Quinte Conservation is one of 36 conservation authorities in Ontario and stretches from Moira to Napanee to Prince Edward County. It is home to over 117,000 people living in 18 municipalities. The authority owns about 12,145 hectares of vacant property. Uses include nature reserves, commercially harvested land, conservation areas, and leased properties. About 1,619 hectares (4,000 acres) are commercial forest areas.
As part of Quinte Conservation’s reorganization plan, they are modernizing their approach to forestry. They’ve turned land, which was previously poor agricultural farmland, into forest areas which are now 70 per cent red pine, a species that can be used to make products like pressure-treated lumber.
Part of the organization’s efforts included obtaining FSC certification.
“The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification is proof the lands and trees are managed to high standards. It raised our game. It makes Quinte Conservation’s forest operations more transparent said Tim Trustham, the conservation area’s lands operations coordinator.
They obtained FSC certification with the Eastern Ontario Forest Group which has certified over 74,000 ha of community and private forests to FSC’s standards. Quinte Conservation now becomes one of 13 community forests to receive FSC certification through the Model Forest.
“Sustainable forest management is about good management practices and healthy and involved communities. It also opens up a greater field of markets to sell your products,” said Jim Hendry, Eastern Ontario Forest Group Certification Program Coordinator.
Source: Intelligencer