Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources and Renewables has announced additional funding to help private woodlot owners recover from the damage caused by Hurricane Fiona and to manage their lands sustainably. The Minister of Natural Resources and Renewables, Tory Rushton, has stated that private woodlot owners still need support to clean up trees downed by the hurricane, and the department is investing $5.7 million to help.
Of the total funding, $2.5 million will extend eligibility for Fiona-related assistance to industrial private woodlots, and provide more support for repairing roads. After the fall storm, the Department had supported private woodlot owners with $4.6 million for cleaning up trees, preparing to replant, repairing roads, and re-establishing boundary lines. The remaining $3.2 million is for silviculture work, which will allow contractors to get started in the spring as soon as the weather allows.
This funding marks a permanent shift in the schedule of silviculture funding, as starting with the 2023-24 budget, budgeted silviculture funding will be for work in the subsequent fiscal year. This change will give woodlot owners certainty about funding amounts, allowing for early planning and ensuring valuable time in the woods is not lost in the spring.
David Sutherland, Executive Director of the Association for Sustainable Forestry, has stated that they are pleased to coordinate the provincial forestry funding for both silviculture treatments and Fiona cleanup. The timely alignment of this funding with the considerable work to be done on the ground will provide vital resources to private woodlot owners.
Stephen Moore, Executive Director of Forest Nova Scotia, has also welcomed the funding, stating that Nova Scotia’s forest sector provides a net environmental benefit, planting more trees than they harvest and taking more carbon out of the environment than they emit. The funding for silviculture and Fiona cleanup helps them continue their responsible management of their forests and further their positive environmental impact.
With this funding, private woodlot owners will have the support they need to recover from the hurricane and manage their lands sustainably, ensuring the continued responsible management of Nova Scotia’s forests.
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