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

Want to Cut Your Energy Costs and Reduce Your Footprint?

FACT: The Northeast Superior Region of Ontario spends an estimated $25 million annually for the provision of heat and h ot water from electricity, fuel oil, propane, and wood.

Potential Solution?

To help address this issue, the NSFC, in cooperation with the Northeast Superior Regional Chiefs' Forum, will be conducting a telephone survey to determine the opportunities for renewable energy solutions in our region. The results of the survey could lead to innovative solutions that might cut energy costs for local residents, businesses, and institutions. Such innovative solutions may affect individual buildings, a group of buildings, or even entire communities. Following the survey each municipality will be responsible for giving identified energy options further consideration, and for voluntary application. The results of the survey may also point to new industry opportunities for the region, stimulate greater self-sufficiency in energy generation, and contribute to improving our region's environmental footprint. In essence, the survey is a step in the right direction towards 'going green'.

Expect to hear from us...

Over the next few months, the economic development offices from communities throughout the region will be conducting telephone surveys to determine how local businesses, residents, and institutions currently heat their buildings, and also how they heat their water. The first round of surveys will be undertaken in Manitouwadge, and will begin around December 1st, 2010.

Help us help you!

We urge residents and businesses to contribute to this economic development initiative by taking the time to participate in the survey when they are called. The survey will take just a few short minutes, and all information gathered will be kept completely confidential. The survey will take just a few short minutes, and all information gathered will be kept completely confidential. the survey is not for property taxation or property insurance purposes, and the information will only be used for determining how heat is provided in the region and the estimated quantities of energy used annually.

Need more info?

To find out more about the survey contact us (NSFC) at (705) 864-2031, or your local Economic Development Office.

In the News...

Over 500 Forest Sector jobs to be created in Sault Saint Marie and Algoma Region

Yesterday (Nov. 9), The Soo News announced that the provincial government and St. Mary's Paper "reached a ten year, 30 megawatt Power Purchase Agreement that will enable the company to build a $175 million biomass fuelled cogeneration plant, creating 555 jobs."

Click here to read the entire article

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!!!