The forestry industry is seeing a large portion of its workforce retire without the ability to replace them, says a new study,  ccoarding to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, the sector is experiencing a labour force and skill shortage that is preventing it from realizing its full economic potential. If left unchecked, this shortage could negatively impact the socioeconomic standing of hundreds of communities across Ontario for years to come.  To address this issue, Forests Ontario – the province’s leading charity dedicated to the creation, preservation, and maintenance of forest and grassland habitats – and the Ontario Forest Industries Association (OFIA), with support from an advisory committee, collaborated on Bridging the Gap Between Ontario’s Youth & the Provincial Forest Sector, an Employment Ontario research project (known simply as Bridging the Gap) funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario.