Developed with scientific support from NCASI, TNFD expertise from Pollination and funding from the Forest Resource Improvement Association of Alberta (FRIAA), the methodology provides a repeatable approach to TNFD implementation in forestry.
West Fraser has published its first report aligned with the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), along with a detailed methodology, built on Earth Blox geospatial analytics, to help forestry companies conduct consistent and transparent nature-related risk and opportunity assessments.
The assessment focused on West Fraser's Alberta operations, covering 21 Forest Management Units (FMUs) and 13 million sites. Earth Blox provided the geospatial analytics infrastructure for integrating biodiversity, ecosystem integrity, water risk, species at risk, land cover, protected area, and ecosystem service datasets into a TNFD-aligned assessment.
As organisations move from understanding TNFD to implementing it, practical examples of how to undertake nature-related assessments at scale are increasingly valuable. Beyond supporting West Fraser's own disclosure, the methodology was intentionally developed as a practical reference for other forestry companies and land-intensive industries seeking to understand and report on nature-related risks and opportunities.
The report and methodology were developed with scientific support from the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement (NCASI), TNFD expertise from Pollination, a nature and climate focused investment and advisory firm, and funding from the Forest Resource Improvement Association of Alberta (FRIAA). Building on the UNEP Nature Risk Profile methodology and ENCORE dependency screening, the assessment incorporated additional geospatial analysis to evaluate ecosystem service dependencies, impact drivers and ecological sensitivity across Alberta's managed forest landscape.
The methodology outlines a structured process for:
The analysis enabled West Fraser to identify priority locations across its Alberta operations based on ecosystem sensitivity, ecosystem dependency and potential impact, helping focus future monitoring and risk management activities.
The timing is significant. Nature-related reporting continues to mature, with the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) signalling its intention to consider nature-related disclosures in the future development of the IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards. At the same time, investors, regulators and stakeholders are seeking greater transparency around how organisations depend on and impact nature.
The project demonstrates how geospatial analytics can help operationalise TNFD's LEAP approach, transforming large volumes of environmental data into practical assessments of nature-related dependencies, impacts, risks and opportunities across large operational landscapes.
It also marks the beginning of a broader programme. West Fraser has indicated plans to expand TNFD-aligned assessments beyond Alberta and integrate nature-related considerations into future risk management and disclosure processes.
By publishing both the report and methodology, West Fraser has created a valuable resource for organisations exploring TNFD implementation and demonstrated how geospatial analytics, scientific expertise and disclosure guidance can be combined to support credible, scalable nature-related assessments.
