Unfortunately, there remain landowners and loggers who disregard the efforts the NWOA, local loggers and Norfolk County have established to conserve our forest resources. Norfolk County pro-actively works with all woodlot owners and loggers to ensure they do not contravene the Forest Conservation By-law.
If you have an issue with a timber harvest operation which you feel is a contravention of the Forest Conservation By-law, it is best to call the Norfolk Forest Conservation Service right away. If the timber harvest operation is illegal, it is important for By-law Enforcement Officers to act quickly – as many unscrupulous loggers move in and out of an area quickly and have little regard for good forestry practice.
To report questionable timber harvest operations or destruction/clearing of forest cover please call any time at 519-426-5999, ext. 2224 to speak to a Forest Conservation By-law Officer.
A tree falls over in the forest regularly even if we do not hear it. We do take notice of dying trees and it is a cause for concern. Many pressures are affecting our local woodlots and with the introduction of invasive insects and diseases many woodlot owners are concerned when they see dying trees in their woodlots.
The NWOA regularly hosts an annual Forest Health Review in partnership with the Ministry of Natural Resources. At this forum, woodlot owners can discuss local concerns with qualified forest health staff.
The growing concern with invasive species means all woodlot owners must be vigilant in monitoring their own woodlot’s health. As Norfolk County woodlots are all interconnected, the introduction of an invasive insect or disease could impact all our woodlots. If you see a problem, Norfolk County Forest Conservation Service needs to know. Working with the MNR and the Canadian Forestry Service, Norfolk County will inspect your woodlot to assess your concerns.
When you have insect and disease concerns – they need to be taken seriously – the introduction of an invasive insect or disease has the potential to spread beyond your woodlot. So next time you have a concern call the Norfolk County Forest Conservation Service.
To speak to a Forest Conservation By-law Officer to arrange a site visit call 519-426-5999, ext. 0.
This is a frequently asked question when woodlot owners hear of neighbours receiving high values for their timber harvest. But today’s value is not necessarily tomorrow’s.
Each woodlot is unique and has been influenced by past management, thus it is best to seek professional advice before harvesting.
Through this process it must be understood that the value of your standing timber is as unique as your woodlot and your management objectives. Once you have the number of trees to be harvested and an estimate of the standing volume, the bids you receive will be the value of what it is worth. You should expect differences in the values of bids, and should be prepared to ask why. Reasons can range from the ability of logger to market various species, distance from mill, etc.
When you have established the price you will receive for your timber to be harvested, make sure you sign a contract and receive payment before the timber is cut! You would never sell your car and let the buyer drive out of your driveway without being paid so don’t tolerate promises of payment after the fact. There are always operators who will comply with the standards of a contract when another one won’t.
First, CALL BEFORE YOU CUT !
Norfolk County has a Forest Conservation By-law which has been in place since 1947. This By-law was developed by local woodlot owners and loggers, which help landowners achieve their objectives while maintaining the sustainability of our local forest resources.
The Norfolk County Forest Conservation Service offers an information package to all woodlot owners considering woodlot management. This locally developed package helps landowners through the process of undertaking a timber harvest including:
hiring a professional tree marker or forester;
taking inventory;
tree marking;
how to seek quotes from reputable loggers;
signing a contract; and
post harvest activities.
To receive a Timber Harvest Information Package or speak to a Forest Conservation By-law Officer call 519-426-5999, ext. 0.
This information is complimented by the efforts of the NWOA to provide literature on the subject of harvesting in the Forest Resource Manual, as well as hosting various workshops and seminars illustrating working examples of timber harvest operations.
There are many definitions of good forestry but as stewards of the forest, woodlot owners must strive within the various options available to them to undertake balanced management which conserves the resource for generations to come.
The application of Good Forestry Practice in layman terms is the process a woodlot owner undertakes to achieve specific objectives which have been proven to be within the scope of acceptable forestry practices.
Simply, if a woodlot owner is seeking a continuous sustainable supply of harvest timber, they would undertake a harvest which involved harvesting trees big and small, good and bad, leaving a good cross section of tree species and sizes for the next harvest.
If a woodlot owner is seeking to manage for wildlife habitat, than management of specific tree species maybe concentrated on for mast (food) production or habitat.
When considering harvesting, woodlot owners can selectively harvest trees which attain a specific size, provided a residual number of trees remain after the harvest. However, this approach, known as a circumference limit harvest , can over time result in high-grading of a forest stand, leaving a woodlot owner with a woodlot heavily stocked with poor quality trees.
The application of good forestry is the recommended method of woodlot management, but does involve an upfront investment by the woodlot owner. This cost is minimal, given the value a tree grows, literally, over time. With good forestry, a professional is employed to assist a landowner achieve his/her objectives. The cost of employing a professional to help manage an averaged size woodlot sometimes works out to the value of a couple of trees!
The NWOA recommends woodlot owners seek professional help in achieving their objectives when considering harvesting their woodlot.
Remember, you too can help in tree marking so tag along with your consultant and the value of the service is complimented by everything you learn while working side-by-side with a professional.
Good Forestry is defined in the Southern Ontario Silvicultural Guide as;
“the proper implementation of harvest, renewal and maintenance activities known to be appropriate for the forest and environmental conditions under which they are being applied and that minimize detriments to forest values including significant ecosystems, important fish and wildlife habitat, soil and water quality and quantity, forest productivity and health and the aesthetics and recreational opportunities of the landscape.”
No. The NWOA recognizes that harvesting trees in a woodlot is only one form of management. Many of our members own or manage their woodlot for recreation, old growth, agroforestry opportunities, wildlife – the list grows on and on like your woodlot!
Harvesting of trees may or may not be required for you to reach your objectives.
Remember it is your woodlot and the value you place on a specific feature maybe worth more to you than the revenue the woodlot may have the potential to generate at a specific point in time. Thus the NWOA encourages woodlot owners to balance their objectives with good forestry and wildlife practices to ensure the capacity of the woodlot never loses the potential to achieve your desired objectives for the property.
Remember we are only stewards for the next generation of woodlot owners.
The NWOA Board of Directors is always looking for timely topics of interest to share with the membership. If you have a topic, would like to showcase your woodlot or what management you have undertaken, the NWOA Board of Directors will be willing to work with you in organizing an event.
The Newsletter is another format the Board of Directors uses to disseminate information amongst the membership. The newsletter is published every month from September to April, with two editions over the spring and summer months. Published articles, written submissions, “Ask the Editor” questions can be forwarded to any member of the Board of Directors for consideration in the next newsletter.
Remember the NWOA works because the newsletters, workshops, seminars, and field trips are based upon members’ ideas!
The NWOA was established as a result of a partnership between a dedicated group of interested woodlot owners, the Norfolk Federation of Agriculture, the Norfolk Land Stewardship Council, and the Tree Commission (known today as the Norfolk County Forest Conservation Service) .
The mission statement established by this group in forming the NWOA was “to promote wise use and stewardship of Norfolk’s Woodlots” . Working with this premise and focusing on the development of a membership-driven association, is the reason so many woodlot owners and other interested parties, have joined the NWOA to date.
Our members want to do what is best for their woodlots. Through working together we collectively learn about what has worked and what has not, what is recommended and where we can find more information. The NWOA seeks only to help and provide a framework to promote good forestry and wildlife management which ties our woodlots together across Norfolk County.
All new NWOA members receive access to a Forest Resource Manual, full of information from sources across North America. Members regularly receive informative newsletters and opportunities to participate in seminars, workshops, and field trips. You will know who is a proud NWOA member by the aluminium driveway membership sign which is posted along roadsides across Norfolk and even as far west by a local woodlot owner who resides in Edmonton, Alberta! Join the NWOA today!
No. The Norfolk Woodlot Owners Association recognizes the importance of having a membership which includes all those interested in woodlots. While only woodlot owners can hold a position on the Board of Directors, all others are welcome to participate and learn side by side with woodlot owners the importance of Norfolk County’s woodlands and how we must strive to apply good forestry and wildlife practices across our diverse natural landscape. Join the NWOA today!