AP068499 Beals Meadow

Also view these subpages:
– Nina Newington on TRR 1, TRR 2, TRR3
– What it was all about
– NRR’s Line in the Sand
– Maps
– Soil Type
– Nutrient Budgeting

& This Series of Posts on Logging  in the
vicinity of AP068499 Beals Meadow:
1. On the extent of clearcutting  23Jan2022
2. On Highgrading at the Landscape Level 27Jan2022
3. On logging of Nova Scotia Crown land parcel AP068499 Beals Meadow : 3. The Depleted Soils 19Jun2022

CONTENTS OF THIS PAGE:
– History in Brief
– History in social media, news articles etc

HISTORY IN BRIEF Based on items cited in next section AP068499 Beals Meadow is a 25 ha parcel of forested Crown Land south of Paradise in the Annapolis Valley of NS – view map. In June of 2020, the WestFor consortium proposed a shelterwood harvest on this parcel; it was subsequently approved by L&F. An Annapolis Co. resident, Randy Neily, who has a camp on private land in the area and has frequented the area since he was a youngster, became aware of the impending logging and raised concerns about it in the fall of 2021. Neily in fact had raised concerns about it 22 year earlier “Twenty-two years ago, I talked Bowater Mersey into leaving this patch of forest alone when they were cutting everything around. They left it because of its value to wildlife. Now WestFor wants to take it,” he said. –Cited in the National Observer, Dec 8, 2021 Some of reasons cited for the current concern: – Neily says it serves as a wildlife corridor – Neily has seen evidence of pine marten and wood turtles and used to see moose in the area – MLA Carman Kerr wrote that “the common argument against this harvest is that because the parcel consists of relatively mature forest situated near three important wetlands in an area where there has been significant forestry activity…it provides critically important habitat for a variety of wildlife species.” The wetlands are known as Crisp Bog, Beal’s Meadow and McEwan’s Meadow”. The area also lies at the confluence of branches of Beals Brook. – Wildlife biologist Bob Bancroft comments that “They didn’t approve this harvest within the bigger picture of the surrounding cuts and habitat, there are a sea of clear cuts in Annapolis County…I think they’ve been doing too much damage all around that 24 hectares…I don’t know how many animals are going to be able to survive on that small amount. But the solution is not to turn around and cut more.” -Biologist Donna Crossland commented “the area can’t handle much more cutting, even if it’s a lighter approach. When trees are removed from the area, even a small amount, they never get a chance to decompose and return nutrients to the soil. And the soil around cuts, she said, is nutrient-poor.” “Crossland is also doubtful that WestFor will stick to a 30% cut, as she believes they’ll have to clear additional trees to widen the main road and create others so machines can get in. Both biologists are also worried that not enough forest will be left along the wetlands in the area to provide connected shelter and protection for travelling animals looking for water.” Neily went to his MLA, Carman Kerr, about his concerns and he and Kerr met with NRR reps to discuss them but were told the harvest “had been approved and the decision would not be reversed.” In turn Westfor said that the cut would begin any day. At that point Neily told  Nina Newington of the “The Forest Protectors” & Extinction Rebellion Mi’kma’ki/Nova Scotia  about it, and they moved quickly to set up the “Last Hope Wildlife Corridor encampment*” on Nov 1, 2021. Joined by others and supported by an ever-growing number of concerned citizens, they are still there as of Jan 22, 2022. *The area was apparently known historically  as the Last Hope Camp as “that’s where people went when they needed food during lean times as the game was always plentiful there.” Early on, NRR bureaucrats essentially drew a line in the sand at AP068499 Beals Meadow, their rationale reiterated by NRR Minister Tory Rushton on Jan 12, 2022.  They insist their decision is based on the Lahey Recommendations, a position strongly contested by the protestors. (See NRR’s Line in the Sand on this website.) So as of Jan 22, 2022, it all remains a standoff, the encampment/protest continues and NRR remains inflexible in it’s position.  It seems that NRR & WestFor are ‘waiting them out’, their attempted prosecution of the Forest Protectors following the forced eviction from the Rocky Point Lake and Napier Lake blockades in the late fall of 2020 (to stop logging of Mainland Moose habitat) having failed.

 HISTORY IN SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS, NEWS ARTICLES ETC

(Most recent items at top)

June 22, 2022:
Day 202 at the Last Hope camp: “60% of the Last Hope forest is now completely off-limits to cutting”
XR Facebook page.There is a related post on NSFN. “This longest day of the year, we are celebrating National Indigenous Peoples Day AND we are celebrating the fact that 60% of the Last Hope forest is now completely off-limits to cutting…Thanks to lichenologists and licheneers, 17 occurrences of three different Species at Risk lichens have now been reported to DNRR and the Atlantic Canada Conservation Data Centre.With each occurrence getting a 100 m buffer around it, the remaining 10 hectare section of the original cut block is harder to access and even less appealing $$$wise.As a result we have decided it is time to pack up and go home. Tomorrow, Last Hope camp will morph into the Last Hope campaign.This does NOT mean we are walking away from this forest…”

May 24, 2022:
Shared Ground Episode II

May 11, 2022:
Day 161 at the Last Hope camp
“Frances Anderson returned to teach our second Lichen Identification session. Some of us have definitely got the lichen hunting bug. When this band of licheneers went into the proposed cut block on Saturday, they discovered yet another Species At Risk lichen. An occurrence, DNRR calls it. The Manager of Biodiversity at the department assures us that, “Pending confirmation of ID by a qualified lichenologist, department staff will plot the new occurrences and apply the special management practice buffers. After that is complete, they will hand over a revised harvest polygon to Westfor.” It turns out that is not all the Department is handing over to WestFor. The Minister for Natural Resources and Renewables recently informed our MLA, Carman Kerr, that it will be WestFor, not DNRR, that will decide the fate of this forest. Why? DNRR is responsible for protecting endangered species. It is part of their mandate. If they don’t want to do the job then the responsibility should be handed over to the Department of Environment and Climate Change, not to a consortium of mills…”

May 10, 2022:
A Visit to Last Hope Camp (Audio)
Shared Ground Episode I “Meet foresters, naturalists, activists, scientists, visionaries, and outdoorsy people of all stripes to share delight in the wonders of forest ecosystems.
We talk about issues of forestry, conservation and interconnected topics, and discover sustainable, ecological, respectful ways of relating to the forest.
Maintaining and regenerating forest ecosystems is one of the most important necessities of our time, and contributes to everything from carbon sequestration to healthy children.
Join Amanda Bostlund as she meets with various folks in Mi’kma’ki (Nova Scotia) and beyond to talk about forests as our shared ground, for all species, humans and not. We explore the incredible value of thriving forests, methods and mindsets for their protection, and regenerative solutions for how we interact with and within them.
Tune in every other Tuesday for information and ideas, inspiration and opportunities for involvement.”

May 8, 2022:
What the Last Hope forest encampment in Nova Scotia is all about: In depth with Nina Newington on Talking Radical Radio 8May2022
Post and pages on NSFN. A transcript of the Scott Neigh interview of May 3 2022

May 3, 2022:
– Radio: Defending the forest in southwest Nova Scotia
Scott Neigh on Talking Radical Radio talks to Nina Newington

Day 152 (May 2, 2022)
“Yesterday six of us took part in the national bioblitz. We explored another part of the 24 hectare forest WestFor is still planning to cut, with our government’s blessing. And yes, we did find more Species At Risk lichens. Plus other cool ones…In light of further finds and a recent sighting of the about-to-be-declared-Endangered American pine marten in this immediate area, wouldn’t it be nice if DNRR asked the Department of Environment and Climate Change to place this forest under consideration for protection?”

Apr 2, 2022:
More about maps and moose and logging roads
On eco-action.ca. Other Posts from Last Hope Wildlife Corridor Camp are also compiled on this website.
15 Reports from March 2022 at the Last Hope Wildlife Corridor Camp
13 Reports from February 2022 at the Last Hope Wildlife Corridor Camp
20 Reports from January 2022 at the Last Hope Wildlife Corridor Camp
11 Reports from December 2021 at the Last Hope Wildlife Corridor Camp

Mar 31, 2022:
Stories from Last Hope Camp (YouTube Video)
What becomes possible when unlikely allies stand together for healthy ecosystems? With Nina Newington and Randy Neily. Hosted by Amanda Bostlund.

Mar 26, 2022
Day 115 at the Last Hope camp
“So what about the moose? It isn’t all about lichens. The mainland moose are endangered too.
Our camp is named after the historic Last Hope Moose Camp, built on this exact site. By the 1930s, moose numbers were already down in Nova Scotia, due to assorted settler activities, but there were still plenty of moose in this particular area. That’s why it was a hunter’s last hope for a supply of meat for the winter…”

Mar 16, 2022
Day 105 at the Last Hope camp
Extinction Rebellion Mi’kma’ki / Nova Scotia Mar 16, 2022 or view here

Mar 12, 2022:
Day 101 at the Last Hope camp
“A beautiful day at camp for our Settler Education workshop. The sun warmed our faces and thawed the road. Participants hiked in the last muddy kilometre….”

Mar 8, 2022:
“A good day to celebrate the incredible array of women who have come to our camp in the last 97 days” 8Mar2022

Mar 5, 2022:
Day 94 at the Last Hope camp
Sometimes you get a message that says it all, like this one from Erin Todd:

Hello, I hope things are going well at Last Hope Camp, despite the very cold temperatures this morning! Please let me know if there is anything you require and I may be able to help. I have been spending a lot of time in clearcuts this winter, kick sledding through places not far from your camp where my family members have hunted, fished and worked in the forest for over 100 years. Satellite maps of the backcountry of Annapolis County break my heart. When I paddle through the lake systems, it’s impossible to travel without crossing a clearcut. I have sent letters to all the politicians I can think of and continue to be a witness & share with others what I have seen. My family are stewards of 400 acres that has been selectively cut for the past 150 years. It’s an island in a sea of clear cutting. Thank you so much for all you are doing.

Feb 18, 2022:
Rare lichens to be protected, but planned cut on Crown land to proceed
Michael Gorman · CBC News “…McIntyre said every plan submitted to the department is reviewed by a biologist, forester, surveyor and forest technician. In this case he said the lichens in question didn’t show up in predictive modelling, which means more work needs to be done to bolster data and consider other improvements to the assessment process. “No one is going to stand here and say that we do everything perfectly and it can’t be improved, but we’re trying to do our best,” he said. “We’re trying to look at everything we can and make the best decisions and protect species at risk whenever we know about it.””

Feb 16, 2022:
Day 77 at the Last Hope camp
on Extinction Rebellion Mi’kma’ki / Nova Scotia FB page. Photos and text.

Feb 15, 2022:
– The Last Hope Moose Camp
Linda Panozzo in the Quaking Swamp Journal. A detailed examination of the context of the Last hope Encampment.
– Protester says logging should be cancelled after discovery of species at risk
Michael Gorman · CBC News “24-hectare area in Annapolis County said to contain rare lichens”

Jan 27, 2022,
Some Good News: Species-at-Risk found on AP068499 Beals Meadow, Nova Scotia, logging paused 27Jan2022
Post on NSFN. “Day 56… a temporary halt has been put on the plan to cut the forest we are protecting because some rare lichens have been identified here”

Feb 1, 2022:
Camp Last Hope
BY Zack Metcalfe in alternatives journal.ca “Why We Should Expect More Logging Blockades”

Jan 31, 2022:
Flag of the Seven Districts flies over the Last Hope Wildlife Corridor Encampment
Post on Extinction Rebellion Mi’kma’ki / Nova Scotia FB page, also copied onto this website

Jan 27, 2022:
Province pauses planned cut at Annapolis site after discovery of rare species of lichen
BY ETHAN LYCAN-LANG in the Halifax Examiner “On January 21, the Department of Natural Resources and Renewables (DNRR) placed a temporary halt on an approved cut near Beals Brook off Highway 10 after being alerted to the presence of three rare species of lichen on the site….Earlier this month, the Examiner had reached out to DNRR to see if the province might amend harvest plans on the site in response to the protests. At the time, DNRR spokesperson Steven Stewart emailed this response:
‘In 2020, this plan was reviewed by the regional biologist responsible for proposed Crown lands forest harvest plans in this area. The biologist did not identify any biodiversity related concerns requiring mitigation for the site and recommended the harvest plan proceed. The plan was then re-reviewed by another regional biologist in Fall 2021 after public concerns were raised. The review also found no biodiversity concerns and recommended the harvest proceed.'”

Jan 27, 2022:
– On logging of Crown land parcel AP068499 Beals Meadow, Nova Scotia: 2. Highgrading at the Landscape Level 27Jan2022
Post on NSFN ““Logging the Best and Leaving the Rest” is occurring on the Crown lands all over the province including the area of AP068499 Beals Meadow. It is “Highgrading at the Landscape Level”

– Species-at-Risk found on AP068499 Beals Meadow, Nova Scotia, logging paused 27Jan2022
Post on NSFN. “Day 56 at the Last Hope camp.Good news: a temporary halt has been put on the plan to cut the forest we are protecting because some rare lichens have been identified here”

Jan 23, 2022:
–On logging of Crown land parcel AP068499 Beals Meadow, Nova Scotia: 1. Google Earth and Global Forest Watch images reveal extent of clearcutting in the vicinity 23Jan2022
Post on NSFN “Exploration of the circumstances surrounding the decision to log AP068499 Beals Meadow raises more questions than answers. NRR could provide at least some of the answers.”

– No cold feet among forestry protesters camped out on South Mountain
By Francis Campbell for The Saltwire Network ““Whether or not we can get any responses and so far we’re getting nothing from Natural Resources or the premier, even if you can’t do that, it activates all the other people who actually care and are concerned about this,” said Newington, who has been part of a group encamped on South Mountain in Annapolis County for more than seven weeks to protest forestry practices.”

Jan 20, 2022:
Day 50 at the Last Hope camp
Post on Extinction Rebellion Mi’kma’ki / Nova Scotia Facebook page “The MLA for this area, Carman Kerr, says forestry issues are by far the number one topic constituents are contacting him about…Below is a letter one of us just sent to the premier, Tim Houston. Please write to him too. Premier@novascotia.ca re Harvest ID AP068499”

Jan 16, 2022:
– Day 46 (again) at the Last Hope camp
Post on Extinction Rebellion Mi’kma’ki / Nova Scotia Facebook page “It’s not rocket science. Stop cutting until we decide what areas should not be cut at all. In every corner of rural Nova Scotia,

people who have known the woods around them their whole lives could identify areas that are most important to wildlife. That is what has happened here around Beal’s Brook in Annapolis County. Local people whose families have hunted and trapped and fished here for generations sounded the alarm when they saw flagging go up. They tried to stop the harvest. Government told them it was too late. But it’s not. The forest is still here and so are we.”

– Response from Minister Rushton on Jan 12, 2022 to Letter from Seth Levinson Dec 3, 2021
Post by Seth Levinson Annapolis Royal & Area – Environment & Ecology Facebook Page

Jan 13, 2022:
Day 44 at the Last Hope camp. Post on Extinction Rebellion Mi’kma’ki / Nova Scotia Facebook page “If we are feeling the impacts of this with our tents and stoves and sleeping bags, how much tougher are these swings on wildlife? On the trees? There is so little left for winter shelter for the moose and others. The mature spruce stands by the wetlands in these 24 hectares are a rarity now. After decades of clearcutting, forests over 40 years old stand out. The Last Hope Wildlife Corridor Forest is around 80 years old. Only 1 to 5 % of all the forests left in Nova Scotia are that old or older. For goodness sake, leave this forest alone!”

Jan 6, 2022:
From the Netherlands Re: Harvest Plan AP068499: Beal’s Brook, Nova Scotia 6Jan2022 Post on NSFN

Jan 2, 2022:
Letter to Minister Rushton from Nature Nova Scotia

Dec 30, 2021:
Day 29 at the Last Hope Camp – one camper’s thoughts on the experience
Post by Eleanor Wynn on Extinction Rebellion Mi’kma’ki / Nova Scotia Facebook page “First off: Beautiful people, good folks. Looking for something to uplift your spirit, in these dark days? Spend some time protecting a forest with other folks who care…Another young woman came with her father; it was a lovely thing to do together and represented a different way to care for the environment than they already do…

Dec 24, 2021:
It is Christmas Eve and bitterly cold at the Last Hope Wildlife Corridor encampment 24Dec2021 Post on NSFN

Dec 22, 2021:
Nina Newington/XR Mi’kmaki/NS: It takes a while 22Dec2021 Post on NSFN.In a few words and images, a short video made by Nina Newington for Extinction Rebellion Mi’kma’ki / Nova Scotia at the Last Hope Wildlife Corridor Encampment Dec 18, 2021 conveys a deep sense of ‘what it’s all about”.

Dec 14, 2021:
– Day 13 at the Last Hope Wildlife Corridor Encampment: Perry Munro on how Bowater valued this land 14Dec2021 Post on NSFN

– Logging blockade in Mi’kma’ki for climate justice and conservation
Crystal Greene on IncaNews Dec 14, 2021 “Darlene Gilbert is a Mi’kmaw grandmother who has no problem confronting industry and government who are the major polluters. “As a Mi’kmaw I’m here to talk to you about what you’re doing, the moose, our medicines, the land, the mess that you’re going to leave afterwards because you’re just tearing trees up and cutting them down,” said Gilbert in a video, speaking to representatives of WestFor Management Inc., an industrial forestry consortium with 13 mills operating in Nova Scotia, which generate $2 billion a year. “We don’t take without leaving something behind, that’s our Mi’kmaw way,” adds Gilbert, referring to ‘Netukulimk’ the traditional Mi’kmaq law of sustainable harvesting.”

Dec 13, 2021:
Nina Newington: Thoughts on Day 12 at the Last Hope Wildlife Corridor Encampment 13Dec2021 Post on NSFN And a pictorial summary of these last 12 days Nina Newington comments on why the area should not be logged at all.

Dec8, 2021:
– Nova Scotians camp out to save small but mighty patch of forest
By Cloe Logan in the National Observer

– Protestors camped out at planned harvest site in Annapolis County say cutting “can’t just go on”
ETHAN LYCAN-LANG in the Halifax Examiner “Randy Neilly sits in his cabin near the planned harvest site by Beals Brook in Annapolis County. He and his MLA Carman Kerr met with DNRR reps last week asking for the planned cut to be stopped. Neily learned about the planned cut last month. He’s the one who alerted the Forest Protectors…Neily said he’s seen evidence of pine martens and wood turtles around the land. He also used to see moose in the area from time to time, though it’s been more than 20 years since he last saw signs of them. The pine marten and mainland moose are both endangered; the wood turtle is a threatened species in Nova Scotia…He’s concerned cutting will harm their habitat, and reduce food supply and shelter for other animals in the area. Before alerting the protestors, he went to his MLA, Carman Kerr, who is the provincial Opposition critic for the Department of Natural Resources and Renewables (DNRR). The two met with representatives of DNRR to ask if the cut could be stopped, but were told it had been approved and the decision would not be reversed. They then spoke with a WestFor representative, said Neily, who told them the cut would begin any day. That’s when the protestors got involved. In an email to the Examiner, Kerr said he’s since heard from a number of his constituents, and other Nova Scotians, saying they oppose the cut. “The common argument against this harvest,” he wrote, “is that because the parcel consists of relatively mature forest situated near three important wetlands in an area where there has been significant forestry activity, that it provides critically important habitat for a variety of wildlife species.” “In light of the current climate and biodiversity crises, I too believe that this cut should not happen, at least not until the Lahey Report recommendations can be fully implemented and the department can determine where this parcel best fits into the new triad model.””

Dec 3, 2021:
– Nina Newington comments on comments to CBC by NRR spokesperson
Post on Extinction Rebellion Mi’kma’ki / Nova Scotia “The real question is not how should this parcel be cut but should it be cut at all? This article does not mention the fact that Bowater-Mersey left this parcel alone when they were cutting everything else in reach because of its value to wildlife. Has wildlife recovered in the intervening years? Hardly.
Did the provincial biologists who signed off on this harvest actually go out to the site? Did they talk to the neighbouring landowners, hunters and trappers who are deeply knowledgeable about this land? Did they talk with any Mi’kmaw people with traditional knowledge of the land?”

– Folly or the future? Citizens protest planned Crown land harvest in Annapolis County Michael Gorman · CBC News “Natural Resources official says pending cut adheres to Lahey Report recommendations”

Pre-Treatment Assessment (PTA)
– Harvest Plan Summary AP068499 Beals Meadow (As distributed, 2 page doc)
– Edited so all on one page: small version (640 px wide) | Large Version (1050 px wide)
Also view:
– Pre-Treatment Assessment (PTA) Methods and Tools (NRR doc, 2018)
– Table 1 in Silvicultural Guide for the Ecological Matrix (SGEM, 2021)
or here as a screen capture go the table