Eastern Ontario Model Forest, Kemptville, ON

Forests spread into southeastern Ontario soon after the glaciers and glacial lakes and seas retreated approximately 10,000 years ago. Through the analysis of pollen, vegetation associations can be determined (Terasmae,1981 and Anderson 1989) and thus the general vegetation history can be told post glaciation. The table below outlines the postglacial vegetation history of southeastern Ontario.
The first settlers to eastern Ontario were given land grants. One condition of many land grants was that 12 acres of land had to be cleared within 5 years or the settler would lose title to the land. From this perspective, the forest was something to be conquered, something to be battled and removed. But the forest was also a lifeline for the early settlers, logs were used to build homes and barns, poles were used for fencing livestock, fuelwood was used to heat homes, and the forest was used for grazing livestock.
Forest management was not a priority in these days, trees were cut as needed for various uses, land was cleared for crops and pasture and eventually on many farms, only a small woodlot at the back of the farm was left. This small woodlot was often pastured well in the 20th century, limiting tree regeneration.
Canada’s lumber industry has a long history; it can be considered one of Canada’s first industry. At the time of Cartier’s voyage to Canada in 1635, there were dense forests, dominated by white pine. These dense forests were in great abundance on the Canadian Shield and the lowlands. These forests had a thick canopy, over 100 feet high, some as tall as 200 feet.
The density of the forest created a near darkness; however,.by the late 1700s, logging companies were very active in eastern Ontario and increased their activities during the American Revolution and Napoleonic Wars (OMNR, 1991). Canadian lumber was in great demand by the British Navy since England’s forests had already been depleted at the time.