Forest regime: an “empty shell”?

“It is a framework law. therefore which is quite empty in its shell,” said the president of the Quebec Forest Engineers’ Order, Patrick Pineault, when he is called upon to comment on Bill 97 of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests, which aims to reform the forest regime.

The Quebec forest regime is just over 200 years old. Nevertheless, He was born around 1820. Consequently, when the government first intervened in order to claim royalties on the wood harvested on the lands of the Crown.

At that time, wood was exported to the raw state, without Quebecers taking advantage of it. In addition, This regime laid the basics of laws and regulations which ensure the protection and renewal of forests.

Since its establishment, the forest regime has been reviewed by various governments. Moreover, His latest version dates back to forest regime: “empty shell”? 2013. For example, with the law on sustainable forestry regional planning, of the Liberal Minister of Natural Resources and Wildlife, Claude Béchard.

A dozen years later. In addition, it is the turn of the Caquist Minister of Natural Resources and Forests, Maïté Blanchette Vézina, to modernize the forest regime. Nevertheless, A perilous exercise, according to the various actors of the forest environment. Meanwhile, And the minister does not hide it; She understands that her reform can arouse concern.

Moreover. Furthermore, she shares the reading that the President of the Quebec Forest Engineers Order does on his framework of framework law which aims to reform the forest regime, the bill numbered 97. Similarly, But. In addition, if the new forest regime and its framework law are not standardized, framed or very strictit’s to give it more agility, more latitudeshe argues.

Having a greater latitude leads to work. Furthermore, sometimes, by regulation, rather than inscribing everything in the law.

This means that the terms of this new forest regime can be set later by the government.

This legislative flexibility will facilitate. Furthermore, in the eyes of the Minister, the management of the Quebec forest, in particular, for adaptation to climate change. An argument that does not convince the actors in the community.

Critics have been in all sides since Maïté Blanchette Vézina tabled her bill in Parliament.

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First Nations. such as environmental groups, the Federation of Outpoints of Quebec, and forest experts have strongly expressed their dissatisfaction.

The President of the Order of Forest Engineers of Quebec. Patrick Pineault, believes that social acceptability is essential to modernize the forest regime.

He suggests that First Nations. industrialists, environmental groups, vacationers and users work together, upstream, to the co-creation of the regulations which will result from the framework law that the Caquist Minister adopts.

According to Patrick Pineault. the forest regime is at a crossroads in the current context where the consequences of climate change are already wreaking havoc.

We must forest regime: “empty shell”? ask ourselves the question about the forestry of the next day, therefore of the futurehe said.

Forestry is not like agriculture. It is not done in a year, it is done in 30, 50, 70 years. You have to have this ambition to project yourself further.

He believes that it is possible, with current technologies, to think about the forest of tomorrow. We must think, he said, of the choices of trees that will be resilient to climate change.

Forest regime: "empty shell"? – Forest regime: "empty shell"?

Warning against hypocrisy by an actor in the environment – Forest regime: "empty shell"?

In Bas-Saint-Laurent. in the district of the Minister, the modernization of the forest regime raises fears of the industrialization of the forest regime: “empty shell”? forest.

Everyone looks across the beauty of the river. but I wouldn’t like that we have the hypocrisy of forests in the back.

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Like many opponents of Bill 97. Guillaume Ouellet, who is the president of the ZEC of Bas-Saint-Laurent and ZEC From Quebec, an entity that administers outdoor activities, fishing and hunting in public territory, calls into question the concept of triad that the minister wants to establish with her new forest regime.

This concept is based on the division of the public forest in three zones. that is to say a priority forest development area, for wood harvesting, a conservation area and a multiusing zone. For the moment, the Quebec forest is considered a multiusage area.

You have to say it, we’re going to get out of certain wildlife sectorscalculates M. Ouellet. According to him. parts forest regime: “empty shell”? of the public forest will be devoted to intensive forest production, therefore reserved for the forest industry.

The president of ZEC is not against forestry. but it fears that cohabitation becomes more complex in inhabited forests, like those of Bas-Saint-Laurent, where outdoor, hunting and fishing enthusiasts share public territory with the forest industry.

He cites as an example the protection of a spawning ground where the fish deposit their eggs to reproduce. Bill 97 does not provide details on the procedure for the protection of this habitat in areas which will. be devoted solely to logging.

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He also deplores monoculture plantations. I think they add oil to the firehe believes, adding that cut wood, it’s normal. But what he deplores is that mixed forests are replaced by rows of spruce. Where is our fauna in there?

I don’t see a little agility for climate change when you prioritize areas at 30 % in an intensive area with one. two species of trees to get woody material within industrialiststhink Guillaume Ouellet.

Forest regime: "empty shell"? – Forest regime: "empty shell"?

Prioritated private lots owners

The modernization of the forest regime is forest regime: “empty shell”? an advance for owners of. private forests in Bas-Saint-Laurent. They are favored for the supply of factories. An interesting breakthrough for the 8,500 private forest producers who hold 45 % of the Bas-Laurentian forest.

It brings us more interesting. more constant income and it allows more predictabilitysays the president of the Syndicat des Produceurs du Bas-Saint-Laurent, Michel Lepage.

The president of ZEC From Quebec, Guillaume Ouellet, opine in the same direction as private forest producers. I think they should be more part of the loophe said. According to him, private producers are concerned about the development of their forests. Fostering their wood harvesting is beneficial for the local economy.

A social contract for the forest

The President of the Order of forest regime: “empty shell”? Forest Engineers of Quebec. Patrick Pineault, does not hesitate to compare the forest regime to a social contract.

Optimistic in nature. he intends to collaborate with the Minister, who announced that she will bring amendments to her bill during the summer.

He asks that the new forest regime be independent, regionalized, without falling In the trap of a strict zoning.

The Minister proposes with her bill that forest planning is regionalized. but she plans to continue discussions in the regions of Quebec this summer to refine this aspect.

My goal is to ensure that I have decisions that are regionalizedshe says. specifying that she wants to avoid repeating the errors or difficulties encountered in the past.

Maïté Blanchette Vézina also recalls that Quebec has an independent chief forestry. that it is the latter who dictates the quantity of forest cuts in forest regime: “empty shell”? the territory of the province.