UPDATE 38

NSWOOA Update 38
November 5, 2010
WWW.nswooa.ca
nswooa@gmail.com902 633-2108



In this Issue:
- Rally in Support
- Standing Committee
- Press Release: PEI New
- Reation to Press Release
- Hello Woodlot Owners
- Outreach Program News
- How to Contact Us


Rally in Support

By Meredith Brown
Amid the forest of high rise towers in downtown Halifax several hundred enthusiastic people rallied in support of the implementation of the “Bancroft/Crossland Report” on Friday October 29th.

It was encouraging to see a mix of young and old, urban and rural dwellers united in their commitment to sustainable forest practices. They came to make their positions known, their voices heard.

As government ministers looked on from the steps of the legislature, numerous speakers addressed the crowd over the two hour rally with personal accounts of the effect of forest devastation in their areas, scientific data supporting the need for biodiversity, fisheries and tourism affected by the health of our forests, wood lot owners concerns, challenges from within the industry, and politicians involved in the issues.

Our forests were serenaded in song and in traditional Mi’Kmaq drumming. By the end of the morning, both the speakers and the crowd joined their voices in unison: “The Status Quo Is Not an Option”.

Meredith Brown is an Environmental Studies student at Dalhousie University and an environmental activist who has previously contributed to this newsletter . The successful rally in support of positive forest policy change was organized by the Ecology Action Center, and included a wide representation from concerned groups and organizations.




Standing Committee
The NSWOOA has been invited to appear before the Nova Scotia All Party Standing Committee on Forestry in January. We have been asked to explain what forest sustainability means to woodlot owners. The report we intend to deliver is being prepared, and your input is desired. Use the contact information at the bottom of this newsletter to help us determine what the MLS’s will hear.



PEI Forestry News!
Reproduced below is a press release dated September 17, which details a major shift in forest policy in our neighboring province. This significant event is the result of much effort on the part of NSWOOA member and well known forest authority Bill McKay of Nagaya Forest Restoration Ltd.
Province Pursues Forest Certification

Environment, Energy & Forestry
In recognition of National Forest Week, September 19-25, the Department of Environment, Energy and Forestry announced it will pursue Forest Stewardship Council certification for public lands which includes 75,000 acres of forest across Prince Edward Island, says Minister Richard Brown.
“This international certification will ensure that forests under public management are meeting international standards for sustainable management,” said Minister Brown. “It will also create awareness among Islanders of the significant role forests play in our environment, our economy and our rural communities.”
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an independent, not-for-profit organization established to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests. FSC certification sets standards for forest management and audits compliance to ensure standards are being met. The Province is applying for FSC certification through the Nagaya Forest Restoration Ltd., which certifies thousands of acres of forest throughout the Maritimes.
“FSC certification is in line with our Provincial Forest Policy which commits to demonstrating forest certification on public lands as well as increased forest restoration,” said Mr. Brown. “Not only will certification improve forest quality, it will also increase opportunities in the marketplace where demand for FSC products currently exceeds supply, and buyers pay a premium for certified wood in some markets.”
The department plans to apply for FSC certification of selected parcels this year and will proceed with additional properties until all the lands are certified.
The purpose of National Forest Week is to celebrate our forest resources and to raise awareness of the beauty of this natural resource and the vital role it plays in our quality of life and economic development.
To learn more about the Forest Stewardship Council, go to www.fsc.org/about-fsc.html.


Reaction to the Press Release
By Patricia Amero, Picea Forestry/Acadian Forest Keepers
We would to draw special attention to this press release from PEI. Such exciting news is the result of Bill McKay’s commitment and work with Kate MacQuarrie, amongst others of the PEI Government’s Environment, Energy and Forestry Department, over the past few years to assist the PEI Government to reach their goal to pursue FSC certification for 75,000 acres of Crown Land. This announcement represents a magnificent opportunity for the public forests and communities of PEI.

The certification process of these Crown Lands has begun with the development of a forest management plan to Nagaya’s / Acadian Forest Keeper’s high standards of responsible forest stewardship for a 170 hectare parcel near the Caledonia area of PEI. Rosalyn Ridlington-Abbott of PEI’s Department of Environment, Energy and Forestry, who many FSC pool members met during the annual gathering in June, is currently working on the development of the management plan.

This endeavour undertaken by the PEI government serves as a prime example of a government being serious and committed to responsible forest stewardship; as well as to create awareness of the significant role forests play in our environment, economy and rural communities. We would like to see our government take similar steps on Crown Land since this is one of the best ways to promote responsible stewardship as well as promote change in forest practices that will benefit present and future generations to all Nova Scotians. Picea/Acadian Forest Keepers has brought this to attention of our Natural Resources Minister MacDonell in form of an email and letter to his constituency office.






An Interesting Invitation

The Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute invites you to its annual Woodland Demonstration Day
Saturday November 13 (Rain Date Sunday Nov.14th)
Uhlman Woodland Property- West Caledonia (Chute Road off West Caledonia Road)
Meal Provided
Topics include: -Non Timber Products
-Forest Management Plans
-Ecosystem Classification
-Aquatic conductivity
-Eastern ribbonsnakes
-Forest insects
-Common Loons
-Wetland Policy
-FSC Certification
-Water Quality

· For information and assistance call 902-682 2371 or email info@merseytobeatic.ca


Hello Woodlot Owners-
Irony?
Perhaps, but one piece of advice that everyone giving advice should adhere to is, “Never give advice.”
In a previous issue this column dealt with a neighbor’s request for advice about what to do with a patch of grey birch on his property. The small size and crooked shape of the trees made it economically unattractive (and labor intensive) to harvest. The advice offered was to possibly cut the trees and just lay them down, possibly also harvest some for the local market, treating this as a labor of love effort, rather than a money maker. The idea was that the land owner could create room and sunlight to encourage regeneration of more valuable or desired species.
Well, a problem arose on the back forty this Fall. That problem was poor quality fir. Mixed with the fir were a few spruce, scattered large remnant maples, but in many spaces the mix included grey birch. Removal of said fir would produced some fir studwood, more fir pulpwood (or whatever it could be sold for, even firewood) and some rather open spaces. There was some scattered spruce and quite a bit of red maple regen on the ground.
The work is all done now, the fir removed except the standing dead fir was left standing. And the regen is now protected by grey birch nurse trees ! It will never qualify for Section Seven assistance, but it does at least have a good chance of succeeding.
The irony is that the weed tree has become a valued nurse tree, without which restoration of Acadian forest trees would be more difficult.


Outreach Coordinator’s Report
Flora Johnson and Patricia Amero
Just a few more fall workshops left to go. A few site visits still available.
The Uneven-Aged Management Outreach Project is designed to educate woodland owners and silviculture contractors interested in growing long-lived, shade-tolerant tree species and quality forest products. In 2010, the NSWOOA signed a contract with the Association for Sustainable Forestry (ASF) to offer an expanded version of this educational project, which was first offered in partnership with Picea Forestry Consulting in 2008.
Funded by the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources (NSDNR), the Outreach Project focuses on silviculture practices associated with uneven-aged management—selection management, crop tree release, and crop tree pruning–and on funding available for these treatments through the ASF’s Category 7 Quality Improvement Silviculture Program. This time around, the project is also providing woodland owners and contractors with information on forest ecosystem classification, ecosystem-based forest management, crop tree selection, and tree marking.
September and October were very busy. We attended all three Woodlot Owner of the Year events, delivered four workshops for woodlot owners and two workshops for silviculture contractors, and visited more than 40 woodlots all over the province.
Workshops
Workshops have been very well attended and a great success. We’ve had great discussions, great food, and interesting walks in the woods, which as a whole involved a wide range of mixedwood, hardwood and softwood forest conditions from sites that have been managed on an uneven aged basis for generations to sites that are undergoing Acadian Forest restoration. Most of the time, we’ve even had good weather. What could be better than that?The two remaining woodlot owner workshops (November 6 in Black Rock, Kings County, and November 13 in Alma, Pictou County) are already full. However, we have waiting lists for both workshops, so if you would like to attend please call us at 902-673-2278 or email us at outreach@asforestry.com.
We still have room in our final silviculture contractor workshop, which will be held in Margaree Forks on November 18. If you are a silviculture contractor who is interested in this type of work, are doing the work and would like to find out more, we encourage you to register. This workshop lasts about four hours starting at noon and will takes place in the field.
Site visits
We have completed more than three-quarters of the site visits from one end of the province to the other, which is included under funding of this project, but we still have openings for a few more.
The primary purpose of these visits is to assess whether a woodlot or sections might be eligible for funding under the Category 7 Program, which provides financial assistance to woodlot owners and contractors who are engaged in crop tree release, crop tree pruning, and selection harvesting. (All three of these silviculture techniques are discussed during our workshops, as is the Category 7 program.) The visits are free and last about three hours. This is also provides the woodlot owner with opportunities to ask the project team member questions either generally about their forest and/or specifically regarding how to do this type of work and challenges involved.
Unfortunately, we can’t promise to give a site visit to everyone who requests one. But we will try to accommodate as many people as possible and for those who cannot be visited we will send along names to the ASF Coordinator David Sutherland. We encourage you to call (902-673-2278) or outreach@asforestry.com if you’re interested.
Winding down
As the project moves into its final phase, we look back on the last 10 months with a great sense of accomplishment and a feeling of gratitude for the opportunity to meet so many Nova Scotia woodlot owners who are dedicated to good stewardship of their “piece of forest”. Thank you for your willingness to educate yourselves about good forestry practices, sharing your enthusiasm and interest with us, and most of all for your commitment to making our forests better for future generations.


Lines of CommunicationMembers are encouraged to contact the Board of Directors, the Executive and other members through our email address (nswooa@gmail.com) or by phone (902-633-2108). Please feel free to use these methods to keep us informed of what is going on in your woodlot or in your community or area. We try to keep you informed through these updates, newsletters and mail outs, our column in Atlantic Forestry Review, the Annual General Meeting, and the website: http://www.nswooa.ca