Forest Management

GreenFirst Forest Products’ business is rooted in the forest, so we have a deep connection to the publicly owned Canadian forestlands where we have forest management operations. For us, well-managed forests truly make sense for our business, our communities and the environment.

We take care of the forests we depend on, for the benefit of all.

Forests are essential to humanity for the range of benefits, products and services they provide – clean water, wildlife habitat, wilderness, carbon reservoirs, recreational opportunities, timber and non-timber products, and green energy.

For GreenFirst, trees provide the raw ingredients, such as fiber, from which the company’s products are derived. Forests are more than trees and well-managed forests can provide a range of products and integral ecosystem services to meet society’s needs.

GreenFirst has a mandate to guide the implementation of sustainable forest management on company’s forest management activities. Our goal is to sufficiently supply GreenFirst’s manufacturing operations with quality, certified fiber at a competitive price.

GreenFirst holds long-term forest licenses on public lands in Ontario. We also buy fiber from other sources to meet the needs of our mills.

Forestry Information

Gordon Cosens and Hearst Forests

GreenFirst Forest Products in Kapuskasing is responsible for forest management planning and forestry operations on the Gordon Cosens Forest. GreenFirst also has forest operations on the Hearst Forest which is managed by Hearst Forest Management Inc. (HFMI). Hearst Forest Management Inc. (HFMI) holds the Sustainable Forest License (SFL) for the Hearst Forest and is responsible for forestry planning on the Hearst Forest.

GreenFirst  is a shareholder in the HFMI co-op and maintains harvesting and consumption rights on wood harvested on the Hearst Forest. The Gordon Cosens and Hearst Forests supply conifer fibre to the paper mill and sawmill complex in Kapuskasing, the sawmill in Hearst, as well as other non-company owned mills in the region. GreenFirst ensures that its forestry operations are conducted in a manner which ensures the safety of its employees and the public while protecting the environment.

GreenFirst in Kapuskasing leads forestry planning in the Gordon Cosens Forest. The group is responsible for developing the ten-year Forest Management Plan (FMP) which includes a detailed description and mapping of logging and renewal operations and the development of planned road access. It also prepares the Annual Work Schedule (AWS) which identifies the location of operations scheduled for implementation during the year. The AWS includes information on the areas scheduled for harvest, road construction/maintenance, renewal, tending and protection operations.

Certification

The GCF has been certified under the National Forest management standard of the Forest Stewardship Council®(FSC®) since 2003. It was the first public forest FSC certified in Canada. The Hearst Forest has been certified since 2011.

FSCCertificate NC-FM/COC-000241
Licence FSC®-C006798
Gordon Cosens Forest
FSCCertificate SGS-FM/COC-010661
Licence FSC®-C092691
Hearst Forest

Public participation

To harmonize land uses, GreenFirst Forest Products consults with other forest users and Aboriginal communities through meetings and other more formal consultation processes. To this end, those wishing to receive information or to provide comments on GreenFirst operations on the Gordon Cosens and Hearst Forests can do so at any time using the contact information provided below.

For information contact GreenFirst’s forestry office in Kapuskasing dial: 705-337-9803

Contacts

Claude Portelance
General Manager
claude.portelance@greenfirst.ca
Phone: 705-337-9600
1 Government Road, P.O. Box 100, Kapuskasing (Ontario), P5N 2Y2

Kevin Del Guidice, R.P.F.
Planning Superintendent
kevin.delguidice@greenfirst.ca
Phone: 705 337-9773
1 Government Road, P.O. Box 100, Kapuskasing (Ontario), P5N 2Y2

For more information

Links

Documents

Available online

Upon request

    • Gordon Cosens Forest Pre-Industrial Condition Report (PIC)
    • Gordon Cosens Forest High Conservation Value (HCV) Report
    • Gordon Cosens Forest GAP Analysis and Peer Review
    • Gordon Cosens Forest Monitoring Plan and Monitoring Results
    • National-level Glyphosate Environmental and Social Risk Assessment (ESRA)

Request Form 

Missinaibi, Romeo Malette, Abitibi River and Algoma Forests

GreenFirst Forest Products in Chapleau, Timmins and Cochrane is responsible for forest management planning and forestry operations on the Missinaibi and Romeo Malette Forests located in northeastern Ontario. GreenFirst also has forest operations on the Abitibi River and Algoma Forests.

GreenFirst is an Abitibi River Forest Management Inc. (ARFMI) shareholder.  ARFMI holds the sustainable forest license (SFL) for the Abitibi River Forest (ARF).  As a shareholder, GreenFirst has harvesting and consumption rights on wood harvested on the ARF.

GreenFirst is also a shareholder with Clergue Forest Management Inc. Clergue holds the sustainable forest license (SFL) for the Algoma Forest.  As a Clergue shareholder, GreenFirst has harvesting and consumption rights on wood harvested on the Algoma Forest.

Missinaibi Forest Management Inc (MFMI) is a new enhanced Sustainable Forest License (SFL) in the region. Formed to take on forest management on the former Martel and Magpie Forests, four First Nations, three municipalities and three companies including GreenFirst are represented on the board of directors. GreenFirst staff provide a general manager, forest management and silvicultural services to MFMI.

The Missinaibi Forest and Algoma Forest supply conifer fibre to the GreenFirst sawmill in Chapleau. The Romeo Malette Forest and Abitibi River Forest supply conifer fibre to GreenFirst’s sawmill in Cochrane. These Forests are also an important source of supply for log products going to other non-company owned mills in the region. GreenFirst ensures that its forestry operations are conducted in a manner which ensures the safety of its employees and the public while protecting the environment.

GreenFirst leads forestry planning on the Romeo Malette Forests. The group is responsible for developing the ten-year Forest Management Plan (FMP) which includes a detailed description and mapping of timber and renewal operations and the development of planned road access.  It also prepares the Annual Work Schedule (AWS) which identifies the location of operations scheduled for implementation during the year. The AWS includes information on the areas scheduled for harvest, road construction/maintenance, renewal, tending and protection operations.

Certification

The Martel and Romeo Malette Forests have been certified under the National Forest management standard of the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) since 2006. The Abitibi River Forest has been FSC certified since 2013. The Algoma Forest has been FSC certified since 2005.

FSCCertificate SGS-FM/COC-010604
Licence FSC®-C011339
GreenFirst Forest Products Ontario – Martel Forest
FSCCertificate SGS-FM/COC-011965
Licence FSC®-C100637
GreenFirst Forest Products – Northern Ontario East (NOE)
Romeo Malette Forest
FSCCertificate SAI-FM/COC-003045
Licence FSC®-C113765
Abitibi River Forest Management Inc.
FSCCertificate BV-FM/COC-407103
Licence FSC®-C005080
Clergue Forest Management Inc.

Public participation

To harmonize land uses, GreenFirst consults with other forest users and Aboriginal communities through meetings and other more formal engagement processes. To this end, those wishing to receive information or to provide comments on GreenFirst operations on the Missinaibi Forest, Romeo Malette Forest, Abitibi River Forest, and Algoma Forest can do so at any time using the contact information provided below.

For information contact GreenFirst’s forestry office in Chapleau dial: 705 864-1060

Contacts

Missinaibi Forest

Don Bazeley, R.P.F.

don.bazeley@greenfirst.ca

Phone: (705) 262-1272
175 Planer Road, P.O. Box 280, Chapleau (Ontario), P0M 1K0

 

Romeo Malette, Abitibi River, and Algoma Forests

Owen Bott, R.P.F.

owen.bott@greenfirst.ca

Phone: (705) 864-3016

175 Planer Road, P.O. Box 280, Chapleau (Ontario), P0M 1K0

 

For more information

Link

Documents

Available online

Upon request for both Missinaibi and Romeo Malette Forests

    • Missinaibi Forest High Conservation Value (HCV) Report
    • Missinaibi Monitoring Plan and Monitoring Results
    • Romeo Malette Forest High Conservation Value (HCV) Report
    • Romeo Malette Forest Monitoring Plan
    • FSC related documents – Abitibi-River Forest – contact: contact@abiriv.com
    • (Missinaibi) Martel GAP Analysis and Peer Review
    • National-level Glyphosate Environmental and Social Risk Assessment (ESRA)

Request Form