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Forest~Pro offers a range of services including:

Managed Forest Tax Incentive Program (MFTIP)

The Ontario Managed Forest Tax Incentive Program (MFTIP) is designed to encourage landowner participation in natural resource stewardship on private forest land in Ontario.

Under the MFTIP, qualifying forest lands (excluding residences) are reassessed similar to farm land values and taxed at 25% of the residential tax rate.

To participate in the MFTIP, landowners must agree to certain conditions including preparing and following a Managed Forest Plan for their forest. The goal of the plan is to improve the owner's knowledge of the forest and increase forest owner's participation in managing their forest. In turn, this helps to ensure the sustainability of Ontario's private forests.

Application deadline:
The application package must be submitted by June 30 to have property taxes changed for the following year.

Properties are entered into the MFTIP for a ten-year period.

Is Your Land Eligible for the MFTIP?
The following criteria must be met for a property to be eligible for the MFTIP:

  • The property is in Ontario.
  • The property is owned by:
    • a Canadian citizen(s) or permanent resident(s);
    • a Canadian corporation, partnership or trust; or
    • a conservation authority.
  • The forest covers at least four hectares (9.88 acres) excluding residences; and
  • is on one property with one municipal roll number.
  • The forest includes a minimum of:
    • 1,000 trees of any size per hectare (400 trees per acre); or
    • 750 trees per hectare (300 trees per acre) measuring more than 5 centimetres (2 inches) in diameter; or
    • 500 trees per hectare (200 trees per acre) measuring more than 12 centimetres (5 inches) in diameter; or
    • 250 trees per hectare (100 trees per acre) measuring more than 20 centimetres (8 inches) in diameter.
  • The diameter measurements of trees are taken 1.3 metres (4.5 feet) above the ground.

PREPARING AN APPLICATION PACKAGE

1. Prepare a Managed Forest Plan

Your application must include a Managed Forest Plan with a long-term horizon (20 years and beyond) and a description of the activities you will carry out over the next ten years.

A Managed Forest Plan can be written to include more than one property (i.e., assessment roll number). However, each property must qualify for the MFTIP on its own merit.

The planning framework is found in A Guide to Stewardship Planning for Natural Areas.

2. Have your Managed Forest Plan approved

A person designated by the MNR as a Managed Forest Plan Approver must approve your plan. Managed Forest Plan Approvers are independent contractors and charge for their services.

The Approver will:

  • visit your property and verify that the forest is eligible;
  • ensure that your plan, maps and proposed activities meet program standards; and
  • complete approval forms.

The Approver may also:

  • prepare maps and inventory;
  • recommend management activities; and
  • prepare or revise your plan to meet program standards.

MFTIP Resources:

Tree Marking for Harvesting or Maintenance

Tree marking is a forest management tool professionals use to promote healthy forest ecosystems. Individual trees are selected for harvest based on a range of factors including:

  • health
  • species
  • shade tolerance
  • age
  • spacing
  • size
  • market value

Tree Marking for Harvesting
Individual marking involves identifying trees to be selectively harvested prior to the harvest operation. This provides the landowner a method of control over the trees that will be removed and a volume estimate for the trees that will be harvested.

The volume estimate will provide landowners an estimate for fair market value of their timber. This provides valuable information on expected revenues when negotiating with logging contractors.

Wildlife Habitat Management

284 species of birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians inhabit this forest region of Ontario. A well managed woodlot will protect and enhance wildlife habitat on your woodlot. Forest~Pro specializes sustainable forest and woodlot management practices.

Timber Harvest & Sales Management

Trees are a renewable resource; they can be harvested periodically without major disturbance to the natural environment. From 1999 - 2009 Forest~Pro managed sales of over 2.7 million fbm of standing timber from local woodlots . We advertise timber to select low-impact loggers and ensure every woodlot owner obtains the highest market value for their Timber.

Woodlot Inventory Appraisal

Forest~Pro can provide an estimate of the value of the forest products that can be harvested using sustainable forestry practices.