Loggers and environmentalists - about to declare truce?

Environmentalists want areas of the boreal forest protected from logging.

Forest companies want the environmentalists to stop the anti-forestry marketing campaigns against their company.

This week both sides come together to draft a preliminary deal that will effectively freeze all logging in selected regions in exchange for a halt to international marketing campaigns against Canadian products by environmental groups such as Greenpeace.

Both sides are expected to vote on the proposed deal today.

The Forest Products Association of Canada is negotiating for the forestry companies (including Cariboo Pulp & Paper Company, Tolko Industries Ltd., Weyerhaeuser, Howe Sound Pulp and Paper Ltd. Partnership, and Kruger Inc.)

The deal will mean the forestry companies must protect 70 million hectares of boreal forest from logging for at least three years.

As part of the deal, the environmentalists will give their green stamp of approval to Canada's logging practices in other areas. This move has the potential to boost the attractiveness of Canadian wood products in the global market.

The environmental groups also will gain access to caribou habitat for study as part of the deal, which will include large sections of forest in Alberta and Quebec.

Source:

Tree-huggers and loggers bury hatchet - will manage woods together Canadian forest products can bask in glow of new-found eco-approval (Montreal Gazette)