Feasibility of community forestry in northern Ontario : a socio-economic and biophysical evaluation framework

Abstract

Community forestry has become a much-discussed form of forest land tenure and management in Northern Ontario. It is a viable approach to community economic development especially among communities that are dependent on the forest sector. This study is a broadly-based investigation of the socio-economic and biophysical factors that give communities an inherently high potential for success in new community forestry ventures. The factors identified herein have been arranged into a framework which I propose government can identify those communities where community forestry may have a high chance of succeeding. The factors attributing to the success of the North Cowichan community forest in British Columbia have been presented for comparative purposes. A total of 15 variables have been examined in this study. This study area covers sections of Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources’ (OMNR) former Northern, North Central, and Northeastern Regions of Ontario, altogether encompassing 22 communities. Based on the results of the study, the communities of Nipigon, Geraldton, Hearst, Wawa, and Marathon would be excellent candidates for pilot projects or in-depth feasibility studies on community forestry. The second group of communities that may be considered are Terrace Bay, White River, and Red Rock. I conclude that community forestry is a viable option for forest land tenure and management in some communities (with high inherent success potential) in Northern Ontario.