The transformation of the Canadian forest sector and Swedish experiences

Canada and Sweden are boreal developed countries, characterized by coniferous forests dominating the forest landscape and rural communities that are heavily dependent on forestry and forest industry. The forest sectors are currently going through transformations driven by increased competition from producers in the southern hemisphere, declining markets for some traditional products, increased biomass competition and rapid high-tech developments to mention a few. However, there are also major differences between the two countries; in scales, ownership, tenure pattern, forest management concepts, silvicultural systems, structure of industry, nature of investments and involvement of government and non-governmental organizations. Still, the forest sectors in both countries are and will go through intense transformations and these processes are involving different players in the two countries. This conference illustrates the transformation processes in Canada and Sweden through:

The Canadian transformation process through the Biopathways project
Investment needs to overcome the challenges of the sector
Steering mechanism for innovation and research in Sweden
Development of rural areas through the Swedish Forest Kingdom program
Stakeholders’ collaboration through the Boreal agreement
Different approaches to silviculture and outline existing collaborations
Outlook of the boreal forest sector with respect to transformations

The aim of the conference is to identify important issues to manage in the transformation processes in the forest sectors in Canada and Sweden. The morning session focuses on the overall transformations and will also discuss the innovation and investment processes involved. The afternoon focuses on the development within forestry. The conference is the result of several years of collaboration between the Canadian Embassy and the Secretariat for International Forestry Issues (SIFI) at the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry (KSLA).

Program

Moderator Jan Fryk, Managing Director, The Forestry Research Institute of Sweden

08.30	Coffee and registration
09.00	Introduction to the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Åke Barklund, General Secretary and Managing Director, KSLA
09.05	Welcome remarks Kenneth Macartney, Canadian Ambassador to Sweden
09.15	Introduction: The development of the Canadian forest sector from east to west in a historical perspective, with focus on the last twenty years Mario Gibeault, Quebec Ministry of Natural Resources & Wildlife representing the Canadian Forest Service
10.00	The Canadian forest sector’s transformation agenda and the integrated Biopathways results for both phase I and II Catherine Cobden, Acting President and CEO of Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC)
10.30	The forest sector’s status and opportunities from the perspective of an investor and what it takes to do more (e.g. investment attraction; partnerships; governments) Don Roberts, Vice Chairman and Managing Director CIBC Market Inc.
11.00	The Swedish research and innovation policy process within the forest sector Kaj Rosén, Research Manager, the Forestry Research Institute of Sweden
11.15	The Swedish Forest Industry Federations view on research and innovation Jan Lagerström, Director Wood Research Policy, Swedish Forest Industry Federation
11.30	Panel discussion 1: Catherine Cobden (FPAC), Don Roberts (CIBC Markets), Sten Nilsson (Member of KSLA), Lennart Rådström (Member of IVA and KSLA), Jonas Brändström (Chief Strategy Officer, Eco-Innovation, Vinnova)
12.00	Lunch
13.00	Forest Kingdom Sweden Eskil Erlandsson, Minister for Rural Affairs
13.30	Boreal agreement (background and the process) Avrim Lazar, Former President and CEO of Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC)
14.00	The development of silvicultural systems in Canada Suzanne W. Simard, Professor, Dept. of Forest Sciences, University of British Columbia
14.30	Coffee
14.50	WWF’s view on the development in Canadian and Swedish forestry Håkan Wirtén, Secretary General, World Wide Fund for nature (WWF)
15.10	Swedish Industry’s view on the development in Canadian and Swedish forestry Elisabet Salander Björklund, Managing Director, Bergvik Skog
15.30	Parallels between Canadian and Swedish silvicultural practices Jonas Rönnberg, Associate professor, Vice Dean, Forestry Faculty, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
15.50	Panel discussion 2: Ann-Britt Edfast (Head of Research and Development, Sveaskog), Jonas Rönnberg, Avrim Lazar, Suzanne W. Simard
16.20	Closing Discussion and Outlook for the forest sector Professor Sten Nilsson, Member of KSLA Åke Barklund, General Secretary and Managing Director, KSLA Hervé Deschenes, VP Business Development, FP Innovations Dr. Fredrik Ingemarson, Programme Manager, The Secretariat for International Forestry Issues
17.00	Networking in the foyer

Please read more concerning summeries www.sifi.se .

The transformation of the Canadian forest sector and Swedish experiences

The transformation of the Canadian forest sector and Swedish experiences

Program

Publicerad 19 april, 2012

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