Medway Community Forest Co-op Celebrates 10 Years of Sustainable Forest Management
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[CALEDONIA, NS, March 5, 2025] -- The Medway Community Forest Co-op (MCFC) is proud to celebrate its 10th anniversary, marking a decade of leadership in ecological forestry and community-driven forest management in Nova Scotia. Since signing its pilot agreement with the Department of Natural Resources in 2015, MCFC has played a key role in advancing sustainable forestry practices, promoting local governance, and supporting economic and environmental resilience in rural communities.
What began as a three-year pilot project on former Bowater lands has evolved into a thriving demonstration of community-led ecological forestry. Through extensive community engagement, research, and pioneering management strategies, MCFC has been at the forefront of transitioning Nova Scotia Crown land toward ecological forestry. Many of its early initiatives—including key adaptations to forest harvest prescriptions in their Interim Management Plan—are now standard practice across Crown lands.
“We never set out to change provincial forestry policy, but our commitment to ecological forestry and community-led governance naturally led us to advocate for better practices in a time when clearcutting was still status quo on Crown lands,” says Mary Jane Rodger, Executive Director of the MCFC.
Beyond forestry, MCFC is also committed to support local economic development, conservation, education and outreach. The organization now employs a dedicated team, has launched and continues to support the Nova Scotia Working Woodlands Trust, and leads critical efforts to combat the spread of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid in Parks and Protected Areas. Community engagement has remained at the heart of MCFC’s work, hosting a variety of events such as the annual Forest Market in Annapolis Royal, guided nature walks, forestry tours, and professional training programs, including Nova Scotia’s first tree marking course.
As MCFC looks ahead to the next decade, it is on the verge of securing a long-term agreement with the Department of Natural Resources, ensuring sustained stability and a framework to continue community forestry in the province. To celebrate this milestone, MCFC is planning a series of anniversary events, including stewardship planning and community engagement sessions, the launch of the Stave Lake campground, a fly fishing workshop and a gravel bike rally.
“With long-term agreement with DNR imminent, this is the start of a new chapter for the MCFC,” says Mary Jane Rodger. “The passion and dedication of our outstanding team of staff, volunteers and community members have brought us this far, and we can’t wait to see what the next 10 years will bring.”
Media Contact:
Ellen Riopelle
Medway Community Forest Co-op
About MCFC: The Medway Community Forest Co-op (MCFC) is Eastern Canada’s first crown land community forest based in the rural community of Caledonia, Nova Scotia. The MCFC sustainably manages a diverse 15,000 hectare land base using practices that reflect ecological and multi-value forest management. Through innovative forestry practices, education, and advocacy, MCFC is shaping the future of Crown land stewardship in the province. Learn more at www.medwaycommunityforest.com.