Compendium: A global directory to indicator initiatives

Initiative Details

Title of Initiative Report of the Round Table on Resource Land Use and Stewardship
Lead Organization(s) Round Table on Resource Land Use and Stewardship
Description of Goal Public concern about land use practices has increased on Prince Edward Island because of the rapid expansion of the potato industry, increased soil erosion, accelerated land clearing, clear cutting of forests, increased pesticide use and conflicts between producers and their non-farming neighbours. In the 1996 Speech from the Throne, the Government of Prince Edward Island announced its intention to develop a Resource Land Use Strategy, one that would identify ways and means to achieve the following objectives: 1. To increase the contribution of resource lands and their use to wealth creation in the Province; 2. To maintain and improve the capacity of the lands to generate wealth for future generations; 3. To minimize the conflicts between the use of resource lands and other land uses, and minimize the impacts on human health and the environment; and 4. To increase public satisfaction with resource land use.
Geographic Scope State/Provincial
Framework for Indicator Set The Round Table believes that past attempts by Island society to bring about change in resource land use policy have lacked a clear vision, well-defined objectives, reliable indicators and standards. Each chapter of its report includes a section on measuring progress and a list of indicators which the Round Table maintains are required to provide the necessary feedback. In selecting indicators, the Round Table determined that they should meet three criteria: 1. Meaningful to the general public: is relevant to public health and safety, the enjoyment of the natural environment or the state of the economy; and can be expressed and reported visually through maps, graphs or tables. 2. Relevant to policy makers in Government: can be measured using mechanisms which federal and provincial government departments use to gather data (it may be necessary to establish new monitoring systems in some cases); is related to the strategic objectives of provincial government legislation, policies and programs; and is useful to elected officials in municipal, provincial and federal governments. 3. Directly relevant to the objectives identified by the Round Table: is an indicator of the link between economic, environmental and societal outcomes; is related to the objectives of the proposed Resource Land Use Strategy; and is acceptable to non-government organizations and individuals committed to the principles of sustainability. (Adapted from Hammond, A. et al. 1995. Environmental Indicators: A Systematic Approach to Measuring and Reporting on Environmental Policy Performance in the Context of Sustainable Development. World Resources Institute, Washington, DC).
Partners The Round Table held its first meeting on April 22, 1996 and met thirty-six times prior to the release of its report in September, 1997; four of these were public meetings. In addition, the Round Table met with a number of community groups.
Progress to date/future areas of work In October 1997, Government requested that the Legislature's Standing Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Environment assume the lead role in examining the report of the Round Table on Resource Land Use and Stewardship, and that the Legislative Assembly become the forum in which the recommendations of the Round Table would be debated, directions determined and the necessary instruments for implementation approved. Since that time, the Standing Committee has examined several issues and has held public consultations. It has produced four reports and a discusion paper, all of which can be found at www.gov.pe.ca/roundtable/index.asp
Timeframe The Standing Committee will continue to examine issues related to the report of the Round Table as directed by the Legislative Assembly. In addition, various Government departments are responsible for measuring and reporting progress on indicators of sustainable development.
Presentation of the information and indicators It is expected that the Legislature's Standing Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Environment will continue to report on the status of Round Table implementation on behalf of Government.
Publications Round Table on Resource Land Use and Stewardship. "Cultivating Island Solutions". Queen's Printer, Charlottetown. 1997. Standing Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Environment. "Report to the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward island Respecting the Round Table on Resource Land Use and Stewardship". Queen's Printer, Charlottetown. 1997. Standing Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Environment. "Report to the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island Regarding Bill 60, An Act to Amend the Environmental Protection Act and the Issue of Watercourse Buffer Zones". Queen's Printer, Charlottetown. 1998. Government of Prince Edward Island. "Report on the Implementation of the Recommendations Made by the Round Table on Resource Land Use and Stewardship". Queen's Printer, Charlottetown. April 1998 Government of Prince Edward Island. "Progress Report on the Implementation of the Recommendations Made by the Round Table on Resource Land Use and Stewardship". Queen's Printer, Charlottetown. December 1998
Initiative Locations North America
Contact Person Rochelle Gallant
Title Research Officer
Address P.O. Box 2000 Charlottetown P.E.I. C1A 7N8
Fax Number 902.368.6118
Telephone Number 902.368.4508
Email Ragallant@gov.pe.ca
Website http://www.gov.pe.ca/roundtable/index.asp
Public Access to Supporting Data no