Working together to protect wilderness

It’s not every day that a government announcement draws praise from both forest companies and environmental groups.  But, that’s exactly what happened in Nova Scotia late last week.

That’s when the provincial government unveiled details about the lands it has purchased from Resolute Forest Products (still referred to locally as the Bowater Mill) for conservation.

Included in the $23.75 million land deal, are 10,000 hectares of high conservation value land in southwestern Nova Scotia, the significant majority of which will become new protected areas.  This will help the province achieve its goal of protecting at least twelve percent of the provincial landmass by 2015.

The land purchases include large tracts of intact forest, species-at-risk habitat, significant river frontage (Mersey R., Medway R., Liverpool R.), old-growth forests, wetlands, and sites adjacent to existing protected areas.

Bowater gets some much-needed cash to help keep the mill running, and the people of Nova Scotia, in return, acquire huge swaths of high priority lands for conservation.  Win-win. (Read the CPAWS release)

CPAWS was also very pleased to see the government acquire lands of cultural significance to the Mi’kmaq, as well as productive lands located near Bear River that will be available for community-based forestry by First Nations.

A great deal of care, and hard work, has gone into making this land agreement happen.  And, all the more impressive, considering most of this came together in a matter of a few weeks, just before Christmas.

Hats off to everybody who played a role in making this landmark agreement happen.

It bodes well for continued collaboration in the future.

~Chris Miller