The Dryden Forest Management Company Limited (DFMC) is committed to managing the Dryden Forest sustainably through the integration of environmental, economic and social values.  Sustainable forest management practices will balance the interests of all Dryden Forest stakeholders, while ensuring a sustainable and predictable supply of quality wood fibre.

The broad goal for the Dryden Forest is to achieve a healthy, sustainable forest ecosystem vital to the well being of forest based, as well as non-forest based regional communities.  Therefore, this sustainable forest management policy includes not only economic objectives, such as a continuous and predictable supply of suitable wood from the Dryden Forest, but also other social and environmental objectives for forest cover.  Guiding sustainable forest management objectives for the Dryden Forest are:

FOREST DIVERSITY OBJECTIVES

Biodiversity
To maintain long-term forest diversity though sustainable forest management practices, and to protect sites from environmental degradation from forest operations
 
Red and White Pine Conservation
To ensure that all age classes of naturally occurring red pine and white pine ecosystems, including old growth stands are present on the landscape now and into the future, while permitting a sustainable harvest of both species

SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC MATTERS OBJECTIVES

Industrial Harvest
To provide an opportunity for the forest products industry to purchase a predictable and continuous supply of wood products

Employment
To provide employment to the forest industry and workplaces which are respectful of civil rights, provides equal employment opportunities, recognizes gender equality and cultural diversity, is free of discrimination and harassment, provides fair and equitable workers’ compensation, recognizes indigenous peoples’ rights, workers’ and communities’ right to know, prevailing wages, workers’ right to organize, and occupational health and safety.

Personal Use Harvest
To make available incidental volumes of timber for such uses as fuelwood, building logs, fence posts and other materials for personal use to local users

Working with and Respecting Indigenous Communities

• DFMC recognizes that the Dryden Forest resides in traditional territories of the Indigenous peoples of Treaty #3 and several Métis organizations representing Métis people and communities.
• DFMC is committed to working with the First Nations people and communities of Treaty #3 and the Métis communities to

o   identify pathways that respect traditional rights,

o   maintain and enhance the inherent social and economic benefits to Indigenous peoples who traditionally use the forest for subsistence and spiritual value.

• DFMC will continue to use the regulatory framework of the Forest Management Planning system in Ontario for the Forest Management Planning of the Dryden Forest, including consultation with Indigenous Communities, and will explore mutually beneficial business relationships with Indigenous organizations with shared interests, as they arise.  Our efforts will be guided by relevant principles, which may include the United Nations Declaration on Indigenous Peoples.

• DFMC is committed to having staff and contractors to receive relevant levels of cultural awareness training related to local Indigenous culture and rights.

Working With Other Forest Users
To conduct forestry operations in a manner that considers and respects the other forest users that utilize the Dryden Forest

Sensitive Sites
To protect identified archeological, cultural heritage sites, and traditional use sites in the Dryden Forest

THE PROVISION OF FOREST COVER OBJECTIVE

Forest Landscape
To maintain a forest landscape pattern that will supply suitable habitat for provincially featured wildlife species (moose, deer, marten) temporally and geographically over the landscape, within the bounds of natural variation

SILVICULTURE OBJECTIVE

Silviculture
To maintain or enhance the productivity of the forest while maintaining the ecological diversity of the landscape

DFMC is committed to:

• Operating in accordance with all relevant federal, provincial and municipal legislation and regulations, and all relevant standards and guidelines

• Communicating this sustainable forest management policy to all shareholders, and company contractors

• Implementing and maintaining this sustainable forest management policy

• Continuously improving forest management practices on the Dryden Forest to sustain environmental quality and to enhance the social and economic value of the Dryden Forest

• Monitoring environmental impacts through compliance and effectiveness audits and regular communications with shareholders and contractors