Funding for the Tree Assessment Program is provided by the Canada-Ontario Agreement for the Ice Storm Economic Recovery Assistance Program. The assessment program is designed to determine levels of compensation, as well as to identify opportunities to further the recovery of this important sector of eastern Ontario's agri-food industry. Aside from the undeniable economic importance of sugar bushes, tree farms, nurseries and woodlots, they are valuable components of Ontario's natural habitats.
Silviculture is a big part of that economy.
And that doesn't take into account all of the spin-off benefits to the regional economy. Approximately 600 maple syrup producers, Christmas tree farmers and commercial nursery operators sustained varying levels of damage. Of the 156,000 hectares of farm woodlands in the storm affected area, it is estimated that up to 60 per cent of the area sustained moderate to severe damage. About 300,000 taps, representing 30 per cent of the province's maple syrup production, were affected. Twelve assessors are available to farmers in eastern Ontario, to determine the extent of crown loss, the degree of bending, and the loss of inventory.