Book Description
These essays and documents analyse and prescribe solutions to the recent troubles in BCs forest industry. Over the past fifteen years the industry has become the centre of a storm of controversy. Environmental protests, aboriginal land claims, reduced quota of allowable cuts, sweeping technological changes, multinational involvement and changing global markets have all shaken the once entrenched faith in BC's "green gold".In Part One, the authors look at the forest as a specific physical environment, the site of disputes involving environmentalists, First Nations Peoples, and the government. Empirical assessment of BC's forest resource base is followed by discussions on therole of government in setting the agenda for the various resource and land use conflicts dogging the industry.Part Two deals with changes within the industry and in the global context. The conflicting demands of new market trends and sustainable development are discussed from several points of view. Important issues such as the effects of free trade and increased multinational investment, the role of research and development and technological change, are addressed.Part Three melds ideas of sustainable growth and local economic development in single industry communities in BC.This timely, provocative collection will help us understand the forces of shaping the troubled landscape of British Columbia's forests.