Who manages our natural resources?

Commentary - In April 2010, the Committee On the Status of Endangered Wildlife In Canada (COSEWIC) released its designations updated from 2003 on Atlantic cod.

Not only is northern cod still endangered but the southern populations are now all endangered also. The definition of endangered is: A wildlife species facing imminent extirpation or extinction. It seems almost laughable that northern cod, and now their counterparts further south are even in more dire straits, given the expanse of over two decades since the original moratorium. In fact, we should be reaping the economic benefits of a healthy and greatly rebounded biomass.

This brings us to the central reality of our Canadian society, which is that government(s) cannot, and will not, properly manage our natural resources. Whether its cod in our oceans or woodland caribou in our old boreal forests, our governments will destroy our children's future in order to maintain some kind of fractured economy. Our short-lived politicians seem to work under the mantra: Do nothing and you do nothing wrong. But in reality they receive their directions from senior beaurocrats, and if you write them and ask for change they will respond by telling you what a great job they are doing. In fact, mismanagement of natural resources is systemic to our provincial and federal governments. They will always sell our natural resources for a few short term jobs. Witness recently, Minster Charlene Johnson stated in the media that the Department of Environment and Conservation could not protect and buffer core woodland caribou habitat in Newfoundland because it would "kill the forest industry." Such an absurd statement continues a forum of fear mongering orchestrated by the Department of Natural Resources predicated on the notion that first and foremost forest exist to be cut down.

What you get from your provincial government to ensure that economic development is sustainable with the natural forest ecosystem is simple: nothing. Now we hear news releases that some large corporation is interested in the Grand Falls paper mill. How is that possible when pulp and paper (and wood pellets) is a sunset industry? It is only possible if, similar to past Newfoundland sagas, we fill the company with taxpayer-derived incentives, and hand over the control of the forest resource.

This resource, of course, is the former leasehold lands of Abitibi that saw about 35 per cent of our forests landbase owned for a century by this corporation. In contrast, sustainable management starts with local ownership and control.

If we are to truly revive the rural economy of Newfoundland then we have to empower the local people to be the true stewards of those resources. There is so much more in the forest landbase than a bunch of softwood for chipping and pulping. Forest landscapes generate billions of dollars in some provinces without any trees being cut. Diversity of economy dovetails with biological diversity of the forest, and the only way the public will secure a future for their children in rural Newfoundland and Labrador is by taking over control of its management. Thousands of students graduate annually with degrees in environmental sciences.

Somewhere inside people yearn for change in order to truly green our precious planet Earth. Each of us has to play their part in this important change. Say yes, and right now, to community forest networks. That is, being the managers, being seen, being empowered, and most importantly saying no to governments that prove time and time again that they cannot manage our natural resources.

Dr. Ian Goudie is an environmental scientist and co-ordinator of the Coalition for Sustainable Forests of Newfoundland and Labrador. Interested public are encouraged to engage through nlforests@cpaws.org.