Submitted by Len Munt and John Farrell--How many entrepreneurs do you know that operate a canopy walk or a submarine tour alongside an existing forestry operation?
Please join Dr. Peter Schliefenbaum, owner of Haliburton Forest and Wild Life Reserve Limited for a presentation and discussion of his vision of forestry using the Haliburton Forest as an example. It will be held tonight (November 18) at 7 p.m. at the Visitor Centre in Queen Charlotte.
Haliburton Forest and Wild Life Reserve is the largest privately owned property in central Ontario. It's located approximately 2.5 hours from Toronto with Algonquin Park as its neighbour to the north and east. Its holdings comprise approximately 25,000 hectares of hardwood forests, 50 lakes, and a huge variety of wildlife. Operating as a multi-use forest and by using integrated, sustainable resource management techniques, Haliburton Forest has become a model demonstrating that sustainable development is achievable.
As a privately owned business, Haliburton Forest is challenged to strike a balance between the short-term requirements of a successful, operational business and the long-term requirements of sustainable resource use and conservation.
Over the past four decades under the watchful eye of the Schliefenbaum family, its 25,000 hectares were transformed from a depleted forestry holding to a thriving, multi-use operation which contributes economically and environmentally to the long-term stability of the surrounding, rural community while providing employment as well as environmental benefits to owners, staff and the public at large. As confirmation of its leading role in conservation and sustainable resource management, Haliburton Forests was certified as a "sustainable forest" under the stringent guidelines of the international Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
Haliburton Forest and Wild Life Reserve Limited takes multi-use seriously. How many forest owners do you know that have their own canopy walk or a submarine and how do these items fit into a forestry operation? Well we're not going to tell you, come out Thursday night and meet Peter. He'll be happy to fill you in.