Ontario Woodlot: Forest Health & Climate Resilience Events

The Ontario Woodlot Association offers educational courses and events on forest stewardship, property mapping, species identification, and climate-resilient management, including the Ontario Forest Health Review with expert talks on health conditions, invasive pests, and management programs. Events span 2025-2026, featuring hands-on workshops teaching sustainable harvesting, invasive species control like emerald ash borer via bio-controls and silviculture, and climate adaptation strategies such as diverse plantings tolerant to drought/floods. Property mapping uses GIS tools for inventorying trees, assessing carbon stocks, and planning trails. Species ID sessions cover hardwoods/softwoods, distinguishing natives from invasives. The Forest Health Review aggregates data on defoliators, bark beetles, pathogens, presenting IPM tailored to woodlots: monitoring pheromones, biological releases, mechanical girdling, minimal pesticides. Climate resilience modules discuss assisted migration, gap planting, and agroforestry integrating crops/livestock. Ongoing format includes virtual/in-person hybrids, certifications for loggers, networking for landowners. Benefits: enhanced woodlot value, biodiversity conservation, income from nuts/timber/marketing carbon credits. Expert presenters from universities/government share case studies of resilient stands post-disturbance. Pest management emphasizes early intervention, community surveillance apps. Broader stewardship covers wildlife habitats, riparian buffers, soil conservation. These resources empower private woodlot owners (covering 60% Ontario forests) towards multifunctionality balancing ecology/economics.