Community Futures

Fundy Model Forest is working to assist communities to help forest-dependent communities in New Brunswick to take advantage of new economic opportunities from forest resources and to build stable local economies. This work is being carried out in accord with Natural Resources Canada’s Forest Communities Program.

Fundy Model Forest will be working with different types of communities, including municipalities and groups whose members have similar interests. We will strive to help them develop tools that they can use to analyze their current status and identify opportunities to help adapt to the dynamic nature of today’s forest industry.

Following are projects to which we are presently contributing funding:

Forest Management Training for Woodlot Owners

Affiliation: Southern New Brunswick Wood Co-op

Description: INFOR Inc. has developed training courses that encourage the use of best management practices, outline regulations that apply to forestry operations, and focus on other information that is useful to woodlot owners managing their own forests. These courses have been reviewed by the provincial Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) implementation committee and meet their training requirements. The courses will make use of supporting resource material, guest speakers, audio-visual aids and group discussions. Trained SNB field staff will deliver these courses to woodlot owners in southern New Brunswick by March 31, 2008.

Outcome: To assist woodlot owners to achieve a deeper understanding of forest management considerations and decision-making activities on their woodlots.

Long-term objective: To increase the quantity and quality of sustainable forest management practiced on private woodlots in southern New Brunswick.

Contact: Jason Knox, SNB Wood Co-op, jknox@snbwc.ca

Training Workshop: Why Should You Do a Management Plan for a Private Woodlot?

Affiliation: La Fôret expérimentale

Description: Presently the annual allowable cut (AAC) is in decline in private woodlots in northwestern New Brunswick. It is crucial that private woodlot owners be educated on methods of sustainable forest management. The first step is to disseminate information about forest management plans and a training workshop will be held for about 15 private woodlot owners in the Northwest.

Objective: To offer training on the benefits of preparing a forest management plan.

Contact: Robert Ritchie, ritchie@umce.ca

Acadian Forest Guide for Woodlot Owners: Review and Completion

Affiliation: North Mountain Old Forest Society

Description: The Acadian Forest Guide for Woodlot Owners has been developed
through a series of steps, thanks to funding from a variety of organizations including the Nova Forest Alliance, the Metcalfe Foundation, and Environment Canada’s Eco-Action Program. A mock-up is ready for review by woodlot owners. Fundy Model Forest is funding this stage of the project.  The review will ensure the publication is relevant and appropriate and address issues of jargon and clarity of the information presented. Copies will be distributed to about 15 woodlot owners for comment.

Objective:  To revise and finalize the publication which is about the Acadian Forest and sustainable woodlot management.

Contact: Jamie Simpson, bocabec@gmail.com

SNB Wood Co-operative & Marketing Board Newsletter

Affiliation: SNB Wood Co-op

Description:  SNB Wood Co-op and SNB Forest Products Marketing Board will produce, publish and distribute its newsletter, Woodlot Advance. The newsletter will be distributed to 6500 woodlot owners in the SNB/FMF region. It will contain two pages of information that FMF would like to have distributed to private land owners in southern New Brunswick.

Obective: To produce and distribute a newsletter devoted issues concerning woodlot owners in southern New Brunswick.

Contact: Pam Folkins, pfolkins@snbwc.ca