Forest Management: Role Playing

Program Area

This activity is designed for the Grade 10 Geography of Canada course and the Grade 9 Self and Society course. It also integrates written and oral communication skills. In the Grade 10 Geography program, this activity can used after providing students with background information on the state of Canada's forests and their economic importance. In the Grade 9 Self and Society course, this activity can be used to assist students to understand the roles people play in complex social and environmental systems.

Learning Outcomes

Teaching, learning and evaluation will focus on the student's ability to:

• Appreciate the relationship between human activity and environmental change in the forest industry;
• Identify and evaluate trends in the use of Canadian natural resources;
• Experience resolving conflicts cooperatively.

Classroom Development

Background information outlining the forest management issue, the role-play scenarios and a map of the forest management area are provided in the Student Materials section of this activity.

1. Read through the role-playing information material and familiarize yourself and the students with the forest management proposal issue, the roles outlined and the map of the Bow Lake area.
2. Divide the students into 3 groups: the various members of the public as outlined, the Ministry of Natural Resources foresters, and the pulp and paper company foresters.
3. Have each group prepare for the public meeting by brainstorming to identify and address those problems that concern them. The industry group and the MNR foresters group will brainstorm to identify all potential problems arising from this proposal for their respective groups. Both of these groups should be prepared to respond to questions and concerns and be prepared to make amendments to the proposal, if need be.
4. Enact a public meeting or open house. Appoint a panel made up of representatives from each of the groups to hear submissions. Each of the 3 groups will make a brief presentation to the panel outlining their perspectives on this proposal. After hearing all submissions, the panel will convene to make a decision on the proposal. The panel will prepare a written statement justifying their decision.
5. Discuss the activity with the class. Consider the following:
   a) Were all the problems solved to every ones satisfaction?
   b) Was it easy to cooperate with all the groups?
   c) Was the decision reached fair?
   d) How could this type of decision-making be improved?

Background Information

The issue of forest management is covered well in Heartwood,Ķ Equinox Magazine, 1989, and in Chapter 10 Forestry: seeing the forest and the trees,Ķ in The State Of Canada's Environment, 1991, Ministry of Supplies and Services Canada.

Timing

Allow 2 to 3 periods (50 min periods) for the preparation of the roles, the presentations, panel decision and debriefing.

Resources

Morrison, G.R. A Forestry Manual For Ontario Secondary School Teachers. Willowdale: Ontario Forestry Association, 1983,1984.

Ministry of Natural Resources. Focus On Forests. Toronto: Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. 1989.

Findley, Rowe. Will We Save Our Own?Ķ National Geographic, 178(3) September 1990. pp. 106-136.

Student Material

• Public Involvement in Forest Management: Role-playing Sheet
• Map of Bow Lake Area

The following role-playing activity demonstrates the importance of public involvement in forest management. This situation is based on a real-life occurrence.

The Proposal

A pulp and paper company requests an amendment to their approved Management Plan under the Forest Management Agreement (FMA). The company now wishes to harvest popular as well as the spruce they have approval to cut under their FMA. They require high-quality popular fiber in a new paper-making process.

The Issues

The company requests the following amendments:

1. That an all-weather road be constructed in the summer as shown on the map (Muskie Road). Winter roads will extend to the cutting areas (dotted lines). Poplar is to be harvested the following winter and hauled to the mill be truck.
2. An area would be clear cut along the Bay Road south of Bow Lake. Trucks would haul this wood to the mill on the Bay Road.

The Location

Refer to the Bow Lake map. The outlined section is the area under consideration for amendment. Make note of the following:

• Bow Lake is 15 km from town. The north shore of the lake is populated by cottage owners, permanent residents, and tourist camps. The south shore has no road access and contains a few cottages with water access only.
• Blind Lake is 20 km from the town and contains a small number of cottagers, permanent residents, and a tourist camp owner. The area is considered to be remote.
• Bay Road supports cottage and permanent residential land on both Bow and Blind Lakes. The road is the only access to this area (except by boat in the summer).

Who's Involved?

1. Company foresters in the woodlands division of the pulp and paper company. They require an economical supply of poplar fiber.
2. The public. People are requested to submit concerns about and/or support for the amendment. Involved members of the public are:
   a) Ms L. Baber, a permanent resident on Blind Lake; a concerned environmentalist.
   b) Mr. K. Mein, tourist camp owner on Bow Lake; hunts and fishes.
   c) Mr. R. Tizo, permanent longtime resident of Bow Lake; moved from town many years ago for the solitude of the area.
   d) Mr. Z. Kirosky, cottage owner of Bow Lake and a recent arrival from Europe; lives in a large city 90 km from Bow Lake.
   e) Mr. D. Lane, president of the property owners association of the area.
   f) Mrs. R. Obert, cottage owner on the south side of Bow Lake the cottage has water access only; lives in town.
   g) Ms A. Blom, permanent resident on the Bay Road south of the proposed cut; family of five and buses children to school.
   h) Mr. B. Anson, paper maker with house on Bay Road. Mr. A. Slac, permanent resident of Bay Road employed by the MNR.
   i) Mrs. G. Inso, town resident; a conservationist with no connection to the area.