Stage Two: Review of Proposed Long-Term Management Direction of 2021-2031 Timiskaming Forest Management Plan

The Ministry, Timiskaming Forest Alliance Inc. and the Kirkland Lake Local Citizens’ Committee (LCC) invite you to review and comment on the 2021-2031 Long-Term Management Direction for the Timiskaming Forest

The planning process

The plan takes approximately three years to complete. During this time, five formal opportunities for public, First Nation and Métis involvement are provided:

• Stage One – Invitation to Participate: October 12, 2018
• Stage Two – Review of Proposed Long-Term Management Direction: November 30, 2019
• Stage Three – Information Centre: Review of Proposed Operations: February 2020
• Stage Four – Information Centre: Review of Draft Forest Management Plan August 2020
• Stage Five – Inspection of Approved Forest Management Plan December 2020

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 below. 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, the following information will also 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 Company and Ministry office identified below by appointment during normal office hours for a period of 30 days November 30, 2019 to December 30, 2019.

Comments on the proposed long-term management direction for the Timiskaming Forest must be received by Laurie Nuhn of the planning team at the MNRF Kirkland Lake Office by December 30, 2019.

During the planning process there is an opportunity to make a written request to seek resolution of issues with the ministry’s District Manager or the Regional Director using a process described in the 2017 Forest Management Planning Manual (Part A, Section 2.4.1).

About the forest

The Timiskaming Forest Management Unit (MU) is located in the MNRF Northeast Region, primarily located within the Kirkland Lake and Timmins administrative districts with small portions of the MU extending into the Cochrane District (Walker Township) and Sudbury District (Haentschel, Howey and Cotton Township). The Timiskaming Forest is located primarily within the Boreal Forest zone however the southern portion of the forest is found within the transition zone of the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence and Boreal Forests.

There are numerous communities located within, or adjacent to, the forest including Kirkland Lake, Englehart, Temiskaming Shores (New Liskeard), Elk Lake, Shining Tree, Matheson and Gogama. In addition, a number of Indigenous communities are located within or adjacent to the forest including Matachewan First Nation, Wahgoshig First Nation, Mattagami First Nation, Beaverhouse Aboriginal Community, Temagami First Nation, Teme-Augama Anishnawbi and Wahnapitae First Nation.

For forest management purposes, MNRF has issued a sustainable forest licence to Timiskaming Forest Alliance Incorporated. 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).

Stay involved

A final opportunity to inspect the approved plan before it is implemented will take place during the inspection of the ministry-approved Forest Management Plan (Stage Five), which is tentatively scheduled for December 2020.

The approval date of the plan is tentatively scheduled for December 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 Rosko at (705) 568-3228.