Item Coversheet

CORPORATION OF THE COUNTY OF HURON

TO:Warden and Members of County Council - Day 1
FROM:David Pullen - Forest Conservation Officer and County Forest Manager
DATE:3/9/2022
SUBJECT:


RECOMMENDATION:

RECOMMENDED MOTION:

THAT:

The Council of the County of Huron receive the report by David Pullen, Forest Conservation Officer and County Forest Manager, dated March 9, 2022, titled Forest Conservation Update, as presented for information.

 

 

BACKGROUND:

Both forestry and agriculture were declared essential services early in the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. As a result there has been minimal impact on commercial timber harvesting in the County in 2020 and 2021. While timber markets were volatile early in the pandemic, demand for both sawlogs and firewood remains strong and there are numerous loggers and timber buyers operating in the County.

 

Major harvests and improvements to the County Forests were again completed in 2021.  Costs for improvements to trails were offset by the sale of timber and through partnership with the Public Works Department.

 

Extension and outreach work to assist woodland owners with forest management and Forest Conservation By-law compliance continues to be a key focus of the County’s Forestry program.  Many Huron County woodland owners continue to benefit from consultation with independent foresters.

 

Discussions are in progress with stewardship partners on how to assist woodland owners to restore woodlands that have a high percentage of Ash.  Many of these woodlands are also wetland areas that are critical for protection of water resources.

 

Active enforcement of the Huron County Forest Conservation By-law continues, and where significant contraventions of the By-law have occurred, charges are laid based on legal opinion.  In all instances, attempts are made to proactively resolve cases prior to court trials. These proactive resolutions are designed to help maintain the existing forest cover in the County. 

 

 

County Forest Management Activity

 

Between January 2021 and January 2022, successful improvement thinning and salvage of Ash has been completed in Taylor and Collins Tracts, and combined with value-added sales of trees from trail maintenance operations on GovDeals.ca, revenue of $25,240 was generated.  A large harvest and tornado salvage was recently completed in the O’Connor Tract and final revenues of $25,000 to $30,000 for that harvest are expected in 2022.

 

As part of the “value-added” milling and marketing of trail maintenance trees, an inventory of beautiful White Pine timber is on hand for the construction of a pavilion in the Huronview Arboretum in 2022. This project, along with a fully accessible trail in the Hays Tract near Goderich will be funded by federal “COVID resiliency” funds approved in 2021. As part of the Hays Tract trail, lumber from the County forests will be used for a boardwalk through a sensitive wetland area, this this project will be completed with assistance from summer students and Canadian Conservation Corps interns.

 

With the assistance of Public Works and local contractors, parking areas and log landings were installed or improved in the Adams, Collins, Hays, Robertson, Redmond, Rodger, Taylor and O’Connor Tracts in 2021.

 

The County Forests continue to be an invaluable resource to County residents for health and recreation during the pandemic.  An unprecedented number of residents are using the properties for hiking, snowshoeing and skiing. To ensure safety and accommodate the increased demand, winter maintenance of selected parking areas has been undertaken in partnership with Public Works.

 

 

Notices of Intent and the Use of “Good Forestry Practices”(GFP)

 

In 2021, 143 Notices of Intent were filed under the by-law and approximately 36% of these were marked by independent professional foresters using “Good Forestry Practices”(GFP). There was a 10% increase in Notice of Intents received over 2020.  Fees were waived for all NOI’s filed under GFP and for salvage of dead and dying Ash. Fees of just over $11,000. were collected for “diameter limit” notices.

 

Cases Under the Forest Conservation By-law

 

Charges resulting from violations of the Forest Conservation By-law on five properties in four different local municipalities were resolved in recent months. All five cases were resolved with guilty pleas and fines totaling $16,500 plus 25% victim surcharge. Four of five cases also included court-ordered replants and protection of the subject areas at a cost to the defendants of approximately $16,000.

 

One case from 2021 remains before the courts with a resolution expected this Spring. Stop Work Orders are in place and three investigations are in progress for alleged violations in 2021. It is of note that a high percentage of the violations mentioned here were committed by non-resident owners of Huron County land, and a high percentage were committed with “high hoe” excavators owned by the defendants.

 

COMMENTS:

Trail maintenance and improvement cutting will continue in several County forests in 2022. To reflect the work completed on many of the County Tracts over the past five years, the maintenance and harvest schedule from the 2014 “Forests for Our Future” management plan will be updated this year.

 

OTHERS CONSULTED:
Sandra Weber, Director of Planning and Development

 

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IMPACTS:
N/A

 

FINANCIAL IMPACTS:

Proceeds from harvests in County owned forests are deposited into the Forest Conservation Reserve and directed to funding improvements to the properties. 

 

PRIVACY IMPACTS:

 

CLIMATE IMPACTS:
Work undertaken in the Forestry program advances the actions identified in the Huron County Climate Change Adaptation Plan.

 

COUNCIL PRINCIPLES:
Long-term fiscal sustainability, Economic prosperity, Engaged community, Service excellence, Community-centered

 

SMT VALUES:

 

SMT MANTRAS:

 

ATTACHMENTS:
DescriptionTypeUpload DateFile Name
Forest Conservation Update PresentationPresentation2/23/20222022_Forest_Conservation_Update.pdf