ONTARIO REPORT
by William F. Murphy, RPF General Manager

What is a milestone? Bowater Woodlands Operation Thunder Bay just had one. They have just celebrated the planting of their 400 millionth tree seedling on crown land. This forest company has done over 25 years of regeneration work on several management units in Northwestern Ontario, indicating their commitment to the continued reforestation program originally outlined by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR). There were dignitaries from the Thunder Bay Mill, woodlands, and from head office participating in the event as well as several groups, allied suppliers, and individuals who were part of the 25 year commitment. It was also the beginning of the Bowater “Urban Forest”, designed by Bill Klages and Rick Groves, working with Megan Thompson, Haveman Brothers Forestry Services, the Lakehead University Timberwolves woodsman team, and the Bowater Mill crew. The first plantings of the urban forest were established with 2-4 year old conifer seedlings representing some of the species found on the Bowater management units and in the city of Thunder Bay. 

The Ontario government has made a commitment to Southern Ontario’s afforestation program. In Phase 1 of the program, the OMNR, through its partnership with the Trees Ontario Foundation (TOF), will invest more than $4 million to support the planting of 2 million more trees by 2009. The OMNR will also work with TOF and its partners to build annual tree planting to levels that will meet the target of 50 million trees by 2020. We in Northern Ontario do have a concern that our 200,000 hectares of vacant land available for planting is not being addressed within this program. We are totally dependent on TOF and their decision to provide northern landowners with tree seedling stock. The last program, which was initiated by the federal government through the Canadian Forestry Service and implemented through TOF, was initially destined for Southern Ontario. Northern Ontario was allowed to participate when it was found that Southern Ontario landowners were not as well informed as they are now, or that they were not respecting the program due to the commitment of the landowner to supply some of the dollars. The difference between the two programs is that now TOF has a workable plan that has been in continuous motion for the past two years. Let’s hope that 50 million trees do make it into the ground by 2020.