Foothills Model Forest: International Development Research Centre

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ID: 99262

Added: 2006-06-21 14:35

Modified: 2006-06-21 15:15

Refreshed: 2007-03-23 08:19

Foothills Model Forest

Document(s) 7 of 8

Country: Canada

Location: Hinton, Alberta

Area of Model Forest: 2.75 million hectares

Regional affiliation: Canadian Model Forest Network (est. 1992)

Contact information

Name: Don Podlubny

Address: Box 6330, Hinton, Alberta T7V 1X6

Phone: 780 865-8330

Email: don.podlubny@gov.ab.ca

Website: www.fmf.ab.ca

Forest and resource profile

The Foothills Model Forest, encompassing 2.75 million hectares of western boreal, montane and sub-alpine forest, is located in west central Alberta. The Model Forest area includes Jasper National Park, Willmore Wilderness Park and the forest management areas of Hinton Wood Products, a division of West Fraser Mills Limited. Protected areas account for over 60% of the Foothills Model Forest land base. The remaining 40% of the land base is a working landscape including forestry, oil and gas exploration and development, recreation and tourism. The population of the Foothills Model Forest is 23 500 which includes the communities of Hinton and Jasper, as well as Yellowhead County.

Forest Management Agreement - 36%
Provincial Management Units - 4%
National Park - 40.7%
Provincial protected areas - 19.3%

Jasper National Park:

Montane: 80 000 hectares = 3%
Subalpine: 400 000 hectares = 15%
Alpine: 967 800 hectares = 35%

West Fraser FMA:

Lower Foothills: 296 000 hectares = 11%
Upper Foothills: 587 000 Hectares = 21%

Economic profile

Why a model forest?

Original partners in the Foothills Model Forest, Alberta Sustainable Resource Development, the Canadian Forest Service and West Fraser Mills Ltd, had a strong desire to advance sustainable forest management along the northeast slopes of Alberta's foothills. Jasper National Park became a partner in the model forest to expand the goal of ecosystem-based management to include its adjacent landbase. Today, the Foothills Model Forest partnership has expanded to about 80 organizations, all interested in using sound science to advance forest and management along the northeast slopes of the Foothills and Rocky Mountains.

Partners (based on 2004/2005 fiscal year funding)

Alberta Sustainable Resource Development - 23%
Canadian Forest Service - 21%
Jasper National Park - 4%
West Fraser Mills Ltd. - 12%
Forest industry, excluding West Fraser Mills Ltd. - 21%
Oil and gas industry - 8%
Non-government organizations - 1%
Government of Alberta, excluding Alberta Sustainable Resource Development = 5%
Additional sources of funding from interest, donations, rebates and administration fees = 4% of total funding.

Strategic goals

The Foothills Model Forest develops projects in support of their 12 program themes, including for example, projects on the impacts of natural disturbances, the monitoring of grizzly bear populations and the socio-economic impacts of tourism in Alberta's national parks. In addition, Foothills is active in the areas of watershed planning, water quality and forest health.

Goal one: knowledge and technology transfer: Develop and implement mechanisms that result in a wider understanding and application of accrued knowledge and technolgoy for sustainable forest management
Goal two: communications and outreach: Deliver communications and outreach programs that improve understanding of, and support for, sustainable forest management
Goal three: inform and support policy: Support and influence policy that improves the practice of sustainable forest management
Goal four: demonstrate sustainable forest management

Key accomplishments to date

Foothills Model Forest Natural Disturbance Research Program guides practices and planning on 90% of Alberta's forest management areas and in Jasper and Banff National Parks.
Foothills Model Forest Grizzly Bear Research Program tools are used by five forest companies in Alberta, as well as Alberta Community Development the agency responsible for managing the Province of Alberta's parks and protected areas.

International policy links

We support conventions resulting from the Brundtland Report, Earth Summit and Johannesburg Summit. Canada's Model Forest Program and, subsequently, the Foothills Model Forest, were created to realize the goals of sustainable forest management as proposed through the aforementioned documents and events. A Program that has made significant progress towards the goal of sustainable forest management is Local Level Indicators. Through Canada's Model Forest Program, each model forest is required to develop, monitor and report on local level indicators. Many international and national sustainable forest management agreements endorse the concept that sustainable forest management requires scientifically based goals and measure to track progress. Identifying these measurements, referred to as indicators, and collecting data to monitor indicators over time requires a sustained and collaborative effort at a local level where management happens. Canada's Model Forest Program, through organizations such as the Foothills Model Forest, provides this vital connection to on-the-ground activities, along with the infrastructure, expertise and manpower to sustain these critical efforts.

Resources

All Foothills Model Forest publications are available on its website at www.fmf.ca. Popular publications include:

Foothills Model Forest Grizzly Bear Research Program 2005 Annual Report. Stenhouse, Gordon and Graham, Karen. March 2006.
Stream Crossing Inspections Manual. McCleary, Richard, Spytz, Chris, Schindler, Heidi and Anderson, Robert. March 2006.
Collection of Natural Disturbance Quicknotes. Andison, David. May 2005.

Document(s) 7 of 8