You are cordially invited to a seminar by the
Department of Environmental Sciences and Policy on:
Forests For Whom and For What? Perspectives of Canadian Governments, Industries, Woodland Owners, Environmental Groups, and Citizens
by Dr.Peter Duinker, PhD
Professor, School for Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University, 6100 University Ave., Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Abstract: `Canada holds ten percent of the area of the world's forest cover. How Canada's forests are managed and used therefore has global significance. The management approaches are guided by the values and attitudes of the key actor groups. These values and attitudes are dynamic and respond to a range of social, economic, and environmental drivers. In the talk, he summarizes the state of Canada's forests and forest sector, and then reveal my perceptions of what governments, forest-based industries, woodland owners, environmental groups, and Canadian citizens seem to be thinking about Canada's forests in the early years of the 21st century. His sources include original data, extensive readings of Canadian literature, and a career of involvement in numerous forest management and policy processes across the country.
Presenter: Peter Duinker has degrees are in agriculture, forest ecology, and forest management and environmental assessment. He teaches and researches a wide range of topics, most of which deal with forests and environmental assessment. Recent research projects include conservation of old-growth forests in SW Nova Scotia, forest restoration in Point Pleasant Park, long-term prospects for Canada’s forests and forest sector, and attitudes and values of NS woodland owners. New research projects are underway on urban-forest sustainability and forest adaptation to climate change.
Peter is active in forest policy development processes in Canada. He recently served as Chair of the Nova Forest Alliance (Nova Scotia’s model forest) and also the Sustainable Forest Management Technical Committee of the Canadian Standards Association. At his urban home in Halifax, Peter is slowing removing the Norway-maple canopy and replacing it with native species associated with Acadian old-growth forests. Peter lives in Halifax with his wife Maggie, and stops work now and then to enjoy choral singing, home-brewing, tree-hugging, cycle-touring, and golf. Peter is spending his sabbatical leave (Sep 2012 through May 2013) in Europe
