Greenpeace leaves Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement, claims Resolute logging activity in off-limit areas

Greenpeace is leaving the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement (CBFA).

The organization released photos today with GPS tagged coordinates showing that logging roads have been built in Quebec’s Montagnes Blanches region that is managed by Resolute Forest Products and claims the roads are a violation of the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement.

“The Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement was a framework for cooperation whereby companies like Resolute Forest Products agreed to stay out of areas of important habitat,” said Stephanie Goodwin, Greenpeace Canada forest coordinator. “When the biggest logging company in the Boreal Forest goes back on its word to stay out of critical habitat, it signals the Agreement has broken down.”

Lauded at its signing as the largest conservation agreement in history, the CBFA promised new protected areas, recovery for threatened caribou herds and improved forestry practices. Instead, the Agreement has failed to produce consensus on a single hectare of protection in the Boreal Forest after more than two and a half years of discussions.

Further, despite many attempts to reset priorities and to focus on the completion of five conservation plans, only one is complete with the remaining four all falling within Resolute’s land tenures. Other companies have been held back while waiting for the overdue plans.

In August 2012, in the northern parts of the Saguenay Lac St-Jean region, Greenpeace found kilometers of logging roads approved by Resolute in five different areas identified as off-limits under the CBFA.

“Greenpeace’s number one priority continues to be a healthy Boreal Forest that supports viable economies and communities,” said Goodwin. “With the Boreal Forest under threat, the only responsible decision for Greenpeace is to pursue other pathways to obtain results in the forest.”

Greenpeace said it will pursue its work with large corporate customers to differentiate the logging companies that are taking action and achieving greater forest protection.

Greenpeace’s photographic evidence (click on each for larger view)

A Greenpeace field investigation exposed Resolute Forest Products violating the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement (CBFA) by approving roads in off-limit forests. The red pins identify documented CBFA violations in Resolute Forest Products managed areas. (Click on image for Full Size view)

Evidence 1 (Pin 1 on map) – New road built 20 km beyond the limits agreed to under the CBFA in Resolute Forest Products’ managed area (FMU 25-51). GPS N 51°24.22, W 71° 32.81
Credit: © François Pesant / Greenpeace

Evidence 2 (Pin 2 on map) – Recently built road 10 km beyond the limits agreed to under the CBFA in Resolute managed area (FMU 25-51). GPS N 51° 17.29, W 71° 34.38
Credit: © François Pesant / Greenpeace

Evidence 3 (Pin 3 on map) – Active road building in Resolute managed area in the extreme north of FMU 24-51. GPS N 51° 01.97, W 71° 06.41
Credit: © François Pesant / Greenpeace

Evidence 4 (Pin 4 on map) – Freshly bulldozed forest inside the Agreement’s off-limit areas in FMU 24-51. GPS N 50°48.28, N 71°08.91
Credit: © François Pesant / Greenpeace

Evidence 5 (Pin 5 on map) – Active road building in off-limits intact forest in FMU 24-51. GPS N 50°11.96, N 71°39.38
Credit: © François Pesant / Greenpeace

Read more from Greenpeace:
Exposed: Resolute Forest Products breaks historic environmental agreement (Greenpeace)
Backgrounder – Resolute Forest Products violates Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement with logging activity in off-limit areas