FROM PAGE TEN “FOREST POLICY" (vii) Species or stock should be of high quality. The selection of species where the options are available should be as follows: (viii) High value species on good and medium sites. (ix) Fast growing species on good and medium sites. (x) Other coniferous mixtures on good and medium sites. (c) Reforestation Backlog The I.W.A. proposes that the huge backlog of inadequately stocked forest land be made the responsibility of provincial forest services. The following basic principles are proposed: (i) The backlog of unsatisfactorily re- stocked forest land to be fully stocked over the next 10 to 15 years. (ii) Priority for planting backlog areas should consider the following factors: (1) potential crisis areas in the provinces where negative growth in the industry is a possibility; (2) close to conversion plants; (83) on sites that offer future reduced (relative) harvesting costs; (4) stock and species selection would be the same as in reforestation. (d) Juvenile Spacing (i) An immediate program of juvenile spacing be implemented in the provinces. (ii) Careful consideration must be given to areas of the provinces where disruption in the industry is forecast because of mature timber deficits. Programs that will speed immature timber to commercial size will assist in alleviating industrial disruption and the associated economic and social consequences. (iii) Investments in juvenile thinnings be directed to sites that will provide the highest rate of return. (iv) Factors affecting priorities when selecting stands for thinning include tree species, site quality, slope, access and location relative to utilization plants. The priorities are: (1) high value species on good and medium sites; (2) fast growing species on good and medium sites; (3) other coniferous mixtures on good and medium sites; (4) any other young stands that would benefit from spacing. (e) Aforestation (i) An immediate program to be imple- mented to reclaim forest land from aban- doned farm and other areas. (ii) Priority for scarce reforestation dol- lars should not be considered on these areas until these areas are: (1) zoned as forest after being removed from the agriculture zone; (2) classified as commercial forest; (3) additional priorities should be consist- ent with stock selection in reforesta- tion section (vii), (viii) and (ix). INDUSTRIAL INCENTIVES Intensive forest management is essential if Canada is to maintain or expand its forest industry and reconcile the consumptive versus non-consumptive use of forest land. The provinces have primary responsibility for implementing intensive forestry pro- grams. The Federal government must play a funding and supportive research role. The private sector of the industry must play a more important role than it has. However, private sector confidence in the long term opportunities in the forest sector is not strong. Unless there is a Federal- Provincial initiative to create a favourable investment climate for intensive forestry there will be little chance that provincial timber production objectives will be met. Critical to intensive forestry programs and for short term needs is a comprehensive development of access roads on commercial forest. (a) Prior to the implementation of any incentive system the I.W.A. believes that the following points must be considered: (i) The land base on which intensive forestry programs are to beinitiated must be made secure as commercial forest land for at least one rotation. (ii) Industry must be involved in estab- lishing the minimum acceptable level of management and should participate in monitoring programs. (iii) Contracts and financial commitment must be of long term duration. (iv) There must be clear statements of performance standards and treatment standards by broad timber type and bio- geoclimatic zones. (v) It is essential that realistic allowable harvest be determined for each timber supply area and for each licensee. (vi) A system of evaluating the total benefits of intensive forestry operations against the cost of operations must be determined in order to priorize projects. (b) Incentives (i) The most effective incentive is that of an increase in annual allowable cut equal to the increase resulting from the work. It is quite possible that in many instances the increase in allowable cut will not mean an increase in absolute terms but will assist in minimizing reductions in harvest. (ii) The appraised cost of an intensive forestry project must be rebated to the licensee. (iii) The development of a sense of pro- prietorship is a valuable complement to the above incentives. FOREST PROTECTION It is estimated that the volume of timber lost to fire, insect and disease approaches that volume which is annually harvested and utilized by industry. As the volume limits of growth in the forest industries has been searched and, in fact, negative growth is a real possibility, improved forest protec- tions becomes increasingly important. In addition the enormous financial resources that must be committed to inten- sive forestry dictates that improved forest protection measures be implemented. (a) Fire The I.W.A. proposes that: (i) All fires in Canada’s forested areas be fought. (ii) Fire detection systems in the commer- cial forested zones be improved. (iii) Minimum response periods be estab- lished by responsible agencies. (iv) Integrated response capabilities be established by district, region and the provinces as a whole. (v) In periods of high fire hazard recrea- tionists must be allowed to use only estab- lished and controlled campsites. (vi) Forest closures be made mandatory in extreme fire hazard periods. (b) Insects and Disease ' (i) Wherever possible diseased and infected trees should be removed from the forest and utilized. (ii) Biological methods of control of insects or pests be used where it is impracti- cal to harvest diseased or infected forests. (iii) The judicious use of chemical insecti- cides be approved for use in isolated areas to control epidemics that could result in wide- spread devastation of forest resources. (iv) Chemical insecticides be used only when safer methods of control prove ineffective. (v) Approval for use of chemical forms of control, even in isolated areas, not be given until adequate study indicates that risk to human life and the environment is minimized. (vi) Further research into methods of application of chemical control agents and development of agents that are specific in their attack on pests is to be encouraged. FOREST UTILIZATION (a) The I.W.A. proposes that: (i) There be a more complete integration of the forest industry. (11) Corporations holding harvesting rights on Crown owned forest land must harvest the approved annual allowable cut. (iii) Companies that do not on a periodic basis balance their harvest with the approved allowable cut lose their rights to harvest that portion which is equal to the shortfall. (iv) The volume of wood that a company’s annual allowable cut is reduced by must be made available on a competitive basis to wood-short companies capable of utilizing additional wood. (v) Companies harvesting their annual allowable cut but having wood in excess of their conversion capacity must make the excess available on the open market in grades that reflect the natural profile of the forest. (b) The I.W.A. insists that from any given supply of timber a maximization of value must be achieved. (i) Logs of peeler quality must flow to plywood plants. (ii) Sawlogs must flow to sawmills. (iii) Pulpwood must flow to pulpmills. (iv) Pulpmills using peelers or sawlogs as roundwood furnish should be penalized. (v) The trading of wood among compan- ies should be encouraged and if necessary directed. (vi) In the absence of price agreements among companies with respect to wood trade then third party intervention should be mandatory. (vii) Pulpmills and other chip using processes must become more reliant upon chips from the waste material of sawmills and less reliant upon roundwood furnish. (c) The I.W.A. insists that conversion plants must be brought up to efficiency standards in terms of productivity and resource utilization. (i) For a given supply of wood aminimum output of primary product should be stipu- lated and attained. (ii) The norms that are established for mills should consider the technology that is available in the world, capital requirements and production costs. (iii) Public funding to assist in moderni- zation should be considered for selective sectors of the industry in selective regions of the country. (iv) Canadian capital that is being used for overseas development should be redi- rected to modernize Canadian industry. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT The I.W.A. proposes that: (a) A Federal Department of Forestry be established with its own minister. (b) A Deputy Minister of Forestry for Canada be appointed. (c) The Canadian Forestry Service be rejuvenated. The responsibility of the Canadian Forestry Service should be: (i) Coordinate the role of the federal bureaucracy related to forestry and forest industry matters. (ii) Develop a national forest policy and industrial strategy in consultation with industry and the provinces. (iii) International forest relations. (iv) Funding of intensive forest manage- ment programs in the provinces. (v) Research. RESEARCH Forest and forest products research requirements are greater now than at any SEE “FOREST POLICY” — PAGE TWELVE Lumber Worker/September, 1980/11