Agreement improves negotiation process.

• Author: FAYE, DONNA
• Position: Resource stewardship agreement - Brief Article

The lush woodlands of Northern Ontario have long been the vested interest of both the forestry and tourism industries. But their relationship has, at times, been as prickly as pine needles and as sticky as spruce sap.

The province's newly formulated resource stewardship agreement (RSA) process is designed to improve that relationship by recognizing both parties as financial stakeholders on the land. In addition, this agreement calls for the two industries to negotiate mutually acceptable contracts before wood is harvested or roads are built into woodlands.

"(The agreement) is a collaborative process, and it's one which emphasizes interest-based negotiations rather than having the two parties sparring at each other across the table in a quasi-judicial forum," says Stephen Harvey, senior policy adviser for the Ministry of Natural Resources. "(It is) like a request for an environmental assessment (from the tourist operator), or another dispute resolution process."

The memorandum of understanding, which sets the stage for individual RSAs to be negotiated, was signed in July 2001. It applies to all woodlands licensed to forest products companies in Ontario.

"We have six forest management plans which are starting to be developed and will be approved by April 1,2003," Harvey says.

"It is that process of developing a plan which triggers the commitment by the forest industry to invite the tourist industry to negotiate a resource stewardship agreement."

Individual parties can determine the length of their RSAs, but must agree to at least a five-year term. The recently signed memorandum of understanding is a guide tourist outfitters can use to negotiate a resource stewardship agreement with a forest company.

"(The memorandum) is a template that, if followed, should end up producing a workable agreement for both parties," says Michael Hay, a forest planning management specialist for the Ministry of Natural Resources.

Under the terms of the memorandum of understanding, the tourist outfitter and forest company, who share a particular woodland, will meet to develop a proposal for forest management to take place. That proposal becomes part of a forest management plan, which is then reviewed by any concerned members of the public.

Groups of tourist operators in one region may opt to combine to create a joint RSA with a forest company. Following public consultation, the agreement must meet MNR approval before coming into effect as a legally binding document.

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