Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

Getting Started:An Introduction to Forest Management Planning Presented by Northwatch and the Forest Project Team Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

What is The Forest Project? A Northwatch initiative to: • increase public involvement in the forest management planning process • support the work of Local Citizen Committees • develop a network of forest management planning participants across northeastern Ontario Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

The northeastern Ontario forest Forest Health Some Environment & Forestry Concerns Forests & Our Economy Forest Management Planning Wrap-up Workshop Outline Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

The northeastern Ontario forest Forest Health Forest Management Planning Some Environment & Forestry Concerns Forests & Our Economy Wrap-up Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

The northeastern Ontario forest Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

The northeastern Ontario forest Boreal Forest Part of a band of forest circling the northern globe, the fire-driven boreal forest is the largest forest region in Ontario. • Boreal softwoods: • jack pine • black and white spruce • balsam fir • Shade intolerant hardwoods: • aspen • white birch • poplar Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

The northeastern Ontario forest Great Lakes St. Lawrence Forest Despite two centuries of logging, some remnants of the original Great Lakes St. Lawrence forest remain, showcased by often dramatic topography. • sugar maple • white and red pine • red and white oak • hemlock • ash • poplar • yellow and white birch Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

The northeastern Ontario forest MNR Regions Forest Eco- Regions Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

The Algoma Forest Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

The North Shore Forest Northshore Forest Management Unit is located in Northeastern Ontario. Major communities within the unit are Thessalon, Iron Bridge, Blind River, Elliot Lake, Massey, Webwood and Espanola. Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

Northshore Forest • Approximately 60% of the land base is Crown Land. • Northshore Forest is situated primarily within the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence forest region. A transition to Boreal forest conditions can be seen in its northern limits. • The forest supports tree species such as Red, White and Jack Pine, Spruce, Poplar, White Birch and Maple. • Major firms receiving wood from the Nortshore Forest include St. Marys Paper Ltd., Domtar Forest Inc., Forestply Industries Inc., Midway Lumber Mills Ltd., and Birchland Veneer. Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

Northshore Forest Management Plan 2005 -2025 • Five year planned harvest area 48,408 ha. • Total site preparation area forecast 12,940 ha. • Total renewal area forecast 43,645 ha. • Total tending area forecast 9,750 ha. • No new primary roads are planned. • There are 86.7 kms of reclassified secondary roads (reclassified from tertiary roads) and 47.5 kms of newly planned construction for a total of 134.2 kms new secondary roads. Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

The northeastern Ontario forest Forest Health Some Environment & Forestry Concerns Forests & Our Economy Forest Management Planning Wrap-up Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

Forest Health Factors affecting forest health can include: • Changing Forest Landscape conditions • Changing Biodiveristy • Changing Atmospheric Environment Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

Forest Health Healthy forests • recreation and tourism opportunities • genetic diversity - plants, animals • soil stability • air and water quality • aesthetics • local economies • habitat for animals • outdoor laboratories for scientific study Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

Forest Health Environmental services Forests provide many valuable ecosystem or environmental services, including climate stabilization, carbon storage, protection of hydrological function, and biodiversity conservation. Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

Environment and Forestry Concerns • Roads • Old Growth Forests • Clearcutting • Forest Fragmentation • Herbicide Use • Sustainability & Biodiversity Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

Environment and Forestry Concerns Roads May affect the forest’s health by: • compacting soil • altering water flows • leading to soil erosion and sedimentation of water bodies • acting as entry points for invasive exotic plant species • changing wildlife movement and behavior such as breeding and migration routes • increasing fishing pressure on some lakes • changing predator / prey relationships • causing road kills which may impact on the population of some animals • fragmenting ecosystems Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

Environment and Forestry Concerns Some Environment & Forestry Concerns • Roads • Old Growth Forests • Clearcutting • Forest Fragmentation • Herbicide Use • Sustainability & Biodiversity Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

Environment and Forestry Concerns Old Growth Forests • Old Growth Forests maintain biodiversity, provide critical habitat, are valued for tourism (wilderness experiences) • Forests store carbon in trees, woody matter, soils and trees. Old growth forests store more carbon than younger, smaller trees. • Old Growth Forestcontain a diversity of forest species not found in young forests. • Old Growth Forests are an important source of scientific and ecological information Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

Environment and Forestry Concerns • Clearcutting may cause soil degradation and erosion, changes in water quality, nutrient losses and loss of biodiversity, and may drastically alter forest habitat and wildlife behaviour. • Clearcutting has also been shown to change snow accumulation and melt and to increase the fire hazard. • Clearcutting is the method of harvesting used in 88% of forestry operations in Ontario. Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

Environment and Forestry Concerns “Clearcutting … is a massive experiment on public lands.” Environmental Commissioner of Ontario, 2002 Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

Environment and Forestry Concerns Forest Fragmentation • Fragments have greater amount of edge for the area of habitat • The centre of each habitat fragment is closer to an edge Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

Environment and Forestry Concerns Habitat Corridors Corridors are safe passage ways for species to travel between habitat areas in a surrounding area of inhospitability.They are strips of land that link protected areas together. Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

Environment and Forestry Concerns Herbicide Use • Use of herbicides to control competing vegetation is wide spread in forest management in Ontario • 70,000 - 80,000 hectares are treated with herbicides each year; approximately 140,000 kg. per year of glyphosate and about 8,000 kg. of 2,4-D • Public concerns with respect to affects on: • Amphibians • Wildlife • unknown long-term impacts on the environment Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

Environment and Forestry Concerns An important element of forest sustainability is maintaining the forest’s biodiversity. Biodiversity is the variability among living organisms from all sources including terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems. Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

Environment and Forestry Concerns Aspects of Forest Biodiversity Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

Forests & Our Economy Forests & Our Economy Forests contribute significantly to the province's economic and social well-being. The forest product industries, the tourism and recreation sector and the non-timber forest products producers all rely on the forest for their livelihood, and contribute to the local, regional and provincial economies. Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

Forests & Our Economy Forest Product Industries in Northeastern Ontario Of the 84,000 people employed in the forestry industry in Ontario, 22,500 are located in the North. • 10,600 in forestry and logging • 30,400 in paper manufacturing • 40,200 in wood product manufacturing. Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

Forests & Our Economy Wood supply issues • Great – Lakes St. Lawrence Forest • Current shortage of hardwood sawlogs and veneer • Current surplus of low-grade hardwoods • Long term trend toward declining poplar supplies • Unregenerated white pine backlog • Boreal Forest • Future wood supply drops below current demand • Quality of wood supply information Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

Forests & Our Economy Non Timber Forest Products • Non-timber forest products (NTFP) are botanical products harvested or originating from forest plants. • NTFP’s include: • foods (eg. mushrooms, wild rice, blueberries, maple syrup) • health and personal care products • (eg. pharmaceuticals) • materials and manufacturing products • landscape and garden products • decorative and aesthetic products Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

Forests & Our Economy Tourism in northern Ontario Northern Ontario is enjoying strong growth in its tourism sector and has the potential to substantially increase its share of the global tourism market. Resource-based tourism is a key growth area in the North, including eco-tourism, adventure travel and Aboriginal tourism. Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

Forests & Our Economy • Recreation in northern Ontario ... • Ontario resident recreation related annual expenditures… • Wildlife viewing $410 Million • Recreational Fishing $762 Million • Hunting $200 Million Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

Forest management planning Forest management planning is ... A balancing act… Are we managing the forest sustainably? • Ecological health • Economic needs • Social responsibility Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

Forest management planning Managing Forests for Timber and Non-Timber values Ontario’s Crown forests provide opportunities for recreation, tourism, wildlife, trapping, hunting and plant harvesting. Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

Forest Management Planning The Forest Management Planning Manual (FMPM) FMPM provides direction for all aspects of forest management planning for management units designated under the Crown Forest Sustainability Act (CFSA) in the Area of the Undertaking (AOU). Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

A Forest Management Plan deals with three main categories of forestry activities: Forest Management Planning A Forest Management Plan (FMP) • access (road construction, maintenance) • harvest (cutting methods) • regeneration (planting and tending) Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

Forest Management Planning ACCESSTypes of Road Corridors Primary road • the main road system which provides access for the management unit • normally permanent part of road system • regularly maintained Branch roads • branch off of primary roads to provide access to, through or between areas of operation Operational roads • provide short-term access within areas of operation for harvest, renewal and tending • normally not maintained after they are no longer required for forest management purposes • Often site prepared and regenerated Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

Forest Management Planning HARVEST Three types of harvesting systems common in Ontario: 1. clear cut - most or all trees of merchantable value are usually removed from the site. 2. shelterwood - trees are harvested in a series of two or more operations. 3. selection - individual trees or small groups of trees are cut. Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

Forest Management Planning In a clearcut harvest operation, most trees of commercial value are usually removed from the site. Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

Forest Management Planning In the shelterwood system, mature trees are harvested in a series of two or more cuts. Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

Forest Management Planning In the selection system, individual trees or small groups of trees are cut. Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning

Getting Started: An Introduction to Forest Management Planning