Hon. Linda Jeffrey, Minister of Natural Resources Whitney Block - 6th Floor, Room 6630 99 Wellesley St. W., Queen's Park Toronto, ON, M7A 1W3 Fax: 416-325-5316 Dear Minister Jeffrey, Re: The Ogoki Forest Management Plan I am deeply concerned that the current Ogoki Forest Management Plan (FMP) was approved despite its current and future impacts on the Woodland Caribou population. The Ogoki FMP threatens to drive caribou from the forest, paving the way for their extirpation from Ontario. The current science indicates that the only way to ensure that Woodland Caribou persist in a forest is by maintaining the area's intact remote character. Considering caribou have experienced drastic range recession in the last 100 years and that they are considered "threatened" both federally and provincially, it is inappropriate to continue allocating new areas in the Ogoki Forest. So far, the only proven approach to caribou conservation is deferring their habitat from forest operations. For that reason, I oppose continued harvesting in the Ogoki Forest. However, if operations are to continue in Ogoki, certain safeguards must be put in place. First of all, no new primary roads should be built in the Ogoki Forest. Roads are associated with caribou extirpation, and therefore pristine areas of the unit must remain unroaded. Secondly, the extension of the Reckett Road must be abandoned because it will interfere with caribou movement in the forest. The Ogoki Road has already fragmented a caribou migration corridor; the second route must be protected to ensure long term continued use. The citizens of Ontario do not want their tax dollars to contribute to the extirpation of a threatened species. Secondly, Area of Concern buffers around identified calving areas must be dramatically enlarged to adequately protect caribou. The most recent science shows that buffers of 13 km must be implemented around these areas, and that no harvesting or road building should be allowed in them. I am deeply concerned that the primary method for protecting caribou during calving is through small AOCs, many of which allow modified harvesting to proceed. This is not nearly enough protection for a threatened species with a low reproductive rate. Furthermore, I have strong concerns that harvesting activities in Ogoki will lead to a drastic shift in the area's vegetation, which will pave the way for other species (i.e. moose and wolves). In other jurisdictions, a response to such changes has been to organize wide-scale wolf culls. The practice of killing wolves to 'protect' Woodland Caribou is extremely misguided and represents only a 'band-aid' solution. To avoid further conflict and ensure that ecosystem balances remain intact, please follow the recommendations outlined above. Again, I wish to reiterate my disappointment that economic factors are being allowed to displace ecological values in the Ogoki Forest. This government has made a commitment to protect Woodland Caribou habitat and implement a caribou recovery plan, yet it has approved a Forest Management Plan that will only further threaten northwestern Ontario's Woodland Caribou populations. This surely is not in the best interest of the citizens of Ontario. Sincerely,