CSA Designation Advisory Group Meeting #1 - Jan. 31/Feb. 1, 2012

January 31, 2012

After arriving at the meeting facility late in the afternoon and completing dinner, there was a short introductory meeting. Since about half of those present were new participants, detailed around-the-table introductions were conducted.

Present at the Forest Certification Advisory Group Meeting
Member	Alternate	Affiliation
Nathan Mieske		Algonquin Park Forestry Contractors
Lacey Rose	Jeff Muzzi	County of Renfrew
Barry Bridgeford	William Warren	Algonquin Backcountry Recreationalists
Dana Shaw		Forest Industry
John Doering		LCC Member, Leaseholder, Recreationalist
Joe Yaraskavitch	Jay Nichols	Ontario Parks (Algonquin Park)
Anne Mundy		General Public
Deborah Cumming		Enviromentalist
Tom Ballantine		Archaeologist/Cultural Heritage
Irvin Yateman		Algonquin Nation Kijicho-Manito (Bancroft)
Chief Richard Zohr		Bonnechere Algonquin First Nation
Robert Craftchick		Whitney Algonquins
David Commanda		Algonquins of Pikwakanagan
Chief Randy Malcolm		Ardoch Algonquin First Nation
Emmett Godin		Algonquins of Greater Golden Lake
Don McCormick	Bill Atkinson	Algonquin Forestry Authority, Board of Directors
Gord Cumming		Algonquin Forestry Authority, Chief Forester
Daniel Janke		Algonquin Forestry Authority, General Manager
Shaun Dombroskie		Algonquin Forestry Authority

Gord Cumming then introduced the new facilitator: Tom Clark of CMC Forestry Consultants. For info on David, see his website at www.tomclark.ca .

A video .. Exploring Sustainable Forest Management In Canada .. was then presented. It gave a national perspective on forestry, laws, controls and certification. It featured Jim Ferrell, the assistant Deputy Minister of the Canadian Forest Service.

The balance of the evening meeting explored the planning structure of forest management in Ontario and Algonquin Park. Gord detailed the requirements of the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, the Algonquin Forestry Authority Act and the Crown Forest Sustainability Act. Additional information was discussed, involving the development of Forest Management Plans and day-to-day compliance with the CSA certification process.

After the evening meeting, the following group photo was taken ...

Back row: Joe Yaraskavitch, Richard Zohr, Robert Craftchick, John Doering, Gord Cumming, Dana Shaw, Barry Bridgeford, Tom Clark, Shaun Dombroskie, Nathan Mieske, Emmett Godin. Front row: Lacey Rose, Anne Mundy, Dave Commanda, Danny Janke, Randy Malcolm, Irvin Yateman, Tom Ballantine, Deb Cumming.

February 1, 2012

The minutes of the last meeting (May 10th, 2011) were reviewed and explained for the benefit of the advisory group's new members. That meeting had included a year's update of AFA operations, an update of the finalized 2010-2020 Forest Management Plan, the 2009-10 Surveillance Audit (including non-conformances, areas of concern and opportunities for improvement), the MNR Annual Report and an extensive review of the CSA Annual Report (involving a 2009-10 VOIT Summary)

Next, Gord Cumming presented the AFA's 2010-2011 Annual SFM Report. We reviewed how the various prescribed VOITs (Values, Objectives, Indicators and Targets) "scored" through the year. Background explanations were provided for the benefit of the group's new members who hadn't participated in the previous years' meetings. The report conclusion observed that of the plan's 51 indicators, 32 have annual indicators .. and that of those, 28 had their targets met. Poor market conditions and issues beyond the control of forest management played a large part in the other 4's targets not being met.

A short video was then presented .. Forest Certification in Canada .. which described independent third-party forest certification processes used in Canada.

Tom Clark presented a substantial Powerpoint presentation titled "Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) System - Introduction and Awareness". It illustrated the distribution of the various certification systems throughout Canada and then detailed the Canadian Standards Association's system. After explaining the roles played by public participation and VOITs, the presentation introduced the key difference between the CSA's older standard and the new CSA standard. The new CSA Z809-08 Standard includes 35 new manditory core indicators. The CSA intends that they will produce national and global consistency.

Tom Clark then took the group through the AFA's Public Consultation Plan for the new standard .. including steps, timeline, stakeholders, aboriginal participation and methods of communication.

Gord addressed the status of "Algonquin Eco Watch", an environmental organization which had participated in the previous advisory group, but which was considered by the AFA to be criticizing the system's choice of methodology rather than the effectiveness and accuracy of the current methodology. As a result, they believed that some of Eco Watch's criticisms would be better dealt with higher up the "provincial ladder" while others would be received by the AFA by means of other methods of public consultation.

Another video was then shown .. PEFC - The World's Largest Environmental Movement.

Tom then provided another Powerpoint presentation entitled "The SFM Plan: Values, Objectives, Indicators and Targets" .. giving an expanded explanation of the VOIT process.