Ontario Grain Farmer August 2021

14 TRAVELLING THE BACKROADS of rural Ontario, you will see many features across the landscape. While agricultural land is a dominant feature, there is one often a forgotten feature that is a part of many farms in rural Ontario, the woodlot. The Ontario Woodlot Association (OWA) is a not-for-profit, membership-driven organization that supports its members who own and manage woodlots throughout the province. John Pineau, OWA executive director, notes their members include individuals and organizations that support sustainability, good stewardship, and responsible forest management. “The Association believes that private landowners have a vital role to play to ensure that sustainably managed forests remain a part of Ontario’s future,” says Pineau. The OWA plays a role in many areas for woodlot owners including advocacy efforts with the government on key files. “It all comes back to how we can provide timely and relevant information to our membership to help them successfully Farmers and woodlots A SUSTAINABLE PARTNERSHIP Michael Buttenham PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ONTARIO WOODLOT ASSOCIATION. manage, enjoy, and get value out of their woodlots,” says Pineau. The OWA also looks to internal knowledge sharing amongst members to better assist those that may not have a forestry background. “We give our membership the opportunity to share information and experiences amongst themselves. Beyond the internal knowledge sharing, education is a big component of what we do — hosting workshops and courses on topics such as chainsaw safety, and identifying trees and plant species,” explains Pineau. OWA MEMBERS There are approximately 170,000 woodlot owners in Ontario, these woodlots can range in size from just a few acres to thousands of acres. Farmers are major private landowners in rural Ontario and many woodlots abut to agriculturally productive land. OWA’s current membership reflects this with 29 per cent of members active farmers, 19 per cent with a farm registration number, and 15 per cent having tenant farmers on their land. There is and continues to be a strong connection between agriculture and woodlots. VALUE Sustainably managed woodlots were once predominant across Ontario but over the years some farmers have forgotten about these valuable assets to their farm. To simplify it, there is a general lack of understanding and knowledge of the value of woodlots. Art Shannon, vice president of the OWA and a retired farmer and logger, says that to get the long-termsustainable value out of your woodlot, you need to first have a plan. Like developing a nutrient management plan, Shannon suggests that a farmer's first step should be developing a forest management plan. Sustainability