PEMBROKE — A new video showcasing the deep connection between humans and our forests is setting the forestry world abuzz. The video, entitled “Connecting to our Forests”, was viewed by County Council last Wednesday after making its official debut at Forests Ontario’s annual conference in Toronto on February 20th to a crowd of nearly 300 forestry practitioners, students, forest industry, and government stakeholders.
The video showcases students of Forests Ontario’s Forestry Connects Program making meaningful connections with the forest, learning about the many forest products used in our daily lives and the careers available in the forestry sector. It also offers insight from those in the forestry sector, particularly those working in Algonquin Provincial Park, on the value of the forest industry. The video highlights the inherent value of the sector, the jobs and livelihood it supports, and the environmentally sustainable benefits of logging operations in Algonquin Park and other forests.
Ontario’s Crown forests, including those in Algonquin Park, are well-documented as being among the best managed forests in the world. Ontario’s sustainable forestry sector contributes to the economic and social well-being of hundreds of communities across the province and provides us with a variety of renewable products that we depend on day-in and day-out. Over 3,300 people are directly employed by woodland and mill operations from the operations in Algonquin Park.
The challenge for the forest sector and the people that rely on forestry for their economic standing is that these facts, while well established, are not necessarily well-known. To a large degree, there remains a disconnect between the public’s perception of forestry and the role it plays in everyday lives, a situation that is unfortunately compounded by misinformed rhetoric and political campaigns aimed at eliminating sustainable forestry from parts of the province.
Ontario’s forests are vital to the social and economic fabric of our province and the maintenance of healthy and vibrant communities. The fact that Ontario’s forests are managed to the highest environmental standards in the world is certainly something that all Ontarians can be proud of.
County of Renfrew Warden Peter Emon said, “ Forests Ontario is a very reputable and respected organization we continue to partner with and listen to as we develop our position.”
About Forests Ontario: Forests Ontario was created in 2014 as a result of the merging of not-for-profit organizations Trees Ontario and the Ontario Forestry Association (OFA), Forests Ontario and its 85 provincial partners work to protect, renew and manage forest resources through programs, services and advocacy.
