Grassy Narrows Rejects Strategic Direction in Ontario's Forest Management Plan

The attached article (Kenora Miner and News: December 21, 2011) discusses an important change in how Grassy Narrows understands forest management and the bureaucratic process that leads to land use decisions affecting forests on their traditional lands. The long term management direction is a step along the path to development of a forest management plan in Ontario. Until now Grassy has been excluded from the planning process and has tried to create change outside that process. With the rejection of the long term management direction Grassy Narrows was 'talking the language' of the Province and taking a stand that reflected a greater understanding of the process.

Ontario began the process of public release of the long term management direction with public notices and information centres.

The long term management direction (some examples):

• Objectives for forest composition and conditions over a planning horizon of 160 years
• Objectives for wood supply, wildlife habitat and landscape pattern
• Harvest area and volumes
• Locations of harvest blocks for the first five and then ten years of the management plan 

I was asked by the Grassy Narrows Chief and representatives of the 'forestry process' to talk about the implications of the long term management direction in late fall 2011. I followed up on that request and made a short presentation with maps etc. to the group at Grassy. They clearly understood the implications of the strategic direction and were alarmed at plans to log in their traditional lands.

Following that presentation Chief and Council sent a letter to the Minister of Natural Resources rejecting Ontario's plans to log in the traditional lands.

Recently (September 2013) Ontario took the Draft 2012/22 FMP to the public for a short inspection/review period. This plan is based around the long term management direction rejected by Chief and Council in November 2011. Obviously the government is oblivious to the concerns of Grassy Narrows or the large and growing support for Grassy Narrows as evidenced by recent demonstrations in Toronto.

Where does it go from here? The people seem to be just as determined as they were in 2002 when the blockade began. Ontario is just as determined to maintain business as usual.