Environmental assessment of forestry in Canada

Abstract

Environmental assessment (EA) is widely used as a means of identifying and addressing the potential environmental effects of proposed development activities. This paper provides an overview of EA and its application to forest management in Canada. Forestry planning processes in Canada generally include consideration of environmental issues and stakeholder participation, and therefore incorporate key aspects of EA as part of the planning exercise. EA review can, however, provide an opportunity to further assess and consider the potential environmental effects of proposed forestry activities, as required, as well as involve other relevant parties in decision-making. Key words: environmental assessment, forest management, planning, Canada.