Key takeaways:
- New ecological forestry practices came into action four years after they were urged.
- Previous November, William Lahey, who wrote a statement calling for a shift to ecological forestry practices in Nova Scotia, said he’d seen little to no proof of change.
- The regional government says that it is about to change.
The Nova Scotia government has urged foresters who have been pre-approved to cut on Crown land. They have until June 1 to begin cutting or utilizing more eco-friendly practices as the region shifts to an ecological forestry model suggested four years ago. Natural Resources Minister Tory Rushton named it a “basic shift in forestry in the region.”
“There will be some hiccups along the way,” stated Rushton. “But I’ve been very obstinate that we have one opportunity to get this right, and I want to take the time to assure that we’re moving at the correct pace, in the right direction on this.”
Those with 10 hectares or fewer blocks will be excused from the new law. Rushton said the number of parcels that could be forgiven amounted to “a tiny percentage of Crown lands.”
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Since February, foresters who applied for approval to cut on Crown land have had to offer plans in line with the new practices in the Lahey report on forestry practices. Those who had got permission earlier were excused.
Previous November, William Lahey, who wrote the 2018 review, gave a blistering assessment of the region’s progress in executing his advice.
“None of the work underways on [report] recommendations have resulted in much if any real change on the ground in how forestry is being planned, organized, or conducted, and I do not mean when any of it will,” Lahey, the president of the University of King’s College, said in his evaluation.
Source – cbc.ca
