Forest Health Management

Are you moving firewood? Invasive pests and diseases pose a serious threat to our forests. Movement of infested firewood is the leading cause of their spread. Help keep them Out » Important information you should read!

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

The MNR facilitates research on forest health through the work of scientists at the ministry's Ontario Forest Research Institute, who are working on invasive tree diseases such as butternut canker and white pine blister rust, and through partnerships with others such as Natural Resources Canada, universities, and private companies. One such partnership is SERG International, which includes members from most other Canadian provinces, the Canadian Forest Service and the U.S. Forest Service. This group collaborates in research and technology in forest pest management.

Invasive species increasingly threaten the health of Ontario's forests and our ability to trade with other nations. Ontario works with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), the Canadian Forest Service (CFS), the forest industry and other parties to prevent invasive forest pests from moving into Ontario and to manage or eradicate those that do.

Ontario is working with groups such as the Ontario Invasive Plant Council, the Forest Pest Management Forum, the Ontario Vegetation Management Association, the Ontario Weed Committee and more. These groups enable organizations to work together on legislation, management and control of invasive species.

Partnerships

The MNR has created partnerships with the Government of Canada, universities and private companies to provide expert advice, education and information on forest insects, diseases and invasive species. Fact sheets, forest health alerts, advice on pest problems and forest health reports are available on the Forests in Ontario website and at Ministry of Natural Resources district offices. Workshops, public meetings and media releases are also used to provide helpful and timely information on issues such as insect outbreaks.

A partnership among MNR, Science North in Sudbury and the CFS delivered an education and awareness program to provide the public with information and advice during the ongoing forest tent caterpillar outbreak. Information was available such as fact sheets, 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.