Stage Two - Review of Proposed Long-Term Management Direction for the 2021-2031 Forest Management Plan for the Dog River-Matawin Forest

Our Ministry, along with Resolute FP Canada Inc. and the Dog River-Matawin Local Citizens’ Committee (LCC) invite you to review and comment on the proposed Long-term Development management direction for the Dog River-Matawin 2021-2031 Forest Management Plan (FMP).

The planning process

The plan will take 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.

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-kilometer 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 ‘Find A Forest Plan’ link 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 available 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 citizen’s committee to date.

The above information is available at the Company and Ministry offices identified below by appointment during normal office hours for a period of 30 days December 16, 2019 -January 15, 2020.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. Comments on the proposed long-term management direction for the Dog River-Matawin Forest must be received by Peter Wiltsey of the planning team at the Ministry's Thunder Bay District Office by January 15, 2020.

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 Dog River-Matawin Forest encompasses a total area of 1,065,946 hectares, of which 704,977 hectares (66 per cent) is Crown-managed production forest. It is located within the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry’s (MNRF) Northwest Region and in the Thunder Bay District. The forest extends from the community of Shabaqua westward to English River, and from the community of Graham southward to the southern end of Trafalgar Bay on Northern Lights Lake. The reserve lands for the Lac des Mille Lacs First Nation are located within the Dog River-Matawin Forest.

The Dog River-Matawin Forest is managed under the terms of the Sustainable Forest Licence (SFL #542459) 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). Resolute FP Canada Inc. and a number of small independent contractors operating under the authority of Resolute FP Canada Ltd.’s Sustainable Forest Licence, carry out harvest operations on the forest. Approximately 95 per cent of the harvest volume is utilized by Resolute FP Canada Ltd.’s mill complexes. Through logging, silviculture, and milling activities, the Dog River-Matawin Forest provides employment directly and indirectly to numerous industrial suppliers and contractors locally, regionally and provincially.

In addition to fibre for commercial use, the Dog River-Matawin 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.

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 March 2020

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

Stage Five - Inspection of Ministry-Approved Forest Management Plan February 2021

If you would like to be added to a mailing list to be notified of public involvement opportunities, please contact Peter Wiltsey at 807-475-1145 by January 15, 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; your comments will become part of the public consultation process and may be shared with the general public. Your personal information may be used 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: Alyson Dupuis, Ministry District Business Coordinator, at 807-475-1512