OPFA Council approved the OPFA Standard- Indigenous Peoples, Lands & Resources at their December 5th 2019 Council meeting. Professional foresters practising in Ontario will be required to meet the competencies related to Indigenous jurisdiction in Canada that are outlined in the standard. You can view the OPFA Standard- Indigenous Peoples, Lands & Resources here. The soft launch of the first of the three training modules and evaluations will begin May 2024 – all members will be notified and provided with the information to access the resources.

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...