- Forest Compliance Handbook
- Forest Operations Information Program (FOIP)
- Annual Reports of Forest Operations Inspections
- Forest Compliance Strategy (the strategy is located in the Forest Compliance Handbook pages 16 to 22)
Forest Compliance Monitoring
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In Ontario, the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) through a vigorous compliance monitoring program of forest operations, assesses activities for compliance with all applicable laws, plans and rules.
Preventing damage to the Crown forest and ensuring remedial action is the primary focus of forest operations compliance monitoring and inspection. Ontario has developed a credible forest operations compliance monitoring program to inspect and report on access, harvest, renewal and maintenance activities.
The forest operations compliance monitoring program was designed to ensure that forest operations in Crown forests are conducted in compliance with legislation and according to approved plans (e.g. forest management, fire management, compliance) and operational standards.
The Forest Operations Information Program (FOIP) collects and stores information from all forest compliance inspection reports for analysis and reporting to MNR, the forest industry and the public.
The compliance monitoring program is integral to ensuring the sustainable management of Ontario's forests. Continued improvement and adaptive management allow this program to increase its effectiveness and improve its contribution to ensuring sustainable forest management.
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A properly installed culvert prevents site damage and allows fish passage | A good example of shelterwood harvest in White Pine |
Self Monitoring and Reporting Compliance – A Partnership Model
In Ontario, forest operations compliance is delivered through a partnership model between the forest industry and the MNR. The program includes planning, monitoring, inspection, reporting, training and education, planning, and monitoring (inspecting and reporting).
Forest Industry role:
The Sustainable Forest Licence (SFL) holder, as conditions of the licence, carries out several activities including:
- forest management planning
- harvesting
- access road construction
- forest renewal and maintenance (tending & insect/disease protection)
As part of the compliance partnership model, they monitor and report on compliance of forest operations to legislation, approved plans and operational standards on their licence area. The SFL holder is legally required to report all incidents of non-compliance on their management unit to MNR within specified timelines. This includes infractions incurred by an SFL holder, overlapping licensees, and contractors who contravene the Crown Forest Sustainability Act. They are also required to report incidents they discover that are caused by non-related persons (like a private individual) but these are not recorded against the SFL holder.
Ministry of Natural Resources' role:
MNR is the regulatory agency with respect to forest operations compliance and is responsible for:
- monitoring/auditing
- spot-checking forest industry activities
- investigation
- enforcement and,
- determining remedies
MNR verifies all instances of non-compliance reported by forest industry and determines an appropriate remedy to apply.
On the few Crown management units where no SFL exists, MNR still conducts forest operations inspections, and delivers all aspects of the compliance program.
Forest Operations Compliance Inspectors
All forest operations compliance inspectors are required to be certified, whether they work for MNR, forest industry or a company providing compliance inspection services. They are trained and certified to ensure their credibility and the integrity of the forest compliance program. They are required to renew their certification every five years.
Harvesting when the site is too wet can cause unnecessary damage.
Reporting
All inspections conducted by certified forest compliance inspectors are documented in inspection reports. These reports are submitted to and stored in the provincial web-based database system called Forest Operations Information Program (FOIP).
Management unit summaries of reports of forest operations inspections are made available to the public on this web site and provincial summaries of inspections are included in the provincial Annual Report on Forest Management.
Copies of individual reports of forest operations inspections are also available by request, from MNR’s local district offices.
