In the News

Beginning today, June 11, 2018, this page will provide a list of links to news and some social media posts related to forests and forestry in Nova Scotia, the most recent items at the top, as I access them.

Some will also be listed under Independent Review, and some may also be the subject of a post on the Home Page.

Up to this point I have attempted to provide a post on the home page about every news item; all posts are listed under About this site>All Posts. However, I have found that I am missing more and more as at times I can’t keep up with it all, not-to-mention that outdoor Nova Scotia is just too enticing at times.

The dates cited below are the dates of publication of the news items (not the dates on which I accessed them).

NOTE Sep 19, 2018: due to the Chronicle Herald moving their website to a new platform circa Sep 15, 2018, links that refer to articles in the Chronicle Herald before that date are not currently working. Presumably they will fix that issue.
Nov 14, 2018: There is no sign that the CH will fix and make accessible the old links and now the Chronicle Herald further restricts online access to news and opinions (Post, Nov 10, 2018)

Dec 13, 2018:
– Northern Pulp placing ads on 95.7 appealing for support
I heard the same ad several times today (while driving). It talks about the 2.2 billion dollar forest industry in NS and how it is dependent on Northern Pulp; it asks people to support their impending request to the government for more time to close down Boat Harbour/implement a new treatment system
– No ‘Plan B’ for potential shutdown of Northern Pulp mill, minister says
The Canadian Press in The Star
– Forestry minister not ready to contemplate closure of Northern Pulp just yet
Michael Gorman · CBC News
Dec 12, 2018:
– Ellen Page says Nova Scotia government needs to ‘step up right now’ over pulp mill controversy
By HALEY RYANStarMetro Halifax
Dec 10, 2018:
– Opposition calls on government to ‘get more serious’ about online lobbyist info
Michael Gorman · CBC News. “The latest example of the website’s flaws came Monday. AllNovaScotia.com reported McNeil’s former chief of staff, Kirby McVicar, and Health Minister Randy Delorey’s former executive assistant, Trevor Floyd, recently registered as lobbyists on behalf of Northern Pulp Nova Scotia Corporation.”
–Ellen Page doubling down on criticism of Nova Scotia pulp mill’s effluent pipeline
By Alex Cooke for The Canadian Press on Global News
Dec 8, 2018:
– Keep An Open Mind
Ross Tugwell Abercrombie, Letter to the ed, The Advocate/”Northern Pulp is under new ownership, and our new owner has our back, wants to invest in our mill, our future and provide jobs. So now I’m asking my friends and my community to put faith in us as residents of Pictou County, and as workers of Northern Pulp, to allow us to go through the process of meeting government regulations and direction, hold public information meetings, and to go through this process with an open mind.”
– Federation of Nova Scotia Woodland Owners throws support behind Northern Pulp
The News
Dec 7, 2018:
– Want to reduce clearcutting? Clear out Natural Resources
Jacob Boon in The Coast
Dec 6, 2018:
–Northern Pulp alleges death threats in legal action against fishermen
Carolyn Ray · CBC News
Dec 5, 2018:
– PICTOU LANDING FILM – BOAT HARBOUR & THE MILL (Youtube video)
By Australian Folksinger Mark Lang
– VIBERT: A thin response on clearcutting
Jim Vibert, Truro News. ” Minister Rankin contended the province could further the ecological objective of Lahey’s report, while “growing the forestry sector.” That comment is a telling insight into the government’s view of the environment. They are all for protecting it, as long as that doesn’t stand in the way of someone making money.”
– Minister of Lands and Forestry outlines clear cutting Policy
CBC Info AM. 14 mins. “The province says it will move towards more ecological forestry. Minister of Lands and Forestry Iain Rankin takes our questions.” Mike Lancaster is interviewed in the beginning about cutting in the Ingram River watershed. Transcript
Dec 4, 2018:
– Sound Off: Does the government’s response to the forestry review satisfy critics? (video)
CBC
– N.S. considering appeal of ruling on duty to consult Mi’kmaq in mill case
Canadian Press/CTV News
– SUPREME COURT OF NOVA SCOTIA Citation: Pictou Landing First Nation v. Nova Scotia (Aboriginal Affairs), 2018 NSSC 306
Supreme Court ruling. News story: Pictou Landing First Nation must be consulted on new Northern Pulp treatment plant: judge by Aaron Beswick in The News
– We’re about to learn just how subservient Nova Scotia is to the forest industry
Tim Bosquet in Halifax Examiner with links to Government takes tentative first steps to reduce clearcutting and Burned: Are Trees the New Coal? A review of the new film that illuminates Nova Scotia’s failed biomass policies by investigative reporters Jennifer Henderson and Lina Pannozzo respectively (subscription required; $10/mo)
– Tupperville-area residents worried about future of bio-diverse land on the South Mountain
Lawrence Powell in Annapolis Co. Spectator
– About Hardwood Hill – Warden Habinski asks province to hold off on harvest plans for 20-hectare Acadian forest
Lawrence Powell in The News
Dec 3, 2018:
– Nova Scotia vows to reduce clear cutting, move toward ‘ecological forestry’
Michael Gorman · CBC News
Dec 1, 2018:
– Closure of pulp mill last rational option
Ralph Surette in the Chronicle Herald (behind a paywall)“Boat Harbour, the notoriously polluted outfall for the pulp mill in Pictou County, is to close in January 2020 — the provincial government having finally given in to 50 years of anguished citizen protest. The alternative, however, is to pipe the effluent miles out into Northumberland Strait…On economics alone, the arguments for the mill were always weak. Its government-given control over the forest starved and killed off local mills. Had it never existed, the jobs it provides would have been created anyway, and a stable local industry would likely be going today with vastly less destruction of the forest — a destruction foreseen by provincial government forestry experts who were dead against this mill when it was built in 1967, but were overruled by the government of Robert Stanfield.
Closing, of course, will be painful — roughly 1,000 jobs, some 300 in the mill, the rest as various woods contractors. However, Sydney has moved on after Sydney Steel, and so has Liverpool since the Mersey mill closed. Also, closing could be costly — possibly hundreds of millions of dollars in cleanup costs and liabilities the province has unwisely signed up for over time to protect the mill, which will also likely sue for losses.
But not facing the music now means facing it later when it’s likely to be far more grating.”
Nov 29, 2019:
– Still no response on recommendations three months after N.S. forestry review released“The author of a review on forestry practices in the province says he is anxious to hear what the government thinks”
Alicia Draus for Global News
– More senators join call for federal Northern Pulp review
Paul Withers · CBC News “Letter from 19 senators comes as company and union launch campaign”
Nov 27, 2018:
– McNeil firm that Boat Harbour will close by January 2020
Michael Gorman · CBC News
– Independent senators tell Trudeau to act on ‘dangerous’ Northern Pulp plan
Paul Withers · CBC News · Posted: Nov 27, 2018
Nov 26, 2018:
– Nova Scotia protects 2,000 hectares of ‘incredible landscape’
Michael Gorman · CBC News “The Wentworth Valley wilderness area includes old-growth hardwood forests, ravines, wildlife habitat and waterfalls…Monday’s announcement means just shy of 12.5 per cent of the province’s land is now protected”
Nov 23, 2018:
– Species at Risk in Nova Scotia # 9 – One woman in charge of biodiversity in province with 71 at-risk species (print story & audio)
CBC Info AM
– Both sides struggle to control tensions as Northern Pulp closure looms
Aaron Beswick in CH (Behind a paywall)
Nov 22, 2018:
– Species at Risk in Nova Scotia # 8 – Getting Involved
CBC Info AM. Interview with Amanda Lavers at MTRI, and Katie Mclean of CARP
Nov 21, 2018
– Bill Lahey presentation in NB (Nov 19, 2018) on the Independent Review of Forest Practices in Nova Scotia available online
Post on NSFN
– Three months after forestry report, nothing but silence and worrisome signals
Opinion by Dale Smith published online in the Chronicle Herald (behind a paywall); posted on NSFN with permission of author.
– A (BIO)MASSIVE ACHIEVEMENT: NEW AG CAMPUS ENERGY PLANT A NORTH AMERICAN FIRST
Ryan McNutt in Dal News “Dal’s Agricultural Campus has its sights set on being completely carbon neutral — and the new Biomass Energy Plant, which celebrated its grand opening Tuesday morning (Nov. 20) is a huge step towards that goal.”
– Species at Risk in Nova Scotia # 7 – Plants and Lichens
CBC Inf AM. “Today on our series about species at risk we talk about plants and lichens and the dangers they face. And why that is bad news for humans.” Interview with Sean Blaney and Frances Anderson. Related: The ‘very serious threat’ that’s coming for Nova Scotia’s plants CBC news. Nov 21, 2018 “The arrival of the emerald ash borer is bad news for the black ash, a threatened species.”
Nov 20, 2018:
– Healthy Forest Coalition reached the milestone of 1,000 members!
Announcement of HFC Facebook Page “It’s great to see so many of us recognize the need to utilize true ecologically-based forestry and strike the balance that is needed to support both industry while maintaining ecological integrity. Although their are flaws within the Lahey report it has many good recommendations as to how we achieve that this goal.”
Species at Risk in Nova Scotia #6 – Fresh Water species
CBC Information Morning “Of all the creatures we’ve discussed in our species at risk series, none may be more vulnerable than the Atlantic Whitefish. Today we’re looking at that critically endangered species.” View also: Wild Atlantic whitefish struggle to survive in Nova Scotia CBC Post)
Nov 19, 2018:
– Species at Risk in Nova Scotia # 5 – Reptiles (audio)
CBC Information Morning – NS “Acadia University Professor Steve Mockford talks about turtles and snakes at risk of extinction in Nova Scotia”
View also: 3 of 4 turtle species in Nova Scotia at risk of extinction (CBC Post)
– Sa’qawey Nipukt: Old Forests (audio)
“Listen in as Mi’kmaw ecologist, shalan joudry tours Mi’kma’ki for stories about Old Forests. Here are four conversations with Mi’kmaw Elders as they tell us about their relationships with the land and old forests.” Posted on soundcloud.com Nov 19, 2018 by Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute
–Residents concerned about forestry in Annapolis County
by Ian Fairclough in the CH (behind a paywall). View also: Prof Lahey’s concerns about the Nova Scotia government’s delay in responding to the Independent Review are reflected in frustrations expressed about cuts proposed for Hardwood Hill, Annapolis Co.(Post on NSFN, Nov 19, 2018)
Nov 18, 2018:
– Residents worried about proposed gold mine near Sherbrooke
Frances Willick · CBC News
Nov 17, 2018:
– P.E.I. Opposition renews call for further Northern Pulp environmental assessment
Dave Stewart in The Guardian
Nov 16, 2018:
– Parrsboro driver to bring Boston Tree to Amherst
Fram Dinshaw, Amherst News “For the sixth year in a row he [Dave MacFarlane] is driving the city’s Christmas tree from Nova Scotia to Boston, along highways often lined with cheering bystanders and motorists honking their horns in support.” View Boston Christmas Tree on Wikipedia.
– N.S. paper mill asks for public help as protests mount, Ellen Page criticizes
Michael Tutton , The Canadian Press on CTV News
– Many are wondering why the province hasn’t yet responded to an independent forestry review, released in August (audio)
CBC Information Morning, interview with Prof Lahey
– Species at Risk NS # 4 – Birds
CBC Information Morning, Interview with Sue Abbott, Bird Studies Canada
Nov 15, 2018:
– Species at Risk in Nova Scotia #3 – Insects
CBC Information Morning, Interview with John Klymko of ACCDC, 3rd in series on Nova Scotia’s species at risk
Nov 14, 2018:
– Transition Begins Drilling to Test Promising Gold Targets in Nova Scotia on the Highland Gold …
Stockhouse. (Requires cookies to access page). “Transition Begins Drilling to Test Promising Gold Targets in Nova Scotia on the Highland Gold … It consists of staked mining licenses on crown land that covers approximately 5,408 hectares in an area of active forestry operations.”
– Species at Risk in Nova Scotia #2 :Mainland moose battle ticks, ATVs and clear cuts
CBC News “This is the second in a series of stories from CBC’s Information Morning about species that are struggling to survive in Nova Scotia, and the people who have vowed to save them.” Audio (Information Morning interview with Clifford Paul)
– Minister vows Northern Pulp won’t get reprieve on mill effluent deadline
Paul Withers · CBC News
Nov 13, 2018:
– Sharing the planet: Nova Scotia’s species at risk #1
CBC News “This is the first in a series of stories from CBC’s Information Morning about species that are struggling to survive in Nova Scotia, and the people who have vowed to save them.” Info AM Audio (Interview with Karen Beazley, 9 min)
– Northern Pulp admits it is likely to miss 2020 effluent deadline
Paul Withers · CBC News
Nov 10, 2018:
–Fishermen not happy with N.S. premier (video)
CTV News
– LETHBRIDGE: Green shift cannot come soon enough
Gail Lethbridge in Chronicle Herald, on the dilemma of dealing with NP/Abercrombie Mill “Our economy and way of life are structured on the burning of fossil fuels and extraction of resources. We can only look the other way for so long. Environmental destruction is the common enemy to people and the economy. There are people out there working on innovations that will help us change the way we live and prosper. I am inspired by these activities and they make me hopeful. The sooner we can face up to the urgent need to change the way we live, the more clarity we will have on how to find a cleaner, greener future.”
Nov 9, 2018
– Raymond Plourde from the Ecology Action Centre says the province is better at protecting the forestry industry than the forests (audio)
CBC Information Morning
– McNeil plea for peace triggers protest in Pictou County
Paul Withers · CBC News
Nov 8, 2018:
– Ecologist says forests in crisis (audio)
CBC Information Morning
Nov 7, 2018:
– Shelburne County residents pan ‘disrespectful’ clearcut plans
Moira Donovan, Phlis McGregor · CBC News
– An independent forestry review calls for a decrease in clear cutting. Yet the province has just approved new clear cuts. We’ll speak with the minister of Lands and forestry. (audio)
CBC Information Morning
Nov 6, 2018:
– Forest massacre
Shelly Hipson, Shelburne County in Voice of the People (Chronicle Herald)
– ‘Stop it at all costs’: The blockade of Northern Pulp Mill continues
– Alexander Quon for Global News
Westfor says it’s just following the provincial guidelines when it clear cuts a forest (audio)
Information Morning Nov 6, 2018. Interview with Marcus Zwicker, General manager of WestFor
Nov 5, 2018
– A Nova Scotia woman is upset to learn that a clear cut she fought to stop has been given the green light (audio)
CBC Info AM “Some people in Shelburne County are upset that the province has approved a clear cut on 260 hectares of forested crown land. The area is made up of eight parcels of land, near Wagner’s Lake in Middle Clyde, Shelburne County. Last week the province gave the Westfor consortium the go ahead to cut on that land. More than 300 people from the local area signed a petition earlier this year opposing the clear cut. Shelly Hipson wrote that petition.”
– Pictou officials learned of Northern Pulp pipe route from media reports
Michael Gorman · CBC News
– N.S. fishermen to block mill’s survey vessel from entering Northumberland Strait
THE CANADIAN PRESS on CTV News
– MIT expert: Carbon-neutral biomass ‘accounting fraud’
Aaron Beswick in the Chronicle Herald
Nov 4, 2018:
– Fire losses down in N.S. forests
Ian Fairclough in the Chronicle Herald
Nov 2, 2018:
– Free-for-all in the forest
Stephen Joudrey, Bridgewater, president, South Shore Wildlife Association in Readers Corner (Chronicle Herald) “Wood-harvesting has gone from a very controlled, sustainable industry that respected our ecosystems to massive assaults on our landscape — leaving barren wastelands subject to adverse erosion, silt runoffs and contamination of adjacent watercourses, causing displacement of thousands of birds, reptiles and other wildlife, and resulting in the destruction and loss of fragile flora, old-growth forests and pristine scenic beauty. The pending threat to over one million acres here in Southwest Nova, abetted by the stalled implementation of the Lahey forestry review, and the fact that equipment is already being positioned to proceed with clearcutting on several “approved” plots near Keji Park and beyond, suggests departments such as Lands and Forestry and Environment have lost their purpose.”
Nov 1, 2018:
– Cleanup continues after effluent pipe leak at Nova Scotia pulp mill:minister
The Canadian Press In the Chronicle Herald
Oct 31, 2018:
– Cap and trade and LNG don’t mix
Aaron Beswick in the Chronicle Herald; related: OPINION: Let’s take Trudeau’s carbon initiative to the next level, Allan Paquet in CH (Oct 30)
– Wisqoq – A story of Mi’kmaq conservation
Quentin Kerr in the Nova Scotia Advocate
– Cape Breton moose hunt marred by dispute
David Jala in Cape Breton Post
– READER’S CORNER: McNeil silent on forestry review as clearcutters rev engines
Brad Armstrong, Chester, conservation director/Friends of Nature in The Chronicle Herald
Oct 29, 2018:
– Glyphosate a political football in New Brunswick
“Contributed” in the Chronicle Herald
– Tensions around Northern Pulp have local MP ‘deeply concerned’
Michael Gorman for CBC News. “Central Nova MP Sean Fraser says he’s “deeply concerned” about what could happen in his riding as tensions continue to escalate around the Northern Pulp mill in Pictou County, N.S.”
– Rising tensions outside of Pictou, N.S. as local fishermen square off against the Northern Pulp Mill over effluent (audio)
On Full Episode of CBC The Current for October 29, 2018 – Segment starts at 22:00 goes to 46:16 minutes
Oct 28, 2018:
– Letter: Killing Nova Scotia by a thousand cuts
Ray Bates in The Nova Scotia Advocate
Oct 27, 2018:
– We story the land
Documentary Video by Martha Stiegman and Sherry Pictou available on Nova Scotia Advocate “The documentary follows seven paddlers from L’sɨtkuk (Bear River First Nation) as they travel inland following almost forgotten traditional Mi’kmaq canoe routes.” 26 min. Rippling Current Media 2016
Oct 26, 2018:
– Nova Scotia nature at its best
Sandra Phinney in the Chronicle Herald
Oct 25, 2018:
– Nova Scotia Nature Trust receives 93 hectares along St. Mary’s River from Sobey family
Ian Fairclough in the Chronicle Herald
– In Nova Scotia, a dispute between fishermen and a pulp mill escalates with a stand-off at sea
by ANTONIA NOORI FARZAN for The Washington Post. In The Star (Halifax)
Oct 24, 2018:
– Record 82,400 campsites booked in NS Provincial Parks in 2018
L&F Press Release
– Moose hunters threatened in Cape Breton Highlands
Holly Conners · CBC News. Related: Moose outfitters boycotting hunt in northern Cape Breton (CBC Info AM Audio)
– Ripple effect: Forestry industry anxiously watching Northern Pulp developments, fear potential impacts on sector
Adam MacInnis in The News (New Glascow). The CH article below is an abridged version of this one which provides more background.
– Forestry industry watches Northern Pulp situation
Adam MacInnis in the Chronicle Herald
Oct 23, 2018:
– ‘I’m terrified nothing’s going to survive’: Pictou County man worried effluent has spread to his wetland property
Jennifer Vardy in The News (New Glascow)
– ‘Everyone is not going to be as friendly as me’: Survey boat mapping Northern Pulp effluent pipe forced back to shore
Sueann Musick in The News (New Glascow)
Oct 22, 2018:
Fishermen, First Nation still oppose pipe plan
Aaron Beswick in the Chronicle herald