Stage One: Review of Major Amendment - Whiskey Jack Forest 2012-2022 Forest Management Plan

The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF), Miisun Integrated Resource Management Company and the Kenora Local Citizens’ Advisory Committee (LCAC), invite you to participate in the review of a major amendment to a Forest Management Plan (FMP). This review is being held as part of the detailed planning of operations for the major amendment to the 2012-2022 Forest Management Plan (FMP) for the Whiskey Jack Forest.

This amendment provides for operational planning to add new harvest area to the 2012-2022 Whiskey Jack FMP. The new harvest area is required to ensure a secure and uninterrupted wood supply for the local mills as a result of the one-year delay in FMP planning on the Whiskey Jack Forest (a plan extension, up to two years if needed, to the 2012-2022 FMP will be implemented to extend the plan until the next Whiskey Jack Forest Management Plan is completed).This amendment request proposes to select new harvest areas from approved planned contingency areas and identified optional areas from the 2012-22 FMP planning process.

How to get involved

During preparation of a major amendment to a FMP, two formal opportunities for public consultation and First Nation and Métis community involvement and consultation are provided.

This ‘Stage One’ notice is:

• to invite you to review and comment on proposed operations for the major amendment; and
• to request additional contributions to the background information to be used in planning.

The Information Centre related to the review of the proposed Major Amendment will be held via individual or group remote meetings which may be arranged by calling the individuals listed below during the review period. Remote meetings with representatives of the planning team and the LCC can be also requested at any time during the planning process. Reasonable opportunities to remotely meet planning team members during non-business hours will be provided upon request. If you require more information or wish to discuss your interests with a planning team member, please contact one of the individuals listed below:

MNRF Contact
Kaitlin Moncrief R.P.F.
MNRF, Kenora District Office
808 Robertson Street
Kenora, ON P9N, 3X9
807-468-2597
kaitlin.moncrief@ontario.ca

Company Contact
Kurt Pochailo R.P.F.
Miisun Integrated Resource Management Inc.
510 Ninth Street North
Kenora, ON, P9N 2S8
807-467-3351
email: kurt.pochailo@miisun.ca

Comments on the proposed operations for the Whiskey Jack Forest must be received by Kaitlin Moncrief of the planning team of the MNRF Kenora District Office by Tuesday September 29, 2020.

You may make a written request to initiate a formal issue resolution process, following the process described in the Forest Management Planning Manual (2020) (Part A, Section 2.4).

About the Forest

The Whiskey Jack Forest is located in Northwestern Ontario, with area in both the MNRF administrative districts of Kenora and Red Lake. The Kenora District office takes the lead role coordinating the administrative and planning activities associated with this forest, including the review of the forest management plan.

Of the over 1.1 million hectares in this forest, almost 750,000 hectares are considered productive forestlands. These productive forestlands can be found within Ecoregion 4-S of Ontario’s Ecological Land Classification system.  Within Ecoregion 4-S, parts of Ecodistricts 4S-1, 4S-2, 4S-3, 4S-4, 4S-5, and 4S-6 intersect with the Whiskey Jack Forest, which is dominated by Boreal Forest conditions.

Predominant tree species found in this area include jack pine, black spruce, poplar, white spruce, birch and balsam fir. Cedar, larch, ash, red pine and white pine are found intermittently throughout the forest but with a stronger affinity to the southern portions of the area.

The Whiskey Jack Forest is a Crown Management Unit with the responsibility of forest management planning held by the MNRF, in consultation with the public. Weyerhaeuser Company Limited (Kenora), Kenora Forest Products (Kenora), and Makoose Wood Innovations (Perrault Falls) have wood supply commitments from the forest. Wood fibre from the Whiskey Jack Forest may also go to other mills in Ontario via trades, sales, and other business-to-business arrangements.

Communities within or in close proximity to this forest include Kenora, Sioux Narrows, Redditt, Vermillion Bay, Ear Falls, Grassy Narrows First Nation (Asubpeeschoseewagong Netum Anishinabek), Whitedog First Nation (Wabaseemoong Independent Nations), Wabauskang First Nation, and Pawitik (Naotkamegwanning First Nation).

Stay Involved

A final opportunity to inspect the approved major amendment before it is implemented will take place during the “Inspection of MNRF-Approved Major Amendment” (Stage Two), which is tentatively scheduled for November 2020.

If you would like to be added to our mailing list and be notified of these consultation opportunities, please contact Kaitlin Moncrief R.P.F. at 807-468-2597 or at kaitlin.moncrief@ontario.ca.

For further information, please contact the MNRF contact, the Company contact, or the LCC contact listed above during normal office hours.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry is 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 of Natural Resources and Forestry 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 Shannon Diehl, MNRF, Kenora District Office at (807) 468-2538 or shannon.diehl@ontario.ca.

An alternative to the government contact for this notice is:
Kurt Pochailo R.P.F.
Miisun Integrated Resource Management Co.
510 Ninth Street North
Kenora, ON, P9N 2S8
807-467-3351
kurt.pochailo@miisun.ca