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Why your forest needs a management plan (FMP)

You acquired your forest to spend time in nature, protect a natural environment, create a sustainable legacy for your family and, perhaps, generate income from your timber. But how can you ensure your actions truly lead toward these goals? This is exactly where a forest management plan (FMP) becomes your ally.

Know your forest to better protect it

An FMP is like a complete X-ray of your forest. A qualified forest professional (engineer or forestry technician) will come to "walk your land", identify each stand, assess their health and potential. You will know precisely which species make up your forest, where sensitive areas to protect are located, and which sectors require your attention.

For someone who wants to "do the right things", this is the detailed game plan you need.

Harvest thoughtfully, at your own pace

Selective harvesting – removing individual trees while preserving the forest's natural structure – cannot be improvised. Your FMP will establish a sustainable 10-year harvesting plan, precisely identifying which trees to harvest to maximize your forest's health and biodiversity.

Substantial tax benefits

In Quebec, an FMP is required to obtain recognized "forest producer" status. This status gives you access to concrete financial benefits: a refund of 85% of your property taxes (municipal and school) on your forest property, the ability to deduct your management expenses, defer your timber sale income for up to 10 years, and benefit from tax advantages during an eventual intergenerational transfer to your children.

Rest assured: an FMP does not require you to cut trees you wish to keep! Forest producer status imposes no mandatory cutting – you maintain total control of your decisions. You can practice light selective harvesting every 10 years, according to your FMP, and fully benefit from all tax advantages as well as assistance programs. This way, you balance timber production with ecosystem protection, exactly as you wish.

To benefit from these advantages, you must simply demonstrate a "reasonable expectation of profit" – which can translate into modest selective harvesting, according to your FMP, even if only every 10 years. You have no obligation to generate significant revenues or harvest intensively.

Financial help for forest work

With a valid FMP and your forest producer status, you become eligible for the "Private Forest Enhancement Assistance Program", which covers between 80% and 95% of your forest management work costs.

Your forest "gardening" is eligible – whether for reforestation, thinning or biodiversity-friendly cutting, you will only pay 5% to 20% of the costs. Additionally, you will have access to plants produced by government nurseries for your planting projects!

Protect your long-term investment

A well-designed FMP helps identify and reduce risks that threaten your forest. Your forest engineer will spot early warning signs of infestations, areas vulnerable to fires, or aging stands that require intervention. This information allows you to act preventively rather than reactively, thus protecting the value and health of your forest heritage for decades to come.

An investment that pays off

For an initial cost between $700 and $1500, your FMP is valid for 10 years. When you consider property tax savings, access to government subsidies and optimization of your forest income, this investment pays for itself quickly.

Fyri: enhancing the traditional FMP

The traditional FMP is a paper document or PDF that often sits on a shelf between visits from your forest engineer. Like any game plan, it's only useful if it's used!

To get the most from your FMP, Fyri transforms this static document into a dynamic dashboard, accessible in your pocket and on your computer, with regularly updated satellite data. You will track the real evolution of your forest, and the built-in task manager makes it easy to collaborate with your forest advisor to receive personalized recommendations aligned with your objectives.

Fyri does not replace your forest engineer – on the contrary, it amplifies the value of their expertise by making it accessible 24/7 in your pocket, exactly as you might manage your finances, health or training with an app!

To learn more about Fyri, our private forest management application.

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