When it comes to navigating Nova Scotia's forestry landscape many people feel lost in the woods. Let FNSWO help you find your way and introduce you to all your forest has to offer. Contact us for information on special forestry initiatives and service providers throughout the Province.

Every woodland owner who becomes a member of The Federation is entitled to a free, half-day, on-site forest consulting service with one of our trained forestry staff, who are happy to answer any questions you may have about your forest or woodland management.

For support with forest ecosystems research, to report a forestry problem in your area, or to share an event, please contact us.

Our programs provide an opportunity for private woodland owners to voluntarily certify their woodlots under internationally recognized standards of forest management specific to the forests of the Maritime Provinces under the Nova Scotia Association for Woodland Owners Certification Program (FSC-C020468). These efforts aim to support economic, environmental, and social goals through small-scale, low intensity and community forest management. Our forestry staff work with private and community landowners to create a detailed description of your woodland with management plans specifically tailored to you forestry activities and goals.

For woodland owners interested in strategic management plans for active woodlots and Acadian forest restoration: we will design a 2-4 year strategic plan based on your unique woodland features and forestry goals. High quality maps, boundary lines, and wood volume estimates based on ground-proofed, Geomatics data are provided to identify and plan for all your forestry needs including relevant silviculture and harvest treatments, the protection of watercourses, or high conservation value forest. Whether you're interested in accessing silviculture funding for ecological harvesting, building recreation trails, planning a business, or developing a conservation easement, our staff are there to support you and your forest.

For individuals or municipalities, our forestry professionals can help you mitigate wildfire risk through FireSmart education, onsite assessments, and forest management prescriptions. We identify areas where improvements can be made to reduce fuel loads, increase moisture retention, and raise awareness of wildfire hazards so you can develop emergency preparedness plans and keep up to date on Provincial fire restrictions.

• Using acoustic recording units (ARUs) and field observations we can identify and monitor song birds that frequent your forest or confirm that rare avian passing through on the fly.

• The Federation is also keen to protect Nova Scotia’s 64 species at risk. We work with local knowledge keepers and biologists to support biodiversity, species recovery, and projects such as trail building, or low-impact harvesting for sensitive habitats.

FNSWO is working with private landowners, partner groups, and individuals with knowledge of draft horses around the province and across the country in an effort to assist in developing a safe and economically viable horse logging initiative in Nova Scotia.

The Federation believes that horse logging could fill an important gap in the Province's ecological forestry mandate at a time when many small private landowners are struggling to find contractors to assist in their efforts to practice sustainable forestry. If you are interested in horse logging services, email info@fnswo.ca or call us at (902) 536-3365‬.

For non-resident landowners, our forestry professionals can monitor landholdings, conduct initial or periodic site assessments for real estate or management purposes, and prepare woodland reports to help you keep track of your forest.