It's Sweeping the Nation...

I was working in the office late one night
When my eyes beheld an eerie sight
For my coworker from her desk began to rise
And suddenly to my surprise...


She did the mash
She did the Rainbow Brite mash
The Rainbow Brite mash
It was a Chapleau smash
She did the mash
It caught on in a flash
She did the mash
She did the Rainbow Brite mash

From my office space in the northeast
To the lunch room where the vampires feast
The Femme Fatal came out from her cubicle abode
To get a jolt from my caffeine electrodes

She did the mash
She did the vampire mash
The vampire mash
It was a Chapleau smash
She did the mash
It caught on in a flash
She did the mash
She did the vampire mash

The politicians were having fun
The party had just begun
The guests included Mayor Freeborn,
Andre Byham, and...he won



The scene was rockin', all were digging the tunes
Boreal Forest on chains, backed by his calling loons
The Tree-Lovers were about to arrive
With their vocal group, "The NTFP Five"

They played the mash
They played the NSFC mash
The NSFC mash
It was a Chapleau smash
They played the mash
It caught on in a flash
It's now the mash
It's now the NSFC mash

Out from her Blackberry, Clara's voice did ring
Seems she was troubled by just one thing
She shrieked loudly and raised her fist
And said, "Whatever happened to my Timmins twist?"

It's now the mash
It's now the NSFC mash
The NSFC mash
And it's a nation-wide smash
It's now the mash
It's caught on in a flash
It's now the mash
It's now the NSFC mash

Now everything's cool, Clara's part of the band
And my NSFC mash is the hit of the land
For you, the blog followers, this mash was meant too
When you get to my door, tell them Cindy Lou Who sent you



Then you can mash
Then you can NSFC mash
The NSFC mash
And do my Regional smash
Then you can mash
You'll catch on in a flash
Then you can mash
Then you can NSFC mash

HAPPY HALLOWEEN FROM THE NSFC!!!

In the News...

The Far North Act (Bill 191) Causing a Stir

To say that the Far North Act, which was passed on September 23rd, has been a sensitive issue for many northerners would be an understatement. The act aims to protect 225,000 square kms (or 21% of Ontario's land mass) of Boreal Forest from development, but Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Chiefs' say that the bill violates their treaty rights to land ownership, and they "do not, and will not recognize this legislation on [their] homelands". The Ontario Chamber of Commerce has also voiced its opposition to the bill, stating that "the act would effectively paralyze development in the north".

Additional stakeholders, including the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association, the Ontario Prospectors Association, Treaty Three Grand Council, and the Ontario Forestry Industries Association have also voiced their concerns.

To learn more about this issue, browse through the links below...

Showdown in the Far North

Northern Communities United in Opposition to Far North Act

Far North Act will bring "unrest" and drive away business, say leaders

Minister compares Far North Act to creation of Algonquin Park

United Nations designates 2011 "International Year of Forests"

Let's take a look at the facts...

• The livelihoods of 1.6 Billion people depend on forests
• Forests cover 31% of total land area globally
• Trade in forest products was estimated at $327 Billion in 2004
• Forests are home to 300 million people around the world
• Forests are home to 80% of our terrestrial biodiversity
• 30% of forests are used for production of wood and non-wood products

These statistics are currently being displayed alongside images of forests across the globe on the United Nations website. The reason the UN is sharing the importance of our forests, is because they have made the decision to designate 2011 the International Year of Forests. The United Nations General Assembly made this decision "to raise awareness on sustainable management, conservation, and sustainable development pf all types of forests".

As part of the year long celebration, the United Nations Forum on Forests Secretariat is organizing an international forest film festival following the theme "Forests for People". The film festival is intended to "raise awareness on the importance of forests, their relationship with people and the planet we share, and consequently, to inspire a sense of personal responsibility and stewardship for a greener, more equitable, sustainable future". The winning films will be screen around the world.

For more information regarding the International Year of Forests visit the United Nations website.

Another Year of Success for the NSFC!

This past year was the busiest yet for our team at the NSFC, and on October 6th at the Ecole Secondaire Catholique Trillium in Chapleau we celebrated our hard work and success during our Annual General Meeting (AGM).

The Mayors of Chapleau, Dubreuilville, Hornepayne, Manitouwadge, Wawa, and White River were in attendance, as were the Chiefs' of Chapleau Cree, Michipicoten, Missanabie, and Brunswick House First Nations. We also had a chance to share our success stories with the Federal government, as Ted VanLunen, the Director General of Natural Resources Canada's Canadian Forest Services, attended the AGM.

During the AGM we selected our new Board of Directors, appointing Manitouwadge Mayor John MacEachern as the new President, Michipicoten First Nation Chief Joe Buckle as the new Vice-President, and Chapleau Mayor Earle Freeborn as the new Secretary-Treasurer.

Also included in the evening was an awards ceremony and gala which was a joint initiative between our organization and our partners (and friends) at the NSRCF. Our organizations both presented awards to recognize the dedication of certain individuals to the Northeast Superior region. We presented the first annual Earle J Freeborn award to Chapleau Mayor Earle Freeborn, and the NSRCF presented the first annual Chief Keith 'Keeter' Corston Award to Chapleau Cree's Chief Corston. Both men were recognized for their outstanding commitment to and involvement in the Northeast Superior region.

Chief Corston addressed the attendees of the gala, stressing the importance of continuing to build the relationship that has been fostered between the Chiefs' Forum and the Mayors' of the communities in the region. He passed on that the cross-cultural activities the partner organizations have participated in are great stepping stones towards ensuring that they are able to better understand one another in the coming years.

Mayor Freeborn reinforced Chief Corston's message, saying "if there is one message I will take away from this journey, it's that there is strength in numbers. The NSFC has facilitated the joining of the Mayors' of 6 municipalities in the Northeast Superior region, with 6 Chiefs' of 6 First Nation Communities in the area to work towards a common vision for managing our forest resources. Tonight, the Mayors' and Chiefs' are given the opportunity to come together in celebration of the achievements we have made, and the bonds that we have created. The strength of our bond and the level of our partnership is unique across Canada, and has been a key factor in our ability to achieve success."

The NSFC would like to thank the Mayors' and Chiefs', our funding partners, stakeholders, and the residents of the Northeast Superior region for your continued support, and we look forward to many more successful years of innovation in the forest industry.

The Mayors of Chapleau, Dubreuilville, Hornepayne, Manitouwadge, Wawa, and White River, along with the Chiefs' of Chapleau Cree, Brunswick House, Michipicoten, and Missanabie First Nations.

The NSFC Project Officer, Administrative Assistant, General Manager, Marketing and Communications Coordinator, and Education Coordinator

NSFC Administrative Assistant and Project Officer, Chapleau Councilor and Mayoral candidate Andre Byham, NSFC partner and Chapleau councilor candidate Larry Lacroix, and NSRCF intern

Chapleau Mayor Earle Freeborn and Chapleau Cree Chief Keeter Corston. Both men were award recipients at this year's Gala

Make this Friday even sweeter! (if that's possible...)

Mmmmmmm...the delicious smell and warm taste of sticky-dark Birch Syrup.

Getting your hands on some birch syrup might be easier than you think... a quick trip over the weekend to Cochrane (not too far considering the reward) could end up taking you to North of 49, a local business which produces and sells pure birch syrup and birched honey. You should head over to their Facebook page and check them out!

Want to learn about the journey that takes birch sap and turns it into yummy syrup? Our friends over at the newest CMFN partner site also have their hands in the Birch Syrup business! Check out the link below to watch an Alberta Prime Time TV report on Weberville Community Model Forest's birch project:

Birch on Tap- Airdate August 26, 2010


For some recipe ideas that incorporate birch syrup (and some that use maple syrup too) visit the NSFC Facebook page!

The CMFN welcomes Weberville Community Model Forest

The Canadian Model Forest Network has a new member!

It was officially announced in August that the Weberville Community Model Forest (WCMF) project had joined the CMFN. The WCMF is located in Alberta, and covers about 33,000 hectares of land. It is the 2nd Model Forest site in Alberta, and the 15th site across Canada.

The site was spearheaded by the Weberville Community Forest Association, and began as a pilot project in 2008, focusing on landscape-level private land forest management. The press release that was issued to announce the WCMF's Model Forest status states, "the project quickly gained attention and interest from various stakeholders from industry, government, municipalities and NGOs due to its uniqueness in terms of being a community-driven landscape level management approach, which does not only address economical benefits through landowner collaboration, but also environmental and social aspects."

The NSFC would like to officially welcome our new national partner to the CMFN! We expect to hear exciting project news from the WCMF in the coming years, and we will be sure to share this information with you through our blog so you can follow the progress of our newest partner site!

For a bit more information, check out the Weberville section of the CMFN website.

Back in Action!

Did you miss us? The NSFC apologizes for our lack of recent blog postings...but we are back in action now! Keep reading for some updates on what we have been up to since you heard from us last.

The NSFC flexes our muscles in Dubreuilville!

Our organization is truly amazed at the human body's ability to accomplish the feats that the athletes at the 9th Annual Dubreuilville Strongman Competition accomplished in front of a large crowd in the vibrant northern Ontario community last month.

We watched in awe as the athletes hooked themselves to transport trucks and pulled the vehicles for an impressive distance, lifted the back ends of minivans from the ground, holding them in place for what seemed like an eternity, and lifted massive (in some cases 300 lb plus) boulders from the ground, placing them atop pedestals of varying heights.

The NSFC supported the event (which took place September 11th-12th) by sponsoring the athlete's dinner on the Saturday night, and were able to spend some quality time with the athletes throughout the day. The amount of training and preparation that goes into competing in a event such as this is unbelievable, and we have nothing but the utmost respect for these individuals who traveled from across Canada and the United States to participate in the competition.

The turnout for the event was quite sizeable, and the residents of Dubreuilville showed a great deal of admiration for the athletes, in some cases awarding them applause that matched those one would expect for a celebrity, or a 'superhero'. These athletes have certainly learned how to entertain a crowd throughout their years of experience with competing in public. We laughed, as we watched them get the crowd screaming while tossing signed NSFC frisbees throughout the audience. This town gets really excited for this annual event.

We are confident in saying that the athletes are grateful to the organizers of the event, and Dubreuilville as a whole. While eating a couple dozen chicken fingers (these guys CAN EAT), one of the athletes shared a story with us from last years competition, "the community really stands behind this competition" he says, "last year one of the guys was overheard casually saying that he didn't get the best sleep the night before, and in no time at all, a woman came to us with garbage bags full of different pillows to choose from. She wanted to make sure we were all as comfortable as possible!"

NSFC staff had a great time, and were treated with nothing but hospitality from our friends in Dubreuilville. We are excited to return next year, and continue to show our appreciation for this intense sport and its dedicated athletes.

Check out a few pictures from the event:




Handing out signed NSFC Frisbees



NSFC Marketing and Communications Coordinator and athlete Paul Vaillancourt at the NSFC sponsored athlete's dinner...