Nova Scotia Woodlot Owners and Operators Association: News Bulletin: More Money for Silviculture

On Oct. 12, the Department of Natural Resources announced that the province will invest millions of dollars in woodlot silviculture and other forest-related initiatives. As part of the new program, the province will be absorbing the full cost of private woodlot silviculture under the Forest Sustainability Regulations. This means an additional $6 million per year for 2007-08 and 2008-09. The NSWOOA believes that some of this new funding should be directed towards a much-expanded program to promote, train, and educate woodlot owners to carry out more uneven-aged management.

Mission Statement

NSWOOA is an independent organization of woodlot owners and operators achieving prosperity, stewardship, and solidarity through the practice of ecologically, socially, and economically sustainable forestry.

Truly sustainable forest management means that all values of our woodlands -- ecological, social, cultural and economic -- must be preserved for future generations.

The NSWOOA supports woodlot owners and operators in sustainable forestry through education, demonstration, marketing, and cooperation

Latest developments in natural resources policy planning

Voluntary Planning is an agency of the Nova Scotia provincial government that has been preparing recommendations on natural resources policy for the province. Voluntary Planning's Citizen Engagement Committee released its report on the first phase of this project, "The Future of Nova Scotia's Natural Resources: Our Common Ground" on April 17, 2009. Click here to view this report.

The NSWOOA has participated in this process and continues to monitor it. Our presentation to Voluntary Planning may be viewed here.

Appointments to the panels of expertise that will help guide natural resources strategy in the province were announced in late July.

For information on Phase 2 of the Natural Resources project, please visit the Voluntary Planning website.

Do you want to grow high-value trees?

In 2008, the NSWOOA completed an exciting education and outreach project designed to educate Nova Scotia woodlot owners and contractors about how to grow high-value trees. This approach is an alternative to clearcutting because trees are harvested individually or in small groups once they have reached their full potential.

We have finished distributing educational materials by mail and holding educational programs for woodlot owners. However, educational materials are still available online. (See below.)

This project was administered by the Association for Sustainable Forestry and funded by the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources. The NSWOOA delivered services in partnership with Picea Forestry Consulting and Wild Words Editorial Services.

Funding assistance

Financial assistance for woodlot owners practicing selection management, crop tree release, or crop tree pruning (silviculture treatments used to grow high-value trees) may be available through a provincial program for qualifying woodlots (the Category 7 Quality Silviculture Improvement Program). For information, please contact Association for Sustainable Forestry Coordinator Rebecca Aggas at (902) 895-1179 or rjaggas@asforestry.com

This excellent funding program has been renewed for 2009-2010.

How to get information

An information package on how to grow high-value trees and apply for Category 7 funding is available for viewing or download at http://www.asforestry.com/PDFs/outreach/UnevenAgedManagementInfo.pdf

A list of references, many of which are available free or at low cost, can be viewed or downloaded at http://www.asforestry.com/PDFs/outreach/UnevenAgedManagementReferenceList.pdf

Application forms and technical criteria for Category 7 funding may be downloaded from the ASF website, http://www.asforestry.com/ The ASF will also send you these materials in the mail.

See below for a list of additional materials available on the Internet, with links.