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More information about the Ontario Tree Seed Facility

Since the announcement of the proposed closure of the Ontario Tree Seed Facility, many individuals and organizations have written to Premier Wynne and Minister McGarry to express their opposition to the decision and to explain the real value of the Seed Plant in reforestation, biodiversity and mitigation of climate change. These letters give us insights into the work of the OTSF and the impact this proposed closure would have on the health of forests in Ontario.

Friends of Utopia Mill and Park

RE: Proposed Closure of MNRF’s Ontario Tree Seed Facility in Angus, Essa Township, Ontario
Dear Premier Wynne and Minister McGarry,
We are writing regards to the recently announced permanent closure of the Ontario Tree Seed Facility in Angus, Essa Township, Ontario. A facility that, for the last 94 years, has well served the needs of the forests and the people of Ontario.
A well-attended public meeting was held last evening at the Utopia Hall in Essa Township (see attachment). Those in attendance included Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry representatives, AWARE Essa, Friends of the Utopia Mill & Park, FORESTS ONTARIO, Elected Officials (Essa Township, Springwater Township, Legislature of Ontario), Corporate Citizens (eg. Somerville Nursery) and many individuals. All of us were shocked by the lack of public consultation before the announcement was made a few weeks ago AND by the announced closure date of September 2018.
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Jim Wilson, MPP Simcoe-Grey

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Forest Gene Conservation Association

Re: Ontario Needs Government Leadership to Ensure Tree Seed
for Resilient Forests

Dear Premier and Minister:
This is a long letter because the issue is important and complex – there is no simplifying it.
We were shaken by the August 2017 announcement by the OMNRF that the Ontario Tree Seed Plant is scheduled for closure in September 2018.
Firstly, it shows a disturbing lack of government vision for Ontario’s forests under climate change. If our provincial government is not in this game who is? Who can be expected to ensure that there will be sufficient supplies of high quality, locally adapted tree seed of native species? Who will provide the leadership in facilitating the implementation of this critical adaptive strategy, to ensure our forests will be able to provide the environmental services our society’s welfare depends on? Those services which are highlighted in Ontario's Action Plan on Climate Change: https://www.ontario.ca/page/climate-change-action-plan#section-11 Read more...

 

Ken Reece, MNRF employee, retired

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Greg Bales, MNRF employee

Re: Ontario Needs Government Leadership to Ensure Tree Seed for Resilient Forests
Dear Premier and Minister:
Many of us are deeply concerned about the August 2017 announcement by the OMNRF that the Ontario Tree Seed Plant (OTSP) is scheduled for closure in September 2018. I have been involved in many reforestation and tree improvement programs and projects working with the OMNRF from my time in the forestry section in the 1980’s and 90’s. Also my involvement with species-at-risk, forest species recovery projects with the OMNRF’s Stewardship Program has convinced me of the need for continued “in-house” expertise that the OTSP provides, to ensure that there will be sufficient supplies of high quality, locally adapted tree seed of native species.  Read more...

University of Guelph Arboretum

Re: Proposed Closure of the Ontario Tree Seed Plant.
Dear Premier and Minister:
On behalf of the Arboretum at the University of Guelph, I am writing to express our deep concern about the proposed closure of the Ontario Tree Seed Plant in September of 2018.
The Ontario Tree Seed Plant (OTSP) was founded in 1923 during an era when the critical importance of reforestation in Ontario was first becoming better understood. During the past 94 years, the OTSP has continued to serve the tree nursery and forestry industries to meet needs that they would be unable to address on their own. These needs still exist, and, if anything, we’ve entered an even more critical juncture where threats from the loss of biodiversity, as well as a rapidly changing climate, require us to intensify our efforts even further to address these challenges moving forward. Read more...

NeSMA Northeast Seed Management Association

Re: Closure of the Ontario Tree Seed Plant

Dear Premier and Minister:

This letter summarizes the requests and concerns of the Northeast Seed Management Association (NeSMA) about the August 2017 announcement by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) that the Ontario Tree Seed Plant (OTSP) is scheduled for closure in September 2018.

NeSMA respectully requests that:

1. The decision to close the OTSP be reassessed and that options be investigated to redefine its role with a view to emerging and future needs.  Read more...

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Terry Schwan FGCA

Re: Ontario Needs Government Leadership to Ensure Tree Seed for Resilient Forests

Dear Premier and Minister:
I am deeply concerned and disappointed about the August 2017 announcement by the OMNRF that the Ontario Tree Seed Plant is scheduled for closure in September 2018. A facility which a played a critical role in forest development for decades, and the long-term reduction in Ontario’s capacity to support the positive management of public and private resources. This is particularly disturbing considering the challenges the forests and industry face of accelerating climate change and downstream effects on forest health and productivity and the relatively minimal costs associated with seed plant operations. I have been a professional forester for over 40 years both in Ontario and Quebec. I am presently a Director of the Forest Gene Conservation Association. I have seen the FGCA letter to you and I support and agree 100 % with their concerns and their requests to you. I don’t need to repeat their entire argument, but I am particularly concerned that Read more...

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