medway community forest cooperative LTD.
Testing new alternatives to Crown land forest management in Nova Scotia.
We aim to support our local communities through sustainable and ecologically-based forest management.
185+
Member shareholders
We have a diverse membership, anyone who supports our mission and objectives can join and have a say in the inner happenings of the MCFC. If you’re interested in becoming a member, consider joining us today.
15K
hectares managed
Our license area is over 15,000 hectares and is nestled with an extensive network of parks and protected areas including Kejimkujik National Park and Historic Site, The Tobeatic Wilderness Area and the newly formed Medway Lakes Wilderness Area.
35+
stakeholders
Our stakeholders are an active part of decision-making within the MCFC. We are proud to host a diverse group with interests from First Nations, forest industry, environmental NGOs and adjacent land owners.
Crown Land Forest Management
During our 3-year pilot phase, the MCFC developed a unique management plan that covers the regulatory requirements to operate on Crown Land and integrates the values found within our community. Our forest practices are rooted in principles of ecological forestry, integrating adaptability and resiliency into our forests rather than managing for market forces. The MCFC management plan is still in draft form, but we’re looking forward to releasing a final draft in 2020.
Our Mission
The Medway Community Forest Coop is a member-based community forest operating on 15,000 hectares of Crown Land in Annapolis Co., Nova Scotia. We aim to promote the multiple values of forests, and diversify local economies to support rural communities.
Our Team
The MCFC is a group of dedicated individuals from the local area who want to be part of building vibrancy for our communities and the forests they depend on.
Our Business
The MCFC is a unique Crown Land manager whose business interests go beyond providing wood to mills. Our focus is to help community members build new forest-based businesses, alongside growing our own timber-based revenue streams, supplying logs to small-scale mills and other social enterprises. Our work also extends beyond our Crown-land license area, providing consulting services to private woodlot owners through our partner organizations including the Nova Scotia Working Woodland Trust and the Western Woodlot Services Cooperative.
Outreach
Our Outreach Committee is very active and consistently putting on events to engage with the public, and explore the diversity of values found within the community. Recurring annual warm weather events include our Operations Field Tour, Wild Foods Tour, and Forest Market and Fair.
If you’re interested in learning about upcoming events, follow us on facebook, sign up for our newsletter below, or take a look at our events calendar.
REsearch
We’re frequently partnering with academic institutions, government and research groups to learn and improve on our forest practices. We have several ongoing research projects within the MCFC and are always looking for new opportunities and projects. Interested in conducting research on the MCFC license area? Our talented staff can help you with data collection, site location or general proposal writing.
Hemlock Heroes
Hemlock Heroes objective is to rapidly conserve and protect high-value and old growth Eastern Hemlock forests against the invasive insect, Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA) (Adelges tsugae) throughout protected areas in Nova Scotia. We take effective action to maintain healthy hemlock forests for future generations.
Forestry
Our forestry operations are based on the most recent science to promote forest conditions appropriate to the Acadian Forest Region. We work with local mills and contractor to execute harvest prescription that are developed using our management guidelines and sell our products to a variety of different buyers ranging from large mills to small, backyard operations.
business development
Operating on principles of social entrepreneurship, the MCFC has primarily been working on developing the mechanisms to economically self-sufficient in the pilot phase. Although we’re share-based, we do not issue dividends to our members, and all profits are reinvested into the MCFC and in the future, directly into the community.
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