This is the first article in our two-part series on plantation management.
Throughout the fall of 2023, Credit Valley Conservation contacted specific tree plantation owners in the Credit River Watershed for insight into their land management experiences and challenges. These insights are valuable for creating targeted programs to support plantation owners.
Survey Results Are In
Survey results show for owners, these plantations are more than income—they’re part of the land they call home. For many, financial gain from selling timber isn’t the primary goal. They’re inspired by the natural beauty of their land and want to support and protect diverse wildlife habitat.
The Challenges
But plantation landowners are facing unprecedented challenges as they shepherd their planted trees into thriving forests. Most plantations are conifer species, such as pine, spruce or cedar, planted close together to ensure proper growth and form from a young age. Plantations require management over time to become healthy, natural forests with diverse species. A CVC forestry team assessment of watershed plantations found the vast majority of older plantations were unmanaged, with nearly 25 per cent at risk of failing.
Climate change creates unpredictable impacts, including increased extreme weather events like wind and ice storms, fires, and floods. Plantation landowners are also grappling with the onslaught of invasive species. Almost 80 per cent of plantation landowners reported invasive plants, pest and diseases as a significant concern.
The Solution: To be Continued
These challenges emphasize the need for forest management planning. This is a tool available to landowners that can improve your forest’s health and, for properties with larger forested areas (at least four hectares), can help reduce your municipal property tax rate. Learn more next week in Plantation Management Part 2: Solutions.