Stage Three: Review of Proposed Operations 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 attend an information centre. This information centre is being held as part of the detailed planning of operations for the 10-year period of the 2021-2031 Forest Management Plan for the Dog River-Matawin Forest.

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 Three notice is:

• To invite you to review and comment on:
  • the details of access, harvest, renewal and tending operations for the ten-year period of the plan
  • the proposed primary and branch road corridors and the proposed operational road boundaries for the ten-year period of the plan
  • To request your contribution to background information to be used in planning

How to get involved

To facilitate your review, an information centre will be held at the following location from 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm on the following dates:

• Thursday March 19th, 2020 at the Valhalla Inn, 1 Valhalla Inn Rd, Thunder Bay ON
• Tuesday March 24th, 2020 at the Upsala Community Center, 20 Community Hall Road, Upsala ON

The following information may be obtained at the information centre:

• Summary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) Regional Director preliminary endorsed long-term management direction
• Summary map(s) of:
  • the planned areas for harvest, renewal and tending operations for the ten-year period of the plan
  • the proposed corridors for new primary and branch roads for the ten-year period of the plan

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

• Summary of public comments and submissions received to date and any responses to those comments and submissions
• The proposed road use management strategies
• The list of required modifications resulting from the public review of the long-term management direction

The above information is available at the Company and MNRF offices identified below by appointment during normal office hours for a period of 60 days March 19, 2020 to May 18, 2020

Comments on the proposed operations for the Dog River-Matawin Forest must be received by Peter Wiltsey of the planning team at the MNRF Thunder Bay District Office by May 18, 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.

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 MNRF’s 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 (Licence #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 two more formal opportunities for you to be involved. These stages are listed and tentatively scheduled as follows:

• Stage Four - Information Centre: Review of Draft Forest Management Plan August 24, 2020
• Stage Five - Inspection of MNRF-Approved Forest Management Plan February 12, 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.

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, MNRF District Business Coordinator, at 807-475-1512