Press Release, Feb 1, 2024
This latest “Bioeconomy” initiative would involve use of 550,000 green metric tons per year of sawmill residuals and by-product wood fibre from the forest sector. In the formal BDO Zone Report, cautions are expressed that are not amongst the highlights cited in PR lit about about the Bioeconomy prospects for SW Nova Scotia and presumably are why a higher rating (AAA or AA versus the A-rating given) was not realizied, e.g. related to nutrient limitations, uncertainty about buy-in of private woodlot owners. The basic concept goes back to Dexter Days and dreams of “Cellufuel” and other biorefinery products replacing the markets for residuals and low grade wood lost with closure of the Bowater Mill; now we have the loss of the NP Mill as well contributing to supply, and advocates are able to cite the harmony/sustainability created by the Lahey Report/implementation of the forest Triad as a supporting factor in development of a regional Bioeconomy. There is clearly a need and significant opportunities for use of the forest residuals, but also needed is a dose of realism about what is actually compatible with true sustainability economically, ecologically and socially in SW Nova Scotia.
Read more on versicolor.ca/nstriad