PEI Forestry Commission

Betts' Mill (Photo: Krystal Pyke)

NEW! Forestry Commission Public Consultations

For those wishing to make a formal presentation at the public meetings are asked to contact the Forestry Commission chair, Jean-Paul Arsenault, at jparsenault@gov.pe.ca. Please indicate which meeting you would like to attend.

Towards A New Forest Policy, a discussion paper by the Prince Edward Island Forestry Commission, outlines 13 key issues related to our forests and the forestry sector including the future legislative framework, government assistance to woodlot owners and the forest industry, the protection of forest ecosystems, and the need to develop more resilient forests.

Islanders are invited to provide input on forestry priorities at upcoming public meetings across the province.The public meetings will help the Forestry Commission understand more about Islanders' forestry priorities and the issues facing PEI forests.

The public meetings dates and locations are below:

May 14 in Charlottetown at the Malcolm J. Darrach Community Centre
May 16 in O'Leary at the Town Hall boardroom
May 21 in Abram-Village at the Village Musical Acadien
May 23 in Summerside at Credit Union Place
May 28 in Montague at the Cavendish Farms Wellness Centre
May 30 in Souris at the Eastern Kings Community Centre

All meetings will run from 7-9pm.

The Abram-Village meeting will be bilingual, and English simultaneous interpretations will be available.

What is the Forestry Commission?

In September 2022, post-tropical storm Fiona hit Prince Edward Island with hurricane-force winds, resulting in widespread impacts to Island forests. Government responded quickly by securing the J. Frank Gaudet Tree Nursery and resuming operations, assisting first responders in restoring critical infrastructure, prioritizing areas for wood salvage based on public safety and fire risk, acquiring post-storm satellite imagery, and launching an Emergency Forestry Task Force. The recommendations of the Emergency Forestry Task Force have been received.

In January 2023, Government appointed a Forestry Commission to review PEI’s forest policy, programs and legislation in the wake of Fiona, and develop a Forest Recovery Plan for Prince Edward Island.

The Forestry Commission wants feedback from Islanders. Fill out the survey on forest policy at gov.questionpro.ca/forestry

Forestry Commission Terms of Reference

Terms of Reference (170KB)
Termes de Référence (175KB)

Commission Members

Chair

Jean-Paul Arsenault of Charlottetown. Mr. Arsenault is a fluently-bilingual Islander with extensive forestry, human resources and public policy experience. He assisted with the Round Table on Resource Land Use and Stewardship (1996), The Commission on Land Use and Local Governance (aka Thompson Commission, 2010), and the Commission on the Lands Protection Act (aka Carver Commission, 2013).

Members

Marcel Arsenault, Abram-village
Reg Conohan, Cardigan
Jerry Gavin, Northport
Matt Hughes, Kelly's Cross
John MacQuarrie, Charlottetown
Dr. Kathy Martin, Stanhope
Keila Miller, Souris
Krystal Pyke, Charlottetown
Gary Schneider, Stratford
Zora Wendt, Breadalbane
Sarah Wheatley, Suffolk
Randy Angus, Mi’kmaq Confederacy of PEI