The Ontario government, along with other public agencies and private firms, fosters ecologically sound forest management on private lands through a variety of measures.
Ontario has a total land area of 107.6 million hectares of which 14.0 million hectares are privately owned. Of the total land base, 71.3 million hectares are forested of which 7.6 million hectares are privately owned.
About half of the privately owned forests are in southern part of Ontario. In the southwestern part of the province there is less than 5% forest cover and nearly all of these remnant woodlands are privately owned and have a special ecological significance. Ontario’s commitment to healthy forest ecosystems extends to these private forests, although it does not have the same direct stewardship responsibility as for Crown forests.
The Ontario government encourages private land stewardship through information and incentives and by providing a framework for protection of resources at the municipal level. In accordance with applicable laws, the ultimate decision of how private land in Ontario will be managed is made by the landowner.
