Historically, protected areas and industrial forest management have had an antagonistic and uncertain relationship. Proponents of protected areas have seen forest management for timber harvesting as a threat to biodiversity values that protected areas are purported to protect. Similarly, forest managers have often viewed protected areas as a constraint on their operations. Recent changes to forest management practices in Canada have created opportunities for the two sides to move closer together. Management of the forested land base requires integration between different sectors and interest groups. Thus, there is a need for a closer investigation of the relationship between protected areas and sustainable forest management. However, how these two concepts can interact in a practical sense is fraught with uncertainty. Thus, a knowledgesynthesis project on this topic was identified as a research priority by partners of the Sustainable Forest Management Network.

Forest management, relationship, protected areas