My Bump up for Ogoki

Issue #1: Clear cutting as a method of forest extraction has historically and irrevocably changed the age class and composition of managed forests in Ontario.

"Research in the boreal forest in Ontario has indicated that "...the observed increase in shade intolerant hardwoods at the expense of conifers...has been attributed to increased application of mechanical clear-cutting practices in the province's boreal region over the past 50 years" and further, "the shift in species composition in the boreal region from coniferous to deciduous species may be directly attributed to clearcut harvesting, either because of differences in post-clear-cutting and post-fire successional trajectories, changes in stand age distributions, or both"(5)

Observe the conifer tree density in a burn then look at the conifer density in a standard clear cut. In a burn the high density of conifer growth will for the most part preclude competing species from growing in any significant numbers. The open patterned hand planting of an industrial clearcut will actively encourage competing species to grow and will require the application of chemical herbicides to eliminate them. The open pattern of the industrial replant will also not allow the progression toward the correct light and humidity conditions which are essential for the production of the lichen required to sustain caribou populations through the winter. In order to actively emulate a fire driven system, each stage of forest growth must be faithfully reproduced as closely as possible. Failure to allow each progressive stage of the natural cycle to occur (in an effort to artificially increase the rate of fibre growth), will result in an altered eco-system that will not sustain the life that previously inhabited the region. Early high density conifer growth and the subsequent process of naturally occurring thinning (a classic example of survival of the fittest) is key to recreating the classic, fully functioning mature boreal forest.

Recommendation #1: Suspend all forest operations in the Ogoki Forest pending an Environmental Assessment that would isolate the impacts timber harvesting has on species conversion separately from conversion due to natural causes. To fulfill this commitment, benchmarks should be established that map the pre-industrial state of the Ogoki forest and then indicators should be employed to ensure that species composition is maintained.

Recommendation #2: Improve silvicultural effectiveness by hand planting or better yet aerially seeding locations where tree densities are too low. Conifer density (not woody stem growth as is the currently used indicator) is a critical part of emulating the fire driven Jack Pine forest.

Issue #2: There is no evidence that the proposed 48% of the forest will regenerate naturally as planned to meet the Ministry’s mandate to retain bio-diversity on Crown Land.

Clear Cutting means Saying Goodbye to Ontario's Old Growth Forests

The Ogoki forest in July of 2007 - Jack Pine and Spruce filled with beds of lichen and moss

"Old growth is the ultimate forest - it is where nature has taken it's course and the forest continues to grow"

The average lifespan of a tree species within the Ogoki Forest ranges between 90 and 300+ years. Black spruce living in lowland areas (swamps) can live well past 300 years - surviving wildfires, windstorms and disease; jack pine is considered a relatively short-lived conifer at 140 years. But old trees alone do not make old growth forests. Old growth forest develop when trees live long and die natural deaths, creating a diversity of structures, habitats and ecological conditions.

When a tree is converted to lumber, firewood, paper or other wood products, it is lost from the natural system. But when it dies a natural death in the forest, its body and influence lives on. This makes Ogoki unique from many other Ontario forests becuase Ogoki has only began a cycle of forest management in the last 10 years.

Old growth forests have many values:

• Habitats for forest species and wildlife communities
• Sources of habitat diversity
• Living examples of how natural forests work
• Sources of inspiration and heritage appreciation

But there value extends well beyond habitat for creatures such as the Woodland Caribou. Boreal forests in Canada including the Ogoki forest sustain human life on the planet .

“Canada’s boreal forest builds soil, filters water, captures carbon and produces oxygen. While difficult to monetize the value of such life-giving functions, these life-support services have been quantified as nearly $70 billion worth of life-support services for Canadians annually.”1

In southern Ontario, less than .07 percent of the land base is in stands older than 120 years. Old growth forest remnants are also at risk. Elements of old growth - dead trees, logs and soil diversity provide important ecological services and enrich the habitats for wildlife. But these remnants often do not survive standard logging activities. Boreal forests like Ogoki are particularly vunerable when industrialized activity predominates.

"Boreal ecosystems contain relatively low numbers of species (approximately 100,000 in Canada) and their simple community structures make them vulnerable. Limited numbers of plant and animal species result in a lower information content (i.e. DNA) in an ecosystem. Efficiency is reduced if the information content of a system is reduced. Therefore, removing a few species from a boreal ecosystem that contains only hundres of species may be more likely to degrade vital community and ecosystem functions than the removal of the same number of species from a tropical ecosystem that contains hundres of thousands of taxa. The disappearance of only a few species has been shown to impair the proper functioning of food chains and biogeochemical functions in boreal lakes. Additionally lower biotic productivity of boreal ecosystems increase their recovery time following disturbance."1

A dead tree in a forest opens up new worlds of forest life, first as a dead standing tree and then as a fallen log. Dead trees and fallen logs can easily last as long in the forest as when the green tree was "alive", sometimes longer. Large logs, for example, can last over 100 years on the ground floor before being completely reabsorbed into the eco system.

Dead dying and decaying trees provide habitat for animals such as osprey, woodpeckers, grouse and squirrels. Now imagine what the forest will look like after a clear cut of 10,000 ha...

"It all resembles modern warfare. First they send in the mechanized brigades. Then come the foot-soldiers. Aierial bombardment even has a role. The entire operation is dependent on some of the latest technologies. But the action isn't taking place in a dusty Persian Gulf desert. This campaign is being waged in Ontario's boreal forest, where the pine-scented stillness is usually disturbed only by the strident cry of the blue jay and the loon's gentle call.

The mechanized attack is led by diesel-powered machines called feller-forwarders that look like huge praying mantises. They rumble through dense stands of jack pine, their hydraulic cutting heads shearing off spindly trees and depositing them onto their backs. When fully loaded with tons of pulpwood, the machines groan back to the roadside landing where the trees are limbed and dumped onto waiting trucks for the long voyage to the mill. Every year the trip gets longer as the forest frontier recedes.

The infantry of industrial forestry consists of hundreds of little platoons of tree-planters deployed in the wake of the logging machines. Every spring this small army -- mostly college students from the south along with a few local natives and whites -- fans out across the north, packs stuffed with the tiny seedlings that, it is hoped, will transform the massive clear cuts into productive forests.

Later, small planes will fly over the new plantations, their specially-fitted nozzles releasing a fog of chemical herbicide that, it is hoped, will kill off unwanted hardwood competition and allow the cutover land to support a crop of the spruce and pine whose long, strong fibres have always been the basis for the success of Canada's single most important industry. One of the most popular herbicides among foresters is the old standby 2,4-D, a compound first developed when the US military was looking for more effective chemical weapons during World War II"2

The boreal forest is unlike any other in Ontario - the Ministry of Natural Resources has stipulated a specialized silviculture technique be employed. CLAAG (Careful logging around advanced Growth) is a harvest method that is used in low-land areas of the Ogoki forest where it is felt natural regeneration (as opposed to artificial) is optimal. That means the logging company does not replant - rather advanced growth and seedbeds provided by mother nature are relied upon for natural regeneration. The Ogoki forest plan for 2008-2018 will have 48% of the area naturally regenerated - 52% will be re-planted artificially by forest operations. The 48% figure does include some hardwood - the north west ecozone region where Ogoki sits has 25% of its area covered in wetlands. So it could be reasonably assumed 25% of the entire harvest operation will require CLAAG harvest technique.

The above photo is of the Ogoki Forest after a CLAAG harvest and was taken by the Audit team in 2000 . Should they all look like this? No - this is a clear example of what should not be done in a CLAAG harvest. The harvest has pretty much wiped out any hope of advanced growth taking off and with it any hope of reforestration. Artificial replanting will be necessary and assuming the licenseholder follows through - it will mean additional cost and effort. The factors affecting the rutting are cited in the auditors report (this is an independant environmental auditor who is hired by the forest operations to audit the license holder as set out by law in the Crown forest sustainability act - it must be done every 5 years). Primarily it boils down to operator error and the forest company choosing to log the forest when the ground is not frozen - imagine a winter thaw and the damage heavy machinery will have on wetlands . The auditor cites the other reason - cost. Buying high-floatation equipment is extemely expensive so the foresty operations rely on bringing in their regular machinery but cutting only when its frozen . Works fine unless you have a winter like last year where the temperatures were so mild. Or a cold winter with a sudden thaw.

The following silviculture standards must be adopted by the Ontario Government for boreal forests such as the Ogoki.

1. Diligently locate and document vital habitats and significant features. Updating NRVIS databases and Wildlife specific databases are critical.


2. Buffer zones (and animal travel corridors) left around water features and critical habitats are to be significant . 13 km buffers around caribou calving lakes, and any natural distribance (road, harvest block) should be mandatory.


3. Roads are to be located so as to avoid crossing navigable waterways and if they are absolutely required to do so, they should be designed to do so only once. Upon discontinuation of use they should be decommissioned, replanted and continued use should be agressively discouraged. Roads that cross known caribou migration corridors (like the Reckett road) must not be permitted - period.


4. When cutting operations begin they must be done utilizing equipment that leaves the smallest footprint possible on the land –the best floatation tires or other such devices should be mandatory on any piece of equipment that leaves the roadbed or landing areas.


5. All log preparation should be done in the field i.e. the tree is cut, topped, delimbed, cut to transportable size –all done exactly where it stood, then once a truckload is gathered, it is brought to the edge of the cut to be loaded onto a truck and hauled out. The current practice of cutting down the tree and transporting the entire tree to a landing, placing it into a pile where it is later topped and delimbed thereby creating huge slash-piles that are later burned, is a horrible practice that leaves an uneven distribution of the biomass (forest building nutrients) concentrated in one location. The current practice is also the cause of severe rutting of the forest floor because of the numerous trips required to bring small numbers of trees to the landing for further processing. By processing trees in situ the number of trips through the field is reduced thereby reducing rutting.


6. Burn it. With all the limbs and tops left in situ a burn over will open seed cones and begin the reforestation process. Because the seeds will not be dropped from their normal height, distribution will be uneven therefore another step is required.


7. Hand plant or better yet aerially seed locations where tree densities are too low –conifer density (not woody stem growth as is the currently used indicator) is a critical part of emulating the fire driven jackpine forest. Observe the conifer tree density in a burn then look at the conifer density in a standard clear cut. In a burn the high density of conifer growth will for the most part preclude competing species from growing in any significant numbers. The open patterned hand planting of an industrial clearcut will actively encourage competing species to grow and will require the application of chemical herbicides to eliminate them. The open pattern of the industrial replant will also not allow the progression toward the correct light and humidity conditions which are essential for the production of the lichen required to sustain caribou populations through the winter. In order to actively emulate a fire driven system, each stage of forest growth must be faithfully reproduced as closely as possible. Failure to allow each progressive stage of the natural cycle to occur (in an effort to artificially increase the rate of fibre growth), will result in an altered eco-system that will not sustain the life that previously inhabited the region –especially the caribou, an indicator of the failure of current practices. Early high density conifer growth and the subsequent process of naturally occurring thinning (a classic example of survival of the fittest) is key to recreating the classic, fully functioning mature boreal forest.

1. The Boreal Below: Mining Issues and Activities in Canada’s Boreal Forest Region, December 2001
2. Jamie Swift has been following the changes in Canadian forestry for ten years. He is the author of "Cut & Run: The Assault on Canada's Forests" (Between The Lines, 1983).
3. Clear Cut Photo courtesy of http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Its not too Late! Write your Environmental Assessment TODAY!

The Ministry`s Plan for Ogoki - Summary

1. The Forest Management Plan for the Ogoki Forest will result in harvesting of timber through exceptionally large clearcuts (10,000 ha or more).

2. The plan further stipulates that to meet this objective, the plan assumes 100% silvicultural effectiveness although only 52% of the forest artifically regenerated. Nature will be asked to regenerate the remaining 48%.

3. A specialized harvesting prescription called Careful Logging around Advanced Growth (CLAGG) will be utilized in low land spruce areas to minimize soil disruption and the destruction of advanced growth. Natural regeneration (as opposed to artificial) is planned for these areas of harvest which represent about 25% of the total area harvested. The balance of natural regeneration will be in hardwood/mixed forest.

4. The Caribou Mosaic stipulates the rotation of harvesting will occur within a given block every 100 years - such that an area that is cut today will not be re-harvested for another 100 years. Three small blocks (F blocks) have been identified within the plan for harvesting beyond the 100 year rotation - rotations for these three blocks range from 120 to 160 years.

5. The MNR proposes landscape connectivity for caribou to migrate through will be maintained by providing forest in adjacent blocks to those that are currently being clear cut for a period of approximately 30 years. Their position is that habitat > 30 years of age (in general) supports current and future caribou habitat needs.

6. Fire cycles (fire return rates) are modelled in the 2008 plan between every 90 and 350 years yet the forest is being cut every 100 years (with the exception of 3 small F blocks cited above). So tree age will never exceed 100 years (assuming it survives any natural disturbance) and deadwood will be non-existant in 100 years time. The MNR acknowledges the average age of the forest will decrease.

7. The Reckett Road construction will continue. This road borders Wabakimi Provincial Park and crosses a major caribou migration corridor. Roads will also be built around every block.

8. Increased Moose Habitat will occur as caribou winter habitat is decreased. This will bring deer, moose and wolves which will in turn increase the risk of predation for caribou, increase the risk of caribou disease (parasites) and reduce suitable caribou habitat.

Paddling the Ogoki Forest

Morning Paddle on Marshall Lake

Crows. Whether they are cawing to greet the dawn at first light, or flying alongside my canoe as self-appointed sentinels to guard and guide me through this wild place, after five days of canoeing alone with two dogs in relative solitude, I realize I have come to not only expect - but to rely on their presence. Yet now, fully clothed and swimming alongside my canoe, one hand holding the line on the gunwale, the other pushing hard against the current in a sublime act of sacrifice designed to keep up all from drifting perilously back downstream, I can't hear anything except my dog's whining pleas for mercy and the sound of churning water as it forces its way past rocks and debris.

The Ogoki forest is 14+ hours or 750 miles by car from Toronto to the put-in at Marshall Lake, which can only be accessed via logging roads that run north-west off Highway 11, deep into the bush within the Township of Greenstone. Widely regarded as the Mecca for hunting and fishing, Greenstone is a microcosm for Northern Ontario. Sprawling across 2,780 square kilometers, this municipality is the largest incorporated town in Canada, larger than several countries yet host to less than 6,000 people. Although a hard-core mining and pulp and paper culture is still evident, with the Greenstone amalgamation in 2001 and a recently launched web portal in 2007, the north has clearly revitalized itself with a direct focus on tourism. In spite of the marketing and hype, canoeists seeking adventure in "shield country" are admittedly few and far between. But if the view of break-taking boreal landscape is what you yearn for, and solitude is your idea of a daily fix, the Marshall Lake Canoe route within the Ogoki forest is the drug that will take you to a place where magic begins.

Now as I scan the shoreline for a log or branch to hold on to, shoulder deep in "adventure", I must confess that onlookers would be justified to conclude this girl's gone wild! With sunglasses askew on my forehead, a torso soaked through to the bone, and hair gnarled with forest flotsam, it would seem the final stages of transmogrification were upon me. How ironic, that my wish for "magic" would be granted conditional to such comedic and grotesque distortions. Decorum gone, I refuse to be diminished by my situation, and in spite of my dogs' pleas to get back in the canoe where I belong, I continue my slog upstream against the current for another kilometer until finally, the water is calm and I can once again paddle safely to terra firma.

Whether you blame it on global warming or just the luck of the draw, with over 30 days of rainfall in the past 6 weeks, water levels in north-western Ontario have reached biblical proportions: an arc might have been a better choice! High water means fast water, and this makes paddling upstream impossible. Portaging through thick spruce, rock and blow-downs isn't an option, so it is walk, swim or battle my way back to the lake.

But decision-making is part of the drill, and the excitement of the boreal is it's wild and unpredictable nature. High winds on large lakes can keep you wind bound for days at a time, wildfires are not uncommon during the summer months and leaving a detailed trip plan with the Ministry of Natural Resources or the Geraldton OPP is well advised.

As I paddle my way back towards Marshall Lake, rain clouds loom dangerously low overhead and the temperature begins to drop. I need to get off the water and find shelter. Weary from my foray in the creek, I look along shore for a place to crash and am drawn to a low-lying rock ledge that juts out invitingly from a nest of conifers. Paddling closer, I'm thrilled at my choice. Cloistered within these 80+ year old pine and spruce are deep beds of lichen and moss. Lichens are not a single plant, but rather a complex group of plants that maintain a close association between a fungus and algae in a symbiotic relationship only nature could divine. Lichens are the primary food source of the Woodland Caribou, found only in old growth forests like Ogoki where the average tree is more than one hundred years old. In the harsh northern climate where vegetation is often scarce, lichens provide this prey animal with a much needed advantage for survival. Sadly, these majestic creatures and one of the most emblematic species of Canada's boreal wilderness are at risk of extinction in Ontario, where their range has dropped by about 50% in the last 100 years.

There is no question their biggest adversary now is logging. Since 1998, the Buchanan Group acting through its subsidiary Long Lake Forest Products has bee harvesting timber in the Ogoki Forest. The 20 year license issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources is now up for renewal. The current plan proposes harvesting via clear cut approximately 70,000 ha of Boreal Forest over the next 10 year period commencing April 2008. 70,000 ha is abou the size of the city of Ottawa! For a few moments I forget my beleagured shoulders and sit in silence, hoping to see any sign of Woodland Caribou. As I ponder the fate of the forest and the caribou, I wonder if it is a coincidence that the name Lichen means "dejection" and "solitude".

The next morning, I awake to a bright and sunny day. The rain has passed, and I am eager to get back on the water. Sleeping on a bed of lichen is an unparalleled experience in comfort. I am revitalized! I pack my gear and command the dogs to load. After taking a careful inventory to ensure I have left no trace, I look around one last time to fill my senses with the sight and smell of this idyllic place.

In my canoe paddling towards open water, I smile. The crows are back, announcing to the world my arrival. I feel comforted once again by the cacophony of beating wings and rhythmic cawing as my blade cuts through the water. Straining my eyes, I look through the dense canopy to see where these mythological messengers of spirit and creation and hiding. Too smart to be goaded into view, they remain in the shadows, safe from predators while they boldly continue to mock and chide me. It's going to be another great day!

The above trip to the Ogoki Forest was taken in July of 2007. For detailed route information check out the Canoeing and kayking section under the Culture & Recreation tab in the Greenstone portal at http://www.greenstone.ca/

ADVOCATING FOR RECREATIONAL VALUES AND WILDLIFE PRESERVATION IN THE OGOKI FOREST – HAVE A VOICE IN HOW GOVERNMENT DEVELOPS THE FOREST!

North of an imaginary line at around 51 degrees latitude, the Ontario Boreal forest lies outside the boundaries of most national and provincial parks, 70 million hectares of wild forest, and one of the largest remaining intact ecosystems in the world. Home to people and communities who use them for everything from recreation - including canoeing, camping, cottaging, birding, and fishing - to hunting, plant gathering and firewood collecting, these forests also play a large economic role, supporting activities ranging from forestry to remote tourism. In 2001, the Ontario forest industry produced $5.7 billion worth of wood products and $11.1 billion worth of paper products.

Nestled in the north-west region of Ontario’s Boreal Forest is 1 million ha of Ontario’s richest and most ecologically diverse ecosystems – the Ogoki Forest. Predating any form of mechanized travel, fur traders traveled with only their canoes to secure their safe passage portaged through virgin old growth forest, thick with jack pine, black spruce and poplar, made worse by and often impassable with frequent blow-downs and wildfire. That was well over 100 years ago. Today, wildfire and blow-downs are still very much part of the northern boreal, and yet these Historic routes have survived and are still being used by tourism operators and Wilderness Outfitters in the area. Successful canoe tripping through the boreal forest depends on many things – one very basic requirement is the ability to portage canoes and supplies between lakes. These portages and the forests bordering those lakes and rivers are now at risk of being lost forever.

Buchanan Group acting through its subsidiary Long Lake Forest Products was first licensed by the Ontario Government to harvest timber in the Ogoki Forest in 1996 . This is a 20 year license and it is now up for renewal. To facilitate this process, The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) has prepared a strategic document entitled the 2008-2018 Forest Management Plan (FMP) outlining their recommendations for harvesting via clear cut approximately 70,000 ha of Boreal forest within the Ogoki Forest Management Unit for a ten year period commencing April 2008 . The planned areas for harvest boundary several lakes and rivers that form one of several canoe routes used by the wilderness enthusiasts in the area. A major area of concern is the area surrounding the Marshall Lake Canoe Route . Traditionally used by the Ojibway for hunting, fishing, and trapping for over thousands of years, the Marshall Lake Canoe Route is steeped in history. The route offers the keen observer an opportunity to locate pictographs on the steep rocky shores of the deep blue lakes and wide flat rivers. The Woodland Caribou, a threatened species, can still be seen drinking at shore's edge.

The 2008-2018 Forest Management Plan proposes extensive harvesting along the shores of the Kapikotongwa River within the Marshall Lake Canoe Route. The risk to wildlife is also substantial. Caribou are a sensitive species, and their habitat is projected to fall in the Ogoki Forest by 57% over the next 100 years . The decline is largely a function of the Forest becoming regulated by the Ministry’s forestry operations guideline referred to as The Caribou Mosaic. The projected large decline in suitable habitat in combination with the imperiled status of the species is a source of grave concern. This narrative has been prepared to engage all outdoor enthusiasts who advocate recreation and wildlife preservation into a call for action! Preserve our heritage! Save the Marshall Lake Canoe Route, protect caribou habitat and have a voice in the development of the Ogoki Forest!

Your action is required - the future of our forest depends on it!

Update! The draft plan has been issued by the MNR but it is not too late! Forest operations will continue unless you speak up now! The final stage of the Forest Management Process is a 30 day inspection period (Stage 5) which begins Feb 1, 2008 and ends March 2, 2008. During this inspection period, any person may make a written request to the Director of Environmental Assessment Approvals Branch, Ministry of the Environment, for an individual environmental assessment of specific proposed forest management activities in the forest management plan. A response to a request for an individual environmental assessment will normally be provided after the completion of the 30-day inspection period.

This means any individual can send a letter to the Minister of the Environment requesting an independant Environmental Assessment be conducted before logging begins in April 2008. This is the final stage - all letters must be sent in by March 2, 2008. For more information check the EBR website at:
http://www.ebr.gov.on.ca/ERS-WEB-External/displaynoticecontent.do?noticeId=MjcxNjg=&statusId=MjcxNjg=&language=en

This is the last opportunity for public input. It is critical for all Canadians who care about how their land is being managed to voice their opinions NOW before development decisions are finalized.

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Wildlife Preservation - Our FMP Recommendations

Wildlife Preservation and Protection

Core Recommendations: Wildlife is an essential part of an intact forest. Wild animals provide us with many aesthetic, recreational and economic benefits. Not only do they indicate a healthy ecosystem, but they also enhance our experience in nature, provide a source of income to hunters and trappers, and increase business for remote tourism operators. As such, a diversity of wildlife populations needs to be preserved in the Ogoki Forest.

2008-2018 FMP recommendations

1. The planning team for the 2008 FMP must ensure that that 2008-2018 FMP contains the required text related to wildlife in the Management Unit Description section of the Plan, and that table entries of wildlife habitat are correct and provide accurate analysis of the impact of harvesting on wildlife habitat.

2. Cease harvesting in parts of the Ogoki Forest Management Unit where woodland caribou have been sighted.

3. Adopt the recommendations contained in the 2005 Ogoki Forest Independent Audit and complete a full impact assessment on woodland caribou before determining harvest operations for the Ogoki Forest

"The Audit Team believes the Ministry must provide strong objective evidence that the decline in habitat will not further endanger caribou and recommends that the Ministry conduct an objective assessment of the viability of the caribou population on the Forest"

Historic Canoe Routes - Our FMP Recommendations

Recommendations for planning within the Ogoki Forest for 2008- 2018 Canoe Route Preservation and Protection

Core Recommendations: The existence of heritage canoe routes is respected and valued by the community and permanently entrenched within the Forest Management Planning process from this point forward. Canoe routes must be preserved. The natural remote environment along these routes must be given the highest priority and any impacts resulting from forestry operations must be immediately addressed to ensure these routes are returned to their previous state.

2008-2018 FMP recommendations

1. Eliminate any kind of shoreline buffer zone reference that references plant growth. All buffer zones must reference merchantable strands of timber.

2. Give primary consideration to “viewscape”. Predicate all decisions that involve clear cuts within shoreline buffer zones with primary consideration given to the "viewscape".

3. Identify the Marshall Lake Canoe Route as an Enhanced Management Area (EMA) as per Approved Land Use Strategies set out by the Ministry (Section 7.3.2).

4. Update and enter all Historic Canoe Routes in the Natural Resource Values Information System (NRVIS) database and agree to publish these in all future forest management planning maps. Commit the necessary Ministry resources required for the ground-truthing of all Historic Canoe Routes contained in the NRVIS database

Areas of Concern required for the protection of all Historic Canoe Routes in the Ogoki Forest:

Canoe routes
1. Enforce a 200 meter cutting boundary around all water bodies on all NRVIS established canoe routes.

Primary and Branch Roads
2. All primary and branch road must be kept away from canoe routes at a minimum of 1,000m

3. In the event the road cannot be kept away for the aforementioned distance, it must be effectively barred from public access with gates and removal of bridges once the operations are complete.

Operational Roads
4. All operational roads are kept away from canoe routes a minimum of 300m. If wood needs to be retrieved from the resulting reserve, that distance is sufficient for skidding operations that will have minimal impact on the forest floor.
5. After the operation is complete, bridges must be removed, the ground be scarified and the area replanted.

Portages
6. Leave a 200 meter uncut reserve corridors on both sides of established portages. After operations are completed, the portage must be checked to ensure it is left in a cleared state.
7. If a road crosses a portage:
a. no extraction of gravel within reserve
b. roads must cross portages at a right angle

Camp sites
8. All campsites should be entered in NRVIS as a 300 band along the shore to prevent pin-point access by land from the nearest road
9. All campsites must be provided with 100m reserve