Special Report – SR/54
November 2017

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. FREP should clarify and communicate to all involved what is meant by the measure of “sustainability” it uses, and how that relates to government’s objectives for the values specified in FRPA. This should include the linkage between the impact ratings and sustainability measures and how the information is to be used by licensees and by decision-makers, such as district managers approving forest stewardship plans.
2. FREP should review the design of the monitoring program to ensure it can answer the priority evaluation questions and also develop new questions to address emerging information needs. It is essential that FREP is collecting the right data and providing the information that forest managers require today. This review should include consideration of long-term routine monitoring of specific sites in addition to the current approach of random sampling.
3. FREP should fully implement effectiveness monitoring for soils, wildlife, wildlife habitat, plant communities, landscape-level biodiversity, and values established under the Government Actions Regulation (e.g., wildlife habitat areas) and land use orders.
4. FREP should engage licensees and their professionals in all aspects of the monitoring program. FREP should also directly involve government and industry specialists in the monitoring program on an on-going basis, particularly in researching the causal factors affecting the condition of values. This should help to address industry concerns and build credibility, improving licensee confidence in FREP’s monitoring.
5. FLNRO should implement a collaborative process at both the provincial and district levels to facilitate continuous improvement of practices based on FREP’s monitoring results. At the provincial level, government should have a process to implement changes to legislation and/or policy where improvements are not made voluntarily.

Response to Recommendations