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Forest

Forestry

Our Forestry Law group is one of our longest-standing practice areas. We advise and represent clients ‎across Canada and abroad on virtually all issues affecting the forest sector. ‎

Our group is bolstered by a professional forester and former in-house counsel for a major forest products company in British Columbia; a professional forester and former forester/lawyer with the Government of Alberta; a former forester with the Government of British Columbia; and lawyers experienced in forestry, First Nations legal issues, arbitration, environmental law and administrative procedures and corporate/commercial transactions.

“DLA demonstrates excellent knowledge of the subject matter and the legislation that applies.”

Client quote

Chambers Canada (Band 1 ranking)

Awards and recognition

Experience

Corporate and Commercial Matters
  • Forest operations agreements, fibre supply contracts and forest management agreements
  • Acquisitions, dispositions, takeover bids and corporate restructuring
  • Labour and employment matters, including pension, benefits and Workers Compensation issues
  • Joint ventures involving the forest industry and other industrial operators; First Nations and other parties assisting First Nations with timber resources; lumber and pulp conversion facilities and users of wood waste for power generation or value-added products; and financings
Forest Law
  • Timber, land and forest tenure transfers, and rights and obligations under forest tenures
  • In British Columbia, administrative dealings with the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development at the district, regional and provincial levels
  • The BC Timber Sales Program
  • Compliance with and changes to logging agreements as a result of the Timber Harvesting Contract and Subcontract Regulation
  • In Alberta, regulatory compliance and administrative matters involving Alberta Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Economic Development and advice to Delegated Administrative Organization
Forest Policy
  • Land use and forest management practices
  • Preparation of position papers on policy and legislation, and analysis of legislation, regulations and policy
  • Professional ethics and standards of forestry practice
  • Environmental matters
  • Advising on First Nations’ land and resource claims
  • Environmental litigation, regulatory and administrative proceedings
  • Environmental reviews, audits and assessments
  • Advice and representation for effective corporate organization, governance and environmental management systems to monitor and ensure compliance with environmental and forestry practices standards and legislation
Litigation of Forestry Disputes
  • Environmental challenges to forestry operations and the defence of environmental charges
  • Responses to legal challenges to forest tenure
  • Land claims involving forest tenure lands
  • Stumpage and other administrative disputes in relation to forest tenures
  • Rate and other arbitrations under logging contracts
  • Administrative hearings in relation to forest management and operational practices
  • Injunction proceedings in land use disputes
Emerging Issues

The Canadian forest industry in undergoing a significant restructuring to address:

  • Challenges related to evolving governmental policy in BC and corresponding regulatory and legislative changes
  • Pressure on forest resources from other users
  • The resolution of land claims and the increasing role of First Nations in the forest sector
  • The de-integration of the forest industry and its consolidation within sectors
  • Globalization and free trade
  • Innovative and developing regulatory changes dealing with resource ownership, forest practices and timber pricing
  • The increasing focus on corporate responsibility for forest management and field operations 

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