The Opportunity: Algonquin Provincial Park, Forest Management Unit and Protected Area.

Algonquin is world renowned. At 765,300 ha it is larger than the Netherlands. It is also heavily used with
over 800,000 visitors per year. Two thirds of the park is allocated for logging and related activities like
road construction and aggregate mining. It is situated at the height of land between the Great Lakes and
Ottawa River watersheds and so contains the head waters of major rivers. Algonquin is part of the
meeting of boreal and temperate hardwood forests (ecotone) so it is biologically diverse with some
unique assemblages and species at risk. Its concentration of self-sustaining brook trout lakes are globally
significant. There is a 2-hundred-year history of logging via railroads, river and roadways, although there
is relatively low current level of harvest. In addition to logging there are major infrastructure impacts
including Highway 60 , a major hydroelectric transmission corridor, dams as well as over 200 cottages
and many recreational camps. There is very high restoration potential. Algonquin has been extensively
studied and has 3 research stations for wildlife, fisheries and forestry. It contains significant remnant old
growth and is a potential climate refugia for vulnerable species. External threats include direct climate
change, acid rain, invasive species, over use, extreme weather and extreme wildfire. It has been the
focus of highly public campaigns by environmental groups to end logging, including Wildlands League. It
is the homeland of Algonquins of Ontario and other Indigenous Peoples and is the subject of recent land
claim negotiations.
In summary, Algonquin has substantial potential for enhanced protection and stewardship to improve
ecosystem services, provide passive income that could both leverage a phase out of logging inside the

park and create economic opportunities across the region while expanding the FSC area in Canada. It
would also serve as a high-profile case study for the effectiveness of FSC Ecosystem Service Tools.

Wildlands League’s Role
Wildlands will serve as an advisor, interested stakeholder, critical advocate, conduit to additional funding
and validator of FSC processes. We will conduct research and interviews to confirm the potential of ES
enhancement, carbon credits and other outcomes, including the probability of phasing out commercial
forest operations inside the park while testing the case for carbon products outside the park. Wildlands
will identify and facilitate opportunities for ES assessment and monitoring and FSC certification,
enhanced management, avoided harvest and restoration opportunities. We will engage Indigenous
rights holders, experts, consultants, stakeholders, funders and advocates to test tools, concepts and
approaches.

Part 1
Interviews and Research
Wildlands League will engage at least: 10 experts spanning forestry, forest ecology, conservation,
ecosystem services evaluationii, ecosystem and carbon product creationiii; 3 environmental groups, 5
First nation advisors and representatives and 3 funders. Many interviews will be virtual but there will be
3 days of travel and accommodation to meet with people in the area. We will hire a consultant proficient
in ecosystem services evaluation.
We will conduct our own literature research and field visits to identify and assess ES enhancement,
restoration and avoided logging opportunities.
Phase 1 will result in two project reports: a feasibility study of the project that will describe our research
and interview results with an assessment of probability of success, choices for implementation and
conclude whether Wildlands League will continue involvement with the project based on these
outcomes. The second report will be a draft desktop assessment of the carbon and other ecosystem
services product potential in the park based on expert analysis and validated by interviews and
independent expert review.