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Join us for the Ontario Woodlot Association's (OWA) 32nd Annual Woodlot Tour and Conference! The 2025 annual event, co-hosted by the Lower Ottawa Valley Chapter of the OWA, will take place in Kemptville, Ontario from May 28-29, 2025, at the Kemptville Campus Education and Community Centre. Unique to this year, the conference will be held alongside the International Model Forest Network (IMFN) 2025 Global Forum. The Global Forum will attract up to 200 delegates representing over 60 Model Forests from over 30 countries around the world. With the OWA hosting the provincial conference and the Eastern Ontario Model Forest (EOMF) welcoming delegates from around the world for the IMFN 2025 Global Forum, this event presents an exceptional opportunity to “Act Locally... Think Globally.” With this theme, we aim to inspire local action with a global perspective. The conference will include a range of educational tour options across eastern Ontario, a banquet dinner with delegates attending the IMFN Global Forum, and an action-packed conference day featuring speakers, a trade show, and ample networking opportunities for woodlot stewards to share their knowledge, accomplishments and challenges with those from near and far. We are pleased to announce that this year's event will once again include a trade show to showcase and celebrate local and provincial work in forestry and conservation on May 28 (evening) and May 29 (all day). Registration is now open and the early bird rate will be available until February 28, 2025, 12:00 p.m. EST. Pre-registration is required to attend the event.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS |
[ez-toggle title="How do I register?"]Click the 'Registration' button above to open the event page, select your ticket type and tour, and complete the payment. You will receive a confirmation email once you are registered. You will also be able to locate the event on the OWA Event Calendar. This year attendees can submit all registration information directly through the OWA website, including choosing your preferred tour.[/ez-toggle]
[ez-toggle title="Which meals are included in the cost of registration?"]Lunch will be provided on both days, and the banquet dinner will be held on May 28th. On May 29th, refreshments will be provided throughout the day in addition to lunch.[/ez-toggle]
[ez-toggle title="Can my guest attend a different tour than me?"]Yes. At the bottom of the registration page please select "Add a guest" and another registration form will open allowing you to complete your guest's registration details such as their preferred tour. Please note that tours will be scheduled to depart from Kemptville Campus at different times.[/ez-toggle]
[ez-toggle title="Is there a group rate for local accommodations?"]Yes. The OWA has secured a limited block of rooms at a local hotel. OWA staff and volunteers have also created an extensive list of other nearby accommodations, which is included in the registration confirmation email. Registration fees do not include overnight accommodation.[/ez-toggle]
[ez-toggle title="What can I expect from the trade show?"]The trade show is scheduled to begin after the tours on May 28th and all day May 29th. Multiple opportunities to stretch your legs and visit the trade show are built into the event agenda to ensure attendees have ample time to visit all exhibitors.[/ez-toggle]
[ez-toggle title="Will there be a silent auction?"]Yes. We will be seeking new, handmade and antique items for our annual silent auction taking place on May 29th. More information will be made available in January 2025.[/ez-toggle]
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Concurrent Tours - Wednesday, May 28th, 2025
Conference attendees have the exciting opportunity to join one of five tours, each designed to provide an up-close look at the active management of various sites across eastern Ontario by those who steward them. The tours are tailored to offer unique experiences based on learning goals, physical abilities, interests, and arrival times, allowing you to choose the tour that best suits you. Attendees will also meet and mingle with delegates from around the world attending the International Model Forest Network (IMFN) 2025 Global Forum, providing the opportunity to think globally. Each tour has limited capacity, so we encourage early registration to secure a spot on your preferred tour. A complimentary lunch is included with each tour as part of the registration cost. Check-in for all tours will be at Parish Hall, Kemptville Campus. Round-trip bussing is being arranged to and from Kemptville Campus for all tours. Unless otherwise stated, bus departure times are to be determined. All tours are scheduled to return to Kemptville Campus by 4:00 p.m. for the trade show and banquet dinner. Please note content and times may be subject to change. To download a copy of the preliminary agenda, click here. Creating Resilient Forests Through Seed Collection: A Practical Hands-On Workshop
This practical and hands-on workshop, led by the Forest Gene Conservation Association, is a great opportunity for participants to get a taste of what it is like to be an effective Genetic Diversity Advocate for the forest. The workshop will introduce participants to a new way of looking at the forest that can be carried-out in a family-owned woodlot or become a more formal program for larger community and regional forests. The basic skills and methods that will be learned are fully adaptable and transferrable to any part of the world. The workshop will be six hours, and it will take place at Kemptville Campus (meeting room is TBD). Most of the workshop will be spent indoors, with some outdoor activity planned to take place near to the meeting room. This tour option is planned for participants with mobility challenges in mind. [ez-toggle title="Read more"]Participants will be provided with mentorship on the practical skills that help them to become comfortable with identifying genetically healthy trees, their suitability as a seed source, observing flowering and forecasting for seed development, and basic tips for properly collecting and handling seeds to maintain their quality and grow healthy trees. The importance of respecting and augmenting genetic diversity through seed sourcing and collecting will also be a strong focus of the workshop. Within in the context of global climate change, the need for diversity at all levels has never been greater as is the need for many more individuals and organizations to possess the skills and know how to contribute to creating resilience in our forests. The Forest Gene Conservation Association (FGCA) is an Ontario not-for-profit unique in its focus on gene conservation. The mission of the FGCA is to ensure that genetic diversity is recognized and protected as the foundation of a resilient forested landscape. To do this, the FGCA works with and assists forest practitioners to conserve and augment the genetic health of forests through species conservation, seed management expertise, climate change adaptation, education, and advocacy. FGCA effectively partners with government agencies, the forestry sector, other not-for-profit organizations, landowners, and many others, to create a genetically diverse, resilient forested landscape that supports healthy ecosystems, healthy people, and a healthy economy, across Ontario.[/ez-toggle] Kemptville Campus Tour
The Kemptville Campus Tour will include a visit to the maple syrup operation, and to actively managed forest stands. Participants will also partake in a leisurely guided walk on the trail system, visiting points of interest and different forest conditions. The tour is planned to last four hours. [ez-toggle title="Read more"]Kemptville Campus is the main venue for the 32nd Annual Woodlot Tour and Conference. The site itself includes 630 acres and 17 main buildings, as well as woodlands, cropland, wetland, greenspace, green houses, an agroforestry centre and maple bush, trails, and other buildings - sports facilities, residence, and catering facilities. Its natural areas are well interpreted and easily accessible for people who wish to explore and learn at their own pace. Owned by the municipality of North Grenville, the operation and maintenance of Kemptville Campus is through a not-for-profit corporation. The forests of Kemptville Campus have achieved Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) Certification through the Eastern Ontario Model Forest’s Forest Certification Program. With over half the Campus lands covered by forest, this ensures the viability and sustainability of that forest now and for the future. This certification includes both wood and maple syrup harvested from the forest. The Kemptville Campus woodlot is comprised of several forest stands, including mixed hardwood, conifer, and maple plantations.[/ez-toggle] Limerick Forest Tour
The Limerick Forest Tour will include presentations at the Interpretive Centre, a guided walk on the 3 km Chalet Loop nature trail, which includes a 100-metre boardwalk that extends into a large wetland complex. A separate and more extensive trail network will also provide interesting forest ecosystem site visits by bus. The tour is planned to last five hours with time for a relaxed lunch, plus a one-hour round-trip bus ride to and from Kemptville. [ez-toggle title="Read more"]The Limerick Forest is a 6092-hectare community forest, owned and managed by the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville. Limerick consists of four large consolidated and numerous smaller, unconsolidated tracts of property located across the Counties. In 2010, a new Interpretive Centre was built to replace the original one-room chalet built in 1876. The new Centre was constructed with Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) certified red pine logs from some of the first trees planted in Limerick Forest in 1945. The Limerick Forest itself is Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) certified (FSC® C018800) through the Eastern Ontario Model Forest’s Forest (EOMF) Certification Program and is managed as an active forest as per certification guidelines. However, as the goal of Limerick Forest is not to generate a steady stream of revenue but to provide a “a wide variety of goods and services" to the residents of Leeds Grenville, a multi-use management philosophy has been adopted. This provides for a wide array of recreational opportunities, which in turn are reliant upon forest management operations aimed at ensuring the forest remains healthy and grows and develops over time.[/ez-toggle] Ottawa River Boat Cruise & Arboretum Walking Tour
The Arboretum Walking Tour, hosted by the Friends of the Central Experimental Farm, will take place at the Dominion Arboretum in Ottawa. The walking tour will be followed by lunch and then a one-hour boat cruise with a special guest speaker. The cruise boat is wheelchair accessible and the arboretum is partially accessible. The tour is planned to last five hours with time for lunch, plus a two-hour round-trip bus ride to and from Kemptville. [ez-toggle title="Read more"]Located on 64-acres of rolling land between Prince of Wales Drive and the historical Rideau Canal system, the arboretum was developed to test the hardiness of woody plants in the Canadian climate. With a variety of micro-climates and showcasing a range of woody plants, the collection contains around 4000 specimens. The Dominion Arboretum displays a wide range of well-established trees and shrubs, some dating back to 1889. Because the Dominion Arboretum is north of the 45-degree latitude, it is considered to be the most northerly Arboretum on the continent. Participants on this tour will also experience the world-famous Ottawa River Cruise. Participants will get a glimpse of the booming lumber trade of the day that made Ottawa what it is today. For over a century logs were floated down the Ottawa, Gatineau and Rideau to markets oversees. Take in over 50 focal points including Parliament Hill, the Canadian Museum of History, and the Rideau Falls.[/ez-toggle] Quinte Conservation Tour
The Quinte Conservation Tour will include visits to several actively managed forest stands where silviculture restoration, including thinning and improvement harvesting, are underway or have recently occurred, as well as sites highlighting structural diversity enhancement in conifer plantations, storm damage, examples of hardwood stand improvement, and recreational areas. The tour is planned to last four hours, with a four-hour round-trip bus ride to and from Kemptville through one of the most scenic areas of rural Ontario. Check-in is tentatively planned for 7:00-7:15 a.m. at Parish Hall, Kemptville Campus. The tour is scheduled to depart by bus at 7:30 a.m. and will return by 4:00 p.m. for the trade show and reception. This tour option may be ideal for members travelling from west of Quinte as there may be an option to drive yourself and meet the group directly at Quinte Conservation for 9:30 a.m. [ez-toggle title="Read more"]Quinte Conservation is a watershed based nonprofit environmental protection agency. Its services are focused on protecting people and property from the dangers of natural hazards, with focus in providing flood forecasting and low water information to municipalities and residents within its jurisdiction. Quinte Conservation’s natural boundaries include the drainage basins of the Moira, Napanee, and Salmon Rivers and all of Prince Edward County. Quinte Conservation owns over 30,000 acres of protected land, ensuring conservation and protection of overall watershed health. The forests owned and managed by the Quinte Conservation have achieved both Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) certification and Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®) certification through the Eastern Ontario Model Forest. Quinte Conservation's objectives for its forest holdings include environmental protection, recreation, education, wildlife habitat and forest products.[/ez-toggle] |
Day 2 - Conference and Annual Meeting - Thursday, May 29th, 2025
We are excited to welcome several forestry practitioners, experts, and landowners - many of whom are all three - to educate and inspire during the 32nd Annual Woodlot Tour and Conference. To download a copy of the preliminary agenda, click here. [ez-toggle title="Keynote: Barb and Eric Boysen"]Join Barb and Eric Boysen as they take you through more than a century in the life of their 200 acre woodlot near Maberly, Ontario. Follow their lands from a pristine forest just over 200 years ago that was shaped mostly by natural forces, through to the settlement, agriculture and reforestation phases shaped by humans today. With over 80 combined years of professional experience as foresters, hunters, syrup-makers, seed collectors and tree planters, benefit from their hands-on experiences managing their mixed-wood forest to achieve their primary goals to restore nature's balance, while also providing endless opportunities for physical and spiritual well-being. Adapting to climate change, invasive species and changing economic realities will be key considerations for the future.[/ez-toggle] [ez-toggle title="Woodlot Owners Panel: Jean Saint-Pierre"]Jean Saint-Pierre shares what he learned over the years since the first visit of a forestry technician to his small woodlot in Eastern Ontario, about 40 years ago. Since then, he has acquired a much larger adjacent woodlot which he uses primarily for nature observation along with maintenance work providing ample firewood to heat his home. Since retirement a decade ago, Jean has enjoyed and appreciated the fragile complexity and beauty of what makes up a forest, from the diversity of tree species along with mammals, birds, amphibians, insects, mushrooms and other life forms needed to maintain a healthy forest. Jean has learned about good forest management practices through the Franco Ontarian woodlot owners association called Boisés Est, which offers workshops and info sessions on many subjects related to good forestry practices, from the selection and transplantation of trees, the safe use of forestry equipment, the Managed Forest Tax Incentive Program (MFTIP) and other subjects of interest to woodlot owners.[/ez-toggle] [ez-toggle title="Woodlot Owners Panel: Glenda Jones"]Thirty years ago, Glenda and Alan Jones moved to the country and bought their woodlot, with little knowledge of rural living. A sharp learning curve ensued as they studied the Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI) designation on their property, identified trees, and observed the changing seasons. They have kept a detailed diary recording climate change, bird populations, and their activities. During the panel, Glenda will describe how their woodlot and management activities have changed over time, as well as the ANSI designation on their property.[/ez-toggle] [ez-toggle title="Woodlot Owners Panel: Tom Adamchick"]Tom Adamchick and Susan Taylor purchased their property south of Pembroke in 2001. Since the 1950s, it served as a living laboratory for John Santon, a Danish horticulturist with the Petawawa National Forest Research Institute, who conducted experimental plantings and tests. The 70-acre woodlot features various plantations, including a 14-acre sugar maple section with 350 taps. Believing the site has a microclimate due to its proximity to Lake Doré, Tom and Susan experiment with species beyond their current climate range, and are establishing an American chestnut plantation from blight-free nuts. They also focus on fire-smarting near their home and promoting conservation through tours and training.[/ez-toggle] [ez-toggle title="Woodlot Owners Panel: Jamie Fortune"]Growing up in a family that recognized the benefits of diverse and well-managed forests, Jamie has been involved in all aspects of forestry. Sherry and Jamie own over 350 acres of land in Lanark County which contains spectacular old growth trees and a unique range of diverse flora and fauna. Their lands support a commercial maple syrup operation, red pine and maple plantations, wetlands, and field habitats. Their lands have been actively managed for over 40 years, and they have learned a great deal by observing their forests. Forest management needs to be dynamic as natural events occur which require adaptation and intervention. We continue to deal with the impacts of a tornado in 1997, the major ice storm in 1998, the derecho in 2022, and another ice storm in 2023. In addition, invasive species have killed the elm, butternut, ash and beech. Jamie will share some of their key experiences, the equipment and work involved and the results of their efforts to date.[/ez-toggle] [ez-toggle title="Professor Lenore Fahrig"]Professor Lenore Fahrig is the Chancellor's Professor of Biology and Gray Merriam Chair in Landscape Ecology at Carleton University, Ottawa. She researches the effects of roads and traffic, habitat loss, agriculture, and cities on biodiversity. A study in 2019 ranked her impact in the top 0.01% of all 7 million scientists worldwide. In 2022 she was awarded the Herzberg Gold Medal, Canada's top science prize.[/ez-toggle] [ez-toggle title="Elizabeth Holmes and Martin Streit"]During the banquet dinner on Wednesday night, we’ll hear from Elizabeth Holmes and Martin Streit as they discuss the history and legacy of the Eastern Ontario Model Forest. Elizabeth served in various roles with the Eastern Ontario Model Forest over two decades – from summer student to General Manager – before returning to the University of Guelph to complete her PhD, where she focused on policy mechanisms to enhance the provisioning of ecosystem services by private landowners. She now works for the Ministry of Natural Resources as a Program and Partnership Specialist, overseeing a number of partnership portfolios the Provincial Tree Marking Course. Martin is a Registered Professional Forester with thirty-nine years of experience in eastern Ontario and upstate New York. He retired from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry in 2019, and also worked with Domtar in Cornwall for 10 years. Martin has been a long-standing supporter of the Eastern Ontario Model Forest, the Ontario Woodlot Association, and Forests Ontario.[/ez-toggle]
Post-Conference Field Tour at Petawawa Research Forest - Friday, May 30th, 2025 The Petawawa Research Forest (PRF) is located in Chalk River, Ontario in the Ottawa Valley, approximately 175 km northwest of Ottawa. It is one of two research forests maintained by Natural Resources Canada, through the Canadian Forest Service. The other is Acadia Research Forest in Atlantic Canada. As a living laboratory, the PRF has a long legacy of providing scientific data that informs researchers, scientists, and industry about long-term trends to help address forestry issues now and in the future. The tour is planned to last ten hours, including a four-hour round-trip bus ride from Kemptville to the PRF, through the scenic and transitioning farms to the rugged forests of the Ottawa Valley. Registration is planned to open by early spring. [ez-toggle title="Tour highlights"]Highlights of the tour will include visits to several active research installations and on-going scientific studies, including: Permanent Sample Plots (PSP) 1 and 2, the first PSPs established in Canada (1918); the adaptive silviculture for climate change sites, fire behaviour and ecology studies; the forest biomass study; and white pine regeneration and competition management. A stop at the PRF’s Centennial Bridge, the first engineered wood forest access (logging) road bridge constructed in Ontario, will also be included.[/ez-toggle] [ez-toggle title="Read more"]With over 100 years of research history, the PRF is in a unique position to develop, test and validate the application of large datasets to meet current and emerging forest management challenges. Managed by the Canadian Wood Fibre Centre, the PRF contributes to the protection, sustainability, innovation, and economic development of Canada’s forests. Established in 1918, this “living laboratory” continues to inform forest research and forest management practices in Canada and around the world. The mission of the PRF is to enhance sustainable forest management practices by facilitating innovative research by providing a safe and secure sustainably managed forest land base, accessible forest research data and on-the-ground knowledge transfer experiences. As a remote sensing supersite, open access to PRF data stimulates innovation and enables further research and development. The forest is available to scientists and collaborators from across federal and provincial departments, academia, and industry. It is also a hub to extension and technology transfer for forest professionals, practitioners and managers across Ontario and Canada.[/ez-toggle]
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THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS Thank you to all of our past participants, conference sponsors, students sponsors and planning committee members over the years. We hope you will join us once again for the 32nd Annual Woodlot Tour and Conference in Kemptville, Ontario from May 28-29, 2025. Interested in sponsoring the conference in 2025? The conference sponsorship package is available here for download. |