The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources should encourage other municipalities to pass Tree Cutting Bylaws through an expanded information and education program on the subject and provide training to bylaw enforcement officers to ensure that bylaws are properly enforced. Education for forest landowners on tree cutting should be expanded to encourage self regulation and improved cutting practices.
4.
Gap
Many forest managers have ideas concerning policies that should be developed to further support them in their forest management activities, but there is no forum for dealing with their ideas and concerns. Recommendation #4 A Legislative and Policy Committee consisting of Forest Resource Managers from the Federal and Provincial governments, the forest industry and private consultants from Eastern Ontario, should be formed to provide a forum for discussion on legislative and policy matters as it concerns them, and to direct recommendations to appropriate concerns. Forest Management Guidelines 5.
Gap
Several Forest Resource Managers have never attended a seminar, conference, workshop or course that dealt with Forest Management Guidelines and related to their Forest Management activities. Many Forest Resource Managers have been involved in producing Forest Management Guidelines over the past 5 years, but there is little coordination between Resource Managers in setting priorities for production of Guidelines and minimizing duplication. Many Guidelines produced in Ontario are prepared for Forest Management on Crown lands and result from government legislation and regulation. Recommendation #5 Greater attention should be given to the production of Forest Management Guidelines appropriate for use on private lands, specifically in Eastern Ontario. These efforts should be coordinated by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. 6.
Gap
Most Forest Resource Managers feel that funding constraints have reduced their Forest Management field activities by 50% or greater and some Forest Managers have had their field management activities eliminated due to funding constraints. Recommendation #6 Government, industry and representatives of private forest owner organizations in Eastern Ontario should meet to assess means and ways to provide field services necessary to achieve sustainable forestry.