The Value of Our Forests
The Ontario Forestry Association is committed to highlighting the importance of Ontario's forest resources. They play a vital role in our economy, environment and everyday livelihood. Ontario's forest resources are managed in a sustainable manner, ensuring that future generations have forest resources.
Forests are an important part of the landscape, not only because of their environmental service and value to stakeholders, but also because of their direct benefits for individuals and communities. The use of forest resources (both timber and non-timber) significantly impacts the livelihoods of populations, particularly in rural, northern areas. Management of forest resources for commercial purposes represents an important source of income and enjoyment for Ontario. Our forests are important for education, research and recreation.
Wood is Good
From an economic perspective, Ontario's forests play a highly important role in this province's prosperity. In addition to providing jobs to approximately 200,000 people in over 260 Ontario communities, Ontario's forestry sector products generated $15.3 billion in revenue in 2007 alone. As well, 40 of the 260 Ontario communities in which forestry work occurs are classified as being areas where citizens are highly dependent on the forestry sector for employment. Overall, Ontario's forests provide employment, socio-economic benefits for Ontario residents and government revenue.
A recent article pointed out that using wood product may actually lead to increased forest area and sustainable forestry practices. When you purchase wood products, this decision directly impacts the marketplace by increasing the demand for wood products. This demand for wood products means that we have to plant more trees to ensure there is a supply for the future. "As long as the demand for wood is steady and strong, landowners, both private and public, will plant trees to supply that demand" (Moore, 2011). In our Ontario we have a great supply of wood, therefore when deciding to purchase wood products, make sure to question where your wood may be coming from. Demanding local wood resources will ensure that forests continue to play an important role in Ontario and Canada's economy, and supply jobs for local communities. More importantly, it will continue to ensure our resources are managed in a sustainable manner.
Ecological Service Values
Ontario's forests cannot only be valued by the products and employment it creates, a fairly new idea of ecological goods and services, suggests our forests provide more to us than we could possibly imagine. Ecological goods and services are defined as the benefits that are produced from the ecological functions of healthy and robust ecosystems. Furthermore, these benefits are experienced by humans, plants and all other living organisms. Examples of ecological goods include clean air and fresh water, while examples of ecological services include maintenance of biodiversity and the generation and renewal of soil and vegetation. Forests, in particular, provide a wide range of ecological goods and services including helping air quality, carbon storage and sequestration, soil formation, and biological control just to name a few.
In November 2009, the Ministry of Natural Resources released the paper- "Estimation of Ecosystem Service Values for Southern Ontario". In this paper it was estimated that the value of Southern Ontario's non-urban forests is equal to $4 billion dollars per year. That equals over $4000/ ha/ year! It is important that we are aware of the value of our forests since they play such a critical part in our daily lives.
Looking at our forests with the concept of ecological goods and services in mind is to acknowledge that healthy, properly managed forests work to provide many other crucial natural resources including water, wildlife, and fish.
Education
The forests around you are a living classroom. The more you explore them, the more you realize how much there is to learn. At the OFA we believe in trying to get more people out into the forests to learn about them hands on. We receive immeasurable benefits from our forests as a source of recreational enjoyment and aesthetic value. Numerous people use Ontario's forests to camp, hunt, vacation, relax and to just enjoy nature. Forests hold an important spiritual value for many, leading many Ontarians to seek peace and adventure in nearby woods.
Ontario's forests are home to approximately 85 billion trees! Ontario has 69 million hectares of forest land, which is about 65% of the total area of 107 million hectares. The province owns 88% of the forest land, and 11% is privately owned, with the remaining 1% under federal ownership. Although populations are high, much of the population resides in southern Ontario. Ontario forests are extremely diverse, from the Carolinian forests in the south to the boreal in the north. There are 4 forest regions in Ontario, with species diversity in trees decreasing as you move north in the province.
The value of our forests mean different things to different people. Forests play an important part in Ontario's economy, not only providing us with goods but also immense recreational value. Our forests are a key part of Ontario's future. This is why it is crucial we value our forests through properly managing and sustaining our existing forests.