And certainty over land use is an essential part of any coastal forestry solution. With treaty negotiations bogging down, it is crucial to come up with interim measures agreements with coastal First Nations to guide any land-use process until the land question is settled. Treaties can take years to negotiate, but interim measures can be more quickly established between provincial and First Nations governments. This means disputed land will not be developed until an agreement is reached. Establishing interim measures is in B.C.'s best interests.
Interim measures are also in the best interests of the forest industry.
Certainty and stability mean companies will know where they stand, sooner rather than later, so they can make strategic plans for the future. Interim measures will also provide a basis for the negotiations between industry and environmentalists regarding how forestry is conducted on the coast. In turn, this will assuage consumer concerns that have led such retail giants as Lowe's and Home Depot to stop buying wood from B.C.'s old-growth forests. More than any group, these coastal communities have the most to win or lose from any land-use discussions. This has been their home for centuries and they have profound cultural and spiritual ties to the land.