Article written by Gary Schneider

In January of 2023, I was invited to sit on the Forestry Commission, which aimed “to review PEI’s forest policy, programs and legislation in the wake of Fiona and develop a Forest Recovery Plan for Prince Edward Island.” Jean-Paul Arsenault was chairing the Commission and we had previously worked together when I was a member of the Round Table on Resource Land Use and Stewardship. I thought this would be a good opportunity to promote real change in the province’s forest policy.

The membership was a great mix of people, including two retired Directors of the forestry division, a past Deputy Minister, a retired forestry District Manager, a longtime planting contractor, a practicing silviculture contractor, a retired professor with expertise in birds, and representatives of watershed and environmental organizations. After eighteen months of deliberation, including public meetings and site visits, we produced a consensus report that was presented to the Minister on October 10, 2024. It was finally released on March 19, 2025.

Some of the recommendations include:

· creating a Forest Stewardship Act to replace the badly outdated Forest Management Act;

· better and more timely reporting on the State of the Forest;

· improving private woodlot stewardship through the Forest Enhancement Program with a shift in funding from softwoods towards mixed woods;

· that the provincial nursery should include at least 25% hardwood seedlings by 2030;

· that the new policy should outline special measures to ensure that biomass harvest for public buildings follow best practices, for example, complying with the Migratory Birds Convention Act, as well as alternatives to clearcutting; and

· that the new policy contain measures to encourage the development of more resilient forests.

It is a long list of recommendations that are urgently needed and I hope that you all have a chance to read them. This is a document that has already spent too long on a shelf. You can find the full report here.

The Honorable Gilles Arsenault, Minister responsible for forests, recently sent a letter to the commission. “As the commission aptly noted: "From everyday products and vital functions such as supplying the air we breathe, forests deliver invaluable benefits that we often take for granted." I am unwavering in my support for forest resiliency, recognizing the quantified and unquantified value in our forests, and providing technical and financial assistance to ensure private woodlot owners feel supported as they manage most forested land in our province,” wrote Minister Arsenault.

He also stated: “I want to be clear with the Commission that while we will work diligently to implement many of the recommendations, not all recommendations will be implemented by government.”

We have an incredible opportunity to be leaders in the fields of forest conservation and restoration. As Islanders interested in all aspects of forests, we must work to ensure that the province doesn’t just cherry-pick the easily accomplished recommendations. Together, the recommendations will help build healthy forests for the benefit of wildlife, recreational users, the forest industry, and the broader community that is dependent on forests for clean air and water, and the increasingly important storage of carbon.