Don Wilson: a recent Supreme Court ruling says volumes about the Northern Pulp Mill’s future 18Dec2019

Screen capture from Supreme Court of Canada webpage (click on image to go to the page)

Received today from Don Wilson, who has written many op-eds about NS forestry in Saltwire publications (some cited on NSFN):

After the Pulp Mill

The Supreme Court of Canada web site has published it’s Dec 6, 2019 decision that says pulp mills are responsible for clean up of pollutant(s), not governments, irregardless of indemnity contracts previously given or signed.

That says volumes about the Northern Pulp Mill’s future.
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Nova Scotia Premier delays news conference on Boat Harbour until Dec 20th (Friday) 18Dec2019

For what it’s worth, I take the Premier at his word on Boat Harbour

Also view:
Premier’s delay on Boat Harbour decision draws opposition ire
Michael Gorman for CBC News, Dec 18, 2019:

From News Release

Premier’s Office
December 18, 2019 – 9:52 AM

NOTE: The following is a statement from Premier Stephen McNeil in response to the Minister of Environment’s decision on Northern Pulp’s proposed effluent treatment plant.

I would like to thank the regulator, Minister Wilson and his team for their hard work on the Northern Pulp file. According to the regulator, Northern Pulp has provided some of the scientific evidence required, but not enough, meaning more work would need to be done.
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Posted in Pulp & Paper | Comments Off on Nova Scotia Premier delays news conference on Boat Harbour until Dec 20th (Friday) 18Dec2019

Live: Nova Scotia rules on mill’s plan to pump effluent into Northumberland Strait 17Dec2019

CBC: “That means the matter will run squarely into the terms of the Boat Harbour Act”…Premier scheduled to address reporters tomorrow (Wed Dec 18, 2019)

“All decisions I will make will be based on science”. Many questions about poss. extension of Boat harbour. The Minister: “Decisions made on Boat Harbour are not made within this department”

UPDATE 4 pm Dec 17: Northern Pulp says company and Nova Scotia forestry industry in jeopardy following decision
The News (new Glascow), Dec 17, 2019.

An Environmental Assessment and the continued operations of Northern Pulp require an extension to the Boat Harbour Act,” he [Brian Baarda, CEO, Paper Excellence Canada] said. “Until we have a decision on the extension of the Boat Harbour Act, the future of Northern Pulp and Nova Scotia’s Forestry Sector remain in jeopardy.

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Moving Beyond Lahey: can Nova Scotia participate in a “Global Deal for Nature”? 14Dec2019

In the context of the messages coming from COP25, the Lahey Recommendations are too little and their implementation by L&F far too tardy

Who knows what forces caused the beautiful contortions of this now old red maple?  It seems to express both the beauty and anguish of our natural world – including Homo sapiens – in 2019

Today (Sat Dec14, 2019):

The COP25 Climate negotiations in Madrid are set to continue today as countries are reported to be struggling to find common ground on issues related to finance and ambition.

The two week summit was supposed to conclude yesterday but many issues remain unresolved.

…The summit is meant to decide on rules for the implementation of the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change.

The summit in Madrid arrives on the heels of climate-related disasters across the planet, including unprecedented cyclones, deadly droughts and record-setting heatwaves.

…The UN said this month that in order for the world to limit warming to 1.5C, emissions would need to drop over seven percent annually to 2030, requiring nothing less than a restructuring of the global economy.

In fact, they are currently rising year-on-year, and have grown four percent since the Paris deal was signed.

COP25 climate negotiations set to continue in Madrid
On RTE (Ireland’s National Television and Radio Broadcaster) Dec 14, 2019

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I have found it challenging to write this blog over most of 2019; too much of the news around forests and forestry has been negative and even the best that we might achieve by fully implementing the Lahey recommendations appears far too inadequate to address the dual challenges of climate warming and biodiversity losses.
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Islanders are asking the right questions about biomass heating 23Nov2019

Curved arrows represent biologically mediated flows of GHGs: the straight arrow, industrial emissions of GHGs; and the symbols at bottom right, long term sequestration of carbon in the oceans. Carbon dioxide is the most important GHG in relation to forestry.

PEI’s use of wood for heating public buildings has been cited as a model we should follow here. From the Lahey Report(Aug 21, 2019):

Conclusion 7: Some say that harvesting trees for energy production, sometimes called biomass harvesting particularly when done for production of electricity, is a mistake that should be stopped because of the forestry practices it is associated with, and because it is a low‐value use of trees (exacerbated by the chipping of high‐value trees for biomass), and because burning trees is an inefficient source of energy for electricity that does not qualify as “green.”

Conclusion 125: Following the example of successful projects in Prince Edward Island, DNR and other relevant agencies of the provincial government, along with municipal governments and regional development agencies, should work together with project developers to bring small‐scale wood‐energy projects, particularly for heating, online in the western region for public buildings such as hospitals, schools, government office buildings, and correctional facilities.
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“Nova Scotia Needs Forestry” 21Nov2019

So reads a sign being distributed by Forest Nova Scotia. Reads the post on the ForestNS website:

You may have recently seen a lawn sign or a bumper sticker with the message ‘Nova Scotia Needs Forestry’ on it, and wondered “What does that mean?”

We’ve been talking with our members and others involved in forestry, and got the feeling it was time to show a little pride in our sector – together.

There’s many reasons why people take pride in their connection to forestry: they may be small woodlot owners, may work for a mill, harvest maple syrup or Christmas trees, be involved in silviculture, or own a business that works with a forestry business…the list is endless.
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“So many clearcuts” in SW Nova Scotia (continued) 20Nov2019

And with no Landscape Level Planning for Biodiversity Conservation and No Nutrient Management on the severely depleted soils

The feelings many Nova Scotians have expressed when they return to a site where once stood a mature forest and now a sloppy clearcut as at Higgins Mt are universal (View video). The [bad] feelings are compounded by rising global concern over climate change and biodiversity losses.

Update Nov 21, 2019: Fortunately Jennifer Henderson at the Halifax Examiner spotted an error in the latest WestFor interim Agreement which would have given WestFor a 28% increase in its SW Nova Scotia wood allocation when there was supposed to be no increase, and now L&F is re-writing the Agreement. View Bad math at Lands & Forestry by Jennifer Henderson for the Halifax Examiner (Nov 21, 2019)
Also on Nov 201, 2019: Environmentalists say logging companies are rushing clearcuts near Lake Deception before new forest regulations come into effect
by Jennifer Henderson for the Halifax Examiner “Environmental groups are pushing back against three proposed cuts in a rural area near Lake Deception north of Shelburne. The cuts are on Crown land allocated to 13 companies in the WestFor group, which includes Northern Pulp, Louisiana Pacific, Ledwidge Lumber, and Harry Freeman & Sons. These “variable retention” cuts (a forest industry euphemism for…”

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In a few words and photos, the author of the blog My Acadian Forest paints a devastating image of  forest degradation along the backroads of Lunenburg County.

The fall colours were stunning, so many beautiful lakes, hilltop farms, gorgeous old stone work.

And clearcuts.

So many clearcuts.

…I appreciate that we need forestry.  I live in a wooden house.  And neighbours work in the sector.

But is this kind of cutting sustainable?  Please, let me know.

Because from the seat of my vehicle, it looks like its going fast.

Read more of  ‘Scenic Drives’ by Tom Rogers.

I guess much of what T.R.  is seeing is on Private Lands, where Nova Scotians have the right to conduct major environmental alterations with no EA (Environmental Assessment) or even a forest harvest PTA (Pre-Treatment Assessment as required on Crown lands).
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CTV News on Hemlock Wooly Adelgid in Keji Park, Nova Scotia & social media on moving wood and hemlock nostalgia 14Nov2019

Thanks, CTV & Keji Park,  for an informative video about HWA in NS, especially given the apparent lack of effort by Lands and Forestry and Big Forestry to raise awareness around it

Click on image to go to the CTV video (4 min, after ads)

“Enjoy them now”, says Maria Panopolis introducing CTV’s News’ Nov 8, 2019 piece on the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid (HWA, aka the Hemlock Vampires). Co-host Jason Baxter continues: “We travelled to one of the hardest hit areas, Kejimkujik National Park where ecologists like Matthew Smith are racing against time.”

Dr. Smith explains that hemlock are an iconic tree at Keji; the oldest stands in the park are hemlock. It changes the environment, making it darker and cooler, providing shade for streams; he guesses the oldest trees are 2-300 years old. They survived hurricanes and other pest infestation, but HWA is a real problem for them.

He goes on to provide an illustrated description of HWA, how it infests trees…what symptoms to look for.
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The gentle music of teens’ fingers clicking in approval at the Law Amendments Committee Public Hearing 31Oct2019

UPDATE View Comments by Gary Burrill in the Lagislature Oct 30, 2019 “The character of this pivotal climate moment is something that has been laid out for the government in many venues in many ways, many times, by all those people who have been resolutely sounding the alarm about the climate emergency across the province…The committee heard from high school students who fear deeply and daily about their futures. ..”

and Susan LeBlanc: “The young people have completely lost faith in the process. That is a very dangerous outcome of the way that this government has dealt with this important matter of renewing this flagship environmental legislation. People are disappointed. Young people, many of whom have not even had the chance to vote yet, whose future we are currently debating, are disillusioned. They are disillusioned and disappointed with the legislative process. I have no answer for them. They have to hope, in some way, because there’s nothing else to do. Some people just can’t hope anymore, and they have gone into what my colleague describes and what other people have described as climate anxiety and climate depression.”

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The proceedings of the Law Amendments Hearing for the public on the SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS ACT (Bill 213), held on Monday Oct 28, 2019, are now available on YouTube, at least up to the point where it was prematurely terminated (about 5:15 pm) as the video people prepared for the evening session of the House. From there on there is audio only (see below for the YouTube links).

Over the time I was there, approx. 4:15 to 5:45 pm, nine adults (6 male, 3 female) and 7 teens (6 female, one male) spoke. After listening to the latter, I am questioning the adult-teen distinction.

Aged 13 to 15, the teens were incredibly well spoken, passionate, logical and highly knowledgeable about the topic. They were not grandstanding, they were (are) concerned and wanted the committee members to connect with their concerns. About 15 in their age group were attending; they were obviously highly interested in the goings on, they were not there just to cheer on those who spoke.
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Hemlock Vampire Denial in Nova Scotia 31Oct2019

Contributed photo of hemlock stand in the Tusket ravaged by wooly adelgid, winter of 2017/2018.
Skull of vampire bat by Mokele on Wikipedia.
Click on images for larger versions

Perhaps the ghosts of the hemlock wooly adelgid in the form of those dead grey trees could have a benefit, which is to remind ‘adults’  of the costs of denying our real impacts on our natural world and we will begin,  as ‘the kids’ are demanding, to take the radical steps necessary to save what we can.

A few days ago, I was given a lesson on how to look for early signs of the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid (HWA), aka the Hemlock Vampires.

Nova Scotians (and the Feds) were taken by surprise by this exotic pest which was first reported in in NA in Virginia is 1951 and is now found spread through 20 eastern states (Limbu et al, 2018).
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Posted in Acadian Forest, Climate Change, Pests | Comments Off on Hemlock Vampire Denial in Nova Scotia 31Oct2019