The 63rd OPFA Conference will be held at the Nottawasaga Inn and Resort in Alliston April 7 – 9, 2020. Online registration is available on the OPFA website (www.opfa.ca). Register now to get the early bird rate (available until March 15th, 2020).
Below is the agenda for the three-day event:

Theme: Our Roots, Our Future

Monday, April 6, 2020

4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Registration Opens

Tuesday, April 7, 2020

7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Registration

8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Field Tour – Urban Forestry – York Region/Lake Simcoe Region CA

Field Tour – Forest Management – Simcoe County

4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Registration

6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Icebreaker (cash bar)

Wednesday, April 8, 2020

7:00 a.m. Registration

8:00 a.m. Visit Exhibitors

8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. 2020 OPFA Annual Conference Opening

9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Plenary Session #1: Keynote Speakers

1) Ontario’s Forest Sector Strategy

– Dave Hayhurst, Assistant Deputy Minister, Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry

2) Climate Change in Ontario – What are the Implications for our Urban, Rural and

Northern Forests?

– Dan McKenney, Natural Resources Canada

10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Network Break and Visit Exhibitors

10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Plenary Session #2

1) Indigenous Lands and Resources Standard

– Peggy Smith, R.P.F. (Ret.), Professor Emerita, Lakehead University

2) Workshop – tentative

12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Lunch

  1. a) Changing Regulatory Environment in Canada (for Professionals)

– Richard Steinecke, Counsel, Steinecke Maciura LeBlanc Barristers and Solicitors

  1. b) Network Break and Visit Exhibitors

1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Concurrent Session #1A

1) Ontario Tree Seed Transfer Policy – Ken Elliot, R.P.F., Ministry of Natural Resources

and Forestry

2) Applying the Ontario Tree Seed Transfer Policy – Barb Boysen, R.P.F., Forest Gene

Conservation Association

3) Operational Artificial Reforestation Programs in the Boreal Forest Under a Changing

Climate – Dennis Joyce, Superior Genetic Resource Management Services

Concurrent Session #1B

1) Managing the Urban Forest as an Asset – James Lane, R.P.F., York Region

2) Ecological Offsetting – Kate Lillie, Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority

3) Toronto’s Urban Ravine Strategy – Wendy Strickland, City of Toronto

3:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Network Break and Visit Exhibitors

3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. OPFA Annual General Meeting

6:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Banquet and Awards – Sarah Bros, R.P.F. and Denis Gagnon, R.P.F.

Thursday, April 9, 2020

7:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. CIF Update – tentative

7:30 a.m. Registration

8:00 a.m. Visit Exhibitors

8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. OPFA Business Update (Ballroom) – Fred Pinto, R.P.F., Executive Director/Registrar

9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Concurrent Session #2a

1) Urban Forestry – Past, Present and Future – Mike Rosen, R.P.F., Tree Canada

2) Afforestation Challenges in Southern Ontario – Rob Keen, R.P.F., CEO Forests Ontario

Concurrent Session #2b

1) Fire Smart Management of Flammable Forest Landscapes – Dave Martell – Professor

Emeritus, University of Toronto

2) Invasive Species – Current Status and Projections – – Erin Bullas-Appleton, Canadian

Food Inspection Agency

10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Network Break and Visit Exhibitors

10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Plenary Session #3

1) Canada’s Forest Industry – Derek Nighbor CEO, FPAC

2) Sustainable Timber Buildings – to be determined, Mass Timber Institute

3) New and Emerging Technology in Forestry – John Pineau, FP Innovations

12:00 noon to 12:15 p.m. Closing Remarks/Adjournment

Lunch

Register HERE