EOMF is Turning 20! Message from Mark Hot Off the Press:

AGM Announcement Program Update: Forest Certification Feature: Forest Conversion Join the Conversation: Blog Check Your Inbox: EOMF E-­News Project Update: Ontario East Wood Centre RFHN Update Highlights: Recent Event & Meetings CMFN Update

1

2 2 3 4 5 5 5 6 6

7

8 8

Volume VII Issue 2 Spring 2011

Welcome Spring !

Please join us on

19th Annual General Meeting and experience our new format!

Details page 3!

Well, a new fiscal year is upon us and it turns out to be quite an important th year,

but this fiscal is the last year of what at we hope is only the first phase of the Forest Communities Program (FCP). We hope to get confirmation from Natural Resources Canada that the FCP will continue into a second phase with renewed core funding for ourselves and other model forests within the Canadian Model Forest Network (CMFN). Initially, the FCP was to run from 2007-­2012. Indicators to date have been positive.

at the three main goals of our five-­year Strategic Plan: 1) working with industry, First Nations groups, and others to advance

existing, and develop new, forest-­based opportunities;; 2) working with communities to test new ideas that help us adapt to a

landscape and a forest (and rural) sector in transition;; and finally;; 3) developing and sharing good forest management knowledge with lo-­

cal, national and international forest-­dependent communities. Woven through the many projects that were implemented to help us achieve these broad FCP goals are the core values that make the EOMF unique a respect for all viewpoints, the empowering potential of partner-­ship, and the unfailing belief that our forests, wetlands and natural areas (Continued on page 2 )

EOMF is Turning 20 Years Old! Musings and Messages

Developing Sustainable Forests and Communities

The Canadian Model Forest Network (CMFN) proudly presents a new pub-­

This colourful 32-­page document suc-­cinctly describes our forest sector cri-­sis as well as how the CMFN is work-­ing to assist forest-­based communities and enterprises adapt and prosper within this new paradigm. It showcases success stories under-­taken by the 15 different model forests that are members of the CMFN. The EOMF projects featured include the Ontario East Wood Centre and our work in facilitating FSC certification for the Ottawa Valley Forest. To view or download your copy visit or click the fol lowing l ink: www.modelforest.net/publications .

Hot off the Press

Yes, it is different here in the settled landscape where forestry is not the only game in town, but different does not always mean easier.

Although our communities, when compared to the one or two-­industry towns to the north, may have other economic crutches to lean on when times get hard our forests are more productive and diverse demanding a whole different approach to manage-­ment and to community involvement, especially given the land ownership patterns. In this region, a faltering forest sector can lead to a return to unsustainable forestry practices where only the highest value products are harvested, or the wrong piece of wood is harvested for the wrong use.

Either of these scenarios can lead to long-­term productivity problems from the forest when times get better and stronger markets return. Given that healthy and productive forests cannot happen without healthy and produc-­tive forest-­based communities, our priority needs to be focused on push-­ing for tangible and realistic forest sector opportunities.

We will continue to use our forests for

to seek solutions to the many regional challenges created by external forces that are global in nature but influence our access to, and opportunities for, a vibrant regional forest sector.

With kind regards...Mark

Message From Mark General Manager, EOMF

(Continued from Front Page)

can provide us with a balance of so-­cial, environmental and economic values so vital to a healthy and happy society. For the rest of this fiscal year, our main objective is to work towards the successful completion of the Strategic Plan, thereby setting the best possible stage for program renewal. I think we have done a pretty good job so far, especially given the fact that right in the middle of the first phase, Canada and the world were hit by a very sig-­nificant recession.

Economic well-­being is closely aligned with social and environmental well-­being. Consequently, forest communities need healthy and produc-­tive forests to support the many direct and indirect jobs that allow us to man-­age our forests sustainably in the first place.

In turn, our forests need programs like the FCP because health and productiv-­ity are so closely linked to the good management practices fostered through a strong and vibrant forest sector. This may seem like a bit of a circular argument but history contin-­ues to demonstrate the symbiotic in-­terdependency of healthy forests and healthy communities, where, if one goes out of kilter, the other follows not far behind.

Notice of EOMF Annual General Meeting

Cost:

(includes lunch)

$15 -­ EOMF members $25 -­ non-­members

Where:

Old Town Hall 14 Bridge Street Almonte, Ontario

To Register:

Online @ eomf.on.ca/agm or contact:

Mary @ 613-­258-­8241 modelforest@eomf.on.ca

Thursday, June 16,

Old Town Hall, 14 Bridge Street Almonte, Ontario

Agenda

8:30-­9:00 Registration and coffee 9:00-­9:30 Traditional opening (Mohawk Council of Akwesasne) Introductory remarks (Jim McCready, EOMF President) 9:30-­10:30 Business meeting (Mark Richardson, EOMF General Manager) EOMF announcements 10:30-­10:45 Health Break 10:45-­11:45 Presentation: Historical Impacts of J.R. Booth & His Railroad (Dave Lemkay) 11:45-­12:45 Lunch & Awards Presentation (EOMF & OPFA) 12:45-­1:30 History of Aboriginal Peoples and Forest Use in Eastern Ontario (Speaker tba) Traditional closing * For most current Agenda please visit: eomf.on.ca/agm periodically *

Program Update: Forest Certification

4

New Project Funding Boosts FSC Certification Program

Forest Certification Program just wrapped up two major projects. The first project ran from August 2010 until March 2011 and was entitled

partnership with the Community Fu-­tures Development Corporation of Renfrew County. The goal was to engage private forest owners and work with them to achieve FSC certifica-­tion, and also to work with forest-­ based businesses to get chain of cus-­tody certification. With the Ottawa Valley Forest receiv-­ing their FSC Certificate in October 2010, and with the County Forest in the EOMF Program, Renfrew County now has the highest density of FSC-­ certified forests on private land, com-­munity forests, and Crown land in Canada.! This achievement should increase the competitiveness of the forest sector industries by providing forest product producers the ability to market and sell products as FSC certified. The available volumes of well-­managed, certified wood fibre will also collec-­tively help further the efforts of the Renfrew forest sector to develop new markets in traditional sawn product areas as well as in emerging areas such as the production of energy from wood (bioenergy).

The second project that the EOMF Forest Certification Program com-­pleted was in partnership with the Eastern Ontario Development Pro-­

ket Access Through FSC Forest Certi-­

Again there was a strong focus on the land base and the forest-­based busi-­nesses in the eastern Region. The EOMF facilitated training workshop on FSC certification in the GLSL For-­est Region, worked to engage commu-­nity forests in FSC certification, de-­velop resource materials for those seeking a better understanding of FSC certification and created a web based data management tool. Another ground breaking achievement on the certification front is the Group Chain of Custody certificate the EOMF has applied to include in their scope. This certificate will allow smaller family focused entities to mar-­ket and sell their forest products as FSC certified under a group manage-­ment structure making FSC certifi-­cation affordable for these businesses. This project was completed in March and had a positive impact at a regional level.

Article by Scott Davis. For more information on the Forest Certification Program, please contact Scott at (613) 258-­8422 or sdavis@eomf.on.ca.

Hello Forest Certification Workshop Participant!

On behalf of the Eastern Ontario Model Forest, I would like to thank you for attending the FSC Forest Cer-­tification in the GLSL Forest Region Workshop, and helping to make it a success. We hope that you learned valuable information and found it beneficial to discuss forest certifica-­tion issues effecting the GLSL (Great Lakes/St. Lawrence) region. The EOMF is fortunate and most grateful to have valuable relationships with key players and partners in the industry, and welcomes opportunities such as this one that bring us together to discuss critical issues affecting our forest sector, and search for solutions.

to all of our speakers who each gave informative and engaging presenta-­tions. We appreciate them sharing their time and extensive knowledge and insight with the rest of the group. If you attended this seminar but were not able to sit in on every presentation, or if you missed them altogether, please make sure to visit our website http://seminars.eomf.on.ca/transcripts and use the following log in to view all the presentations: Username: certsecure Password: getcertified Thanks again, Scott Davis

Feature: Forest Conversion -­ Join the Conversation! ((Mark Richardson)

Check your Inbox!

issues of our new online publication called EOMF E-­News. This flexible and cost-­effective tool enables us to share the latest information on a more timely and regular basis. For each issue we keep you current by selecting the most current articles posted to the various RSS newsfeeds found on our website including: General & Certifi-­cation News, Events, and Publica-­tions. Each issue also usually includes a Feature Project.

with our E-­News please email: mwilliams@eomf.on.ca

Southern Ontario is a settled land-­scape, consisting mainly of privately-­owned forested, farm and urban land, where, for the most part, landowners have a relatively wide latitude of op-­tions when it comes to making deci-­sions about what happens on that land. This is the way it should be;; landown-­ers making decisions about what they want to do with their land farm it, cut trees on it, plant trees on it, live on it, along with countless other possibili-­ties that await folks working toward accomplishing their individual prop-­erty objectives. One of the most important roles that the EOMF continues to play is to help landowners make informed decisions about what to do on their properties and how to do it. Our influence comes through partner-­ships, information sharing, and pro-­grams in which participation is always voluntary. Governments, on the other hand, have a different role to play and manage societal values by influencing property-­level decision making though a combination of regulation and pro-­grams. Our land base has the capacity to sup-­ply us with so many different values that it should not be surprising that some of them appear to be contradic-­tory but, for the most part, we are able to function with a system that encour-­ages a mosaic of different uses across the landscape. Agriculture and forestry are two prime examples where differing land use practices can cohabitate regionally and often within an individual property. Although land ownership provides us

with certain land use freedoms, as much as it does with certain legal re-­sponsibilities, we vigorously defend our ability to exercise these freedoms within the limits set by our obligations to follow the federal, provincial and municipal statutes. This can result in a polarization of public and private opinion regarding some land use prac-­tices.

This brings us to the topic at hand, forest conversion, which can be thought of as the replacement of a forest or stand of trees with some other type of land use. In the settled landscape, the removal of tree cover has been happening at varying rates since the time of Euro-­pean settlement. In addition, forests have been returning to some open areas either through natural succes-­sion, where trees are allowed to slowly re-­colonize a site, or through direct reforestation and afforestation (tree planting to speed up the return of a site to tree cover). For more information on this topic and to add your comments to the permanent record, please comment on our Blog by visiting:

www.eomf.on.ca/blog

Join the Conversation...Post Your Comments on Our Blog! I would like to take a few minutes to introduce you to our online Blog that we hope will be a great way of creat-­ing a constructive and open discussion on topics of interest to the EOMF, our partners, and forest-­dependent com-­munities. To add your voice to this or any other topic that appears on our Blog, please simply click this link and type in your comments:

www.eomf.on.ca/blog or, click the link to our Blog on the home page of our website or go to News > Blog.

6

The Ontario East Wood Centre (OEWC) project has brought together governmental, business, academic and NGO collaborators who believe in sustainable forestry and sustainable rural communities. This project story involves complex innovation, science, and technology enabled by community capability, energy, and a strong sense of purpose. With 70 tree species in the Great Lakes-­St. Lawrence Forest Region, the OEWC focuses on innovation and design in the use of solid wood. Recent successes include the comple-­

sity, Department of Chemical Engi-­neering TEAM (Technology, Engi-­neering and Management) projects. During these course projects, final year students analyzed eco-­industrial opportunities emanating from the bio-­chemical and bioenergy potential of woody biomass. Aided by several people including their professors, Dr. David Mody and Dr. Geoff Whitfield (retired scientist from DuPont Can-­ada), their results have been encourag-­ing. As a result, we continue to press ahead on several biochemistry and bioenergy fronts. Another noteworthy event was the visit from Professor Antero Turkki, a well known Finnish architect with special expertise in wood technology, eco-­design, wood building, and con-­struction and planning. The day-­long session began at the Port of Prescott and later moved to Hubbard & Com-­pany in Spencerville. Participants included representatives from: the

Update: Ontario East Wood Centre

For more information on the Ontario East Wood Centre contact Sandra Lawn, Project Leader @ 613-­925-­5568 or visit: www.woodcentre.ca

OEWC Board of Directors;; Township of Edwardsburgh/Cardinal;; EOMF;; Chamber of Commerce;; Mohawk Council of Akwesasne;; agriculture sector;; heritage construction industry. Bringing the technical and socio-­economic elements of this complex project together is a credit to the power of community capacity and lively and productive partnerships.

Ontario East Wood Centre Revamps Website!

The Ontario East Wood Centre rejuve-­nated its website thanks to funding from one of its principle partners, the Township of Edwardsburgh/Cardinal. Amongst updated content and some new functionality, we have also incor-­porated a RSS newsfeed that will keep online subscribers in the loop on news as it happens.

Please visit www.woodcentre.ca to see our new website, subscribe to our RSS newsfeed, and get current on all the latest related to this innovative project!

RFHN Update

New Ministerial Order for Regulating the Emerald Ash Borer in Eastern

Ontario Announced

On March 25 the Canadian Food In-­spection Agency announced a new Ministerial Order affecting more areas of eastern Ontario in order to regulate emerald ash borer movement. The new order replaces the existing Minis-­terial Order for Ottawa and Gatineau.

The previous regulated area has been expanded to include the entire City of Ottawa and now also includes the Un i t ed Coun t i e s o f Leed s -­Grenville. The regulated area in Gati-­neau remains unchanged.

Click HERE to visit our website and

the CFIA news release, and new regu-­lated area maps for EAB, or, go to www.eomf.on.ca/rfhn for details.

EAB Week Activities Planned

Once again the Regional Forest Health Network (RFHN) helped coordinate a slate of activities to mark EAB Awareness Week in the region. This year it ran from May 16-­23.

Dr. Taylor Scarr from OMNR was interviewed for a second time by Rita Celli and Ed Lawrence of Ontario Today, and updated a million plus

the emerald ash borer since last year at this time. The City of Ottawa and Ontario Parks featured a number of EAB-­oriented activities to draw atten-­tion to the pest and the all-­important

advance of the May long weekend. Ottawa City Council also declared it

Highlights: Recent Events & Meetings

7

Since our winter issue of Forestry Forum, the EOMF has participated in an array of events and meetings fo-­cused on forest and forest community related issues. A few highlights are mentioned here.

Wood Innovations Seminar Series

In February and March, representat ives f rom EOMF and FPInnovations-­Wood Products Division hosted a new technical seminar series entitled Wood I n n ov a -­tions: Products, Proc-­

esses & Possibilities This combina-­

and information sessions were de-­signed to appeal to the widest possible audience and catered to both primary and secondary wood processing facili-­ties. Three topics at six locations in-­cluded: All About Bioenergy;; Lean Manufacturing;; and, Marketing and Sales for Wood Products. We hope to continue our partnership with FPInno-­vations by co-­hosting similar sessions again next year to audiences within eastern Ontario. Feedback from atten-­dees was positive and the consensus was that information provided was relevant, practical and beneficial to local businesses.

February 23, 2011 marked the 24th annual Kemptville Winter Woodlot

and exhibitors who addressed com-­mon woodlot issues and problems,

provided information on helpful pro-­grams, and explored possibilities to enhance woodlot management. Hot topics included six panellists that provided overviews and updates on special programs for woodlot owners and farmers from tax incentives to tree planting. Dr. Taylor Scarr pro-­vided a primer on the emerald ash borer (EAB) from science and regula-­tions to detection. Martin Streit gave an informative slideshow on how best to manage ash stands now and into the future in light of the EAB threat. Other topics included: species at risk in the woodlot including updates on butternut recovery;; establishing and maintaining sugar maple orchards;; and the wildlife feature included an engag-­ing presentation by the Wild Bird Care Centre in Bells Corners.

FSC Certification Workshop

On March 30th in Bancroft the Eastern Ontario Model Forest -­ in partnership with FSC Canada, the Ontario Forestry Association, Ban-­croft Minden SFL and

SmartWood -­ offered a one day infor-­mative workshop focused on FSC certification in the Great Lakes-­St. Lawrence (GLSL) Forest Region. The morning session focused on the history and progress of FSC certifica-­tion globally, nationally and in our GLSL Forest Region as well as the auditing process and the GLSL stan-­dards. The afternoon portion of the day explored chain of custody certifi-­cation for forest-­based businesses, and took a closer look at FSC certificate holders through local case studies.

Kemptville Winter Woodlot Conference

White Pine Management Workshop

Brought to you by the Regional Forest Health Network in partnership with the Eastern Ontario Model Forest and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Re-­sources (OMNR), this workshop was geared towards landowners interested in learning how to identify and reduce the impact of white pine blister rust and other pests in their forests. This fungus can be a very destructive dis-­ease affecting forest productivity and complicating the way we manage our plantations and natural stands.

The day consisted of both an informa-­tive in-­class session and a site visit led by Dr. Richard Wilson, Forest Pro-­gram Pathologist for OMNR, and Dr. Michael Irvine, Vegetation Manage-­ment Specialist for OMNR. Thank you both!

Landowner Seminar Series #1: Geology, Mineral Exploration, Development and Extraction

and Your Woodlot

The Eastern Ontario Certified Forest Owners (EOCFO) in partnership with the EOMF co-­hosted the first in a new Landowner Seminar Series. The ob-­jective of this series is to help clarify whether and how private woodlot holdings are impacted, restricted, pro-­tected, or can take advantage of vari-­ous land and water resource initia-­tives. This first seminar was held on May 12 in Almonte, and featured informed speakers who explored and described eastern Ontario geology, Mining Act modernization, the Ontario Aggregate Resources Act, land patents, and more.

To get more detailed info on Events please click on the titles, or visit our website at: www.eomf.on.ca and click the Events button.

Forestry Forum is a publication of the Eastern Ontario Model Forest, a proud member of the Canadian Model Forest Network.

ISSN 1201-­3978

The Eastern Ontario Model Forest gratefully acknowledges the support of Natural Resources Canada through the

Forest Communities Program.

Please send comments and articles to: Melanie Williams, Editor Forestry Forum c/o Eastern Ontario Model Forest 10 Campus Drive, P.O. Bag 2111 Kemptville, Ontario, K0G 1J0 Phone: (613) 258-­8365 E-­mail: mwilliams@eomf.on.ca Web site: www.eomf.on.ca

8

Welcome Back Brian Barkley! The Canadian Model Forest Network (CMFN) is pleased to welcome Brian Barkley back into our model forest family! Brian has assumed the role of President of the CMFN and will be working alongside Leanne Elliott in her expanded role as National Coordi-­nator. Brian is a registered profes-­sional forester, and best known in model forest circles as the influential founding General Manager of the Eastern Ontario Model Forest (EOMF) -­ which he helped to estab-­lish in 1992 and then led until 2009

Although he has also made significant and countless contributions to the evo-­lution of the CMFN and IMFN in the past, we are most grateful to have him focus his knowledge, experience, skill and business acumen on our current challenges and opportunities!

To Spain and Back Again!

Every three years the International Model Forest Network (IMFN) Secre-­tariat brings together members of Model Forests (and their respective regional secretariats) from around the world in one location. This Global Forum is primarily a business meeting in which Model Forests share knowl-­edge, review their accomplishments, problem solve and create strategic plans for the years ahead. Scott Davis from the EOMF joined Leanne Elliott and Brian Barkley from the CMFN as well as a contingent of other Canadian

in Burgos, Spain in March.

CMFN Update

Visit: www.cmfn-­rcfm.ca for more...

EOCFO and LOVC Spring Woodlot Tour Location: 936 Concession 8A Lanark Highlands Township Saturday, 28 May 2011 10:00 -­ 2:00 Visit: EOMF website > Events > May 28 -­ or click link above to register

EOMF Annual General Meeting Location: Old Town Hall, Almonte Thursday, 16 June 2011 9:00 -­ 2:00 Visit: Events/AGM for details and to register

Glengarry Wood Fair and Auction Location: Glengarry Thursday, August 11 Visit: www.woodfair.ca

Miniatures allow Aleta Karstad to record the places and progress of the `30 Years Later Expedition`. By purchasing her work and subscribing to her daily painting blog (www.karstaddailypaintings.blogspot.com), you are

supporting the work of biodiversity research across Canada.