The Forest Industry

Program Area

This activity can be used in the Grade 9 Self and Society Program after an introduction to the forest industry in Canada.

Learning Outcomes

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

• Identify the role of individuals and governments in resolving issues;
• Become more receptive to, and tolerant of the needs and aspirations of others;
• Appreciate the emotional issues involved in the use of Canada's natural resources;
• Recognize the differing points of view held by various people and groups towards the use of wilderness areas;
• Write to persuade.

Classroom Development

Environmental hearings are becoming an increasingly popular way of coping with controversial environmental issues in our society. During such a hearing, individuals and groups appear before a hearing panel to argue persuasively for their particular points of view. The hearing panel receives these submissions, evaluates them, and arrives a recommendations which are submitted to the appropriate regulatory body.

As environmental educators charged with preparing our students for the future, we have an obligation to prepare them for participation in environmental hearings. In addition, participation in simulated environmental hearings offers many important learning advantages.

1. View and discuss the videos: The Temperate Rainforest, Carmanah Forever.
2. Appoint a Hearing Panel of four or five students to hear the presentations, receive the written submissions, evaluate them, arrive at a decision, and present the decision to the class along with a rationale for having reached that decision. The panel should elect a chairperson.
3. Prepare role descriptions and give one to each person or group
4. Hand out the instruction page.
5. Allow about one week for students to prepare for the hearing. Some class time may be allowed.
6. Handout the package of readings. They can be collected and used again.
   
   The rest of the class may select from the following roles or other roles:
   

• logger
• loggers spouse
• provincial minister in charge of forestry
• president of a forest company
• self-employed wildlife biologist
• aboriginal leader whose tribe has a land claim on this area
• stock holder in the forest company
• owner of a store in a town close to the site to be logged
• director of an environmental group
• provincial Minister of Tourism
• mayor of a town close to the site to be logged
• tourist who enjoys hiking and camping
• other characters such as tree planters or radical environmentalists More than one person may select the same role.
  However, all roles should be covered. You may wish to have students who select the same role work on a joint presentation.

Evaluation

If you wish to evaluate students in this part of their course work, you should consider the following components:

• oral presentation
• written submission to the panel
• written reaction to the panel's decision
• the learning outcomes listed above

Resources

Videos: Carmanah Forever, Temperate Rainforest which are available from the National Film Board. 150 John street Toronto, Ontario M5V 3C3 (416) 973-9110

Forest Hearing Assignment and Role Playing Cards accompanying this Guide.

Cross-curricular Links

English and/or Business: effective letter and position paper writing skills.

Art: Scenes from Old Growth forests as subjects for creative work.

History: A portion of the Grade 9 Self and Society program section on aboriginal Canadian land claims could be included.

Dramatic Arts: Assist students with the preparations for effective presentations before the Hearing Panel.

Present the following information to the students along with the role cards. Each group/individual will prepare a paper to present to the Hearing Panel. You will be given 3-5 min to present your paper orally. Then you must leave a copy with the Hearing Panel. In your paper, you should try to convince the Panel that your position is sound.

The Hearing Panel must listen to the presentation and ask questions for clarification. Then, after the hearing, the Panel must study the submissions and make recommendations. Should the logging proceed? The panel must give a rationale for its decision.

Following the Panel's presentation of its recommendations, the whole class should consider the following points:

a) Are you satisfied with the Hearing Panel's decision? Why or why not?

b) What is your opinion of the use of a Hearing Panel for issues such as this?

c) In what ways could this procedure be made more effective?

You must write a short personal reaction to the decision.

Role Cards

Logger: You depend on the continued expansion of the area logged to keep your job. You realize that the forest company has failed to maintain an adequate replanting policy.

Logger's Spouse: You have two small children, and are a freelance writer who is beginning to have conflicts with your wife over her company's logging practices.

Provincial Minister in charge of forestry: You believe that Canada must expand the area available to logging to remain competitive. You are also concerned about Canada's image in world markets. You must coordinate with the Minister of Tourism.

President of the forest products company: You are concerned about remaining competitive in world markets. You are also concerned about the image your company presents nationally and internationally.

Self-employed wildlife biologist: You are concerned about the destruction of this forest habitat. You believe that it should be preserved for future generations.

Aboriginal Leader: Your tribe has always regarded this area as part of your ancestral lands. You wish to maintain the land in its original condition. You are concerned that the aggressive actions of the environmentalists might harm your land claims.

Stockholder in the forest products company: You live and work in Nepean, Ontario. Your idea of a good vacation is a nice beach resort on an uncrowded beach on a tropical ocean.

Store Owner: You own and operate a hardware store in the town closest to the area to be logged. Most of your customers are forest workers who live in the town.

Director of the an environmental group: You believe that all original Old Growth forest regions should be preserved at all costs.

Provincial Minister of Tourism: You realize that the recession and social contract have meant a decrease in the number of Canadian's traveling. You are anxious to promote any new ventures which will promote foreign tourists to Canada and keep Canadian tourists at home. You must coordinate with the Minister in charge of forestry.

Mayor of a town close to the area to be logged: You realize that your town relies on the continued health of the forest industry for its well being. You also know that expanded logging is only a short term solution.

European Tourist: You enjoy hiking and camping in wilderness areas. The idea of camping in a forest completely untouched by humans is a lifelong dream. You want this area preserved so that your children can enjoy it as well.