Seasons Greetings!

THE NSFC WISHES YOU AND YOUR FAMILY A VERY HAPPY AND SAFE HOLIDAY SEASON!

It's that time of year once again! A time for sharing special times with loved ones, and sitting back and winding down after a busy work year. The NSFC is looking forward to 2011, and we are optimistic that our new year will be just as rewarding as the last.

At the NSFC, we are grateful (and lucky)to live in our very own Winter Wonderland! As you can see from the snowy picture we have included, the Northeast Superior Region of Ontario offers breathtaking views throughout the chilly months, and is a great place to explore while enjoying outdoor activities. We encourage residents and visitors to take some time over the holidays to enjoy our natural surroundings, and appreciate just how special our region is year-round.

What are some of the NSFC's favourite ways to enjoy our forests during the winter?

• Strap on some snowshoes, grab a friend or family member, and take a walk on a nearby trail. Our region has never ending trail systems, so you never get bored of walking the same old trail. Keep an eye out for animal tracks in the snow, and make a game out of guessing what type of animal it was and where it was headed.
• Get a group together and spend the day ice fishing. There is no shortage of lakes in our region, and ice fishing is such a great experience. Don't forget to pack some hot chocolate and a cozy blanket :) Always remember to follow fishing regulations.
• Take your children, a friends child, or anyone 'young at heart' on a tobogganing adventure. Pack your sleighs, hop in the car, or walk through the woods, and see who can spot the best hill. The winner gets to try it out first!
• Organize a forest scavenger hunt. Be creative, there are hundreds of ideas that would make this a great family activity. You can make your own items to hide behind stumps, on a tree branch etc. or you can ask the scavengers to find various natural items. If you wanted to make it extra fun you could incorporate geocaching!

In our region, there is no excuse to stay indoors all winter long! Bundle up, head outside, get active, and spend some time enjoying our forests!

See you in 2011!

What were we up to this Fall?

The NSFC has released our Fall 2010 edition of The Forest News!

The Forest News is another great way to stay informed about NSFC activities, and about innovations taking place within the forest industry.

Check it out!

The Forest News: Fall 2010

Don't Forget to Enter our Fall/Winter Photo Contest!!

In September, we announced the official opening of our Fall/Winter Photo Contest, which will remain open until January 31st, 2011.

We invited all local residents and visitors to capture special moments spent enjoying the forests in our region and submit their photos for a chance to win great prizes. We challenged you to take pictures of anything and everything that you love about our forests: trees, animals, non-timber forest products, recreation and cultural activites...whatever you can find!

We haven't recieved very many entries to date, so there is a great chance you could win if you participate!

In order to qualify for the contest, pictures must be original, unpublished photographs taken of or in the forests of the Northeast Superior region. There is no limit on the number of entries allowed per person.

For full contest rules and regulations, visit our website.

In the News...

Getting Northern Ontario's forestry industry back on track

On November 19th, the Soo Today announced that Greenpeace and the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP) held a joint news conference to release a new report with recommendations for "stimulating northern Ontario's forest industry and creating green forestry jobs while preservng the ecological value of Canada's borel forest."

Within the report, some recommendations to provincial and federal governments include:

- Support non-timber forest products and services such as wild food and ecotourism
- Increase co-management arrangements with First Nations
- Provide transition funding to help forest-dependant communities diversify

Follow this link to read the entire article