English River Forest - Forest management plan

The forest management plan for the English River Forest for the period of August 02, 2019 to March 31, 2029 is being prepared.

The plan is being prepared in accordance with the Crown Forest Sustainability Act (1994), the Forest Management Planning Manual (2017), and Declaration Order MNR-75 - MNRF's environmental assessment requirements for forest management on Crown lands in Ontario.

The forest management plan will provide for the sustainability of the Crown forest on the management until, and will outline the long-term strategic direction and objectives related to:

• sustainability of the forest resource
• biodiversity
• social and economic matters (including timber harvest levels)
• the provision of forest cover for those values which are dependent on forest cover
• silviculture

Description

The English River Forest is located within the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry’s Northwest Region and in the Dryden administrative district. Its eastern boundary is approximately 200 km west of Thunder Bay. The Town of Ignace is located in the southwest corner of the forest and the community of Savant Lake is just north of the northern boundary of the license area. The Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 17) crosses the southern portion of the forest.

The English River Forest encompasses a total area of 1,193,427 hectares, of which 777,161 hectares (65 per cent) is Crown-managed production forest. There are approximately 225,600 hectares of water and 60,349 hectares of patent land on the management unit.

The English River Forest is situated within the Boreal Forest. Tree species common to the forest include jack pine and black spruce with significant amounts of trembling aspen, balsam fir, and white birch. Smaller amounts of white spruce, red and white pine and eastern white cedar are scattered components of mixed-wood stands.

The English River Forest is managed under the terms of the Sustainable Forest Licence #542454 held by Resolute FP Canada Inc. Under the licence, the corporation is responsible for, among other things, the preparation of the Forest Management Plan in accordance with the provisions of the Forest Management Planning Manual (2017). The forest primarily supplies fibre to the Resolute FP sawmills in Ignace and Sapawe and their mill complexes in Thunder Bay, the Domtar pulp mill in Dryden, the Norbord mill in Barwick and Weyerhaeuser’s Trus Joist mill in Kenora. Through logging, silviculture, and milling activities, the English River Forest provides employment directly and indirectly to numerous industrial suppliers and contractors, locally, regionally and provincially.

In addition to fibre for commercial use, the English River Forest supports widespread commercial and recreational opportunities including trapping, angling, and hunting. It is well-accessed by provincial highways and forest access roads and is used extensively by the public.

The following First Nations and Métis communities are within or adjacent to the English River Forest and have been identified as having interests in forest management planning:

• Lac des Mille Lacs First Nation
• Lac Seul First Nation
• Migisi Sahgaigan First Nation
• Ojibway Nation of Saugeen
• Wabauskang First Nation
• Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation
• Métis Nation of Ontario (Atikokan and Area Métis Council, Kenora Métis Council, Northwest Métis Council, Sunset Country Métis Council)

Other Information

Information about the forest management planning process, information which will be used in the preparation of the plan, and background information about the management unit can be reviewed during normal office hours at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry Ignace Field Office. It is recommended that persons make an appointment for viewing. This background information may also be viewed during non-business hours by making an appointment with the government contact person listed in this notice.

An alternate to the government contact for this notice is:

Matthew Hupf, R.P.F.

Plan Author
Resolute FP Canada Inc.
2001 Neebing Ave.
Thunder Bay ON, P7E 6S3
Phone: 807-475-2458
Email: matthew.hupf@resolutefp.com

Other Public Consultation Opportunities

In accordance with the provisions of the Forest Management Planning Manual, formal public consultation and First Nation and Métis community involvement and consultation is planned to occur at five stages during the preparation, review and approval of this plan. The Forest Management Planning Manual sets out that direct written notice is required to be given to certain individuals and organizations at each stage of the planning process; individuals and organizations may request to be added to this list, which is updated at each stage. Media notice is given through advertisements in local newspapers.

The following is a summary of the public consultation, and First Nation and Métis community involvement and consultation:

• Stage One – Invitation to Participate: November 2, 2016
• Stage Two – Review of Long-Term Management Direction: March 5, 2018 to April 3, 2018
• Stage Three – Review of Proposed Operations: July 11, 2018 to September 11, 2018
• Stage Four – Review of Draft Forest Management Plan: March 11, 2019 – May 10, 2019

All comments and submissions received for Stages One to Four will be considered as part of the decision-making by the ministry. Under the public consultation provisions and First Nation and Métis community involvement and consultation provisions of the FMPM, a written response will be provided to all written comments and submission and upon request, to all verbal comments received that relate to the Long-Term Management Direction or Proposed Operations. All comments and submissions will become part of the public record.  Stage Five is an inspection period only.  No comments are being sought at that stage.

There is an opportunity during the forest management planning process to seek resolution of issues in accordance with the process described in Part A, Section 2.4.1 of the FMPM(2017).

During the 30-day inspection period, commencing June 26, 2019, you may make a written request to the Director of Environmental Assessment and Permissions Branch, Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks, 1st Floor, 135 St. Clair Ave W., Toronto, ON., M4V 1P5, for an individual environmental assessment of specific planned operations in the MNRF-approved FMP, in accordance with the process described in Part A. Section 2.4.2 of the FMPM (2017).