Identifying Land Acquisition Strategies for Simcoe County Forests A Review of Securement Strategies in Ontario by Anna Ketchum A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Master of Forest Conservation Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design University of Toronto © Copyright by Anna Ketchum 2020 Acknowledgements I would like to thank Graeme Davis and the rest of the forestry staff at the County of Simcoe for the opportunity to learn and work in such an incredible role for my MFC internship and for giving me direction on a research topic for my capstone. Thank you to Dr. Anne Koven for providing guidance, feedback, and support throughout this process. Finally, thank you to my peers and friends in the MFC program for their kindness, camaraderie, and support. 2 EXCUTIVE SUMMARY Simcoe County Forests are municipally owned, and managed forested lands located in Central Ontario, originally established and expanded through the Agreement Forest Program. Historically, Simcoe County acquired and restored marginal agricultural land, known as ‘wastelands’ which were the result of the reduction in forest cover, erosion, and depletion of topsoil by wind and rain. While the restoration of degraded agricultural land and expansion of revenue from timber sales was the initial priority for the acquisition of County Forests, enhancement of natural heritage and recreational opportunities have become increasingly important priorities for the County. Current land acquisition protocols for the County of Simcoe are based on documentation nearly 25 years old, and with the centennial of the County Forests in 2022, land acquisition priorities should be reviewed. With pressure on the County to increase forest lands due to an influx in population and challenges in maintaining wood flow, the review of land acquisition strategies from similar municipalities in Ontario and conservation organization organizations within Simcoe County could provide insight on how the County may align its management of the municipal forest to meet shared goals. This study conducted a comparative review of forest management plans and relevant documentation of eight similar upper tier municipalities and of three conservation organizations within Simcoe County to identify acquisition priorities and strategies when acquiring land. The protection of natural heritage features, connectivity between existing forest tracts, and enhancement of recreational opportunities were the most frequently identified priorities by municipalities when assessing land for acquisition. Conservation organizations identified properties that were eligible for tax exemptions through programs such as Ecogifts and CLTIP. These organizations also set minimum lot sizes and proximity to public conservation areas as criteria before a property was assessed. The development of a ranking strategy, the consideration of a forest cover target, and the establishment of underrepresented habitat types within the County Forest were also identified as potential strategies for Simcoe County to consider aligning its acquisition priorities with those identified in this review. 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Figures and Tables ............................................................................................................................ 5 List of Appendices ....................................................................................................................................... 6 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 7 Historical Context .................................................................................................................................... 7 The Need for Acquisition .......................................................................................................................... 8 Methods ...................................................................................................................................................... 10 Review of Organizations ............................................................................................................................. 11 Dufferin County ..................................................................................................................................... 11 Grey County ........................................................................................................................................... 11 Lanark County ....................................................................................................................................... 12 Leeds and Grenville United Counties .................................................................................................... 12 Northumberland County ........................................................................................................................ 12 Prescott Russell United Counties ........................................................................................................... 13 Renfrew County ...................................................................................................................................... 13 York Region ............................................................................................................................................ 14 Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority ........................................................................................ 14 Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority .......................................................................................... 15 Couchiching Conservancy Land Trust ................................................................................................... 15 Summary of Findings .................................................................................................................................. 16 Discussion and Recommendations.............................................................................................................. 19 References ................................................................................................................................................... 21 Appendices .................................................................................................................................................. 23 4 LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES Table 1. Comparative summary of acquisition priorities among upper tier municipalities in Ontario ...........................................................................................................................................16 Table 2. Comparative summary among conservation organizations within Simcoe County ........18 Table 3. Dufferin County ranking criteria for acquisition of land. Adapted from Dufferin County Forest Management Plan (2016) .................................................................................... Appendix B Figure 1. Historical acquisition of land in Simcoe County. Adapted from Simcoe County Forests (2011) ............................................................................................................................. Appendix A Figure 2. Historical tree planting volumes in Simcoe County. Adapted from Simcoe County Forests (2011) ................................................................................................................ Appendix A Figure 3. Forest tracts within Simcoe County – December 2020....................................................9 Figure 4. Acquisition priorities identified by upper tier municipalities in Ontario .......................19 5 LIST OF APPENDICIES Appendix A. Simcoe County Historical Acquisition and Tree Planting Trends ............................23 Appendix B. Evaluation and Ranking Method for Acquisition of Property in Dufferin County Forests ............................................................................................................................................24 6 INTRODUCTION The County of Simcoe is an upper tier municipality located in Central Ontario, north of the Greater Toronto Area, spanning from the eastern shores of Georgian Bay towards Lake Simcoe. The County manages and operates over 150 forest tracts, covering over 13,000 ha across its jurisdiction. It is utilized for recreation (i.e.,hiking), sustainable timber harvesting, and ecological protection. The Simcoe County Forests are working forests, meaning the sustainable production of timber is balanced with non-consumptive uses of the forest. Annually, approximately 600 ha of coniferous plantations and hardwood stands are thinned or selectively harvested, with revenues reinvested into forest management and future acquisition. Historical Context The landscape of south-central Ontario was shaped by human influence for thousands of years. Prior to European settlement, Indigenous peoples utilized the land for agriculture, reducing forest cover to small pockets of mature forests and a mosaic of young trees (Butt et al., 2009). Following the severe reduction of the Indigenous population in the 17th century, much of the land reverted to forest cover; European settlement would significantly reduce this previously abandoned agricultural land only a century later (Butt et al., 2009). Fleeing the American Revolution in the 1780’s, United Empire Loyalists settled the shores of Lake Erie and up the St. Lawrence Valley (Suffling et