Nova Scotia L&F June 25 update: no surprises, all is well 27June2019

The Ecological Forestry Implementation June 25, 2019 update, on the webpage for the Forest Review, begins:

“Project teams made up of department employees and external experts like scientists, researchers, academics and subject-matter experts are working on several key projects related to ecological forestry. These projects were identified as foundational priorities. The department is committed to engaging stakeholders and the public to gather their input on these projects”.

The page goes on to list the projects (Forest Management Guide, Natural Disturbance Regimes etc), identifying leaders and external experts and indicating when we can expect to see the projects completed – for most, some time in 2020. There are also separate Information Sheets for each Project:

FOREST MANAGEMENT GUIDE
HIGH-PRODUCTION FORESTRY
NATURAL DISTURBANCE REGIMES
OLD FOREST
OUTCOMES-BASED FOREST MANAGEMENT
REPORTING ON THE STATE OF THE FOREST
SMALL SCALE WOOD ENERGY INITIATIVE
SPECIES AT RISK PROGRAM RENEWAL

Coming into the fore in this update is HIGH-PRODUCTION FORESTRY. As cited by Jennifer Henderson in the Halifax Examiner, Minister Rankin commented on a need

“to identify “high production” sites in the province suitable for growing trees that will yield enough wood to maintain pulp and paper operations”

Wow. With only 20% of wood coming from Crown lands in NS to keep on the good side of the U.S./the New NAFTA, the publicly owned Crown lands will carry the weight of ensuring Pulp and Paper operations remain alive and well in NS. Corporate Welfare is not dead under the McNeil Government.

As had been anticipated, Plan B (to provide an alternative market for low value wood if/when NP/The Mill closes) is there in the form of “Small-Scale Wood Energy Projects”. There is no mention in the description of any associated GHG accounting. As I have pointed out previously (Post, Apr 11, 2019), the other component of Plan B – the Biorefinery – is still alive, but now comes under the Department of Energy and Mines.

There is no mention in the text or in the related documents accessed via the webpage for the Forest Review  of the controversies that have plagued L&F since Prof Lahey handed in his report ten months ago, no apologies for the many mistakes, no acknowledgment of issues related to the Migratory Birds Convention Act or the current lawsuit and there is no TRANSPARENCY AND PUBLIC RELATIONS project (or anything like it).

Nevertheless, All is Well at L&F and for the future of forests and forestry in Nova Scotia according to L&F.

For more perspectives, view

• June 25, 2019:
  – Province looks to wood as heat source for public buildings
  Michael Gorman · CBC News
  – Forestry insiders consulted by Nova Scotia on plan to reduce clear-cutting
  By Taryn Grant Star Halifax
• June 26, 2019
  –Iain Rankin promises big changes in forestry management, but the province is moving slowly
  Jennifer Henderson in the  Halifax Examiner (subscription required)