provincial, territorial and federal governments.
Since the Rio Summit in 1992, Canada has become a signatory to many international agreements related to sustainable resource use.
The Montréal Process Working Group was launched in 1994. The group developed a set of international criteria and indicators to report on SFM within its 12-member countries.

Implementation of ecosystem-based management

Forest management in Canada increasingly emphasized ecosystem-based approaches that emulate historical natural disturbances processes. Rather than focusing solely on timber productions, multiple considerations were taken into account, including:

protected areas
carbon sequestration
water quality
wildlife habitat
spiritual and cultural values
recreational opportunities

Adoption of certification systems to promote sustainable forestry practices

Over the past few decades, certification programs have been increasingly used by the forest sector in many provinces and territories. These programs provide third-party verification that forests are being managed in a sustainable manner by meeting environmental, social and economic criteria. Canada’s first forest certification occurred in 1995.

Innovation and social forestry (the 2000s)

New tools to assist forest management

Advances in technology greatly improved the ability to monitor and manage forests. Geographic information systems and remote sensing using satellite imagery or light detection and range (LiDAR) enable forest managers to gather detailed data on forest composition, health and productivity, leading to more informed management decisions. Today, most provinces and territories have established inventory programs aimed at collecting LiDAR data across their managed land base.

Investments in research and development for sustainable forestry practices

Ongoing research and innovation have a crucial role in advancing forest management practices. Canadian universities, research institutions, governments and industry partners collaborate on projects to develop adaptive silviculture practices, genetically improved seedlings, forest protection tools and climate change adaptation strategies. This knowledge is transferred to practitioners and helps ensure forest management practices remain adaptive and resilient.

Integration of Indigenous Knowledge and traditional ecological practices

Over 55% (2021) of Indigenous Peoples live in or near forests. For many of these forest-based Indigenous Peoples, their connection to the land and forests is integrated in their cultures, communities and traditions. These vested interests often lead to their active participation in forest management and conservation, collaborative approaches that respect Indigenous rights are increasingly being adopted, leading to more inclusive SFM practices and supporting Indigenous Peoples in regaining sovereignty over their land and resources. NRCan is playing an active role in implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act through legislation, policy and programs. Implementation of the UN Declaration Act in Canada will empower Indigenous communities to have greater control over their ancestral lands, including forests, ensuring their right to make decisions regarding forestry practices and resource management, and fostering sustainable development in the Indigenous forest sector. The UN Declaration Act also enforces the principle of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent, ensuring that Indigenous communities have a say in decisions related to forestry activities and supporting the preservation of their cultural heritage and traditional knowledge.

Looking ahead

Over the past 125 years, the principles of SFM have evolved to recognize the rights of future generations to enjoy the natural gifts forests provide. SFM continues to evolve by supporting the changing values of society. New tools and management techniques aid this advancement through innovation, including the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI). AI can better characterize forest metrics and recommend actions through decision support platforms. AI can manage large amounts of data and update models in real time.

Canada has made commitments, domestically and internationally, toward SFM and conservation.

In support of sustainability, Canada became one of many signatory countries to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) in 2022. The KMGBF makes the halting and reversing of biodiversity loss by 2030, and the restoring of biodiversity levels by 2050, an international effort.

Provinces and territories are shifting their policies, regulations and operational guides toward the overall ecological well-being of the forest, supporting biodiversity and other values.

SFM will continue to evolve in response to environmental, social and economic concerns. As with previous generations, Canada’s forest sector is resilient and will respond to any challenge with perseverance, innovation and scientific research.

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