Manitoba's forest policy regime: Incremental change, concepts, actors and relationships

Abstract

In response to the emergence of Sustainable Forest Management (SFM), forest operations, policies, and governance have become more inclusive of multiple values and of the people holding these values. To assess the extent to which these types of changes have occurred in Manitoba, government legislation and policy documents were examined and semi-directed interviews were conducted with 29 key actors in Manitoba's forest policy regime. In Manitoba, objectives, principles and concepts relating to sustainability and ecosystem-based management have been incorporated into forest policies but not in forest legislation. Additionally, public involvement opportunities have expanded and more people are now involved in advisory capacities. However, a closed policy network and institutional stability have meant that the provincial government and the forest industry maintain primary policy- and decision-making responsibility in Manitoba's forest policy regime. As a result, parties who would need to be included for SFM ideals to be realized are excluded from the network. For SFM to take a deeper hold in Manitoba in both policy and in management practices, transformative change needs to occur. A broader array of interests needs a voice at the center of the network, and The Forest Act requires amendment to entrench SFM principles and core concepts.