A collaborative effort to restore vital habitat

Restoring the Ogoki Forest

By Meghan Clout

In recent years, wildfires have intensified, with fires occurring more often and burning with greater severity. This was the case in 2023, when two major wildfires devastated the Ogoki Forest in Northern Ontario, burning tens of thousands of hectares. The fires destroyed boreal landscapes and wildlife habitats, and greatly impacted nearby communities.

Working closely with Integrity Reforestation, and in collaboration with Agoke Development LP, Tree Canada, and the Arbor Day Foundation, Forests Canada is helping to restore carefully selected areas of the Ogoki Forest – a project that will include the planting of over three million trees by hand over two years.

“At its core, the project is about bringing forest cover back to areas where natural regeneration isn’t sufficient, helping heal a landscape that was devastated,” Monica McKernan, President of Integrity Reforestation, says. “The goal isn’t to replace everything that burned, but to help guide the land back toward forest cover and functional habitat where it needs support.”

In 2025, Forests Canada supported the planting of 700,000 native trees, contributing to the total of 2.2 million trees planted so far. The balance of native trees will be planted in 2026, supporting the long-term goal of helping to re-establish the Ogoki Forest by laying the framework for ecosystem resilience and diversity to grow.

Some of the challenges experienced with this project came from the remote location of the planting site – a location that required careful coordination of helicopters to deliver materials and personnel, sometimes during unpredictable weather. Other challenges came from the nature of post-wildfire restoration planting. This project will help lay the groundwork and serve as a learning opportunity for how to respond to the growing impact of wildfires.

The work being done on the ground is amplified by the incredible commitment and collaboration from all project partners. “There is an outstanding level of communication and involvement from Integrity Reforestation.” Val Deziel, Director of Restoration Ecology and Research with Forests Canada, says. “For example, they are sharing data about fire behaviour so that it can be mapped and better understood. Using this data can help shape our post-wildfire restoration projects.”

Monica shares that learning from projects like this is extremely important as the impacts of wildfires become more severe across Canada. “For us, this project reflects a hands-on response to a problem we know is not going away, and a commitment to being part of the solution, focusing on what we know how to do well, and doing it thoughtfully, responsibly, and in partnership with others.”

As the next wildfire season approaches, it is important to continue to invest in research and best practices to ensure post-fire recovery efforts are sound and impactful for the long-term. “This project will play an important role as we move through seasons of intense and devastating fires,” Monica adds. “We can’t simply stand by and accept the loss of our forests as inevitable.”

Stay tuned to Forests Canada’s website for more information about the Ogoki Forest project and other post-wildfire recovery initiatives.