Region Archives: Canada East

Re: Ottawa urged to come clean — Nov. 2 In this article, the Natural Resources Defense Council and Nature Canada are promoting their latest misleading report, suggesting that Canada is dramatically underestimating carbon emissions from forest operations. At the same time, these groups also actively lobby US-based customers and state governments to stop sourcing forest products from Canada, making one question their true agenda. …For every tree that Canada’s foresters sustainably harvest and regenerate, twenty-five are being damaged or destroyed by natural disturbance. …Instead of acknowledging the contributions Canadian foresters play in mitigating growing fire risks, protecting carbon rich wetlands, building carbon-storing wood products, and creating environmentally friendly products from what would otherwise be wood waste, the Natural Resources Defense Council and Nature Canada appear satisfied with propagating their self-serving and dangerous agenda.

We brought the invaders here. They’re thriving. They’re serving Toronto well. But do the Norway maples have to go? Acer platanoides, the Norway maple, is an invasive species. The Ontario Invasive Plant Council calls these trees “a serious threat to woodlands across Ontario” because of their aggressive spread into forests and ability to suppress native species. The city no longer plants Norway maples as a street tree and actively removes them when rehabilitating ravines and natural areas … its long-term goal is to bring their numbers as close as possible to zero. The short-term goal is more complicated. About 13.5 per cent of Toronto’s street trees are Norway maples… If all of them were chopped down tomorrow… their exceptional climate change-fighting properties, would disappear. …decades ago it was recognized that they thrive as a street tree, where road salt, heat stress, vandalism, dog urine, and soil trampling all take their toll.

Plenty of rainfall and lingering spring snowpack helped keep forest fires in check during the 2022 fire season. This season saw just 82 forest fires reported in northwestern Ontario, burning 113 hectares. The season was far slower than the record-breaking 2021: Overall, there were 1,198 fires reported in Ontario last year, most of which were located in northwestern Ontario. In total, 2021’s fires burned more than 784,000 hectares across Ontario, said Chris Marchand, fire information officer with the Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services regional fire centre in Dryden. “It’s a really good example of the variability we can experience in the severity of fire seasons from year to year,” Marchand said. Marchand said record spring rainfall in the northwest, coupled with lingering snow, contributed to the slow fire season.

TORONTO — At Fort York National Historic Site in Toronto, the Highway of Heroes Tree Campaign (HoHTC) announced it surpassed its goal to plant over 2 million trees to honour every Canadian who served in the country’s Armed Forces and the 117,000 who paid the ultimate sacrifice. The campaign began in 2015, and is the world’s largest living tribute with nearly 2.5 million trees planted at over 825 planting locations across Ontario. …Mark Cullen, Co-Founder Highway of Heroes Tree Campaign & Trees for Life said, “the highway corridor is reforested with a tree for every hero lost at war while volunteering for military service and for all those that have served. Millions of trees, millions of dollars, over 8 years in the making.” …”Forests Ontario planted more than two million trees on 700 sites along Highway 401 over the past three years,” says Rob Keen, CEO of Forests Ontario.

IROQUOIS FALLS — The Iroquois Falls Community Forest Committee (IFCFC) has expressed full support of the legal action recently taken by three Treaty 9 First Nations against the Ontario Government’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry for promoting what they consider to be aggressive and unsustainable forestry practices. “The IFCFC shares their concerns about clear-cuts and the use of the controversial herbicide, glyphosate, to kill off leafy trees and other flora that the industry believes compete with their preferred tree species at the expense of wildlife,” Tom Vockeroth, co-chair of the IFCFC, said in a statement. Chapleau Cree, Missanabie and Brunswick House First Nations have jointly launched legal action against the province claiming by allowing forestry practices such as aerial spraying of pesticides including using the herbicide glyphosate, the government has broken the Treaty 9 promise allowing First Nations to continue “their way of life and livelihoods”

Mike Gallant

Some members of P.E.I.’s forestry industry say Fiona caused so much damage to Island woodlots — it may not be possible to recover.  Island forestry consultant Mike Gallant who has 28 years of industry experience estimates 50 per cent of the Island’s softwood stock came down last month. He said that’s put a lot of pressure on those in the industry because if it isn’t harvested quickly enough, a valuable resource will be left to rot. …”We got a small window to harvest these pieces of wood because after two years, it becomes biomass, which is worthless.” …He said the association that represents woodlot owners is in meetings with the provincial government on potential support, but nothing has been firmed up yet. Woodlot owners can apply for the province’s Forestry Enhancement Program which provides funding to owners … to manage their woodlands for forest products, recreation as well as forest restoration.

In the wake of Hurricane Fiona’s unprecedented impacts, government has formed a task force to address the immediate needs of private woodlot owners and the forest industry. “We know woodlot owners need a plan to help in the salvage of downed wood after the hurricane. PEI’s Emergency Forestry Task Force will develop a plan that will address public safety concerns, reduce fire risk, and determine the best end use for wood salvage,” said Environment, Energy and Climate Action Minister Steven Myers. The Task Force will be made up of representatives of the PEI Forests, Fish and Wildlife Division, the PEI Woodlot Owners Association, L’Nuey, Island Nature Trust, forest contractors, and other local experts. …With a window of two years or less to salvage value from downed wood and reduce fire risk, the Task Force will be asked to advise on work needed, private sector capacity, and government support.

Some members of P.E.I.’s forestry industry say Fiona caused so much damage to Island woodlots — it may not be possible to recover. Island forestry consultant Mike Gallant estimates 50 per cent of the Island’s softwood stock came down last month. He said that’s put a lot of pressure on those in the industry because if it isn’t harvested quickly enough, a valuable resource will be left to rot. …”We got a small window to harvest these pieces of wood because after two years, it becomes biomass, which is worthless.” Gallant said over time, all that wood will dry out and become a fire hazard. He said the association that represents woodlot owners is in meetings with the provincial government on potential support, but nothing has been firmed up yet.  Woodlot owners can apply for the province’s Forestry Enhancement Program, Gallant said.

QUEBEC CITY – Quebec was lucky this year to benefit from a season during which very little forest area burned. In a report released Thursday, the Société de protection des forêts contre le feu (SOPFEU) said that only 242.9 hectares of forest were affected by fire in the Intensive Protection Zone. This is one of the smallest areas burned since statistically comparable data became available. Since 1984, only the years 2004 and 2008 could be compared to the last season. The 389 forest fires recorded this year were also well below the annual average of 472 fires in Quebec over the last ten years. …Despite the good news for the 2022 season, SOPFEU notes that 73 fires were caused by discarded cigarette butts, another 66 were caused by poorly extinguished campfires, and 82 were caused by garbage burning.

Tom Miller

A local forester has seen first-hand the damage done by post-tropical storm Fiona. Green Hill resident Tom Miller is among those trying to respond to the widespread destruction of trees in the area. …Like others, Miller has seen what species were more vulnerable to the wind force and what he is less likely to allow to regenerate. That includes a 40-year-old red pine grove where few of those trees remain standing. Poplar was also a prevalent victim. He said the pine needs to be harvested immediately before it starts to rot. Some of the trees will remain on the ground to decompose. “We have natural regeneration,” he said. “We’ll just let it rot and be fodder for the next crop. We see a lot of oak popping up.” He said Fiona has provided a lesson about future forestry. “We need all levels of trees of an uneven age,” he said. 

The Nature Conservancy of Canada’s Boreal Wildlands Project near Hearst is continuing its positive momentum by reaching its fundraising target in just five months. “We have completed the conservation of this amazing 350,000-acre, 145,000 hectare project, which is actually the largest private land conservation project in-Canada’s history,” program director Kristyn Ferguson told The Daily Press. “As we have now closed on the property, we are also thrilled to announce that we have raised all the funds needed to complete the project. We had a really ambitious $46-million fundraising target, and we reached it ahead of schedule.” The NCC had targeted next spring to reach the goal but the 330,000 or so donors made it happen nearly six months ahead of time.

Last year, forests across southern Québec and Ontario and much of New England turned eerily leafless. The air hummed with the sound of munching mandibles and tree trunks were covered with a writhing carpet of caterpillars, while showers of caterpillar poop fell softly on the heads of unsuspecting hikers and campers. The population of the European spongy moth reached a dramatic peak in 2021 and completely vanished this year. In 2020, the hungry caterpillar damaged 583,157 hectares of forests in Ontario and this number is bound to go up when the 2021 numbers are revealed. …However, these outbreaks always come to an end because of what ecologists call lagged-density dependent population dynamics. …The outbreak crashes when the insect mortality eventually catches up with its population size. This usually happens due to a combination of factors including low food supply and increase in predators.

The federal government is aiming to plant two billion trees across Canada in the next 10 years — and it is turning to drones to help do it. Ottawa has tapped Flash Forest, a reforestation company that uses aerial mapping software and drones that embed seed pods. The Toronto-based company secured $1.3 million from the government to plant at least one million trees over the next two years. Prior to this, Flash Forest was shut off from government initiatives, due to restrictive wording in procurement agreements that stipulates only planting seedlings counted toward the goal, and seed pods did not. “A lot of government contracts are not written in a way that allows for consideration of new innovation,” says Tyler Hamilton, MaRS’ cleantech lead… “They are based on past examples, and it really limits their thinking.” By educating governments and other commissioning bodies on technology we can overcome these hurdles, says Hamilton.

BEACHBURG, ON – The Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention (CASP) is hosting a tree planting event for their inaugural Forest of Hope, a first for Canada, in partnership with the Kiwanis Club of Pembroke, Algonquin College and the Ontario Woodlot Association. The tree planting commences a new long-term program by CASP and their partners to help raise awareness about suicide prevention and promote healing while contributing to a healthy and sustainable forest. The first phase of this project will see staff, students, and volunteers plant 1,500 white spruce seedlings in the understory of current forested land as prescribed in the property’s Forest Management Plan. The tree planting will take place on Kiwanis Forest property near Beachburg, Ontario on Saturday, October 22, 2022, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

KEMPVILLE, Ontario — From seed to seedling and then off to grow a new forest. The process of afforestation all starts at the Ferguson Tree Nursery in Kemptville. Forest industry leaders, representing conservation authorities from across Ontario, stopped by the nursery to check out its stock. Representatives from Forests Ontario, Rideau Valley, South Nation, Raisin Region and Cataraqui Region were on hand to see its wide array of cedar, spruce and pine seedlings for the 2023 planting season. Rob Keen, chief executive officer (CEO) of Forests Ontario, provided an update regarding the 2 Billion Trees program. “As you may recall, Trudeau made a commitment back in the fall of 2019 to plant two billion trees by 2030,” he explained. “Shortly thereafter, we started to engage with their staff at Natural Resources Canada about how to do this.”

HAINES JUNCTION, YT – Collaborating with numerous Indigenous groups across Canada, Parks Canada and Indigenous peoples are partners in conserving natural and cultural heritage and sharing the stories of these treasured places. Partners Champagne and Aishihik First Nations, Kluane First Nation and Parks Canada are excited to introduce Dákeyi ukaanathį̀ jè: All of you watch over our country with your heart – Restoring forest ecosystems in Kluane National Park and Reserve. This project will help plan long-term approaches to restore and increase the resilience of the park’s forests while helping to revitalize Southern Tutchone traditions and culture. …Parks Canada, announced a federal investment of $2.5 million over five years for the project and highlighted contributions from Champagne and Aishihik First Nations and Kluane First Nation, as well as the Canadian Forest Service for significant in-kind resources to this unique collaboration.

TORONTO — The Nature Conservancy of Canada credits supporters from around the world for helping to protect 145,000 hectares of forest and wetlands in Northern Ontario. The $46 million project, called Boreal Wildlands, is in the Hearst area and is the largest conservation project in Canada’s history. Over 300,000 supporters have contributed, including individuals, companies and private foundations, as well as the federal ($18 million) and Ontario governments. Nature Conservancy Canada also credits Domtar, the previous owner of the area, for granting a discount on the appraised value of the land. Boreal Wildlands is Ontario’s first carbon credit project and Canada’s second.