The 68th OPFA Annual Conference and AGM will be held April 8th to 10th, 2025 at the Sheraton Hotel in Hamilton, ON Theme- Navigating Change: The Role of Professional Foresters in Modern Forestry    

Revisions to the Forest Management Planning Manual, Forest Information Manual, and Scaling Manual (collectively, “forest manuals”) were approved by the Lieutenant Governor in Council on April 25, 2024. These approved forest manuals are posted on the Environmental Registry of Ontario (https://ero.ontario.ca/, ERO posting number (019-6823). The effective date for the forest manuals is July 1, 2024. These forest manuals are regulated under section 68 of the Crown Forest Sustainability Act. They provide direction for: the development and implementation of forest management plans, including requirements for First Nation and Métis involvement and consultation; the exchange of information between the forest industry and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry; and instructions and standards for the measurement and movement of wood.

The Canadian Institute of Forestry (CIF) Southern Ontario Section is holding an Irregular Shelterwood System workshop in Milton on November 7th. Please see the workshop flyer below for more information and to register.

Registration is now open for the 2024 Annual Conference and AGM in Sault Ste. Marie, April 16th to 18th. It will be a hybrid event, with both in person and virtual attendance ticket options available. Find more information on the event page!

To foster diversity, equity and inclusion within the organization, OPFA staff and volunteers complete training on equity, diversity and inclusion. A list of available free to access resources are now provided in the External Resources section of the website. Please note that these resources are not owned or maintained by the OPFA. 

The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks has published final government response statements for the following four species at risk under the Endangered Species Act, 2007 (ESA): Cerulean Warbler Gillman’s Goldenrod Red-headed Woodpecker Spoon-leaved Moss Ontario provides protections for species at risk and their habitats under the ESA. The government works with stakeholders, Indigenous peoples and the public to improve the effectiveness of the species at risk program, so that we can continue to help preserve Ontario’s rich biodiversity for generations to come. As required by the ESA, the province has published these government response statements, which are species-specific policies that identify and prioritize actions to protect and recover a species, in response to recommendations in recovery strategies. These statements provide policy direction to government and partners about what should be done to recover each of these species at risk. In developing these government response statements, the Ontario government...

Many people studying forestry or wanting to enter the profession of forestry, whether domestically or internationally trained, usually lack a professional network and experience in forestry. These factors have been noted as major barriers for entry into the workforce by new forest professionals around the world in a recent United Nations report. In 2022, the Ontario Professional Foresters Association (OPFA) formed a Professional Networking Task Team (PNTT). One of the goals of this task team is to provide new OPFA members, such as yourself, opportunities to gain a better understanding of forestry and develop your professional network. To do so, the PNTT developed a program called “Shadow a Forester”. The program provides students and provisional OPFA members the opportunity to connect with professional foresters working in various aspects of professional forestry. Why join the “Shadow a Forester” program? ● Connect with professional foresters that work in your area of interest...