More Value than Meets the Eye

Shortly before the Manitoba Agro Woodlot Program was created in 1992, a survey was completed by landowners with bush on their land. Not surprisingly, the primary reasons for having bush weren’t economic. It was there because landowners wanted it for wildlife habitat or a place for relaxing with their family or simply because it was nice to look at.

Fortunately, when the program was created, the first decision proved to be critical. The Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation (MHHC) was designated as the agency responsible for delivering the Agro Woodlot Program. Since MHHC already had a ten (10) year history of delivering private land conservation initiatives on the agricultural landscape, Agro Woodlot staff learned from the best. They learned that if they hoped to make a difference, they had to understand producers and care about their issues. That's how the Agro Woodlot Program became focused on people not just trees.

Little Saskatchewan River Valley

Sustainable Choices.

If you’re like most landowners with wooded land, chances are you believe that the best way to look after your bush is to do nothing. Unfortunately, you’re mistaken. The fact is, if you like having trees on your land, woodlot management is the wise choice. Carefully planned small-scale harvesting can replace natural disturbance and rejuvenate stands. And in the process, your woodlot will continue to contribute important ecological goods and services to your farm and to society.
 

 

Your land, your living, your community, your choice.

You're in charge. If you want your bush to be healthy; to provide someone in your community the opportunity to earn a living; to minimize erosion; to contribute to water quality or to provide wildlife habitat, the decision is yours. The Agro Woodlot staff is available to help by providing free technical support and advice. Their services range from cruising and developing management plans to marking trees for harvest and supervising logging. The choice is yours.

The Agro Woodlot Program’s primary goals are:

(i)       To help producers make informed decisions that sustain and improve their woodlots

(ii)     To foster expansion of the small-scale or micro forestry industry in agro Manitoba.

When landowners decide to manage and improve their woodlots, they create jobs for low impact loggers and value added wood processors in their communities.

When low impact loggers help landowners sustain and enhance their woodlot, they:

(i)       Reduce erosion and flooding potential;

(ii)     Sustain water quality;

(iii)    Improve wildlife habitat ;

(iv)    Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and

(v)      Sustain carbon sequestration.

If you share these interests, the choice is yours. Contact your nearest MAFRI forester.