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Pine Falls Newsprint Mill Uncertainty Leads to Exploration of Alternative Uses of the Forest
April 20th, 2010OPEN HOUSE – WINNIPEG RIVER LEARNING CENTRE (3 WALNUT STREET, PINE FALLS) – THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 6:30 TO 8:00 PM
With the future of the Pine Falls newsprint mill in limbo, the communities in eastern Manitoba are setting their collective eyes on other economic opportunities that exist in the vast boreal forests located in their back yard. The Manitoba Model Forest, a non-profit organization in Pine Falls, is leading the way by offering an intensive 2 week training course on “non-timber forest products” or NTFPs. The course explores the sustainable harvest, production and marketing of a wide variety of natural products from the forest. This includes wild edibles (berries, fiddleheads, mushrooms, teas, fruit leathers, flavored birch sap), crafts (evergreen, dogwood and wild rose wreaths, diamond willow furniture, driftwood art, tamarack coat racks) and personal care products (salves, soaps, essential oils).
NTFPs represent an ideal business opportunity for communities located in the boreal forest. It is particularly well suited to First Nation peoples, who have a strong cultural connection to the land and whom have traditionally not benefited from the economics of the traditional forest product sector. The NTFP industry is already putting millions of dollars into the pockets of individuals and small entrepreneurial businesses across Canada. For example, the Lac St. Jean region of Quebec is one of the largest producers of wild blueberries in North America, with direct sales of $40-50 million per year. NTFP production dwarfs the traditional forest product sector in this region.
The NTFP training course, being held from April 12 to 23, is in its second week at the Winnipeg River Learning Centre in Powerview-Pine Falls. Students range in age from 30 to almost 70 years of age, and from communities in eastern Manitoba, including four First Nation communities, and even from the Northwest Territories. The students are hosting an open house on Thursday, April 22, 2010 from 6:30 to 8:00 pm at the Winnipeg River Learning Centre (3 Walnut Street) to display the products that they have created during the course and to answer any questions you may have. Come out and learn about this growing sector!
For further information, please contact:
Dr. Brian Kotak, General Manager
Manitoba Model Forest
P.O. Box 6500
Pine Falls, MB R0E 1M0
(204) 345-4835
miette@xplornet.com
