Communities,

Commerce and

the Bioeconomy:

Innovations to Sustain

the World’s Forests October 15-20, 2017

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Introduction

For over a decade, the MegaFlorestais network of forest agency leaders meets each year to discuss challenges and opportunities to strengthen forest management and governance, and the role of forestry in advancing sustainable development. These informal meetings allow for forest agency leaders to openly and candidly share expertise and experiences, as well as to coordinate efforts in forestry reform.

By connecting forestry leaders from around the world in a frank and informal setting, MegaFlorestais fills a vital role in improving forest governance. As a platform, MegaFlorestais allows policymakers to consider far-reaching legal and policy reforms that address inequalities and the critical role of community forest enterprises in forest conservation and development. By focusing on the continuity of relationships between a small group of forest agency leaders, keeping discussions informal and confidential and facilitating dialogue around the most important topics in forestry, MegaFlorestais has quickly become one of the most effective forums for building institutional change in the forest sector and advancing forest tenure and governance reforms.

Now in its 11th year, the group is co-Chaired by Glenn Mason, Assistant Deputy Minister of the Canadian Forest Service at Natural Resources Canada, Sally Collins, former Associate Chief of the US Forest Service, and Tim Sheldan, Deputy Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, Province of British Columbia, Canada. In honour of the 150th anniversary of its confederation in 2017, Canada has stepped forward to host the next annual meeting, following a successful gathering in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, China in 2016. The event will kick off in Vancouver, followed by intensive meetings and site visits in the Quadra Island region of British Columbia.

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DAY 1: INDIGENOUS FORESTRY: CONTEXT-SETTING

Sunday October 15, 2017

various International Arrivals

Taxi service available outside the arrivals terminal of Vancouver International Airport

various Arrival and Hotel Check-In (University of British Columbia campus)

• West Coast Suites (5961 Student Union Boulevard) • St. John’s College (2111 Lower Mall)

optional Self-Guided Walking Tour of the UBC Campus

See map and tour booklet provided in guests’ welcome packages in their hotel suite, including: • Forest Sciences Centre and reconciliation totem pole • Beaty Biodiversity Centre • Earth Sciences Building • Nitobe Memorial Garden • Brock Commons Tall Wood Building

17:00 p.m. UBC Student Ambassadors Escort Delegates

Meet UBC student ambassadors in your respective hotel lobbies to walk to the opening reception as a group.

17:30 p.m. Tour of Sty-Wet-Tan Great Hall (UBC Longhouse)

Centre interpretation and tour (1985 West Mall)

18:00 p.m. Opening Reception and Dinner

Traditional greeting by Larry Grant (Elder-in-Residence, First Nations House of Learning, Musqueam First Nations) Opening address by MegaFlorestais co-Chairs Sally Collins (former Associate Chief, US Forest Service), and Glenn Mason (Associate Deputy Minister, Canadian Forest Service) Welcoming remarks by Tim Sheldan (Deputy Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, Province of British Columbia)

Group Introductions – chaired by MegaFlorestais co-Chairs

• MegaFlorestais Leaders and their delegations • Presentation of Resource Advisors • Introduction of local students

20:45 p.m. Walk back to UBC accommodations

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DAY 2: INDIGENOUS FORESTRY AND COMMUNITY FOREST ENTERPRISES: INNOVATION AND STRATEGIES TO SCALE

Monday October 16, 2017

8:00 a.m. Student Pick-Up of Delegations at Accommodations

Walk to Liu Institute (6476 NW Marine Drive)

8:15 a.m. Catered Breakfast at Liu Institute

9:00 a.m. Opening Remarks

. John Innes (Dean, Faculty of Forestry, UBC) and Trevor Stuthridge (Executive Vice President, FPInnovations)

9:15 a.m. Status and Contributions to Community Forest Enterprises Panel chaired by Andy White (Coordinator, Rights and Resources Initiative)

Panel discussion on recent progress and developments (global to local),with:

• Gary Bull (Department Head, Forest Resources Management Professor, UBC)

• Duncan Macqueen (Principal researcher, Natural Resources, International Institute for Environment and Development)

• Richard Donovan (Senior Vice President and Vice President of Forestry, Rainforest Alliance)

10:30 a.m. Health Break

11:00 a.m. Keys to Success and Scale: Removing Barriers and Innovative Strategies to Enable and Promote CFEs Panel chaired by Andy White (Coordinator, Rights and Resources Initiative)

Diverse stories from around the world on what made it work:

• Cécile Ndjebet (President, Cameroon Ecology, Cameroon)

• John Mason (Founder and CEO, Nature Conservation Research Centre, Ghana)

• Mayra Esperanza Morales Aldana, (Vice-president, Association of Forest Communities of Petén (ACOFOP), Guatemala)

Q&A Session with MegaFlorestais leaders. Remarks on fostering a global Community of Practice on community economic development

12:15 p.m. Walk to the Museum on Anthropology (6393 NW Marine Drive)

12:30 p.m. Buffet Lunch at the Museum of Anthropology (MoA) Haida House

13:15 p.m. Distribution of portable translation equipment

13:30 p.m. Innovation Ideas Showcase – MoA Great Hall

Hosted by FPInnovations with opening remarks by Trevor Stuthridge (Executive VP, FPInnovations):

• Opportunity for attendees to share and exchange innovative ideas on policies, products and practices from a community economic development perspective

• Showcase will include displays from local First Nations groups and meeting organizers (Rights and Resources Initiative, Natural Resources Canada, Province of British Columbia, University of British Columbia, and FPInnovations).

15:30 p.m. Health Break

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15:45 p.m. Roundtable Discussion with Delegates – MoA Presentation Circle

What interesting new developments (best practices, policies, commitments) does your country have to share about removing barriers and enabling community forest enterprises?

16:15 p.m. Walk back to Liu Institute

Option for Resource Advisors and delegates not participating in the 16:30 p.m. private session to remain at MoA for a guided tour of the museum.

16:30 p.m. Call to Action Private Session with Leaders, chaired by MegaFlorestais co-Chairs Sally Collins (former Associate Chief, US Forest Service) and Glenn Mason (Canadian Forest Service)

Leveraging commentary from the roundtable, MegaFlorestais co-Chairs will have the opportunity to establish expectations for the week, and delegations would identify specific actions and partnerships to build upon their call to action for the coming year. A translated handout will be distributed for country-by-country reflection on:

• What you have heard today • 1-3 actions you would like to put in place to advance this work over the next year • What elements you will report on to MegaFlorestais 6 months from now • Countries/individuals to partner with or who could help you in advancing your work • What specific individual(s) will lead the implementation

Emphasis on:

• The MegaFlorestais network and its members • What can be gained from one another • Reinforcing the specific outcomes of this meeting

17:30 p.m. Walk to Cecil Green Park House Gardens (6251 Cecil Green Park Road)

18:00 p.m. Group Photo (weather permitting)

18:30 p.m. Dinner at Cecil Green House

Hosted by the University of British Columbia with welcoming remarks by John Innes (Dean, Faculty of Forestry, UBC)

20:30 p.m. Walk back to UBC accommodations

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DAY 3: TRAVEL DAY AND SITE VISITS

Tuesday October 17, 2017

7:00 a.m. Hotel Check-Out

7:15 a.m. Charter Bus Pick-Up at Accommodations

Transportation of delegates and all luggage for breakfast, then on to the airport

7:30 a.m. Breakfast at the UBC Forest Sciences Centre (2424 Main Mall)

8:00 a.m. Transportation to Vancouver International Airport

Air Jazz Charter Flight departing from Landmark Aviation (4360 Agar Drive, Richmond)

9:00 a.m. Check-In and Boarding of Charter Flight

9:30 a.m. Charter Flight Departs for Campbell River

Flying time approximately 40min

10:30 a.m. Arrival in Campbell River, pick-up of luggage

10:45 a.m. Charter Bus Pickup

Transportation to the Maritime Heritage Museum (621 Island Highway, Campbell River)

12:00 p.m. Lunch at the Maritime Heritage Museum

13:00 p.m. Local Innovations in Forest Governance Panel discussion, chaired by Diane Nicholls (Chief Forester, Province of British Columbia, Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development)

• Christine Gelowitz (CEO, Association of BC Forest Professionals) • Tim Ryan (Chair, Forest Practices Board) • Domenico Iannidinardo (Vice President, Sustainability, TimberWest)

14:15 p.m. Distribution of portable translation equipment

14:30 p.m. Site Visit – Elk Falls Provincial Park

Tour hosted by Campbell River District: Brent Blackmun and Erica McClaren (BC Parks) and John Andres (Province of British Columbia, Forest Lands & Natural Resource Operations)

• Managing the forest for multiple user groups and purposes • Biodiversity Management Indicators • Incorporation of traditional indigenous knowledge, community-based knowledge, and

the value of community monitoring of forests • Old growth and secondary growth examples

16:00 p.m. Chartered bus to Campbell River ferry dock

16:30 p.m. Ferry to Quadra Island

10 minute crossing time

17:15 p.m. Check-in to Tsa-Kwa-Luten Lodge (1 Lighthouse Road, Quathiaski Cove)

18:30 p.m. Group Dinner

Brief host remarks

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DAY 4: INNOVATIONS TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE & GOVERNANCE

Wednesday October 18, 2017

7:00 a.m. Breakfast

8:00 a.m. Bilateral Discussions and Call to Action Planning

Opportunity to revisit country-by-country reflections.

9:00 a.m. Strategic Foresighting for Building Resilience Global Trends - chaired by Sally Collins (former Associate Chief, US Forest Service)

How to build resiliency from a forestry perspective: • Andy White (Coordinator, RRI) and Claire Biason-Lohier (Director, Coalition and

Strategic Networks, RRI) on trends in tenure, land governance and ownership • Don Roberts (CEO, Nawitka Capital Advisors) in collaboration with Rory Gilsenan

(Director General, Science Policy Integration Branch, Canadian Forest Service) on Industry, Markets and Trade

• Cécile Ndjebet (President, African Women's Network for Community Management of Forests (REFACOF)) on gender

Q&A Session for MegaFlorestais leaders

10:30 a.m. Health Break

11:00 a.m. From Conflict to Collaboration: The Great Bear Rainforest Case Study Unique benefits, approaches, and keys to success - chaired by Tim Sheldan (Deputy Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, Province of British Columbia)

Overview of the Great Bear Rainforest Story: • Ric Slaco (Vice President & Chief Forester, Interfor) on the economic benefits • Dallas Smith (Indigenous leader and Board President, Nanwakolas Council) on the

social benefits • Jody Holmes (Science Director, Rainforest Solutions Project) on the environmental

benefits, conservation and protection

12:00 p.m. Lunch

13:00 p.m. Distribution of translation field equipment and chartered bus to dock

13:30 p.m. Northern Gulf Island Field Trip

3-hour boat tour with viewing opportunities of sections of the Great Bear Rainforest Overview of managing for multi-use, tourism and area viewshed considerations

16:30 p.m. Chartered bus back to Tsa-Kwa-Luten Lodge

17:00 p.m. Open Time for Bilateral Meetings

18:30 p.m. Group Dinner

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DAY 5: INNOVATIONS TO ENABLE THE BIOECONOMY

Thursday October 19, 2017

7:00 a.m. Breakfast

8:00 a.m. Bilateral Discussions and Call to Action Planning

Opportunity to revisit country-by-country reflections.

9:00 a.m. Bioeconomy Status and Trends Across MF Countries Co-chaired by Glenn Mason (Canadian Forest Service), Herman Sundqvist and Peter Blombäck (Swedish Forest Agency)

Results of 2017 Sweden-led MegaFlorestais network surveying work, completed on a country-by-country basis, presented by Peter Blombäck (Head, Division of Policy and Analysis, Swedish Forest Agency) Roundtable for MegaFlorestais Leaders to share country experiences on: • What opportunities does the concept of bioeconomy (the transition to a fossil-free

society) present and how will it affect your Agency´s mission? • What are the challenges and bottlenecks for making s forest-based bioeconomy

competitive (e.g. lack of investment, policies, public views)? • What concrete measures/activities are your country and/or agency taking to address

these challenges and bottlenecks? • How could the national opportunities and challenges of your country, noted in Q8-Q10,

be addressed or supported by the MegaFlorestais network?

10:00 a.m. Health Break

10:30 a.m. Innovations in Enabling a Low Carbon Economy Co-chaired by Glenn Mason (Canadian Forest Service) and Herman Sundqvist (Swedish Forest Agency)

Discussion stemming from morning session focused on: • What message(s) would MegaFlorestais members like to convey to other actors about

advancing their bioeconomy (in particular, re: environmental reputation)

12:00 p.m. Lunch

13:00 p.m. Call to Action: Reporting out on Action Planning In-Camera Discussion for MegaFlorestais Leaders

Country-by-country presentations and provision of feedback Discussion of common thematics and assembly of sub-groups of MegaFlorestais leaders

14:45 p.m. Distribution of translation field equipment and chartered bus to site visit

15:00 p.m. Site Visit – Community Engagement in Woodlot Management

Overview of woodlot tenures on Quadra Island Visitation of an active harvest site

17:00 p.m. Chartered bus back to Tsa-Kwa-Luten Lodge

17:30 p.m. Free time

18:30 p.m. Farewell Dinner

Followed by traditional Indigenous dancers

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DAY 5: MEGAFLORESTAIS: 2018 AND BEYOND

Friday October 20, 2017

7:00 a.m. Breakfast

8:00 a.m. Finalizing a Collective Action Plan for 2018 In-Camera Discussion for MegaFlorestais Leaders

Formalizing a collective 1-year MegaFlorestais plan for 2017-18 with the involvement of all member nations.

• Discussion amongst national delegations on next steps (3 concrete early deliverables with national champions outside the co-chairs)

• Reflection on the 2016-2021 strategy • 2018 and 2019 MegaFlorestais Meetings and participation in international events • Agreed-upon work plan with defined follow up

10:45 a.m. Farewell and Closing Remarks

By MegaFlorestais co-chairs Glenn Mason and Sally Collins

11:00 a.m. Hotel Check-Out

11:30 a.m. Chartered bus to Quadra Island Ferry Dock

12:00 p.m. Ferry to Campbell River

10 minute crossing time

12:15 p.m. Chartered bus to Campbell River Airport (2000 Jubilee Pkwy #1)

various Outgoing Flights to Vancouver International Airport (YVR)

Multiple commercial flights available with Pacific Coastal Airways and Central Mountain Air 40 min flying time