Forestry 2021

Web Editor Forestry

Forestry in 2021

Archived content – for the latest forestry update please visit https://www.kapoa.ca/forestry/

Updated November 2021 (posts from 2020)

There are forestry activities currently underway or planned for Kamaniskeg Lake:

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Stage 4 Comment Period for Ottawa Valley Forest Management Plan 2021-2031 (Kamaniskeg Lake east, TPM trails)

The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF), Ottawa Valley Forest Inc. (OVF) and the Ottawa Valley Local Citizens’ Advisory Committee (LCAC) invite you to participate in a Stage 4 review of the Draft Forest Management Plan (FMP) for the Ottawa Valley Forest from June 30 to Aug 29, 2021. This is the 4th of 5 public comment opportunities during the 2021-2031 FMP process.

In the prior stage the public was invited to comment on OVF’s planned areas of harvest, confirmed road corridors and proposed operational road boundaries.

During this process KAPOA successfully negotiated 30 meter buffers with OVF for all of the Thomas P. Murray (TPM) trails, meaning that your future hiking experiences will remain under a canopy cover.

This notice is to specifically invite you to review and comment on:

  • the draft FMP, and
  • to provide input to the background information

Comments from the public will be considered in revisions to the draft FMP.

The Stage 4 documents have been made available to the public effective June 30 for a period of 60 days at the Natural Resources Information Portal:

Information Posting [scroll to the bottom of the page to select the document to review]

Comments on the FMP for the Ottawa Valley Forest must be received by Krista Watters of the planning team by Aug 29, 2021. These may be submitted on the MNRF Consultation page referenced above via a link at the bottom of the page, or by email. Please consider cc’ing forestry@kapoa.ca.

Contacts

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Bancroft-Minden Forest Management Plan 2021-2031 (Kamaniskeg Lake lower basin)

BMFC is currently compiling and responding to all public comments received from the Stage 4 Draft Forest Management Plan (FMP) review conducted this spring.

KAPOA as well as some of our membership submitted comments and questions, covering a variety of topics including:

  • KAPOA has obtained a commitment from BMFC and MNRf to be included in site or field visits during operational planning for the River Road (2021) & Hinterland (2022-2031) harvesting, to be followed by a written agreement formalizing harvesting, road access and landings near trails. This is in response to our request for more protections for trails in these areas
  • We continue to ensure that BMFC has an accurate record of the documented trails in the vicinity of River Road and Hinterland Beach for consideration when operational planning is underway
  • Requested updates to resource maps for bald eagle nests around the lake
  • Requested to understand the significance of the “Crown Land – Non Freehold Disposition” identified areas surrounding all of Kamaniskeg and Bark Lakes (water and shoreline)
  • Requested to understand established limits for Contingency Harvest Area and in what circumstances they would be promoted to preferred harvest
  • Requested clarification of the “bridging” of harvest areas from the last 10-year plan into the next 10-year plan (in this case, the River Road bridging area)
  • Questioned whether harvest planning considerations included minimizing disturbance to the residents and forest within close geographic areas i.e., the south basin of Kamaniskeg Lake has being identified for harvesting or already harvested within less than 2 full plan periods in the areas of: Parcher Road, River Road and Hinterland Beach. Given that these identified areas are large and economically viable, BMFC is removing sizeable swaths of forest and changing the recreational landscape in a short timeframe
  • Expressed continued concern with the lack of notification to adjoining properties regarding impending harvest operations (i.e, as was the case for Parcher Road last fall)
  • Requested more information regarding the use of glyphosate for “cleaning” in the regeneration of white pine stands
  • Requested information re forest road width maximums, and procedures for decommissioning a forest road

If you are interested in the responses received from BMFC and MNRf on the above, or if you have any other forestry related questions, please contact Kerra Wylie at forestry@kapoa.ca

Next Steps

The final stage in this process is for BMFC and MNRf to publish a final updated copy of the FMP, we anticipate this will be published by the end of the summer. This will be the final opportunity for public comment.

Contacts

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Notice of River Road Harvest Operations In Progress

Update for Hunters re River Road Hauling

KAPOA has been in contact on Mon Nov 1st with Bancroft Minden Forest Co (BMFC) regarding hauling trucks operating during this first day of deer hunting in the vicinity of the River Road crown land harvest. This is in direct contradiction to a notification that we previously received from the operator via BMFC, and that we shared with you in our most recent newsletter. BMFC apologizes for the change in direction that they have now re-confirmed with the operator – there will be no equipment operated for the remainder of the 2-week hunting window, but there will continue to be timber hauled from the landings and out River Road. We apologize for this miscommunication. KAPOA’s objection to the unclear communication and the intrusion on this limited hunting period is being communicated.

This bulletin is to inform you that the sustainable forest licensee, Bancroft Minden Forest Company (BMFC), has initiated operational road clearing and harvesting effective Mon Aug 16th north and west of River Road. 3 logging roads will be opened up from River Road, and 6 landing areas will be established as shown on the map below. Operations are moving from west to east, and as soon as road clearing is completed, the harvest operations will commence. Hours of operation are typically 7am-5pm, Monday-Friday. Haul will vary with mill hours and distance to mill but should still also only occur Monday-Friday. Operations are to be underway for up to 2 months.

The coordinates of trails that have been identified by our membership have been provided to BMFC, and any that intersect with logging operations are to be marked with blood red flagging tape by the licensee. BMFC commits to returning the trails to their previous condition following harvest.

The operations map differs from the prior proposed operations map of the area in that a sizeable area has been excluded from logging operations (green area). In large part this area encompasses the Kamawaska Lookout/Biernacki Lake/Big Point Lookout/Beaver Dams Loop hiking trail (reference All Trails app) that is enjoyed by many of our members. Access to the hiking trail will be widened for logging access, so an alternate access will be necessary for hikers over the next 2 months. KAPOA will be onsite with BMFC on Fri Aug 27 to review the operations. For any questions or comments, please contact Kerra Wylie at forestry@kapoa.ca.

Contacts

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Harvest Operations Apr 2021-Mar 2022 – Gun Lake

The Ottawa Valley Forest (OVF) 2021-2022 Annual Work Schedule (AWS) is available to review effective Mar 15, 2021. An area of clearcut harvest on the north side of Gunn Lake in Block 77 is the only harvest and/or tending operation identified for the coming year.

Inspection of the 2021 Annual Work Schedule for the Ottawa Valley Forest

Comments on the AWS for the Ottawa Valley Forest may be directed to Ernie Demuth of the planning team. Please consider cc’ing forestry@kapoa.ca.

Related information

Forestry 2021
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