Green Propserity is a joint effort by 23 of Ontario's leading environmental organizations to outline an action agenda for the province that we believe will help make Ontario a world leader in green practices and programs. For more information on the groups involved, click here.

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment

Canadian Environmental Law Association

Canadian Institute for Environmental Law and Policy

Citizens Environment Alliance

Community Power Fund

Conservation Council of Ontario

David Suzuki Foundation

Earthroots

Ecojustice

Environment North

Environmental Defence

Forest Ethics

Great Lakes United

Greenpeace

Local Food Plus

Ontario Nature

Ontario Smart Growth Network

Ontario Sustainable Energy Association

Pembina Institute

Sierra Club

Toronto Environmental Alliance

Wildlands League

World Wildlife Fund

	Ontario's Great Boreal Forest is one of the largest intact wild areas on the planet. It is a critically important buffer against climate change and a home to both First Nation peoples and healthy wildlife populations.

Create green northern jobs and save the Boreal Forest. Keep the promise of a new approach to Far North protection and reform southern boreal land use to meet growing demand for ecologically sustainable forest products and create new opportunities — and jobs — for communities.

In an increasingly industrialized world, Ontario's Great Boreal Forest offers us hope. First Nations call it home.  Canadians as a whole are beginning to understand how the Boreal Forest moderates our climate, protects freshwater and provides a refuge for endangered species. And it is one of the last, best chances anywhere on the planet to plan for the needs of nature and communities before major industrial development occurs.  To ensure this happens, Ontario must keep its promise to permanently protect at least half of this ecosystem in partnership with First Nations; create an independent board (with 50% of its members appointed by Aboriginal people and 50% by the Government of Ontario) to lead planning, and provide adequate resources for this task.

In the southern public forests of Ontario where industrial logging is permitted, a more modern approach is required to meet the growing demand for ecologically sustainable forest products and to create new opportunities for communities.  We need to lessen the footprint of industrial logging and roads and leave room for wildlife while creating new opportunities and jobs for local communities by encouraging green entrepreneurs to bid on wood supply.

Completing the action plan above would position Ontario as a global leader on Boreal Forest (and terrestrial carbon) protection.  It would “do right by” Aboriginal People and position Ontario’s forest sector to capitalize on emerging green markets.

Further resources:

Take a virtual tour of the boreal forest, contribute to the wilderness scrapbook, and send an e-card for boreal protection at www.borealopportunity.ca

Far North Planning Advisory Council: Consensus Advice To The Ontario Minister Of Natural Resources

Greenpeace's Vision for a New Conservation Based Forest Economy in Canada's Boreal Forest - Greenpeace

Jobs, Wood and Wilderness: The Future of Ontario’s Forests - Wildlands League

Recent Anthropogenic Changes within the Boreal Forests of Ontario and their Potential Impact on Woodland Caribou - Global Forest Watch Canada

Counting Canada's Natural Capital: Assessing the Real Value of Canada's Boreal Ecosystems - Canadian Boreal Initiative and Pembina Institute

Forests and climate change- an informative blog