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Canada, the second largest nation in the world and the largest in North America. More importantly, lies third in the list of countries with the highest composition of forests. This is vitally in proportion to area of the country. It is also third with respect to the covered area from forests. Comparatively, to the total forest region in the whole world. These stats are good enough to show the importance of forests. Significantly, for the second largest country of the world and the largest country in North America. According to world stats Canada is third with 34.1%. These stats are w.r.t composition of forest land with total area, where Russia is 49.40% and Brazil 61.90%.
Apart from incredible values attached to wild life, forests are a huge source of plenty of natural resources. According to stats from OFIA, i.e. Ontario Forest Industries Association. Ontario is the province which has 66% of Ontario’s land covered with forests. Statistically, followed by Nova Scotia 75%, and New Brunswick at 85%. This shows that Ontario is the hub of key activities in Canada’s provinces. More importantly, also consists of Toronto and Ottawa as the key cities. Furthermore, it is also ahead in terms of forestry and forestry management in Canada.
WHY IT HOLDS HUGE IMPORTANCE?
The incredible values attached to sustainable forestry management provides the long term health of Ontario’s forests and its sustainability. It also provides to a huge extent social, economic and finally environmental benefits to the inhabitants of Ontario. Amongst the publicly owned forests, Crown lands is a mammoth 90% of Ontario’s forests. Included in list of managed forests is 44% of the Crown lands. Hence, the key activities of forest management in Ontario are managed by the law for sustainability. Obviously, the benefits that are associated with Sustainable forest management for the sake of helping the Ontario’s forests are as follows:
- For the sake of forests to remain healthy and productive
- To support various Ontario communities in providing recreational activities that includes hiking, hunting, fishing and more.
- For the provision of a healthy living environment
- To support a very strong & productive forest industry. Also providing people with job opportunities and different forest products.
- For the conservation of biodiversity, and for the protection of wildlife and natural habitat. As well as for the reduction of build-up of greenhouse gases that is a huge cause of climate change.
HOW TO MANAGE CROWN FORESTS- ONTARIO FORESTRY:
Regards to managing the Crown Forests in Ontario that accounts for 44% of total crown forests. More importantly, there are some vital regulations in place. The Crown forests sustainability Act are the set of regulations for the protection and sustainable use of Ontario’s forested lands. For the ultimate goals of achieving sustainable forest management, the following are some rules in place;
- A proper forest management planning system in place
- A compliance program & highly independent audits for the monitoring of forest progress.
- A highly comprehensive system of rules, regulations, policies, key standards and important guidance.
- A properly designed reporting system on all the aspects of forest management.
FUTURE FORESTS MANAGEMENT PLANS:
Regards to the future forests management plans there are plenty of activities in place and planned in advance. The following are the forest management plans:
- The plans are prepared for a period that lasts for at least a decade.
- They are according to the forest management planning manual.
The main aim is sustainability in parallel to finding a balance of social, environmental and economic values.