Sustainable Forest Management

Improve Your Forest’s Health

Managing your forest can increase biodiversity, sustainability and help your forest adapt to climate change. We offer Sustainable Forest Management Services that can improve your forest’s health and help reduce your municipal property tax rate.

Sustainable Forest Management Services

Free site visit to provide recommendations on the following:
- Species identification, including invasive species
- Tree and forest health
- Options to attract more wildlife and to improve biodiversity
- Ways to prepare your forest for climate change
- We can connect you with other restoration services to enhance the natural features of your property including tree and shrub planting, habitat structure installations, grassland management, invasive species management, and wetland, stream and pond management.

Fee for services include:
- Small scale plantation thinning: Work with our Registered Professional Foresters to help improve the diversity of your plantation and restore it to a mixed hardwood forest. Our fee for services include:
  - Mapping and forest inventory
  - Customized Sustainable Forest Plan
  - Tree marking by Ontario Certified Tree Markers
  - Control of invasive plants within the plantation before and after thinning
  - Cutting with option for removal of marked trees
  - Follow-up monitoring and recommendations for future management
  - Bundle these fee for services with other CVC restoration programs such as tree and shrub planting to get the most out of your property.

Plantation area must be a minimum of 0.8 hectares (2 acres) and no more than 4 hectares (10 acres)
Property in the Credit River Watershed. Check your eligibility.

Most activities can occur anytime with the exception of inventory (spring, summer and fall) and harvesting and tree cutting (late summer, fall and winter).

The cost of our services is determined following our free site visit and based on the size of your property and scope of work.
Connect with us to discuss funding for your forest management project.

Our cutting services are for small-scale, non-commercial plantation thinning.
Removal and decking (piling) of cut trees is optional (for fee) where logistically feasible.
Decked (piled) trees may be sold by the landowner and facilitated by CVC where applicable.
Sustainable Forest Management Services must be delivered in whole. We do not offer components of the program separately (e.g. only tree marking or prescription).
All program fees and costs must be paid prior to start of work.
All tree marking and harvesting must be carried out in accordance with an approved plan developed by the landowner and CVC staff.
Once work begins, landowners must not make any alterations, including tree cutting, within the area under the program.
Landowners are responsible for identifying the location of all property lines, easements, and underground utilities prior to start of work.

Managed Forest Tax Incentive Program (MFTIP) Services

The Province of Ontario encourages private land stewardship by reducing the municipal property tax rate on qualifying forested land by 75 per cent. To qualify, you must have 4 hectares (9.88 acres) or more of forested or newly planted land on a single property. Our forestry staff can develop a Managed Forest Plan to help you qualify for MFTIP.

Free site visit to provide forest management recommendations and to determine eligibility for the MFTIP and CVC services.
Fee for service includes:
- Managed Forest Plan development
- Management Forest Plan implementation support
- We can connect you with other restoration services to enhance the natural features of your property including tree and shrub planting, habitat structure installations, grassland management, invasive species management, and wetland, stream and pond management.

The cost of our services is determined following our site visit and based on the size of your property and scope of work.
Learn if you qualify for funding. Connect with us to discuss your forest management project.

Property in the Credit River Watershed. Check your eligibility.
For MFTIP, visit Ontario’s MFTIP website for complete program eligibility and application requirements.

Most activities can occur anytime with the exception of inventory (spring, summer and fall).
New Forest Management Plans must be submitted by June 30 to enter the MFTIP program in the following year.

Space is limited.
Priority is given to landowners using CVC services to help implement their Managed Forest Plan.
All program fees and costs are payable prior to start of work.