News and Events
ForestsCanada hosted their first forest conference under their new name and mandate suitably titled The Forestry Conference on February 19th-20th, 2025 in Toronto. It was a very jam-packed day, with a full room of as many as 400 attendees, and the Forest History Ontario moderated session was held just after lunch and started and ended on time. The armchair chat was moderated by FHO Chair Jim Farrell and included 2 panelists Caroline Mach, recently retired Dufferin County Forester and Lacey Rose, Renfrew County Forester (both dedicated FHO members). The theme was celebrating 10 years of Women in Wood a grass root s network of women supporting women who work in, with and for the woods. It is hugely successful, and credit needs to be given to Lacey Rose and Jess Kaknevicius (CEO ForestsCanada) for getting it stated 10 years ago. The format was a brief introduction by Jim and then questions posed to each of the panelists on their experiences of being a woman in forestry ...'then and now' with a rolling presentation of pictures of women working in the woods. The first few questions were prepared but with the benefit of a Q&A app called Slido the audience was able to post questions that I, remarkably, picked up on my phone and posed to the speakers. It worked out very well with far more questions than time to answer them. After the session I presented each speaker with a copy of 'A History of Forestry in Canada' by Gilbert Paille.
FHO was also well represented by Terry Schwan who organized, managed and staffed a very popular used 'book store' selling a range of forest and environmental related books with the proceeds going to the Frank MacDougall Memorial Fund. Terry was well 'backed' with the coming out party for our new banner and was able to distribute copies of our new pamphlet. Thank you, Terry.
It was a very successful session, and I am personally very grateful to Jess and ForestsCanada Team for inviting us and supporting us so consistently and graciously.
Congratulations Women in Wood on your first 10 years of history.
Terry Schwan at booth (above)
Forest History Panel (above)
Caroline Mach, Jim Farrell, and Lacey Rose (above)
Conference crowd
On February 11th, from 10:30-12:00 Forest History Ontario hosted its Annual Meeting and Presentation.
Marie Rauter is the first female graduate from the Faculty of Forestry at the University of Toronto and first female member of the Ontario Professional Foresters Association.
FHO Chair, Jim Farrell was invited to attend a speak at a reception hosted by the Forest History Society on the occasion of their Ottawa Board meeting to mark the 125th Anniversary of the Candian Forest Service.
Annoucing the publication of Pines in the Sand: Roots and Branches of the Lemke Family, a much-anticipated sequel to the 1978 Lemke Family book.
This year is the 125th anniversary of the Canadian Forest Service. Read more from Natural Resources Canada about the history and evolution of the Canadian Forest Service, and its significant contributions to forest management and conservation over the years.
THE REWARDS OF PLANTING TREES
A FOREST AND CONSERVATION HISTORY TOUR
GUELPH AND AREA JUNE 14TH, 2024
Many people in the forestry profession and beyond were saddened to hear that Bob Carman passed away on January 7, 2024.
Join us for Forest History Ontario's 2024 field tours in York Region and Guelph.
