Forest Act (R.S.Q., c. F-4.1).

The present Act lays down provisions relating to forestry. Its purpose is to foster recognition of the forest as a common heritage and promote sustainable forest development in order to meet the economic, environmental and social needs of present and future generations while giving proper consideration to other potential uses of the territory. “Sustainable forest development aims” at the preservation of biological diversity; the maintenance and improvement of the condition and productivity of forest ecosystems; the conservation of soil and water resources; the maintenance of the function of forest ecosystems as a component of global ecological cycles; the maintenance of the multiple socioeconomic benefits society derives from forests; the giving of proper consideration, in selecting forms of development, the values and needs expressed by the populations concerned. The text consists of 258 articles divided into 9 Titles as follows: Management of forests in the domain of the state (I); Development of private woodlots (II); Delegated management of programs intended to maintain or improve the protection, development or transformation of forest resources (II.1); Forest protection (III); Utilization and processing of timber (IV); Forestry Fund (IV.1); Regulations (V); Sanctions (VI); General provisions (VII); Changes of tenure in the domain of the state (VIII); Miscellaneous and transitional provisions (IX).