Ont. Woodlot Assoc. upcoming events

Woodland Tour - Elgin/Middlesex Chapter (23 May 2026)

Sat, 23 May 2026 17:30:00 GMT

This will be a very interesting tour. Fellow member Bert Brouwer is a retired tobacco farmer who manages 150 ac of woodlot near Aylmer, Ontario for timber and firewood production. He has produced maple syrup in the past and planted a plantation of hard maple many years ago with the aim of eventually using it for maple syrup production. He is struggling to control spice bush as it has become invasive in his woodlot.

Please join us!

Muskoka Silviculture Field Day (28 May 2026)

Thu, 28 May 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Organized by: Westwind Forest Stewardship

Participants will meet at the Lake of Bays Community Centre Arena at 10 AM on Thursday, May 28 for introductions, overview, and handouts. We will then carpool, leaving extra vehicles at the Lake of Bays Community Centre, then travel to the site to learn about silviculture systems, hawk nest protection, and basal area measurement. Afterwards, we'll drive to Dorset Beach Park for a washroom break and lunch (pack your own lunch). After lunch, we'll visit a beech study site to discuss Beech Bark Disease and management strategies. The day concludes at the final field site, with a return to Baysville for those that carpooled.

This field tour follows up on the March 2026 presentation by Javier Cappella, RPF, Silviculture on Crown Land in Muskoka, during Woodlands Appreciation Week.

Things to note:

Vehicles need to be SUVs or Trucks.
We will be walking into the forest on uneven rough terrain with fallen branches and tripping hazards. Wear sturdy footwear.
Wear long sleeves and pants, bug spray. Bring water and a lunch.

Detailed Agenda:

Meet at the Lake of Bays Community Centre Arena, 10AM, Thursday May 28

Address: 10 University St, Baysville, ON P0B 1A0

Introductions, overview of the day, paper handouts given to participants.
Carpool and park extra vehicles at Lake of Bays Community Centre Arena on University St.

Drive to Harvest Block, RIDMTM1a

20 min drive, HWY117, Echo Lake Rd, N Ril Lake Road, Fire Access Rd.

Silviculture in forest management. (RIDMTM1a)

Application of the selection, shelterwood and clearcut silviculture systems.
Hawk nest value protection
Basal Area measurement exercise

Drive to Dorset Beach Park

30 min drive, Fire Access Rd, N Ril Lake Road, Paint Lake Road, HWY117, HWY 35

Dorset Beach Park

Washroom break, 2 porta potties
Lunch (bring your own)

Drive to Beech Study Site

15 min drive, HWY35, Kawagama Lake Road, Livingstone Lake Rd, McClintock Rd, N Crk Rd (Fletcher Bay Road)

Beech Study Site

Presentation on Beech Bark Disease
Silviculture management options for addressing the impact of BBD on the forest.
Wrap up and thank you.

Drive to Baysville

40 min drive, 37km
For all who left vehicles at the community centre

Huronia Chapter: Forest Health Meeting (3 Jun 2026)

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 23:00:00 GMT

FOREST HEALTH MEETING

Our annual Forest Health meeting will be held on the evening of Wednesday JUNE 03, 2026 starting at 7:00 p.m. in the Oro Guthrie arena/community centre (Line 4 Oro-Medonte at Hwy 11 southbound intersection).

CALEB SUROWIAK will do an awareness presentation about Oak Wilt and Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, two invasive species that are an imminent threat to our woodlots.

DAVID HAWKEwill host a panel discussion about the OWA’s “Forest Climate Resilience course”, an extremely informative offering that has been attended by several Huronia members. Doug Frost, Sandy Agnew, Ruth Henderson and David have taken this course and will share some of their resulting plans to manage their woodlots in a climate changing era.

Huronia Chapter: Forest Health Seminar (3 Jun 2026)

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 23:00:00 GMT

Norfolk Chapter: Chainsaw Safety and Cutting Techniques (6 Jun 2026)

Sat, 06 Jun 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Chainsaw Safety and Cutting Techniques

Do you operate a chainsaw as part of your work, or as a hobby?

Chainsaws are one of the most useful tools in a woodlot owner’s toolbox, but chainsaws are also one of the most dangerous tools a worker can use.

This one-day course is being offered in partnership between Norfolk Woodlot Owners Association and Norfolk County. The course is designed to educate personnel who use a chainsaw about safety, maintenance, use and handling. Participants will gain an understanding of what contributes to accidents and how to avoid them.

Hands on and practical work, including bucking and limbing, understanding compression and tension and dealing with spring poles will be coached and practiced in this course. Notching and back cutting will be introduced for small tree felling of 6" dbh or smaller trees. There is a strong focus on personal safety, risk assessment and accident prevention.

Training and developing skills that reduce variables and mitigate risks associated with chainsaws and cutting techniques is the focus of this training.

Course Outline:

- Start-up Planning: plan for emergencies and select your personal protective equipment.
- Starting and Operating a Chainsaw: parts of a chainsaw; safety features; reactive forces; starting techniques; two-point contact operation
- Tree felling: site risk assessment; work planning; cutting a notch; using felling sites; back cutting and understanding the hinge
- Limbing and Bucking: identify site risks; understanding compression and tension wood; limbing and bucking techniques; handling spring poles
- Basic Chainsaw Maintenance: fuel and lubrication; PPE and tools required; parts of the chain and cutter tooth; sharpening; other regular maintenance

Date: Saturday June 6, 2026

Time: 9am to 4pm with working lunch (Bring your own lunch.)

Venue: Norfolk County Shop, 8 Schellburg Ave, Simcoe, ON N3Y 2J4

Cost: $100 for NWOA members and $130 for non NWOA members. This includes coffee and snacks for the day but no lunch. Please bring your own lunch.

RSVP: Be sure to reserve your place (There is a maximum limit of 15 participants and a minimum of 6) by emailing jdewitt2025@outlook.com if you wish to attend. We will confirm receiving your email upon receiving it and notify you at the beginning of May with any updates or as they happen.

The Rewards of Planting Trees - Forest History Ontario (12 Jun 2026)

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 13:30:00 GMT

Quinte AGM -Permaculture + Native Species Planting Tours (13 Jun 2026)

Sat, 13 Jun 2026 13:00:00 GMT

EOMF Gathering of Friends (16 Jun 2026)

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 12:30:00 GMT

Eastern Ontario Model Forest (EOMF) Gathering of Friends

Tuesday, June 16, 2026

08:00 - 9:00 - Arrive and mingle

09:00 - 12:30 - Program

12:30 - Lunch

The agenda is similar to previous years and will be shared closer to the event.

Pre-registration is required by June 11, 2026. Contact us at info@ontariowoodlot.com or (613) 713-1525 if you need assistance.

Huronia Chapter: Fall Field Day (26 Sep 2026)

Sat, 26 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

FALL FIELD DAY

Tentatively set for Saturday September 26 (confirmations will be sent out in August).

Ruth Henderson has offered her property in Oro-Medonte as a possible site to visit. She and her partner have been actively managing their property and can share some experiences and insights.

Also (tentatively) will be a demonstration about bio-char production. This is a newer method that is gaining popularity amongst woodlot managers as brush and limbs too small for firewood can be converted to “black gold” as charcoal fertilizer.

Huronia Chapter: White Pine Award (12 Nov 2026)

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 05:00:00 GMT

WHITE PINE AWARD

Mark your calendars for the evening of Thursday November 12^th to attend the annual White Pine Award presentation. Please submit nominations to any Huronia Board member! More info to come.