A continental forest policy for North America?

Abstract

Changes in the global forest economy along with moves in the priorities in the management of American federal forests may have created a timber supply condition that has hampered trade relations with Canada over softwood lumber. Concurrently, agents of natural disturbance are impacting significant areas of North American timberlands. Current institutional arrangements, including those initiated by the Softwood Lumber Export Charge Act of 2006,may be encouraging less than optimal cooperation. A non-profit, partially governmental collaborative approach termed the continental forestry chamber is proposed as an alternative arrangement in resolving forest conservation, management and trade issues in North America. Key words: conservation, management, softwood lumber, deliberative democracy