Stage Five: Inspection of 2020-2030 Ministry-Approved Forest Management Plan for the Red Lake Forest

The planning process

The Forest Management Plan takes 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. The fourth opportunity (Stage Four) for this plan occurred from August 14, 2019 – October 14, 2019 when the public was invited to review and comment on the draft FMP.

The public was invited to review and comment on the plan development for the following stages:

Stage One – Invitation to Participate: November 28, 2017

Stage Two – Review of Long-Term Management Direction: July 18, 2018

Stage Three – Information Centre: Review of Proposed Operations: January 23, 2019

Stage Four – Information Centre:  Review of Draft Forest Management Plan: August 14, 2019

This Stage Five notice is to advise you that the MNRF-approved plan will be available for inspection for 30 days.

There are no further comments being considered during this inspection period.

Forest Management Plan Inspection – Final Opportunity

During the 30-day inspection, you may make a written request to the Director, Environmental Assessment and Permissions, Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, 1st Floor, 135 St. Clair Ave. West, Toronto, ON, M4V 1P5, for an individual environmental assessment of specific planned operations in the Ministry approved Forest Management Plan.

The approved plan and summary are available for inspection, by appointment, during normal office hours for 30 days: November 27, 2019 – December 27, 2019 at the following locations:

• Red Lake Forest Management Co. Ltd. 138 Howey St. PO Box 1338, Phone: (807) 727-3320
• MNRF Red Lake District, 227 Howey St. Po Box 5003, Red Lake On, P0V 2M0, Phone (807) 727-2575

Interested and affected persons and organizations can arrange an appointment with Ministry staff at the appropriate Ministry district or field office to discuss the Forest Management Plan.

About the forest

The Red Lake Forest is located in the Northwest Region and in the Red Lake administrative district. This forest includes Crown land north of Little Vermilion Lake, south to Pakwash Lake, east of Gullrock Lake and west to Indian House Lake. This 300,000-hectare forest includes portions of Woodland Caribou Provincial Park and Trout Lake Nature Reserve as well as Pakwash Provincial Park and Hammell Lake Conservation Reserve. The Municipality of Red Lake is also located within the forest.

The area is located in the boreal forest which contains the following common tree species: jack pine, black spruce, trembling aspen, white spruce, balsam poplar, and white birch; as well as lesser amounts of red pine, tamarack and black ash. The mining industry, tourism operators, bait harvesters, trappers, hunters and anglers are the other socio-economic users in the area. Historically, many communities in Northwestern Ontario have depended on wood flow from this forest, including Red Lake, Dryden, Ear Falls, Fort Frances, Hudson, Ignace, Kenora and Thunder Bay.

The forest is managed under the authority of a Sustainable Forest Licence, which has been issued by the Ministry to the Red Lake Forest Management Company Ltd. This company has been established through a partnership between the Red Lake Independent Loggers Ltd. and Domtar Inc.

Stay Involved

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.