QUEBEC REPORT:
The Chief Forester Celebrates His First Anniversary
by Audrey Harvey, Communications Coordinator, AETSQ. Translated by David Hayne

In December 2004, the Coulombe Commission investigating the management of public forests in Quebec tabled its report: a voluminous document of 307 pages containing 81 recommendations. Among the latter, the commissioners proposed the creation of the position of Chief Forester. This official would be responsible, among other duties, for calculating forestry yield. In relation to that function, the Commission suggested an immediate precautionary reduction of 20% in forestry potential while the Chief Forester was validating his calculations.
Until now, the Chief Forester, Mr. Pierre Levac, has been engaged in setting up a team to meet this challenge. In response to requests from the regions, his office has been located at Roberval, in the Saguenay-Lac Saint-Jean area. Surrounded by his team of 32 specialists in the calculation of forestry yield, the Chief Forester marked his first anniversary by submitting his report outlining cuts envisaged for the 2008-2013 period. Mr. Levac was pleased with this achievement, as he had in fact promised to make the results of his efforts known within the first year of his mandate.
On the whole, the analyses concern the 74 forestry management units (UAF) located on Quebec public lands. The calculations indicate a 21.9% total reduction in forestry potential when all species are included, roughly confirming the 20% reduction recommended by the Coulombe Commission. It is important, however, to break down this result in order to understand the situation properly.
On the hardwood front, a cut of approximately 5% was expected. Instead, 15% was deducted from the calculation of forestry potential, which explains why the average is so close to 20%. It is in the softwood sector that things are less satisfactory. On the average, the regions suffered a reduction of 23.8% of their total potential. The regions most affected are the North Shore and the Lower St. Lawrence, which will suffer cuts of 11.5% and 16.6% respectively, in addition to the 20% already announced, for a total of over 30%. The North Shore industries are concerned about this announcement. The Kruger forestry company has already claimed that this announcement puts its mills in the region at risk, including its Wayagamack pulp and paper mill at Three Rivers, which is supplied by wood from eastern Quebec.
On the other hand, the St Maurice and Laurentian regions escape with a less significant reduction of their forestry potential than expected, since they gain 4.2% and 13.4% respectively, making the average loss of yield 15% for each of these two regions.
As far as the future is concerned, the Chief Forester has invited those benefiting from the CAAF to give evidence of more rigorous forest management, saying, “When one has a slice of bread, one has no right to eat the soft part and leave the crust.” Additional efforts will have to be made to harvest less accessible wood. Let us hope that intensive management of the forest will provide a sustainable response to these reductions.