Public Lands
How New Brunswickers want their forest managed in the 21st Century
UNB professor Dr. Tom Beckley delivered the presentation, Same As It Ever Was: Current Directions in NB Forest Policy, on Feb. 7th, 2012 as part of the Occupy Speaker Series.
Based on a recent survey conducted by Beckley and others, the people of New Brunswick are not happy with the way our forest is managed. The highest ranking priorities of the survey respondents said the forest should be managed as a place for protection of water, air, and soil and as a place for a variety of animal and plant life.
The new forest policy will roll out shortly. Will the Alward government listen and protect our wildlife habitat areas to the extent that scientists say is needed?
Let the government know what is important to you about our forest, and what you expect government to do.
Natural Resources Minister Hon. Bruce Northrup: bruce.northrup@gnb.ca
Premier David Alward: premier@gnb.ca
Contact your MLA.
Send letters to the newspapers and get on the radio.
June 17, 2009
Northumberland County woodlot owners ask the question: Where has Miramichi’s wood basket gone?
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A statement by the Public Lands Coalition in response to mill closures and the re-allocation of wood away from communities in 2007.
November 28, 2007
RESPONSIBLE FOREST MANAGEMENT FOR NEW BRUNSWICK‘S RURAL COMMUNITIES
Many rural communities in New Brunswick depend on natural resources such as forestry and fisheries.
A record-breaking volume of timber, 5.4 million cubic metres, was harvested from New Brunswick’s public forest during 2006 – 2007.
Logging in the public forest is increasing, while logging on private woodlots is decreasing.
The record-breaking harvesting on public land is occurring at a time of ever-increasing mill closures and shutdowns.
The provincial government is allowing timber allocated to the closed Weyerhaeuser mill in Miramichi to be cut and exported out of the province.
The provincial government’s timber transfer scheme, set to expire December 31, 2007, transfers the forest resource from one community to another while providing a one-time payment of $10.00/cubic meter, a small fraction of the economic benefit an operating mill provides to a community.
According to Natural Resources Canada, New Brunswick employs the fewest number of people per unit of timber harvested in all of Canada. The number of people employed per unit of timber harvested has steadily decreased for decades throughout the province.
Smaller and medium-sized mills are employing more people per unit of timber harvested relative to larger mills.
New Brunswickers value the forest as a source of fresh water, a place of diverse ecosystems and habitat, a critical part in the fight against climate change and a source of meaningful employment.
We the undersigned organizations urge the provincial government to:
1. Tie timber allocations to communities. Local forest resources provide the foundation for local economies.
2. Establish a moratorium on logging timber from public land allocated to closed mills and immediately halt raw timber exports.
3. Ensure that the harvesting of wood from public lands does not interfere with the ability of private woodlot owners to sell their wood.
* To endorse this statement by the Public Lands Coalition, email: forest@conservationcouncil.ca
Conservation Council of New Brunswick, 180 St. John Street Fredericton NB E3B 4A9, T:(506)458-8747 F:(506)458-1047
© 2009