Crown lands recently purchased by Nova Scotians now managed by private interests

Posted on February 1, 2017 by admin

Western Crown lands, modified from CPAWS map (2012)

Western Crown lands, modified from CPAWS map (2012)

A blog post on the Healthy Forest Coalition website Jan 31, 2017 notes that “Behind closed doors, Nova Scotia’s Department of Natural Resources has quietly transferred the management of 1.4 million acres of Crown lands to WestFor, a consortium of 13 privately owned mills. Some of these mills are local companies with a long history in their communities (Turner, Ledwidge, Freeman), others are decidedly international (Northern Pulp, Louisiana Pacific). All answer to their owners or stockholders, not to the public…”

“Should private industry be the steward of public lands?” asks the writer.
Continue reading →

Posted in Acadian Forest, clearcuts, NSDNR, WestFor | Leave a comment

Editorials and letters about forestry in Nova Scotia, continued..31Jan2017

Posted on January 31, 2017 by admin

logs“So Nova Scotia’s forest industry is reporting more jobs and money lately. As a small woodlot owner and operator, I say, “Show me the money.” View READER’S CORNER: A fragile boom (CH Jan 31)

“Natural Resources Minister Lloyd Hines proudly trumpets rising employment numbers in forestry (Jan. 28) as a positive reflection of current policy. I suggest, au contraire, that these numbers reflect his government’s rapacious strategy of clear (and near-clear) cutting, shortsighted eco-questionable bio-mass electricity generation and little or no selective, value-added intelligent harvesting.”
View Voice of the People: Forest policy fiddle (CH Jan 31) Continue reading →

Posted in Letters&Editorials | Leave a comment

Forest NS releases industry economic impact analysis

Posted on January 27, 2017 by admin

Clearcuts in Halifax Co. What are they worth?

Good PR but the report lacks critical analysis

“Over the past year, Forest Nova Scotia worked with Gardner Pinfold Consultants to conduct an analysis of the economic impact of the Nova Scotia Forest Industry. The results, finalized in December of 2016 were released at Forest Nova Scotia’s AGM on January 25th, 2017.” View Forest NS links to Report.

From the Intro: “This study aims to inform policy-makers and the public about the contribution of the forest industry to the Nova Scotia and Canadian economies. In addition, a competitive gap analysis will be presented to illustrate the industry’s position relative to competing jurisdictions.” Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Lumber, Pulp & Paper | Leave a comment

Nova Scotia’s Biofuel Bonanza

Posted on January 27, 2017 by admin

Using our forests to produce liquid fuels could well liquidate the forests themselves

A NSDNR Press Release yesterday announced “A new study shows Nova Scotia has strong potential to develop an innovative biorefinery that produces an alternative fuel from renewable sources of fibre. The liquid biofuel could be used to heat homes and power marine vessels, among other potential uses, according to a study done by Nova Scotia’s Innovation Hub, an industrial, applied-research initiative.” Continue reading →

Posted in Acadian Forest, Biomass, clearcuts, Climate Change, Conservation, Economics, NSDNR, Social Values | Leave a comment

“Climate mitigation benefits of preserving family forests are potentially massive”

Posted on January 26, 2017 by admin

So says Brian Kittler in an article on Ecosystem Market Place.

“Making up nearly half of the forestland in the country, family forests are a crucial part of the carbon sink. Relative to other private forest ownerships, the per-acre carbon stored on many of these lands are significantly greater; trees are often older, and forests more structurally complex than intensively managed industrial timberlands. Many family forest owners could even enhance their carbon stocks further with the guidance of a professional forester, and an improved forest management protocol.” Continue reading →

Posted in Climate Change, Conservation, Private Woodlots | Leave a comment

How much forestry in Nova Scotia maintains mixed, multi-aged Acadian forest?

Posted on January 23, 2017 by admin

Not much

View ADDENDUM (Jan 24, 2016)

How much mixed Acadian Forest, as on this private woodlot, is in our future?

According to NSDNR, mixed, multiaged Acadian forests are the natural regimes on 51% of our landbase:

Infrequent and/or gap disturbance regimes are dominant on 51% of the landbase and develop forest associations typical of the Acadian Forest. These forests of red spruce, hemlock, white pine, sugar maple, beech, and yellow birch originate or establish from successional processes started by an infrequent or rare stand initiating disturbance. They are maintained as uneven-aged forests by gap disturbances in the canopy until the next stand initiating disturbance. SOURCE: – Mapping Nova Scotia’s Natural Disturbance Regimes.

Continue reading →

Posted in Acadian Forest, clearcuts, Conservation, NSDNR, Selection Harvest, Show Us the Science | Leave a comment

What’s a clearcut and what’s not a clearcut in Nova Scotia?

Posted on January 23, 2017 by admin

The answer depends on who you ask.

Two woodlots in Nova Scotia. Definitely clearcut (left foreground) and definitely not-clearcut (right), but what about the even-aged, conifer dominated stand in the background at left – was it produced by a “clearcut” or a “partial cut”? Does it matter?

Beginning in October of 2014, NSDNR has posted on its Harvest Operation Maps “maps on a county-by-county basis, that indicate where harvesting [on Crown land] will take place and what harvesting method will be used… Harvesting will either be a partial harvest or clear-cut”

Formally, NSDNR defines a clearcut as “a forest harvest where less than 60% of the area is sufficiently occupied with trees taller than 1.3 meters”.
Continue reading →

Posted in clearcuts, NSDNR, Show Us the Science | Leave a comment

Has clearcutting on Crown land in Nova Scotia increased or decreased?

Posted on January 22, 2017 by admin

The answer may depend on what and who you ask.

Clearcut on Crown Land in 2014

With the release of the Five-year Progress Report for the Natural Resources Strategy for Nova Scotia 2011-2020 in August, the government announced that the goal of reducing clearcutting on Crown land to 50% of all harvests was no longer relevant as “ the decision to clearcut (or not) has to be made in a larger context… [and] We have now developed tools that ensure that all harvest treatments are aligned with the nature-based requirements of Nova Scotia’s lands.”

However, it seems that percentages are relevant again. A friend received these stats, forwarded from NSDNR by a MLA in response to concerns he had expressed about clearcutting: Continue reading →

Posted in clearcuts, Economics, NSDNR, Show Us the Science | Leave a comment

Acadia Lifelong Learning: The Secret Life of Acadian Forest Flora

Posted on January 20, 2017 by admin

Trillium erectum (purple trillium) in hardwoods at Cape Split, Nova Scotia on May 18, 2008.

An article in the Kings County News highlights this short course that will be given by Melanie Priesnitz.

From the class description: “Discover the wild plants of the Acadian Forest Region. Learn about their ingenious habits and adaptations. Explore folklore, history, horticulture and ecology of a group of diverse and unique plants. Get re-connected with plants or connect with them for the first time. If you love learning about the natural world, this is the course for you.” Offered in 4 sessions by Melanie Priesnitz Fridays, 9:30 a.m. — 11:00 a.m. February 17 — March 10. View Details
Continue reading →

Posted in Acadian Forest, Biophilia, Natural History | Leave a comment

Nova Scotia hopeful our limited crown land remains an asset in trade talks

Posted on January 18, 2017 by admin

“[Nova Scotia Trade Minister Michel] Samson, Natural Resources Minister Lloyd Hines, as well as representatives from the provincial lumber industry travelled to the U.S. capitol to meet with David MacNaughton, Canada’s ambassador to the United States, and Zoltan van Heyningen, executive director of the United States Lumber Coalition and its legal counsel.

“…Because most wood in Atlantic Canada is cut on land owned by private business instead of Crown land, as is the case in the rest of the country, in the past U.S. industry has not seen it as an unfairly subsidized resource. “I think there’s a recognition by everyone that Nova Scotia has had competitive stumpage rates on both Crown land and on private land, and that there’s no sign of any subsidization in Nova Scotia,” Samson told the Chronicle Herald.” View CH:Nova Scotia officials optimistic softwood lumber deal can be reached (Jan 17, 2017)
Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Lumber | Leave a comment