L&F issues a report on What we Heard at the Ecological Forestry Forum 20July2019

Posted on July 20, 2019 by admin

A new item has been provided on the webpage for the Independent Review (now retitled as “Ecological Forestry Implementation”): What We Heard – Ecological Forestry Forum (PDF, 35 pages). The Update for the webpage is dated July 8, 2019.

The document provides an Overview of the Event, referring to a link to a YouTube Video of Minister Rankin’s and Deputy Minister Tower’s remarks, and summaries of Project-Focused Small Group Discussions that took place under headings corresponding to the Project Teams previously announced as in place (Forest Management Guide, High production Forestry etc).
Continue reading →

Posted in Ind Rev Post-Report | Comments Off on L&F issues a report on What we Heard at the Ecological Forestry Forum 20July2019

Logging one-tree-at-a-time in Nova Scotia 18July2019

Posted on July 18, 2019 by admin

“I’ve got grandchildren. I have come from five generations of guides, hunting and guiding in East Camp and we rely on the forest and we always will in one shape or form and if nothing else, then to create the oxygen we breathe and to sequester the carbon that we are polluting the earth with and if we knock it all down, cut it all down, it’s not going to be there”

It’s not rocket science, says Ken Gray, interviewed in the field by Phlis McGregor for CBC’s Information Morning – Halifax, and aired today.

It’s “A call to ban clear cuts. Ken Gray is dedicated to selective harvesting [and] says clear cut forests are not growing back fast enough and we’re going to run out of wood in 25 years.”

Listen to the full interview on CBC audio

An “abbreviated transcript” of the words from this man of basic good sense who has “worked in forestry and selection harvesting in SW Nova for the last 35, 40 years”  is provided below. Continue reading →

Posted in Acadian Forest, clearcuts, Conservation, Private Woodlots, Selection Harvest | Comments Off on Logging one-tree-at-a-time in Nova Scotia 18July2019

Scott Leslie’s “backgrounder” video on the Corbett-Lake Old Growth Forest, Little Brown Bat added to SAR residents 17July 2019

Posted on July 17, 2019 by admin

After viewing Scott Leslie’s Video, I had one big question: What DOES it take for a site to be protected as Old Growth in Nova Scotia?

CONTENTS
– THE VIDEO
– THE LITTLE BROWN BAT
– WHAT IT’S ABOUT
– VIDEO TEXT
– The LOCATION & a BRIEF HISTORY
– ON THE LITTLE BROWN BAT (LINKS)
– A FEW COMMENTS
Continue reading →

Posted in Acadian Forest, Conservation, Corbett-Dalhousie Lakes, Old Growth | Comments Off on Scott Leslie’s “backgrounder” video on the Corbett-Lake Old Growth Forest, Little Brown Bat added to SAR residents 17July 2019

Nova Scotia’s Old Growth Ground Zero: the Corbett Lake Old Hardwood Forest 17July2019

Posted on July 17, 2019 by admin

The Corbett Lake Old Hardwood Forest in Annapolis Co. is essentially Ground Zero in the struggle to save Nova Scotia’s Old Growth in 2019

Corbett Lake Old Hardwood Forest on June 15, 2019

Over the last 2 years  there have been several instances in which a block of Crown Land was scheduled for logging – clearcut or shelterwood – or had already been partially logged and was found or known by people familiar with the general area to be OG (Old Growth) or in a state very close to OG; DNR/L&F investigated, and stopped logging or modified the logging prescription, – or did not.

Read more


shopify analytics ecommerce

Posted in Acadian Forest, Citizen Science, Corbett-Dalhousie Lakes, hardwoods, Ind Rev Post-Report, Old Growth | Comments Off on Nova Scotia’s Old Growth Ground Zero: the Corbett Lake Old Hardwood Forest 17July2019

“It’s time for Nova Scotia political leaders to stop what seems to be a runaway, and rationally incoherent, biomass energy policy” 9July2019

Posted on July 9, 2019 by admin

So reads a line in EDITORIAL: Senseless biomassacre (Chronicle Herald Fri July 5, 2019). Some  extracts:

A groundbreaking scientific study released earlier this week showed the unparalleled power of the world’s trees to quickly and cheaply limit climate change.

The new report from scientists at ETH-Zurich university in Switzerland looked at where, and how many, more trees could be grown worldwide. Crucially, the study also highlighted how much of an unexpectedly large effect those trees could have on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

…Which brings us to Nova Scotia’s current wrongheaded policy of allowing a growing amount of biomass — meaning the trees in our forests — to be cut down and burned, or exported to be burned, for energy.
Continue reading →

Posted in Biomass, Climate Change | Comments Off on “It’s time for Nova Scotia political leaders to stop what seems to be a runaway, and rationally incoherent, biomass energy policy” 9July2019

Nova Scotia Healthy Forest Coalition provides summary/critique of the L&F June 25 meeting 9July2019

Posted on July 9, 2019 by admin

“This department could do as much or more than the rest of the Government of Nova Scotia put together to mitigate global warming if it adopted just two policies: (1) recognized that the maintenance of intact forests is one of the most effective ways to mitigate climate change, and (2) recognized that harvesting and burning biomass to generate electricity absolutely does not create ‘green energy’” – Paul Pross

L&F provides terse periodic updates on their progress in implementing the recommendations of the Lahey Report, and I look to news items, articles in Atlantic Forestry Review and such for more nuanced perspectives.

Thus a summary and critique of the June 25 meeting written by Paul Pross and posted on the HFC Facebook site (a Public Group) is particularly welcome. It is reproduced below. I have added some bolding.
Continue reading →

Posted in Ind Rev Post-Report, L&F | Comments Off on Nova Scotia Healthy Forest Coalition provides summary/critique of the L&F June 25 meeting 9July2019

Sue Skipton on The Bears of West Dalhousie, Nova Scotia 5July2019

Posted on July 5, 2019 by admin

Sue Skipton urges us to rethink how we perceive and live with these “human critters” in Nova Scotia

UPDATE: View Bear Necessities – Living with the bears no hardship for animal-loving West Dalhousie woman
By Lawrence Powell for the Annapolis County Spectator, July 15, 2019
——–

Sue Skipton of West Dalhousie has frequently commented on Social Media about the bears who share the surrounding lands with her. She recently assembled a remarkable set of photos and videos that were posted on Woods and Waters Nova Scotia on July 2, 2019.

I asked Sue if I could copy the post and photos onto NSFN, to which she graciously agreed. I have added some of the lengthy discussion that occurred on WWNS, which was not always gracious; also a section with Some Articles & Websites and Research Literature on Black Bears

Thank you Sue S. for your care and respect for these bears and for sharing your concerns about disruption of their natural habitats and habits in Nova Scotia.

The Bears of West Dalhousie
“The story behind these bears is that I have lived here now for 16 years. For the first 11 years Bowater owned the land behind me and DNR used to bring the nuisance bears out here all those years and drop them off. There has ALWAYS been food around my property as I rescue Feral Cats here and have Racoons too. However, 4.5 years ago when Crown took over Bowater and started cutting the 900+ Hectares behind me, the bears started moving out and yes, into my yard which really is a haven for them as there are apple and pear trees, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and so much more , which have always been here since I moved here. Now, this is a daily routine here. I now have two new bears in my yard plus a Mommy with this years cub, I don’t have a picture yet of the new cub and its Mom.” – Sue Skipton Continue reading →
Posted in clearcuts, Conservation, Social Media, Social Values, Wildlife | Comments Off on Sue Skipton on The Bears of West Dalhousie, Nova Scotia 5July2019

Extinction Rebellion NS & friends protest clearcut on private land in Nova Scotia 29June2019

Posted on June 29, 2019 by admin

To date, most of the public concern about logging in NS has been focussed on Crown lands. On Thursday, June 27, 2019, 27 people participated in a XRNS protest at a clearcut on private land

Nina Newington photos

To date, most of the public concern about logging in NS has been focussed on Crown lands. Earlier in June, the first BC-style on-site protest occurred at an ongoing logging operation at the Corbett-Dalhousie Lakes Crown land forest in Annapolis Co. when a group of women spent more than a week camping at the site in tents. It was organized by XRNS (Extinction Rebellion Nova Scotia) and friends.

On Thursday, June 27, 2019, 27 people participated in a protest at a clearcut on private land. Wrote Nina Newington on Annapolis Royal & Area – Environment & Ecology (Public Facebook Group):
Continue reading →

Posted in clearcuts, Private Woodlots, Social Media | Comments Off on Extinction Rebellion NS & friends protest clearcut on private land in Nova Scotia 29June2019

Annapolis Ecology Group seeks “Silent Summer Forestry” in Nova Scotia 28June2019

Posted on June 28, 2019 by admin

Says Bev Wigney on Annapolis Royal & Area – Environment & Ecology (Public Facebook Group):

In Nova Scotia, the Northern Parula (a wood warbler) shrouds its nest in Beard Lichen (Usnea spp) “where they are impossible to spot except by the actions of the parent birds” – Audubon (Photo taken in forest by Gays River, Nova Scotia on May 19, 2018)

Many of us are feeling that something needs to be done about protecting birds that are nesting right now. We’re seeing forests being hacked to pieces as we speak this week — on private and Crown land. Earlier today, I spoke with someone working on a news story who thought that Rankin’s “hold” on logging was for all Crown land through nesting season and they were horrified to hear it was only at Corbett-Dalhousie peninsula.

Well, I think we have to get something done about this issue. Conscientious foresters practice “Silent Summer” which means they do not harvest during the bird nesting season, which also coincides with the time when turtles are laying eggs (often on gravel shoulders of rural roads). It coincides with the final development of amphibians in vernal pools that would be crushed during forestry operations. It coincides with the raising of young mammals such as flying squirrels, porcupine, etc.. often living inside hollow trees, and of fox and other animals that often den in cavities under the roots of trees.
Continue reading →

Posted in Conservation, Corbett-Dalhousie Lakes | Comments Off on Annapolis Ecology Group seeks “Silent Summer Forestry” in Nova Scotia 28June2019

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

Posted on June 27, 2019 by admin

On June 25, 2019, L&F released a second update to its Dec 3, 2018 response to the Lahey Nova Scotia Forest Practices Report 2018 released Aug 21, 2018

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:
Continue reading →

Posted in Ind Rev Post-Report | Comments Off on Nova Scotia L&F June 25 update: no surprises, all is well 27June2019