The Timiskaming Forest is an Exceptionally Well Managed Forest,
Independent Review Confirms

A recent Independent Forest Audit has concluded that the Timiskaming Forest in north-eastern Ontario, under management of Timiskaming Forest Alliance Inc. (TFAI), is an exceptionally well managed forest.

The auditors attributed the success to the strong leadership from the staff and shareholders of the Timiskaming Forest Alliance as well as from the support of committed local Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources District staff and an engaged public.

"The excellent forest renewal, the efficient harvest blocks, the well-maintained access network, and the very strong commitment to effective sustainable management by the TFAI and the OMNR District staff support the conclusion that current management of the Timiskaming Forest is sustainable."

The audit team concluded that TFAI's cooperative model for managing forests is "an example of corporate democracy and governance that deserves further study" for other forests in Ontario.

"We are naturally pleased with these audit results," said Allan Foley, General Manager of the TFAI. "In addition to the positive assessment of our forest management program, I am also encouraged that the auditors recognized that our cooperative model for managing forests in Timiskaming could benefit the entire province."

The audit team found that both short and long term habitat requirements for wildlife species and biodiversity is being addressed in the forest plans and that the renewal of harvested areas is excellent. It determined that "the Timiskaming Forest has an excellent new forest growing" and that it will maintain all existing species and species mixes in the forest.

Among the auditors other findings:

The auditors also reported in their findings that "the staff of the TFAI knows this forest well" and that the operating shareholders have "demonstrated a clear interest in ensuring the forest is operational long into the future."

The report also concluded that "the biological estate that is the Timiskaming Forest is in good shape."

"We want people to understand that the on-going maintenance of a healthy forest is a key to long-term sustainability for the Timiskaming region," said Paul Fantin, Management Forester with TFAI. "The rigorous forest management standards set in Ontario are recognized internationally and this audit independently confirms that TFAI routinely exceeds these standards."

The forest cooperative, the auditors observed, has an open and interactive relationship with members of the Local Citizen's Committee, who provide regular input on environmental and forestry issues of concern to them. The auditors also noted that there are more native cultural sites identified and protected on the Timiskaming Forest than in any forest in Ontario - over 450.

The Timiskaming Forest is approximately 1.1 million hectares (2.7 million acres) in size and extends north and west of the city of Temiskaming Shores in north-eastern Ontario. The forest is a six hour drive north from Toronto and in addition to supporting a dynamic forest industry, is highly valued for its outdoor recreation, tourism, hunting and angling and remote areas.

In October of 1994, the local members of Timiskaming's forest industry broke tradition when they put aside their competing economic interests on the land base and united to negotiate a new business relationship with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. This new arrangement lead to the development of a cooperative-model forest management company that assumed the forest management responsibilities for the former Crown managed forests within the Kirkland Lake Administrative District.

The shareholders of TFAI include Domtar in Elk Lake, Norbord in Cochrane, Cheminis Lumber in Larder Lake, Grant Forest Products in Englehart, and Liskeard Lumber in Temiskaming Shores. In addition to the forest products producers, three independent logging operators, Rosko Forestry Operations in Kirkland Lake, Wilf Paiement & Sons in Earlton, and Greg Woollings in Kirkland Lake are also shareholders of the company. On April 1, 2006, the adjacent Shining Tree forest was amalgamated into the Timiskaming Forest and Abitibi-Consolidated in Iroquois Falls became the ninth shareholder of the Timiskaming Forest management cooperative.

The independent audit of forest management on the Timiskaming Forest covered the period from April 1, 1999 to March 31, 2004. Auditors conducted their review during the summer and fall of 2004. The audit included an extensive review of the plans and records of forestry activities, along with field visits to 83 sites where TFAI had carried out forest operations. The auditors sought input through public mail-in surveys, newspaper advertisements, radio announcements and interviews, a public meeting, and interviews with members of the Kirkland Lake Local Citizens Committee (LCC).

The purpose of an Independent Forest Audit is to assess the management of a forest with legislative and policy requirements and to evaluate planned forest management activities against actual results.

Audit reports provide an independent report to the citizens of Ontario on how well their public forests are being managed.

The full audit report can be viewed at OMNR's website ontariosforests.mnr.gov.on.ca (click on Audit under the "Managing Ontario's Forests" links, listed in the line that reads "Forest Monitoring, Audit, Certification").

The audit can also be viewed on the Timiskaming Forest Alliance Inc. website here.

The audit was tabled in the Ontario Legislature on May 6, 2006.

For more information contact:
Paul Fantin, R.P.F., Management Forester,
Timiskaming Forest Alliance Inc.
705-544-2828

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