Bancroft Area Forest Industry Association

Local Wood Initiative

Nov 18, 2015



The Ontario Trillium Foundation has granted B.AF.I A. and its partners Bancroft and Area Stewardship Council, Hastings Stewardship Council and Harvest Hastings $193,300 over 36 months to provide public education on the sustainable living , the the careful use of natural resources. The grant will support the development of a sustainability checklist for rural property owners to assess green house grass emission and energy use. Workshops for students will also be hosted on how to decrease one’s carbon footprint by managing and using local natural resources sustainably.

The project is about sustainability in action. The aim is to provide education on sustainable living through the careful use of natural resources and energy reduction through energy efficiency.

We are fortunate in  to have 65 per cent of the land in the county covered with forest and wetlands. With careful management, we have the potential to become more carbon neutral.

We have a sustainability checklist for the public and rural property owners on ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save energy, and we are organizing annual Forestry Days for grades seven and eight students.

The Local Wood Initiative raises awareness about the multiple benefits we gain from woods and trees in terms of locking up carbon, improving the environment and the local economy. The initiative promotes sustainable management of privately owned woods, the use of firewood and locally grown timber, and energy conservation in the home.

A number of professionals can visit your property and advise on managing your woodlot; harvesting, processing and burning fire wood efficiently; and can help you make your home and property energy efficient. We can advise on stewardship of your land and put you in contact with forestry and other experts.

localwood.harvesthastings.ca is the new website. It is your guide to everything related to trees and wood. There are profiles of forestry professionals, tree markers, loggers and sawmills, all of which follow the strict code of professional practice laid out by BAFIA. The website is your guide to local wood and you can find information on everything from construction timber to musical instruments.

For more information, contact Matt Caruana at( 613) 391-9034info@hastingsstewardship.ca, or via email; Virginia deCarle virginiadecarle2014@gmail.comat (613) 334-7547 or via email; Louise Livingstone at (613) 395-4388 orinfo@harvesthastings.ca.

If you are a rural property owner and would like someone to visit  and advise you on energy use in the home, stewardship and forest or woodlot management please contact one of the coordinators.


Source: http://bafia.ca/local-wood-initiative