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.
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.
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.
The GCF has been certified under the National Forest management standard of the Forest Stewardship Council®(FSC®) since 2003 as well as under the SFI Forest Management Standard (2022) since May 2024 . It was the first publicly managed boreal forest to be FSC certified in Canada. The Hearst Forest has been certified since 2011.
| FSC | Certificate NC-FM/COC-000241 Licence FSC®-C006798 | Gordon Cosens Forest |
| FSC | Certificate SGS-FM/COC-010661 Licence FSC®-C092691 | Hearst Forest |
SFI Certificate PBN-SFI/FM-066933 Gordon Cosens Forest
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: 705-337-9401
Contacts
Kevin Del Guidice, R.P.F.
Planning Superintendent
kevin.delguidice@greenfirst.ca
Phone: 705 337-9401
1 Government Road, P.O. Box 100, Kapuskasing (Ontario), P5N 2Y2
Available online
Upon request
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. [missinaibiforest.com]
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.
The Romeo Malette Forest has 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. In March 2024, the FSC certificate held by GreenFirst since 2006 for the Martel Forest was transferred to Missinaibi Forest Management Inc.
| FSC | Certificate SGSCH-FM/COC-010604 Licence FSC®-A000531 |
Missinaibi Forest Management Inc. |
| FSC | Certificate SGS-FM/COC-011965 Licence FSC®-C100637 |
GreenFirst Forest Products – Northern Ontario East (NOE) Romeo Malette Forest |
| FSC | Certificate SAI-FM/COC-003045 Licence FSC®-C113765 |
Abitibi River Forest Management Inc. |
| FSC | Certificate BV-FM/COC-407103 Licence FSC®-C005080 |
Clergue Forest Management Inc. |
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: 705-864-3018
Missinaibi Forest
Don Bazeley, R.P.F.
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.
Phone: (705) 864-3016
175 Planer Road, P.O. Box 280, Chapleau (Ontario), P0M 1K0
Available online
Upon request for the Romeo Malette Forest
