State of Natural Resources – Forests 2021

The Crown Forest Sustainability Act requires the ministry to report on the state of Ontario’s Crown forests at least once every five years.

The State of Natural Resources - Forests 2021 provides information about our forests and our sustainable forest management practices for the public and consumers of our forest products.

This is the fifth report on the state of Ontario’s public forests.

The report provides information about the health and well-being of our forests and industry using 21 indicators including topics like:

• forest composition, growth, wildlife habitat, and forest carbon
• harvest and regeneration
• public engagement and Indigenous involvement in forest management planning
• forest sector employment and resource revenue sharing with Indigenous communities
• forest sector products and exports
• forest certification, audits, and compliance

Indicators monitor and assess various ecological, social, economic and policy aspects of forest management and the forest resource in Ontario.

The report shows that Ontario’s sustainable forest management practices continue to ensure resilient and well-maintained forest resources to meet the economic, social, and environmental needs of Ontarians, both today and for future generations.