Volume IV Issue 2
WHAT’S INSIDE . . . Species at Risk Initiatives a Great Success!
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Wood Centre Update
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In Loving Memory of a Dear Friend, Craig Huff, R.P.F.
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EOMF Achieves FSC Stamp of Approval Second Time Running!
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FSC Certified Maple Syrup to Hit the Shelves!
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EOMF Assists Lanark Country Community Forest in Achieving FSC Certification
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Canadian Model Forest Network Finds New Home
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The Events Roster
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A spring peeper finds its voice! ~ Photo courtesy of Simon Lunn ~
Spring 2008 Species at Risk Initiatives a Great Success! Late last fall, three new faces arrived at the EOMF office to begin work on two species at risk (SAR) initiatives aimed at improving SAR protection and management in eastern Ontario. Funded by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Species at Risk Stewardship Fund, the first would increase SAR awareness using a grassroots approach by promoting SAR through public outreach and education; the second would improve our knowledge of the location of SAR on the landscape in the region by collecting SAR observations from various sources. Heather Lunn spearheaded the Outreach and Education Program on Species at Risk by delivering a series of presentations, beginning the long-term process of increasing awareness and knowledge and promoting SAR stewardship. The presentations were directed at specific sectors of the population including landowners, conservation organizations, service clubs, students and other interest groups, and focused on encouraging positive stewardship and inspiring people to become involved. “It is critical that accurate information be provided to rural landowners in an easy-to-understand manner through their own forums and that this information is consistent and supported by a broad range of local organizations,” says Lunn. These presentations have been added to existing workshop materials on SAR in Ontario as part of
the Caring for Your Land Workshop Series, developed by the EOMF. Updates to the SAR workshop include seven modules, and six separate presentations adapted for different audiences including handouts as well as a plain language guidebook discussing current issues, concerns and legislative changes. These materials will be made available online via the EOMF website.
Elysia Brunet and Rick Marcantonio headed the Species at Risk Data Mining Project, focused on collecting previously recorded SAR observations that have not been submitted to the Natural Heritage Information Centre’s (NHIC) Biotics Database. Currently, NHIC’s Biotics Database is the principal source for SAR information in Ontario and is used as a tool in the municipal planning process to identify sensitive features on the landscape. Engaging the EOMF’s network of partners, the team contacted over 56 organizations and individuals ranging from conservation authorities and Continued on Page 2...
Species at Risk . . .Continued from Page 1 municipalities to naturalist clubs. The team recorded a total of 1,828 new observations capturing 210 different species. Of these observations, there were no records in the current NHIC database for 117 of these species within the EOMF area. These results are subject to verification and quality assessment by NHIC, before they are entered into the database. The team also developed guidelines for collecting and managing SAR information, which was delivered to each project partner. The guidelines include: a step-by-step description of the A lack of information is one of the procedures; a database template; greatest challenges facing species at a glossary, and; a description risk stewardship efforts in eastern of critical information needed Ontario. In order to protect, recover, for each observation. These guidelines were developed to or undertake targeted stewardship of improve SAR data collection species at risk, historical and current and management and to information on where species occur encourage the submission of on the landscape is needed. SAR observations to the NHIC. The success of these species at risk initiatives was largely a result of the cooperative spirit that exists within the EOMF partnership network. Many thanks to our partners for your contributions to this critical work. You too can help by becoming a species at risk steward and by submitting your species at risk observations online to the NHIC at: http://nhic.mnr.gov.on.ca/MNR/nhic/species/species_report.cfm. For more information on these initiatives please contact Elizabeth Holmes, Program Planning & Analysis Coordinator (EOMF), at (613) 258-8415 or eholmes@eomf.on.ca.
Wood Centre Update The EOMF continues to forge ahead with the Ontario East Wood Centre (OEWC) project. Pre-engineering and architectural concepts for the OEWC have been completed by Totten Sims Hubicki & Associates. Marketing materials have been created by TD Graham + Associates, including a first-rate website—we encourage you to visit www.woodcentre.ca. An Implementation Team has made contacts with over 100 individuals, businesses, and organizations that have shown an interest in the OEWC. And, with the help of Denzil Doyle and Dennis Senik of Doyletech Corporation we have been building on the strong interest and varied value propositions that have been brought forward. For more information please contact Brian Barkley, General Manager of the EOMF, at (613) 258-8424 or Sandra Lawn, Project Leader, at (613) 925-5568.
Envisioned as a world-scale value-added wood processing, marketing and exporting complex, the OEWC will run north from County Road 2 on about 50 acres of land within the 370-acre Edwardsburgh/Cardinal Industrial Park adjacent to the Port of Prescott. 2
In Loving Memory of a Dear Friend, Craig Huff, R.P.F. 1956-2008 By Michael Rosen, Tree Canada
The timing of the call could not have been more ironic. The day that he passed, the person who had hired us as students for the National Capital Commission’s (NCC) Dutch elm disease program, Ayyam Perumal (aka Ian Nadar), called me. “Mike”, he said, “I want to talk to you about a couple of things – first off, I hear that Craig Huff is not well…” I felt the emotions rushing to my voice as I told him the bad news. The gasp on the other end of the phone was profound. When someone passes away young in life it is almost always a very sad story. But when that someone is contributing to his profession and enjoying life from every possible angle, the story becomes even sadder. Craig grew up in Lennoxville, Quebec working his undergraduate summers for a local tree service company and the NCC. His motivation for entering forestry was typical of the era: “a love of the outdoors.” His career choice was urban forestry and he represented the “second wave” of Canadian urban foresters very well… Soon after graduation from UNB in 1979, he worked for the NCC. After sixteen years he achieved the rank of Chief, Operations and Rehabilitation. But he paid his dues…. We are not sure why, but when the Queen visited in the 1980s, he was responsible for following the Queen’s Carriage to pick up her Majesty’s Royal horse droppings. Although he hid his face from the crowd who lined the streets, it was supposedly one of his proudest moments while on the job.
When the NCC changed direction, he was hired in 1995 as the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton’s first “urban forester”…and he was proud. Municipal amalgamation six years later meant he moved to the “new” City of Ottawa as the first (and far less romantic) “Manager of Forestry Services.” He worked in an engineering environment where he was “the tree guy.” It wasn’t easy. His fellow engineers’ reactions to trees ranged from tacit acceptance to bemused tolerance to outright rejection. For some, protecting trees during construction was folly. Trees (as “cute” as they were) were an obstacle – something to minimize. Craig changed a lot of those attitudes through his keen sense of professionalism, his preparation and his hard work. With the years, many of those same engineers came to understand the value of protecting the green infrastructure that Craig fought for. And there was the community. Craig developed many programs to encourage tree planting on municipal and private land. Cost-sharing, and education programs. Community forestry programs including the Ottawa Forests and Greenspace Advisory Committee, Green Acres in rural Ottawa and the Trees, Reforestation and Environmental Enhancement (TREE) programs. Being most comfortable in the arboricultural world, he came to join the profession of forestry later in his career partly due to his acceptance as a professional by his fellow civil
engineers, and partly to make sure that an urban forestry voice was heard in the profession. Once there, he became a capable spokesman, and served diligently. With his wry sense of humour and his even-keel personality, he typified the hard-working, noneffacing image of the professional (albeit urban) forester. At his funeral, many kind and touching things were said. His supervisor Ray Yantha emphasized the Craig Huff at work: thorough, strong work ethic, and how much he was respected. His son Miles, in an especially remarkable tribute, paid homage to a family man in as upbeat and passionate manner as possible: “Then came the times where I would attend his tree plantings…I’m not much of an early riser. However, I always loved the free McDonald’s breakfasts and staying out all day....in the rain....with wet socks. But Dad Continued on Page 8 ...
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Certification Spotlight EOMF Achieves FSC Stamp of Approval Second Time Running! The EOMF has recently achieved Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification through SmartWood, an independent auditor. The EOMF received its original certification in 2003 and has now been recertified for a period of five additional years (2008-2013). “The recertification of the EOMF is significant in that it will allow us to continue to expand the certified landbase in eastern Ontario, building on the solid partnerships that we’ve established between landowners, community forests and various conservation-based organizations,” noted Brian Barkley, General Manager of the EOMF. The EOMF, through two private woodlot groups and four community-based forests, now has 26,500 hectares certified with the FSC. The long-term vision for the EOMF is to provide a system for multiple forest managers who wish to manage according to the standards of the FSC. The project is managed by the Certification Working Group, which is comprised of individuals and organizations whose active participation provides EOMF’s certification effort with a wide range of perspectives. Rob Keen, SmartWood Team Leader, comments, “One of the interesting aspects of the EOMF style is the trust that it has been able to generate with a group of forest owners who have been suspicious of loggers and forest managers in general. EOMF has been able to help this group to understand their forest better, and in so doing has brought some wood to the certified market that would just not be available otherwise.” “With this model forest, we have worked to develop a responsible approach that is balanced and ensures the best long-term interest of the forest while taking into account the needs and interests of landowners, community forest owners and others who depend of the forest,” said Barkley. “Through FSC certification we have designed something that covers the full spectrum of activities that are involved in managing the forest, from the formulation of owner objectives to carrying out work on the ground. We now have a process to do good work, enhance our knowledge and skills, and build trust amongst all of those involved – landowners, consultants, contractors, consumers. This will complement work under the Forest Communities Program where we are working with processors who are interested in using certified wood in their operations.”
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For information on the EOMF Forest Certification Program contact Scott Davis at (613) 258-8422 or sdavis@eomf.on.ca
FSC Certified Maple Syrup to Hit the Shelves! For the first time in eastern Ontario maple syrup producers will be able to market and sell their syrup as certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The FSC is an international certification and labeling system that guarantees that the forest products you purchase come from responsibly managed forests. Under FSC certification, forests are certified against a set of strict environmental and social standards, and products from certified forests are tracked all the way to the consumer through the chain of custody system. The end result is products in the marketplace carrying the FSC ‘check-tree’ logo. In 2003 the EOMF achieved FSC certification through the SmartWood program of the Rainforest Alliance. The goal of the certification program was to provide private woodlot owners and community forests with the access to affordable FSC certification for their forests. Currently there are over 26,500 hectares of FSC certified forest in eastern Ontario and recently the EOMF has explored non-timber forest products. Scott Davis, Forest Certification Coordinator, says, The woodlot owners that participate in our certification program are eligible to market and sell their syrup as FSC certified once they agree to some conditions. The syrup is really the same as any other – we are just recognizing the responsible management that went into the woodlot that created the sap and syrup.” Monkland maple syrup producers Gary and Jean Ivens are participating members of the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry (SD&G) Certified Forest Owners Group and will be among the first to produce FSC certified maple syrup in Canada. “There are a number of regulations that one must follow when producing syrup on a commercial basis. FSC certification is voluntary and showcases the care taken in the forest – not just the grade of the syrup. This is just another milestone achievement for the SD&G Certified Forest Owners, which has been operating in the area since July 2006,” says Jim Hendry, Stewardship Coordinator for Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry. Look for the FSC logo on products produced from FSC certified forests in eastern Ontario!
Gary and Jean Ivens are members of the SD&G Certified Forest Owners Group and producers of FSC certified maple syrup.
Nature’s gift...FSC certified!
For information about participating in the EOMF certification program or to purchase FSC certified maple syrup please contact Scott Davis at (613) 258-8422.
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EOMF Assists Lanark County Community Forest in Achieving FSC Certification Through the Forest Certification Program of the EOMF, and with the forest management support of Mississippi Valley Conservation, Lanark County Community Forest has recently achieved FSC certification through SmartWood, an independent auditor. Brian Barkley, General Manager of the EOMF, outlined the significance of the certification: “The Lanark certification will complement a strong network of certified forests forming on the landscape of this region, including community forests owned by the United Counties of Prescott and Russell, the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, and South Nation Conservation.”
Susan Freeman, chair of the Forestry sub-committee, added, “Independent international standards demonstrate accountability and ensure credible forest management activities for the residents of the County of Lanark. This is a truly positive step for the community forest. It was our strong belief that it was critically important to demonstrate that Lanark County Community Forest was being managed to a world-class standard. The committee managing this process should feel proud.”
The EOMF certificate also includes a group of 65 private landowners covering over 4,500 hectares. The total land base the EOMF manages within the certificate – including both private and community forests – is now over 26,500 hectares. For more on the EOMF certification program contact Scott Davis at (613) 258-8422 or sdavis@eomf.on.ca.
The Lanark County Community Forest is a 4,638-hectare county owned forest that includes wetlands, natural forest, and a network of managed plantations. In 2001 Lanark County took full responsibility for managing the forest through the County’s Public Works Department. The County’s goal is to maintain a mosaic of healthy community forests that are managed sustainably providing social, economic, scientific, cultural and spiritual benefits to the people of Lanark. Members of the Lanark County Forestry sub-committee accept FSC certification sign from EOMF’s Scott Davis.
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Canadian Model Forest Network Finds New Home Coming soon . . .
Since 1992, Canada’s model forests, including the EOMF, have promoted sustainable forest management and innovation in Canada and abroad under the moniker of the Canadian Model Forest Network (CMFN). Until 2006, this loose grouping of model forests gathered together twice a year for meetings and consultation and worked collaboratively on national initiatives such as private woodlots, climate change and criteria and indicators. In May 2006, the Canadian model forests came together and formalized their partnership by incorporating the not-for-profit CMFN. Since then, this new national entity has transformed from a set of ideas and intentions into something more tangible. Under the leadership of EOMF’s Past President, David Neave, the CMFN signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) promoting cooperation and collaborative work with Natural Resources Canada and later a five-year Contribution Agreement was also signed. In January 2008, a new General Manager was hired. David Winston’s professional career spans more than 40 years in management and scientific research related to forestry and environmental sciences in the Canadian Forest Service, the Province of Ontario, as well as a private consultant. He is a welcome addition to CMFN. In February, the CMFN signed a MOU with the Argentine Model Forest Network to develop collaborative arrangements in program management, communications, science and research, and knowledge transfer. One of the first concrete examples is collaborative research already underway in the field of forest criteria and indicators (C&I). In March, the CMFN took up formal residence in Kemptville, next to the offices of the EOMF. The new office provides a convenient, affordable work space and central headquarters for the CMFN as it moves forward.
“The EOMF is one of the original founding members of the CMFN and has been a valuable partner in helping us get off to a fast start.”
“It is still early days for the CMFN,” says Winston. “Right now, our focus is two-pronged. One is scoping out the possible strategic initiatives that ~ Dave Winston, General Manager, CMFN might be of interest for model forests across the country. These ideas include carbon accounting, aboriginal youth programs, ecological goods and services, community criteria and indicators, species at risk, and climate change.” The second focus is bringing new members into the Network. Under the Forest Communities Program four new potential sites – Lac St. Jean Model Forest and Le Bourdon at Mont Laurier, both in Quebec; Northeast Superior Forest Community in northeast Ontario; and Clayoquot Forest Communities Program on Vancouver Island – are expected to join in June and become active participants.
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Continued from Page 3 . . . In Loving Memory of a Dear Friend was doing what he loved: working with other people and planting trees.” His co-worker David Barkley, who Craig had originally hired as a student, took on greater job responsibilities and helped Craig function with the outside world during his illness – he kept us all updated. Then there was his tremendously supportive and loving family. His wife of 24 years, Glenda, his parents Colin and Claudia, his younger brother Cary, and his children Miles and Emma. There were many, many who came to pay their respects to a man whose life ended way too early. Ottawa Councilor Peter Hume in his address to Council put it best, “…for those of you, who like I do, need a place for my grief, I will this Spring plant a tree, and from this year to the next and for every year after, my Team will care for the Craig Huff tree.”
The Events Roster Summer 2008 Celebrating 90 Years of Research Petawawa Research Forest, Chalk River Ninety years of research! That’s what’s being celebrated at the Petawawa Research Forest this year and the Friends of the Petawawa Research Forest will be assisting with the events planned to mark this milestone. The Visitors Centre has a wonderful selection of displays and exhibit boards, forest and water nature trails, a forest theatre, two-storey tree house, picnic area and a white pine demonstration forest. For more information on events and location visit www.friendsofprf.ca. September 27, 2008 Forest Fair of Eastern Ontario / Ontario’s Best Log & Lumber Auction Ferguson Forest Centre, Kemptville Join us for the thirteenth edition of the Forest Fair. The ever-poplar fair will feature everything from forestry exhibits and demonstrations to horse-drawn wagon rides and live music. Plus, once again we’ll be holding the best log and lumber auction in Ontario, with thousands of board feet of logs, lumber, and specialty pieces up for grabs. Don’t miss out on the bidding! For more information call us at (613) 258-8241 or visit www.eomf.on.ca.
Donations in Craig’s honour can be made to the Canadian Cancer Society or to Tree Canada where a legacy project will be started in his name.
Forestry Forum is a publication of the Eastern Ontario Model Forest, a proud member of Canada’s Model Forest Network. Aussi disponible en français. ISSN 1201-3978
Please send comments and articles to: Elizabeth Holmes Editor, Forestry Forum c/o Eastern Ontario Model Forest 10 Campus Drive, P.O. Bag 2111 Kemptville, Ontario, K0G 1J0 Phone: (613) 258-8415 E-mail: eholmes@eomf.on.ca Web site: www.eomf.on.ca
Please call for details concerning submission deadlines. We look forward to hearing from you.