The Far Northern Boreal forests of Ontario represent one of the largest intact forest areas in Canada. These deep woodlands stretching from roughly 51 degrees latitude (north of Red Lake) to the treeline are the home of 26 First Nations. This vast area has been officially off-limits to industrial forestry and remains undivided by roads.

The Far Northern Boreal represents a chance to take a new approach to conservation — to consider how to balance the interests of local communities, the need to conserve wild places and the interests of industry before industrial development takes over the landscape.

We believe this area represents our chance to establish a new model of land-use — one where conservation and community interests come first rather than taking a back seat to industrial activities. Instead of isolated islands of protection in a sea of development, for example, we can establish interconnected networks of protected areas and limit industrial activities to islands in a sea of intact forest.

But we have to act now to make this vision a reality before roads penetrate the forest and machinery follows. The Ontario Forest Accord recognizes this opportunity and calls for proper land-use planning and protected-areas establishment before any logging begins in the Far Northern Boreal.

We must make the most of this opportunity by working with First Nations to determine the type of development that they see as appropriate.

For further details, check out these related pages:

• First Nations & Communities, which discusses the natural values and significant economic opportunities for First Nations communities