Independent Forest Audit Participation
The surveys below were designed to capture community feedback regarding the management of the Sudbury and Northshore forests. Independent forest audits are being conducted by NorthWinds Environmental Services this summer, 2026. We welcome anyone with concerns or comments about the management of these forests to complete a survey and share their thoughts.
SUDBURY FOREST
2026 INDEPENDENT FOREST AUDIT
What: Independent Forest Audits take place every 10-12 years and are required by law under Ontario’s Crown Forest Sustainability Act. The 2026 audit is evaluating the management of the Sudbury Forest to make sure that it is consistent with sustainable forest management requirements, as defined in current legislation and policy. The audit team will be looking at activities between years 7 to 10 of the 2010- 2020 Forest Management Plan (FMP), years 1 to 6 of the 2020-2030 FMP. The audit of the Sudbury Forest has been awarded to NorthWinds Environmental Services, based out of Thunder Bay, Ontario. For more information: www.ontario.ca/page/independent-forest-audits
Independent Forest Audits are conducted by independent audit firms selected through a competitive process. The 2026 Sudbury Forest IFA evaluates the activities of both the forest manager (The Vermillion Forest Management Company Ltd.) and the Ministry of Natural Resources over the audit period of April 1, 2016 to March 31, 2026.
When: The Independent Forest Audit field visit is scheduled to take place the week of July 6th, 2026. Document review and interviews with stakeholders will be ongoing until that week.
Where: Oversight of management activities by Vermilion Forest Management, Ltd. on the Sudbury Forest is led by the MNR administrative District of Sudbury, Northeast Region. Approximately 27% of the management unit consists of private land. However, there is a significant area of productive forest on Crown land surrounding the City of Sudbury that is available for forest management. The area overlaps with the traditional territories of 11 First Nation and Métis communities.
Audit Contact: rburkhardt@northwindsenv.ca (Rike Burkhardt, R.P.F., Lead Auditor)
NORTHSHORE FOREST
2026 INDEPENDENT FOREST AUDIT
What: Independent Forest Audits take place every 10-12 years and are required by law under Ontario’s Crown Forest Sustainability Act. The 2026 audit is evaluating the management of the Northshore Forest to make sure that it is consistent with sustainable forest management requirements, as defined in current legislation and policy. The audit of the Northshore Forest has been awarded to NorthWinds Environmental Services, based out of Thunder Bay, Ontario. For more information: www.ontario.ca/page/independent-forest-audits
Independent Forest Audits are conducted by independent audit firms selected through a competitive process. The 2026 Northshore Forest IFA evaluates the activities of both the forest manager (Northshore Forest Inc.) and the Ministry of Natural Resources over the audit period of April 1, 2016 to March 31, 2026.
When: The Independent Forest Audit field visit is scheduled to take place the week of September 21st, 2026. Document review and interviews with stakeholders will be ongoing until that week.
Where: Oversight of management activities by Northshore Forest Inc. is led by the MNR administrative Districts of Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury out of the Blind River field office, MNR Northeast Region. The Forest overlaps with the traditional territories of 7 First Nation and Métis communities.
Audit Contact: rburkhardt@northwindsenv.ca (Rike Burkhardt, R.P.F., Lead Auditor)