On March 22, 2010, BC’s Minister of Forests and Range introduced Bill 5, the Zero Net Deforestation Act (the Act), to enshrine the BC government’s commitment to zero net deforestation (ZND) in the province. In doing so, BC is one of the first jurisdictions in the world to introduce a goal of ZND into legislation. In particular, the Act meets the commitment made by the government in its 2008 throne speech to pursue the goal of ZND, which will be achieved when the area of newly created forest land in BC is equal to or greater than the area of deforestation. To that end, the Act encourages the planting of an equal area of trees to offset any forestry lands that are permanently cleared for another use. The government must achieve ZND within BC by December 31, 2015. Pat Bell, the Minister of Forests and Range, said in a statement that “British Columbia is committed to achieving zero net deforestation by 2015 to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Forests absorb and store carbon, which make them important allies in the fight against climate change.”
Deforestation is a major contributor to greenhouse emissions worldwide, and results in the loss of forests that absorb and store carbon and provide other ecosystem services. Approximately 6,200 hectares were deforested in BC in 2007. Approximately 2,000 hectares were afforested the same year. BC’s objective is to reduce deforestation and increase afforestation to close the gap by 2015 and beyond.
The Act defines key terms and sets out the government’s reporting requirements. In particular, the Act defines deforestation as the permanent loss of trees from an area and requires the Minister of Forests and Range to regularly report on progress towards ZND. Under the Act, regulations may be established with respect to methodologies for calculating deforestation and afforestation, as well as requirements for the timing, form and content of reports.
It should be noted that because timber harvesting in B.C. is considered to be sustainably managed, it is not considered to be deforestation. The Ministry of Forests and Range has indicated that it plans to partner with a number of other groups and agencies to help encourage projects that will mitigate deforestation. Also, the Province will engage in consultations over the next few months with stakeholders, communities and First Nations for their ideas on best approaches to implement the ZND policy.