November 3rd, 2020
We are in complete agreement with the demand now being put forward by groups across the province for a moratorium on all even-aged harvests on crown and other public land. This encompasses all clearcuts and clearcut equivalents such as ‘Variable Retention’, ‘Salvage’, and ‘Uniform Shelterwood’ cuts.
Our specific demand is for an immediate moratorium on all proposed and current logging on Crown lands from Fourth Lake south to the Napier River in Digby County. This must remain in force until ecologically based landscape use planning for the area has been conducted by independent ecologists and biologists, as recommended by William Lahey. The area is known habitat for mainland moose. It should be assessed for Protected Area potential, safeguarding connectivity between the Silver River Wilderness area and the Tobeatic.
When the mainland moose was declared endangered in 2003, the government was supposed to identify and set aside “core habitat” areas for moose. They have never done that.
The requirements of mainland moose are not adequately factored into current Department of Lands and Forestry’s guidelines. Their proposal to allow cutting in the area while following a ‘Special Management Plan’ is completely unacceptable. Given the dismal failure of DLF to protect endangered species, as established by Nova Scotia’s Supreme Court this year, responsibility for wildlife and Species at Risk should be transferred out of the Department of Lands and Forestry.
We are now in the 14th day of our blockade. Spokesperson Nina Newington states, ‘You have to draw a line somewhere. Learning that crews were going in to clearcut the habitat of critically endangered mainland moose was too much. So we decided to say no, enough is enough. We are standing up for the forests and wildlife and for all of us who want a liveable planet for future generations.’
Extinction Rebellion Nova Scotia, from Moose Country, Digby County
For more information contact:
Nina Newington nina@ninanewington.com
Debbie Stultz-Giffin d.giffin@bellaliant.net
#Mainland Moose Lives Matter