Measuring forest dependence: Implications for Aboriginal communities

Past studies of economic base measures of forest dependence have inadequately addressed the full nature of economic forest dependence in Aboriginal communities, by either ignoring the contribution of the subsistence economy or excluding Indian reserves. This thesis presents findings based on the recalculation of an economic base measure of forest industry dependence (using 1991 census data, and including a transfer payment sector) which show that omitting Aboriginal communities from forest industry dependence measures represents an omission in the number of forest industry dependent communities and population in the prairie provinces.;The economic base measure of forest industry dependence is also evaluated for potential to include a subsistence economy-related sector. Analysis reveals that the economic base measure does not adequately capture the contribution of in-kind income from subsistence activities. If the subsistence sector is included in the forest industry dependence measure the relationships predicted by economic base theory do not hold, and the forestry industry dependence measure no longer provides a useful means to rank and compare forest industry dependent communities.;In areas where there is reliance on income from forest industry related jobs, as and/or the subsistence economy, a more comprehensive account of forest dependence must be developed to fully understand the effects of changes in forest industry markets and forest policy on communities' economies where the subsistence economy is practiced.