These changes are very…

These changes are very similar to the proposed forest strategy, except that it is even more encompassing and one sided to the wood/fibre industries. These changes are detrimental to Resource-based Tourism, Mining, Food Foragers, Wildlife Habitat, remoteness values, and approves monoculture and fragmentation of the forest.

All the users of the forest depend on government to protect their interests, to promote stewardship and sustainability while putting the forests to work, improving cost competitiveness, fostering innovation, markets and talents.

The Ontario Government needs to revisit the forest management manuals and set a strategy of REGIONAL PLANNING for all forest users.

The Conservative Government in 1997, introduced the Resource Based Tourism initiative. It was a good start to recognize the importance of that industry to Ontario. In all of Ontario, the economic impact of Resource Based Tourism is higher than Forestry and Mining combined.
Regrettably, the Liberal Governments dropped their consideration of this Industry and focussed only on the wood/fibre industry. They have caused damage to other industries, they introduced roads funding for forest companies, they have allowed spraying of our forests with herbicides.
The roads fragment our forest, destroying wildlife habitat and turn our remote areas into local dump sites. The spraying kills all the hardwoods, underbrush, berries, etc. This starves our wildlife, destroys the natural foods that are used by humans, berries, herbal medicines, mushrooms, etc.

We need your government to STOP/PAUSE these proposed changes. Implement an effective Regional Crown Land Use, Forest and Natural Resource Management based on all industries - Forestry, Resource Based Tourism, Mining and the smaller businesses (Berry Pickers, Mushroom Sales)

Issues to Consider:
● Crown Land Use
● Sustainable natural resource development
● Forest Management based on all forest values not solely based on wood/fibre outputs
● Wildlife and habitat management and protections
● Evaluate the negative effects of herbicide applications of wildlife populations, food sources and over all forest health
● Road / access planning - not forest fragmentation
● Resource Based Tourism needs a voice and support within Crown Land Use Policies, to ensure the natural resources this industry depends on are sustained and protected, through wildlife population levels, habitat management and industry Big Game Allocations
● MNRF needs to support the RBT industry as they support Forest Management Companies - representative of the scope and economic impacts, renewability, and opportunities unique to RBT, especially in the NW.
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