Hearst Forest

The Hearst Forest is a large boreal Crown forest management unit in northeastern Ontario, centered around Hearst, Mattice–Val Côté, and Constance Lake First Nation. It is run by Hearst Forest Management Inc. (HFMI), the Sustainable Forest License holder. HFMI was established in 1986 and describes itself as Ontario’s first co-operative Sustainable Forest License company, with a board involving local mill shareholders, community representatives, and Constance Lake First Nation representation.

The forest covers over 1.2 million hectares and supports important local sawmill and veneer industries, with major species including black spruce, jack pine, spruce, aspen, and mixed boreal stands. Historically, the forest has been tied closely to the growth of Hearst as a forestry town, the expansion of northern rail and road access, and the development of community-based forest management in Ontario.

Its current management is guided by Ontario’s forest management planning system, including renewal, monitoring, road planning, wildlife habitat protection, and public and Indigenous consultation.