Closure of seed plant draws industry concern
By: The Working Forest Staff
The announced closure of a provincial tree seed facility is causing concern among some in Ontario’s forest industry.
In a letter to the editor submitted by Barb Boysen, general manager of the Forest Gene Conservation Association and Melissa Spearing, FGCA’s Seed Program Coordinator, the authors explained: “Management of high quality seed of known origin is crucial if our future forests are to withstand the impacts of climate change. Despite this, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) has decided to close the Ontario Tree Seed Plant (OTSP) in less than a year.”
They also issued a call to action: “There is no future without forests, and no forests without seed. The plan to close the OTSP must be reconsidered.”
Groups concerned about the closure of this seed facility have launched an online petition, which had more than 3000 signatures as of Nov. 22.
View the petition here.
Read the full letter from Boysen and Spearing, plus reader comments, here.
Trees are the most important resource of this planet. They clean the air, filter the water, nourish the earth, keep the planet cooled down. We CANNOT afford to lose any organization that grows seedlings for reforestation! DO NOT CLOSE this tree seed facility!
the people, animals, earth need more forests of indigenous plants. Please reconsider this bad decision
Typical no brain liberal idea !
Closing the tree seed storage facility in Angus Ontario will be a disaster.
Climate change is changing the forest, we will have to do more northerly
planting to allow for this warming. it is critically important to provide locally adapted trees.
The expertise behind this is very needed, critical and will be hard to replicate later.
Our trees are stressed by many factors now more than ever our forests need help. our land has benefited from the tress grown by MNR.
We have managed a forest since 1980 and we can see the changes. One old hay field of 80 acres, is now enjoyed by 51 species of birds, foxes, coyotes, deer, racoon, rabbits, snakes, voles, moles, field mice and the odd porcupine.
Please add our names to the list of people who object to this lack of foresight+ stupidity.
Susan & Hugh Hamilton
10644 Sandy Row
South Mountain Ontario
K0E 1W0
[email protected]
613 989 5440