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What is EBM?

While it is possible to define Ecosystem Based Management in a single sentence — and we have — it rarely does justice to this important concept. The definition we provide blends a classic description with relevance to the Healthy Landscapes Program and its focus on forestry. The Healthy Landscapes Program describes EBM as a journey, and uses a coloured wheel to illustrate its pillars and elements.

A trail through a forest

Definition of EBM?

EBM is a collaborative, integrated, science-based approach to the management of natural resources that focuses on the health and resilience of entire ecosystems — while allowing for sustainable human use of the goods and services they provide.

The 4 Classes of EBM
EBM Wheel

The EBM Journey

Click on any topic to learn more

The journey is the process of supporting and sharing knowledge that will allow us to shift current forestry management towards EBM

Wheel
List
Click on the wheel BELOW to learn more about an EBM topic
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Partners
Who are we working with as we manage?
Neighbours
Role of Regulators
Decision-Making
Process
How do we conduct our work?
Operational Tools
Monitoring
Knowledge Acquisition
Strategy
Why are we managing the resource?
Role of NRV
Management Focus
Ecosystem Components
Benchmarks
What are we trying to achieve?
Defining NRV
Incorporating Variation
Defining Targets

The Path to Positive Change

Change is not easy. Current forestry rules and practices can prevent positive change from being introduced. As part of our work to explore EBM in the boreal forest, we are interviewing industry leaders in forestry companies and government departments. We are asking them what challenges and opportunities they see in using EBM in forestry. This project will help us find a path to positive change along the EBM journey. As we describe EBM elements, we will also point out the challenges to its adoption.

Summary Report
Foresters in discussion around a table