KJIPUKTUK (Halifax) – Three new billboards in Halifax remind tens of thousands commuters each day that all is not well with Nova Scotia’s forests. “80,000 birds nests destroyed last year; Stop clearcutting; Tell Premier McNeil,” the billboards state.
“We’d read the recent estimates around bird nest destruction as the result of forestry operations, and we were really appalled,” says Neal Livingston, co-chair of the Margaree Environmental Association, the group that paid for the billboards. “We just hope to galvanize people in urban areas to become more vocal about this.”
The very first anti-clearcut billboards were erected in 2000, by a coalition including the Margaree environmental group. “Going, going, gone. The Nova Scotia we love,” was the message at the time.
“Nova Scotia forest policy mostly consists of chipping forests, and then burning these chips in the biomass plant, or exporting the chips. There has been a steady decline here in terms of forest policy, and for the last 40 years government is running the clearcut show,” Livingston says.
“In Quebec they have a marketing board for woodlot owners, and they’re getting $1000 more per truckload than here. Woodlot owners are making a good living in Quebec, whereas in Nova Scotia the prices are appalling and you simply can’t do good forestry under those conditions,” says Livingston.
Two billboards on Barrington Street catch commuters in the morning and afternoon. The third one is on the Windsor Street / Bedford Highway junction The billboards will stay up for the next four weeks, and possibly longer, says Livingston.
For more on nest loss due to forestry productions see this post on the excellent Nova Scotia Forest Notes website. Last year the Margaree Environmental Association released an eight-point blueprint on how Nova Scotia could transition from clearcutting to a selection cutting forest economy.
See also: Forest loss in Nova Scotia, there’s an app for that
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It’s inhumane and an assault on nature. Cutting down ‘the lungs of the planet’ and home to wildlife, songbirds, and an entire eco-system to burn in EMERA’S BIOMASSACRE PLANT TO CREATE GREEN ENERGY is so wrong.
WestFor Management Inc is looking for a 10 year Timber License on Crown land in south western Nova Scotia to cut down our trees for 13 companies including Northern Pulp and Louisiana Pacific. They will have access to over 500,000 hectares. That is 1.2 million acres. The CLEARCUTS are massive and destructive…and to many of us, cause a government induced depression after seeing them. Many landowners next to these cuts are starting to speak out. They are appalled. Thank you Margaree Environmental Association for creating awareness. Blessings to the birds and others who have been displaced and killed. Here is the Premier’s e-mail address as well: premier@gov.ns.ca
This Billboard to stop clear cutting is visible, clear and simple, and the added phone number lets citizens get involved. It is International Women’s Day so my first message is to call Premier McNeil and tell him I am adamantly opposed to clear cutting,
If you would send me your address I will send you a cheque.
We forwarded your generous offer to Neal Livingston.
Being as the Minister of Natural Resources, Margaret Miller, used to head up MADD it may be a good campaign to start Mothers FOR Wildlife, and Mothers FOR Forests, Mothers FOR Clean Land, Air and Water.
Tommorow will come too soon Mr. Elected official…
Stop the insanity and leave our forests alone.
John Martin
Glad to see there is another group of people trying to get our government to stop clear cutting right now. No more studies and promises. We want action. Like the signs around Halifax. I support the Annapolis XR movement which has also been trying to get the premier’s attention. We are visiting clear cuts with cameras and signs saying “Where’s Stephen” and posting them on FB. The more people we can get to voice our concerns the better before what we have left is all gone.