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Asia mission increases cultural, economic ties
Sustainable Resource Development Minister David Coutts returned from a two-week mission to Japan and Korea on August 4 that celebrated the strong stewardship ties between youth in Japan and Alberta and strengthened the province's economic ties with the two countries. While abroad, Coutts took part in an event that welcomed 17 Alberta Junior Forest Wardens to Japan and celebrated the special relationship between Alberta and Japan. The Junior Forest Wardens, aged 9 to 13, met with the All Japan Junior Green Friends, a Japanese youth organization similar to the Junior Forest Wardens. Both organizations concentrate on educating young people about the environment, including the natural resource management issues of forest management and water management. The Junior Forest Warden program has a 40-year history in Alberta and is supported by Sustainable Resource Development.
"One of the challenges Albertans face is ensuring future generations become stewards of the land," said Coutts. "This mission builds on the strong work of the Junior Forest Wardens in Alberta by helping to strengthen the ties between them and their counterparts in Japan." During the mission, Coutts also met with industry and government officials in Japan and Korea. "Japanese investment in the province's forest industry is considerable," said Coutts. "On this mission, I met with investors in Alberta's forest industry to discuss the challenges of global competitiveness. I also met with my government counterparts in both Japan and Korea to discuss forestry issues including stewardship and environmental sustainability." For more information on Junior Forest Wardens, visit: For more information on managing Alberta's forests, visit:
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