REPORT: Slipping through the cracks

Download the .pdf report >>

Canada's Great Bear Rainforest is a global ecological treasure, dense with life and known for its cathedral-like old growth forests, concentrations of grizzly bear, salmon, wolves and the rare white 'spirit' bear. This rugged landscape, stretching along coastal British Columbia, represents 25% of the world's remaining intact temperate rainforest.

Building on the landmark 2006 Great Bear Rainforest Agreements to create protected areas on about a third of the landbase and implement new, 'lighter-touch' logging regulations under Ecosystem-based Management, the Province of British Columbia, First Nations, the forest industry and environmental groups reached a subsequent Agreement in March 2009. At the centre of the new Agreement is a commitment by all parties to move over the next five years towards the overall goals of Ecosystem-Based Management - maintaining ecological integrity and achieving high levels of human well-being. Ecological integrity is to be maintained by limiting risk to both ecosystems and to "focal" species, defined as species that need special management attention. In practice, this approach protects a portion of each type of ecosystem and of the habitat of each focal species in areas designated for lighter-touch logging through the EBM planning process.

As part of the five-year transition period, a set of 'lighter touch' (or transitional) logging requirements was developed in 2009, along with commitments to develop a more stringent set of regulations by March 2014. Commitments were also made to ensure that focal species habitat is at least being managed to maintain viable populations during this period.

The purpose of this report is to take a closer look at the focal species of the Great Bear Rainforest, and to evaluate progress on key government commitments to protect focal species. Recommendations include expedited completion of additional conservation measures, as well as measures to ensure that no crucial habitat is being logged in the interim.