The second one is a group management venture that encourages woodlot owners to join forces in order to strengthen the local economic base by using the non-timber resources present on their land. The Fundy Model Forest has a direct impact on a large portion of the New Brunswick population. The three largest urban centres are just outside the 400,000 hectares of Acadian forest, and many communities with a direct dependence on the resources of the land are within its boundaries. As stakeholders of the Fundy Model Forest, these people have a keen interest in how the forest is managed. Their diverse values and visions of the forest must be considered in defining the goals of forest management.
Recreation is considered quite important and many people engage in some form of wilderness activity.
Access to and use of the forest is perceived by most Newfoundlander's as an inherent right. Through the Aboriginal model forest, Aboriginal people will have an opportunity to develop approaches to sustainable forest management that are based on their values, beliefs and traditions. The National Forest Strategy recognizes the role of Aboriginal people in forestry and the importance of increasing their involvement in forest land management. In January 1997, the Aboriginal Model Forest Proposal Guidelines were published. Eight bands were invited to submit a proposal and six bands submitted proposals by May 1, 1997.