Stage Two – Review of Long-Term Management Direction of the 2021-2031 Nagagami Forest Management Plan

Our Ministry, First Resource Management Group Inc. and the Nagagami Forest Local Citizens’ Committee (LCC) invite you to review and comment on the proposed long-term management direction for the 2021–2031 Forest Management Plan (FMP) for the Nagagami Forest.

The planning process

The Forest Management Plan takes approximately three years to complete. During this time, five formal opportunities for public consultation and First Nation and Métis community involvement and consultation are provided.

The first opportunity (Stage One) for this FMP occurred on November 13, 2018 when the public was invited to “Participate” in the development of the plan.

This ‘Stage Two’ notice is:

• To invite you to review and comment on:

• the proposed long-term management direction for the forest
• the areas which could reasonably be harvested and the preferred areas for harvest operations, during the 10-year period of the plan
• the analysis of alternative one-kilometre wide corridors for each new primary road which is required for the next 20 years

• To request your contribution to background information to be used in planning.

How to get involved

To facilitate your review, a summary of the proposed long-term management direction for the forest can be obtained on the Ontario government website listed in the notice. A summary map(s) of the preferred and optional harvest areas for the 10-year period of the plan and alternative corridors for each new primary road which is required for the next 20 years will also be available.

In addition to the most current versions of the information and maps which were at Stage One of public consultation, the following information and maps will be available:

• summary of public comments and submissions received to date and any responses to those comments and submissions
• a summary report of the results of the desired forest and benefits meeting
• environmental analysis, including use management strategies of the alternative corridors for each new primary road
• maps that portray past and approved areas of harvest operations for the current forest management plan and the previous 10 years
• criteria used for the identification of areas that could reasonably be harvested during the 10-year period of the plan
• the rationale for the preferred areas for harvest
• summary report of the activities of the local citizens’ committee to date

The above information is available at the First Resource Management Group Inc. and MNRF Offices identified below by appointment during normal office hours for a period of 30 days, November 27, 2019 to December 27, 2019.

Comments on the proposed long-term management direction for the Nagagami Forest must be received by Brian Harbord of the planning team at the MNRF Wawa District Office by December 27, 2019.

Meetings with representatives of the planning team and the LCC can be requested at any time during the planning process. Reasonable opportunities to meet planning team members during non-business hours will be provided upon request. If you require more information or wish to discuss your interests and concerns with a planning team member, please contact one of the individuals listed below.

About the forest

The Nagagami Forest is located in Northeastern Ontario within the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry’s Administrative District of Wawa. The Northeast Region office has the lead role for the development of the forest management plan and the administration of forest management activities. Wawa District supports the Northeast Region office in this role.

Of the over 448,400 hectares in this forest, just over 368,406 hectares are considered productive forest lands. These productive forest lands can be found in Hill’s site region 3E which is entirely within the Boreal Forest Region of Ontario. Predominant tree species found in this area include jack pine, black spruce, poplar, white spruce, white birch and balsam fir with smaller amounts of cedar and larch found intermittently throughout the forest.

Communities within or in close proximity to the forest include Hornepayne, White River, Marathon, Constance Lake, Hearst and White River. The local Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry District office is located in Wawa and the office of the Sustainable Forest Licence holder is located in Hornepayne

Stay involved

There will be three more formal opportunities for you to be involved. These stages are listed and tentatively scheduled as follows:

Stage Three - Information Centre: Review of Proposed Operations January 2020

Stage Four - Information Centre: Review of Draft Forest Management Plan June 2020

Stage Five - Inspection of MNRF-Approved Forest Management Plan October 2020

We are collecting your personal information and comments under the authority of the Crown Forest Sustainability Act. Any personal information you provide (address, name, telephone, etc.) will be protected in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act; however, your comments will become part of the public consultation process and may be shared with the general public. Your personal information may be used by the Ministry to send you further information related to this forest management planning exercise. If you have questions about the use of your personal information, please contact Jennifer Lamontagne at 705-856-4747.