The partnership between Ancient Forest Exploration & Research (AFER) and the Ontario Wilderness Committee (OWC) created in late 2019 quickly led to the establishment of the Catchacoma Forest Stewardship Committee (CFSC) in early 2020. The CFSC is a group of local citizens including landowners, cottagers, teachers, students, ecologists, naturalists, seniors, and representatives of the local Cottager’s Associations, the local rate payer’s association, AFER, and OWC. The primary goal of the CFSC is effective ecological stewardship of the Catchacoma Forest including protection from logging - since its inception, the CFSC has met more than 100 times to work towards this goal. In 2021, CFSC obtained a logging moratorium for the Catchacoma Forest and a commitment from the Ontario Government to produce an effective field protocol to identify and characterize old-growth forests throughout the province. CFSC continues to support and facilitate research and education in the Catchacoma Forest.
Watch the film: Conserving Catchacoma (20 min.)
Reports, Press Coverage and Forest Management Documents
Reports
Press Coverage
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MECP Minister rejects protection for Catchacoma forest, Peterborough Examiner (2022)
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Peterborough letter: Protect Ontario turtles where they live, Peterborough Examiner (2022)
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Connecting with the environment and community at the 2022 ReFrame Film Festival, kawarthaNOW.com (2022)
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Peterborough letter: Piccini could prove himself via Catchacoma Forest, Peterborough Examiner (2021)
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Fundraiser underway for documentary film about efforts to protect old-growth trees in Peterborough County’s Catchacoma Forest, kawarthaNOW.com (2021)
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Time is Running Out for Catchacoma, Peterborough Examiner (2021)
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We Need to Protect Rare Ecosystems: A Response to 'Support Loggers', National Post (2021)
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Opinion: Support loggers, don't vandalize them. They're environmental heroes, National Post (2021)
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Catchacoma Forest Logger Deserves Conservationists’ Respect, Peterborough Examiner (2020)
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A Catastrophe at the Catchacoma Forest, Peterborough Examiner (2020)
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Guardians of Peterborough County’s Hemlock Forest, Peterborough Examiner (2020)
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Green Giants, Ontario Nature (2020)
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Exploring the Forest, Deep in the Land Between, Peterborough Examiner (2020)
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The Catchacoma Forest and Climate Change, mykawartha.com (2020)
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Catchacoma Forest Isn't Endangered Old Growth, Peterborough Examiner (2020)
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Where Trees have Stood for Centuries in Peterborough and the Kawarthas, Peterborough Examiner (2020)
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Forest Management Planning
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Background
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Timeline of Public Participation in Catchacoma Forest Management
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Current Logging Map for the Catchacoma Forest
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Draft Forest Management Plan (Bancroft Minden Forest Region)
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Independent Forest Audit of the Bancroft-Minden Forest (2018)
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Final FSC Audit of the Bancroft Minden Forest Company (2021)
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Sign-on Letter to Pursue Protection for the Catchacoma Forest
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Forest Management Planning in Ontario
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Management Concerns & Plan Review Submissions
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Comments on the 2023 Forest Stewardship Council Audit of the Bancroft Minden Forest Company (August 21, 2023)
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Submission to the Forest Stewardship Council Audit of the Bancroft Minden Forest Company (September 21, 2021)
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Review of the Draft Forest Management Plan 2021-2031 (May 6, 2021)
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Review of Proposed Operations 2021-2031 for Bancroft Minden Forest (Feb. 1, 2021)
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Unresolved Issues from the LTMD Review submitted on Oct. 15, 2020 (Nov. 17, 2020)
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Review of the Proposed Long-term Management Direction for the Bancroft Minden Forest Management Plan (Oct. 4, 2020)
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Values of the Catchacoma Old-growth Forest, submitted to the Forest Stewardship Council (Aug. 25, 2020)
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Letter to Bancroft-Minden Forest Company - New FSC Standard (June 1, 2020)
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Meeting Notes: with Bancroft-Minden Forest Company & MNRF (Feb. 13, 2020)
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The Catchacoma Old-growth Forest – An Endangered Ecosystem: A Meeting with Bancroft Minden Forest Company (2020)
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Letters to the MNRF and MECP (Dec. 5, 2019)
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Letter to Bancroft Minden Forest Company - Old Growth at Catchacoma (Nov. 4, 2019)
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Youth Leadership in Sustainability Letter to Bancroft Minden Forest Company (Nov. 4, 2019)
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​Responses from the Forest Management Team
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Proposed Operations Review Response from MNRF (Feb. 24, 2021)
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Species-at-risk at the Catchacoma Forest, Response from MNRF (Jan. 22, 2021)
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Unresolved Issues, Response from MNRF (Jan. 11, 2021)
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LTMD Review Response from MNRF (Nov. 4, 2020)
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Other Resources
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Educational Experiences in the Catchacoma Forest: A Brochure (2023)
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Catchacoma Old-Growth Forest: Why Protect It? (2023)
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The Facts: Catchacoma Forest (2021)
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Species-at-risk in and near the Catchacoma Old-Growth Forest (2020)
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