Stage One - Invitation to Participate: 2022-2032 Forest Management Plan for the Kenora Forest

The purpose of this notice is to advise the public, First Nation and Métis communities that the 10-year Forest Management Plan is being prepared for the Kenora Forest for the period of April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2032. The plan will ensure the sustainability of the forest resource, encourage continued biodiversity, and provide social and economic opportunities of the Crown forest.

The plan is being prepared in accordance with the Crown Forest Sustainability Act (1994), the Forest Management Planning Manual (2017), and Declaration Order MNR-75 -the ministry’s environmental assessment requirements for forest management on Crown lands in Ontario. The FMP will provide for the sustainability of the Crown forest on the management unit, and will outline the long-term strategic direction and objectives for the management related to:

• sustainability of the forest resource
• biodiversity
• social and economic matters (including timber harvest levels)
• the provision of forest cover for those values which are dependent on forest cover
• silviculture

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 One’ notice is to:

• invite your contribution to background information, particularly information relating to values and important ecological features that could be affected by forest management activities
• request your view of the desired forest condition and desired benefits which can be obtained from the forest
• request contributions to the background information to be used in planning

How to get involved

Please provide any comments or information to the Ministry Office listed below, or if you wish to meet and discuss your interests and concerns with the planning team or plan author, please contact the individuals identified below.

Background information and sources of direction that are available for you to view includes the following:

• description of the management responsibilities on the forest and of the forest industry that is supplied from the forest
• values maps showing natural resource features, land uses and values
• description of the historic forest condition
• a map of existing roads and their use management strategies
• management unit annual reports, audit reports, and provincial reports pertaining to forest management
• sources of direction for the forest such as past plans, land use plans, any relevant policy direction under the Endangered Species Act, 2007, the Ministry's provincial goals, objectives and policies for natural resource management

The background information and further information about the forest management planning process will be available for the duration of plan preparation.

The general information regarding the FMP process as well as the information described in this notice will be available at the MNRF Kenora Office during normal office hours from November 12 to December 12, 2019. Meetings with representatives of the planning team 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). The last possible date to seek issue resolution with Charlotte Caron of the planning team at the ministry’s Kenora office is December 12, 2019.

About the forest

The Kenora Forest is located in Northwestern Ontario with area in the MNRF Administrative District of Kenora. The Kenora Forest surrounds the communities of Kenora, Minaki, Redditt, Sioux Narrows and Nestor Falls. There are 12 Indigenous communities, more than 8,000 cottages and permanent residences outside of municipal boundaries, and approximately 134 main base lodges and outpost camps within this management unit.

In size, it has a total area of approximately 1.2 million hectares of which just less than half is managed Crown productive forest. The balance is non-forested land (water, private land) and non-productive forestland (muskeg, rock).

Predominant tree species found in this area include jack pine, black spruce, poplar, white spruce, white 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.

Miitigoog LP manages the Kenora Forest under a sustainable forest license (Number 550400). As such, the responsibility of forest management planning is currently held by Miitigoog Limited Partnership LP in consultation with the MNRF and the public. Miitigoog LP is also responsible for all of the forestry activities in the Kenora Forest including harvesting, road construction, renewal, and tending.

The Kenora Forest has wood supply commitments to Weyerhaeuser’s Timber Strand Engineered Lumber Facility, Prendiville Industries Limited (Kenora Forest Products Division- Sawmill Facility), E&G Custom Sawing, Wood fibre from the Kenora Forest may also go to other mills in Ontario via business-to-business negotiations.

Stay involved

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

Stage Two - Review of the Proposed Long-Term Management Direction October 1, 2020

Stage Three - Information Centre: Review of Proposed Operations March 1, 2021

Stage Four - Information Centre: Review of Draft Forest Management Plan August 2, 2021

Stage Five - Inspection of MNRF-Approved Forest Management Plan January 20, 2022

If you would like to be added to a mailing list to be notified of public involvement opportunities, please contact Shannon Diehl at 807-468-2538.

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: Shannon Diehl, MNRF District Business Coordinator, at 807-468-2538