Op-Ed asks “Does DNR employ science to direct harvest planning?”

Posted on November 23, 2016 by admin

Recent and planned clearcuts on Crown land NE of Halifax Airport

Recent and planned clearcuts on Crown land NE of Halifax Airport

In an Op-ed in the CH, Nov 23, 2016, scientist Helga Guderley concludes “Judging by recent harvest recommendations, DNR believes that all of Nova Scotia has natural disturbance regimes that eliminate all trees…To believe these intensive forestry practices will sustain natural ecosystem structure and function is wishful thinking at best.” View Op-ed
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Pictou Landing First Nation member wins forestry award

Posted on November 23, 2016 by admin

dsc02434yb“The Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC), in partnership with the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers (CCFM), presented the Skills Award for Aboriginal Youth to Gregory Daniels and Christian Francis today in Ottawa….Christian Francis is a member of the Mi’kmaq from Pictou Landing First Nation in Nova Scotia.” Read more.

Congratulations, Christian.

Pictou Landing is the community whose lands lie around Boat Harbour, which since the 1960s has received millions of gallons of toxic effluent daily from the Pictou pulp mill. Continue reading →

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Intensive management needed on the few acres left…

Posted on November 22, 2016 by admin

Intensive management of Crown land

Intensive management (exploitation) of Crown land

In a letter to the Ed (CH, Nov 21, 2016), Earle Miller of Lower Onslow notes that “Protected areas in Nova Scotia account for 12 per cent of our forest; provincial and federal parks account for three per cent; 13 per cent is inoperable due to excessive slope, wet areas or non-participant holdings. Of the remaining forest, about 12 per cent of every woodlot is set aside for stream buffers, wildlife clumps and corridors, mainland moose habitat, legacy trees, etc. That leaves 63 per cent of our forest land for woodlot owners and industrial forest companies to grow sufficient fibre to sustain the sawmills, pulpmills and other value added industries we have left in this province….With fewer forest acres available we need to manage those areas more intensively to grow enough wood.” Continue reading →

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Petition seeks to Stop the Clear-Cutting Near Kejimikujik Park

Posted on November 20, 2016 by admin

NSmapViewerImgThe petition to Honourable Lloyd Hines (Minister of Department of Natural Resources), Keith Irving (MLA Kings South) & the Honourable Stephen McNeil (Premier) was initiated by Jennah Larkin of Wolfville. She writes “It has been shown time and time again that clear-cutting forests leads to soil erosion and infertility. This has very negative consequences on the animals and plants which inhabit, or are near the area being clear-cutted.
Continue reading →

Posted in clearcuts, Conservation | Leave a comment

Cap and Trade could provide major incentive NOT to clearcut

Posted on November 18, 2016 by admin

This private woodlot could earn additional $ under Cap and Trade

This private woodlot could earn additional $ under Cap and Trade.

In the November newsletter of the Nova Scotia Woodlot Owners and Operators Association (NSWOOA), Dale Prest appeals to readers to urge the province to adopt a Cap and Trade system of carbon accounting. “Well-designed climate change policy would give forest owners and managers incentives to manage their lands specifically to store more carbon, and compensate those landowners for their efforts. For example, CFI [Community Forest International] has already been paid slightly more than $300,000 for the carbon stored on our 705-acre woodlot over a 100-year contract. Put another way, we have been paid $3,000 per year for 100 years to keep our average stocking above 20 cords to the acre. We can still cut every tree on that woodlot, just not all at once.” Continue reading →

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Clearcutting threatens Mattatal Lake

Posted on November 18, 2016 by admin

mattlakeIn a Letter to the Editor (CH), Rick Parker of the Mattatall Lake Stewardship Board, writes: “In the watershed around Mattatall Lake, upwards of 60 per cent of the woodland, both private and Crown, has been clear cut, causing streams to become heavily silted. Our lake has experienced serious algae blooms for the past three years. Last winter, we asked senior DOE and DNR staff, woodlot owners and foresters to defer a proposed clearcutting of a further 300 acres until we better understood the algae causes and worked with all stakeholders in finding possible solutions. There was no support for our request and the clearcut took place.”
Continue reading →

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Six Talks & Workshops coming up Nov 18-Dec 4, 2016

Posted on November 14, 2016 by admin

biomass-clearcut-panel-coc-poster-18-11-2016Friday Nov 18, 2016
Council of Canadians: Clear Cut Question”: Is Biomass Energy Sustainable?

Friday Nov 18, 2016
Women in Forestry Workshop

Saturday Nov 19, 2016
Lichen Field Identification Workshop (MTRI)
Continue reading →

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Reassurance that our forest industry is valuable, diverse and sustainable

Posted on November 14, 2016 by admin

pb130167pressedwoodIn an Op-ed titled “A contractor’s perspective on forestry”, Calvin Archibald, president of Next Generation Forest Management Ltd. argues that while forestry in Nova Scotia is high risk (“We have been a supplier to StoraEnso, Julimar, MacTara and New Page, all of which failed to survive in Nova Scotia.”), professionally managed, it is valuable, diverse and sustainable.
Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Letters&Editorials, NSDNR, Tree Harvests | Leave a comment

Subcontractor charged for clearcutting on Crown land

Posted on November 14, 2016 by admin

Fall in Long Lake Provincial Park

Fall in Long lake Provincial Park

“The subcontractor charged with clearcutting a portion of Long Lake Provincial Park has pled guilty. Resourcestec Inc. entered the plea in court Thursday, while co-accused Dexter Construction Company Ltd. and Scott and Stewart Forestry Consultants Ltd. had their charges dropped.” View C-H (Nov 11, 2016).

It’s just under a year ago that Martin Willison, a Halifax based naturalist, publicized an illegal cut in Long Lake Provincial Park. It generated widespread condemnation. In March of 2016 charges were laid against three firms. Likely as a result of this incident, On Oct 4, 2016, the Province announced stiff fines for illegal logging on Crown Land. Continue reading →

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Mimicing natural disturbances and sustaining natural ecosystem structure and function in Nova Scotia

Posted on November 11, 2016 by admin

[Post updated Nov 13, 2016: Global Forest Watch images added.]

Landscape approx. 5 km northeast of Halifax Airport. Yellow enclosures are approximate boundaries of Block ID HX060122 for which a clearcut is planned.

Crown landscape approx. 5 km northeast of Halifax Airport. Yellow lines are approximate boundaries of Block ID HX060122 for which a clearcut is planned. A, B and C refer to the landscape views below. The landscape has been intensively cut to the north and northeast.

Have a look at the much touted vehicle of transparency around cutting on crown land in Nova Scotia: the Harvest Map Viewer (or go to the cover page for the viewer). Pick one of the those dark blotches, zero in and have a look. I did.

Then I looked on Global Forest Watch and Google Earth to see what else had been clearcut on the same landscape in recent years. (You can also go directly to the area in Google Maps). It wasn’t comforting. Continue reading →

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