A Landowner’s Guide to Careful Logging

Woodlot owners harvest trees for many reasons: to generate income; produce lumber or firewood for their own use; create recreational trails for skiing, snowmobiling or hunting; improve wildlife habitat; or just to maintain the health of their forest. Whether any of these reasons apply to you, one thing woodlot owners have in common is a strong desire to do what is right for their land — that’s why the Ontario Woodlot Association created A Landowner’s Guide to Careful Logging.

Most woodlot owners are not forestry or logging experts, yet they are often involved in harvesting activities. This guide offers a clear, practical overview of careful logging practices, or CLPs, both for the novice and professional logger.

Careful logging practices (CLPs) include a range of techniques and practices used by landowners and loggers to minimize damage to the forest, soil, wildlife habitat and water. Examples of CLPs include directional felling of trees, erosion control measures on skid trails, tree protection for wildlife and the establishment of buffers near water.

A Landowner’s Guide to Careful Logging provides landowners with sound advice as they make decisions to protect the health and integrity of their woodlots, while maximizing financial returns. It also identifies some of the relevant federal and provincial legislation, as well as regulations and municipal bylaws applicable to logging on private land.

Throughout the guide, there are “Stop Signs” that alert the reader to potential legal requirements, “Caution Signs” that point out important information that should not be overlooked and “Tips” to identify elements that may warrant further consideration.

Topics covered in the guide include: planning for harvest operations, stream crossings, working around water, access roads, log landings, skid trails, logging operations and post-harvest operations.

Download A Landowner’s Guide to Careful Logging (5.3 MB) 

Acknowledgements

A Landowner’s Guide to Careful Logging is a collaborative effort of the Ontario Woodlot Association. We would like to thank the members of the Technical Steering Committee and the many different organizations, loggers, foresters and landowners who contributed to the development of this guide.

The Ontario Woodlot Association gratefully acknowledges the Ontario Trillium Foundation, an agency of the Government of Ontario, and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources for their financial support of the production and publication of this guide.