Forest Management Planning in Ontario

Introduction

The primary objective of forest management on Crown land in Ontario is to ensure the long-term health of forest ecosystems.

In Ontario, there are more than 70 million hectares of forested land. The province of Ontario owns 90 percent of this area, referred to as “Crown forest”. About 26 million hectares of Crown forest is managed for a broad range of uses and benefits, including timber production.

Through MNR's forest management planning process, forest managers ensure that the forests of Ontario will remain healthy in the future to provide sustainable benefits such as timber and commercial products, wildlife habitat, and recreation opportunities for the people of Ontario.

Although the management of Crown forests in Ontario is the responsibility of the provincial government, this responsibility is shared with forest products companies and communities.

There is a significant role for the citizens of Ontario, including stakeholders, Aboriginal communities and environmental groups, to participate in the planning process. Their involvement helps to balance the social, economic and environmental objectives of the management of the Crown forest.