FORESTRY FUTURES TRUST ONTARIO
Silviculture Round 29 Job Stimulus Program - closed
October 27, 2011
After careful review, Silviculture Round 29 Job Stimulus Summary Report is available for viewing. Please follow the attached link to view the Silviculture Round 29 Report.
FFT Silviculture Round 29 - Job Stimulus Decisions
The Silviculture Round 29 Job Stimulus Program was a one-time program that was announced November 29, 2009. There were 49 applications submitted for funding for Round 29 of which 22 received either full or partial funding. Requested was $16 million and allocated was $6.2 million or 39% of the request. The Forestry Futures Trust Committee was pleased in the response to the call and the quality of the submissions. We recognize that eligible opportunities remain.
The distribution of allocated funds by region is illustrated in the following pie chart.
Criteria on which the decisions were based are as follows:
- Natural disturbance
- Job creation/stock production
- Quality of project (including # of hectares treated)
In total FFT Silviculture Round 29 – Job Stimulus:
- Created 3,155 person/weeks of employment;
- The treatment of 14,080 hectares of Crown forest;
- The production and planting of over 12.6 million seedlings.
November 9, 2009
Invitation to Participate in Round 29 – Silviculture Job Stimulus Program
On behalf of the Forestry Futures Trust Committee, I am pleased to invite Sustainable Forest License Holders and Managers of Crown units to participate in the twenty-ninth call for applications for funding for silviculture projects from the Forestry Futures Trust.
This call is the result of a special new one year silviculture job stimulus program announced earlier today by the Hon. Michael Gravelle, Minister of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry. The program will provide up to $6 million in additional work for the silviculture service industry (greenhouse operations, site preparation, and planting contractors) to carry out efficient, effective and incremental forest renewal activities on Crown land with priority given to areas of natural disturbance.
Eligibility Criteria:
1. Projects must create new jobs
2. Projects must show “incrementality”, meaning:
· Seedling production, site preparation and planting in areas of natural disturbance for which the SFL holder had no responsibility for renewal.
· Seedling production, site preparation and planting in areas previously identified for natural or basic renewal activities.
Incrementality must be verified in writing by the appropriate MNR District Manager.
3. Projects must take place on Crown land, within the “Area of the Undertaking”.
4. Proponents can be SFL holders or MNR Districts (in the case of Crown Management Units).
5. Planting of the areas must take place in 2010. Therefore current crops of seedlings must be grown. Carryovers to subsequent years will not be considered.
Proponents with seedlings currently being grown for the planned 2010 planting season may swap such seedlings for current crops grown and then plant the current crops later in the planting season. Planting of current crop must be guaranteed by the proponent in the event of a stock swap. Current growing standards must be met.
6. Site preparation (if needed) must take place in the 2009/10 fiscal year (e.g. winter shear-blading) or in the spring of 2010 prior to the planting of the stock.
7. The incremental activity must be eligible under the current Forest Management
8. Plan and supported by a silvicultural ground rule.
Program Funding:
This program will provide funding for two types of projects:
1. Full reimbursement for projects that include seedling production, site preparation, and planting on areas of natural disturbance.
2. Partial reimbursement for projects that involve an increase of silviculture intensity. For example, an applicant has previously been approved to carry out basic renewal activities on an identified area of harvested Crown land. The site was site prepared for seeding. Application is made to now plant the area instead. The applicant would be eligible for reimbursement of only the stock production and planting costs.
Evaluation Criteria:
1. The number of additional person weeks of employment created in the silviculture service industry. Proponents must be able to demonstrate the number of additional person weeks over and above their planned program.
2. Project must be feasible with respect to the use of “current crop” planting stock and the size limitations that such crops have. Crop “swapping” is acceptable provided that seed source guidelines and seedling quality standards are adhered to.
3. Priority will be given to areas of natural disturbance. Second priority will be given to proposals to treat harvested areas with a more intensive silvicultural treatment than currently planned.
4. First Nations and other community involvement
In this special round, the Committee will accept applications that include an applicant cost of up to 5% of the project to cover overhead expenses associated with the project.
As the Forestry Futures Trust Committee activities are subject to audit on an annual basis,, Applications, Terms of Project Approval, Payment Authorization and subsequent Project Work Reports are all reviewed carefully. In order to ensure that all requirements of the audit are met and maintained, the following will apply for the purposes of this round:
- A reimbursement schedule will be part of the Project Application. Submission of invoices is expected to follow the reimbursement schedule.
- An interim work report for each project is due March 31 2010 summarizing the project activities completed for the 2009/ 2010 fiscal year.
- Immediately on completion of the project, a Final Project Work Report will be submitted.
- Once the final invoice has been received and upon approval of the Final Project Work Report by the Committee, the Trustee will be directed to release the final payment.
An electronic version of the Round 29 application form and instruction for its completion is available from our website at www.forestryfutures.ca
All information contained in the Application, the Notice of Project Approval, Terms of Project Approval, the Invoice Authorization Form, Interim Invoice for Reimbursement, Final Invoice Reimbursement, Project Work Reports or any associated documents shall be considered public information subject to the application of the Freedom of Information and Privacy Act R.S.P. 1990. c. F. 31 and are collected under the authority of the Act.
In order for your application to be reviewed during Round 29, it must be received on or before November 27 2009. A submission containing incomplete information or in which key elements are missing will be returned to the applicant. It is therefore advisable to submit an application well in advance of the deadline. Each applicant will be advised of the Committee decision on December 4 2009
Applications should be sent electronically to the Forestry Futures Trust Committee at admin@forestryfutures.com with a copy to the Committee Secretariat at diane.black@ontario.ca .
If you have any questions please contact Thom McDonough, Forestry Futures Trust Committee Secretariat at [705] 945 6634 or the Forestry Futures Trust Committee General Manager, Mona Wiltshire at [807] 343-8851.
Yours sincerely,
Maureen Kershaw R.P.F.
Chair, Forestry Futures Trust Committee
SILVICULTURE ROUND 29 PROGRAM UPDATE
As a follow-up to the November 9, 2009 announcement by the Hon. Michael Gravelle, Minister of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry, the Forestry Futures Trust Committee hosted teleconference sessions (November 10, 2009) to provide information regarding the special Silviculture Round 29: Silviculture Job Stimulus Program. The Committee presented the key aspects of the application process, evaluation criteria, and answered any questions related to this initiative.
FAQ:
- Is the usual expected Applicant contribution being sought?
No. For this special FFT Silviculture Round 29 only, applicant contributions are not mandatory.
- Are projects that only include site preparation and growing next year’s stock costs eligible?
No. Projects in their entirety must be completed by March 31, 2011. The purpose is to generate jobs within this year.
- Are these “new funds” or are they regular Forestry Futures Trust funds?
These are new funds being deposited on a one-time basis into FFT from Ministry of Northern Development Mines and Forestry.
- Would prescribed burns replacing mechanical site preparation be considered an “incrementality” project?
No. Replacing mechanical site preparation with a prescribed burn is not considered an intensification of treatment.
- Will projects with remote access be eligible?
The application needs to demonstrate a commitment to protection and tending if required, in order survival of planted stock; this is more common where good access occurs.
- Will there be a special weighting for jobs created?
Yes, number of person days of employment generated is an important component of this special Silviculture Round. Sound silvicultural merit is equally important.
- Do we us the regular FFT Silviculture application forms?
No. A streamlined application and reporting process has been developed and are posted on this website (www.forestryfutures.ca).
- Are Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) letters of endorsement required for both types of eligible projects (i.e. 1. projects identified on areas on natural disturbance, 2. projects identified on areas that were originally scheduled for basic renewal activities)
Yes. Letters from MNR confirming the status of areas are required for both types of projects.
- Do fall planting projects qualify for funding?
Yes these projects qualify but the application should identify the risks and past successes of using this type of treatment in the area.
- Is tending eligible?
No. Tending is not included for this special FFT Silviculture Round 29. Planting is the focus of the initiative. Projects that include tending could be eligible for funding under a regular FFT Silviculture Round.
- Can required stock be grown within the required timeframe?
Yes. 12-16 weeks are needed for mid-June plants. Applicants, if required, can swap existing stock for current crop providing they commit to producing a replacement crops this year.
- How do you estimate person weeks of employment generated for inclusion in the application?
Applicants should work with the silviculture provider to generate the best estimate of person weeks of employment generated
- Can applicants only include areas identified in the Forest Management Plan (FMP)/Annual Work Schedules (AWS)?
Some areas may already be identified but some areas may require AWS revisions or FMP amendments. MNR has committed to this initiative and will fully support any requirements of this program.
- Do applicants need to involve the Sustainable Forest Licence holders?
Eligible applicants for intensification projects are the SFL holder or MNR Districts that have responsibility for forest management on their areas
Eligible applicants for treating naturally disturbed are any MNR district or SFL holders.
MNR will be eligible to apply for Forestry Futures Trust funds to tend these established stands in futures.
- Could this special FFT Silviculture Job Stimulus Round potentially replace normally scheduled 2010 renewal activities?
The intent of this program is to supplement/enhance the existing silviculture program planned for 2010. Regularly scheduled silviculture activities should proceed.