Public importance of private woodlots

“There’s been a lot of discussion about how we manage our forests in this province; forests that are both disappearing and deteriorating in health. Ask most biologists, environmentalists, and non-industry foresters and they’ll tell you “discussion” is all there’s been when it comes to managing them in an ecologically sustainable way.

A lot of that discussion in recent years has swirled around Nova Scotia’s Crown forests. That’s what William Lahey’s 2018 independent review focused on. That review looked at how we should regulate the management of our publicly owned forests, recommending we divide them into three forest management areas: high production zones; fully protected zones; and, most importantly (depending on your viewpoint), forests to be harvested with the environment, biodiversity, and sustainability as top priorities.

But what about private woodlots? How do we ensure ecological forestry is practiced on privately owned forests?

The province’s Standing Committee on Natural Resources and Economic Development met Tuesday to discuss just that.

. . .

Gatien told MLA Claudia Chender the province was still working out the details of the “high production” facet of Lahey’s triad model, but the ecological component of the triad would be in full effect as of June 1. Currently, she said, foresters are being trained to implement the new model, and existing harvests will be reassessed under the new regulations come that date. Since February, new harvest applications have had to adhere to the practices outlined in the province’s Silvicultural Guide for the Ecological Matrix (the ecological forestry guide).

Chender also asked Gatien about the province’s 2019 plan for 100 public buildings to adopt biomass boilers, that would use wood chips to heat buildings instead of oil. So far, only six buildings, which were part of a 2020 pilot project, have been converted. The project would provide a place to sell lower-grade residual wood, a market that took a serious hit with the closure of Northern Pulp.

Gatien said there is no clear answer or excuse for the project’s delay, or its completion.

Biomass boilers, like biomass energy, are a questionable alternative to fossil fuels depending on how they’re sourced.

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