Projects identified in our work plans and our five year strategic plan address the significant challenges faced by rural, forest-based communities and forest-based industries which support such communities which in turn support the mandate of the Forest Communities Program of the Canadian Forest Services. The Manitoba Model Forest is one of the eleven sites in Canada chosen to participate in this program. The geographic area of the MBMF area encompasses approximately one million hectares of Boreal Shield landscape in eastern Manitoba, and, under the Forest Communities Program, now also includes parts of the Prairie and Boreal Plains Ecoregions of western Manitoba. (Insert Map). MBMF defines "forest-based communities" very broadly. A forest-based community is any entity that has a direct interest in the forest. This includes not only forest-based villages, towns, municipalities and Aboriginal communities, but also Non-Government Organizations, and all resource sectors. We recognize that local, regional, provincial, national and international pressures and circumstances are changing the legislative, economic, social and environmental conditions under which all resource industries operate. Our programs and projects acknowledge that we must provide tools and build capacity for rural communities to meet the current and future opportunities and challenges as well as do so for all natural resource industries in the MBMF area and beyond.

Major Theme Areas of the Manitoba Model Forest Program

The 5 Year Strategic Plan and each subsequent annual work plan is structured around 6 main Theme Areas. Under each Theme Area are a number of components, projects or activities. The Theme Areas include Administration, Forest Community Engagement and Capacity Building, Integrated Landscape Management, Education, International Programs, and Communications and Outreach.

Administration and Management: This area of our program includes provisions for staff salaries and contracts, supplies and services (e.g., financial audits), and travel support for our staff and Board members.

Forest Community Engagement and Capacity Building: This area provides a mechanism to build capacity in rural, forest-based communities to adapt to the significant changes occurring in the natural resource sector that they are so heavily dependent on. This theme focuses on providing information and tools for communities to capitalize on other economic forest-based opportunities (e.g., non-timber forest products, ecotourism, guiding and outfitting), supporting First Nations Traditional Area Advisory Committees, conducting a pilot project on First Nations co-management of moose, and enhancing participation of communities in decision-making of the MBMF.

Integrated Landscape Management: This area acknowledges the reality that ecological sustainability involves an integrated approach for the management of landscapes. This theme area includes a strong environmental research and monitoring component (e.g., wildlife, water quality, riparian management, etc.) that will allow for better understanding of our forest environment, creation of landscape management tools and decision support systems, and will also develop innovative tools and processes for enhancing the involvement of all stakeholder groups (industries such as forestry, mining, hydro development, communities, First Nations) in landscape management decision-making.

Education: This area provides for regionally- and provincially-relevant curricula on trades and natural resource management (e.g., through assisting in the creation of a regional trade school (termed the Winnipeg River Learning Centre) in the MBMF area, the development of a Junior Rangers program, and the development of provincially-accredited natural resource curricula). The Education theme also focuses on public education as well as students, through field tours, presentations, workshops, etc.

International Programs: This area builds on our projects and experience of working with Model Forests within the International Model Forest Network over the last 5-10 years. In particular, we will be working with the Reventazon Model Forest (Costa Rica) and the Cabecares (Indigenous peoples in central Costa Rica) to establish an ethno-tourism program for their communities. We will also explore new opportunities with the Monarch Butterfly Model Forest (Mexico) and Chiloe Model Forest (Chile).

Communications and Outreach: This area focuses on communication to a wide diversity of audiences on issues of community and natural resource sustainability. Communication products such as our website, development of project reports, newsletters, an Annual Report, displays, DVDs and communication vehicles such as workshops, tours and meetings provides the means for communicating our program and results. Such communication is also critical in attracting new partners and funding to our program. Our Communications and Networking theme area also includes support for the activities of the Canadian Model Forest Network and the International Model Forest Network.