Forest Health Management  - Insects and Diseases and, Invasive Species

Forest health management includes control programs, research, expert advice, education and transfer, development of pest control methods and products, policy development and implementation, development of best practices and their inclusion in forest management activities and interagency collaboration.

When specific forest health problems arise, such as an insect outbreak, a formal planning process is followed as outlined in the Forest Management Planning Manual.

A planning committee is formed with MNR district, specialist and regional staff, and representatives from the forest industry, Canadian Forest Service (CFS), the Ministry of the Environment and local citizens committees. The committee examines management options to address the problem. These can include letting the event run its course, undertaking control programs, and carrying out salvage, accelerated or redirected harvest. The committee makes recommendations to the MNR Regional Director, and the resulting program is implemented by either by MNR or the forest industry, or both. Funding for forest pest management programs can be provided by the Forestry Futures Trust.

Research and Development

Research and development in forest health in Ontario is conducted by several agencies. Staff at the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR's) Ontario Forest Research Institute focus mainly on forest pathology. The CFS conducts research in all aspects of forest health, including entomology, pathology, forest decline, climate change, forest health monitoring methodologies, impacts on forest health, development of pest control methods and products, ecosystem impacts of pest management activities, biological control, pheromones, exotic organisms, and more.

MNR provides leadership in research and development by either conducting the work in-house or cooperating in partnership with others such as the CFS, universities, and private companies. One such partnership conducting research and development in forest health is Spray Efficiency Research Group (SERG), whose members include representatives from most other Canadian provinces, CFS and the U.S. Forest Service.

Partnerships

Specialists from MNR, CFS, university partners and private companies provide expert advice, educate, and share technology and information on forest health. Fact sheets, forest health alerts, advice on common pest problems and forest health reports are available on the Ontario's Forests website and at district offices. Workshops, public meetings, media releases, and mail outs are also used to provide rapid and timely information on specific issues, such as insect outbreaks or droughts.

A partnership among MNR, Science North in Sudbury and the CFS delivers an education and awareness program to provide the public with information and advice during the ongoing forest tent caterpillar outbreak. Information is available from fact sheets, on a dedicated website, via e-mail questions or by calling a toll-free number.

Ontario, as well as the rest of Canada and the United States, is under increasing threat from exotic organisms that affect forest health and our ability to trade with other nations. The lead agency for addressing exotic organisms is the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). MNR works with the CFIA, CFS, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, the forest industry and other parties to prevent exotic organisms from becoming established, and to control or eradicate those exotic species that do get established.