Sierra Club Says Point Pleasant Park Task Force is Moving Too Quickly

From: "Roger Davies" <daisies@chebucto.ns.ca>
To: <netcc@chebucto.ns.ca>, "Sustainable Maritimes" <sust-mar@chebucto.ns.ca>
Date: Tue, 27 Jun 2000 13:31:45 -0300
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Return-Path: <sust-mar-mml-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
HALIFAX     JUNE 27, 2000

Sierra Club Says Point Pleasant Park Task Force is Moving Too Quickly

The Chebucto Group of the Sierra Club of Canada, representing members in
Atlantic Canada, says that the reasons put forward for the wholesale cutting
of spruce in Point Pleasant Park do not warrant massive cutting of trees at
this time.

"From the information we have gathered from scientists who have spent time
in the park studying the longhorn beetle over the last few weeks, it is our
view that it is inappropriate to clear-cut the park's spruce at this
time", said Roger Davies, chair of the Conservation Committee of the local
group of the Sierra Club of Canada.

Knowledgeable researchers, the Club points out, have not located the numbers
of European Brown Spruce Beetles, Tetropium fuscum, that the task-force
claims to pose such an immediate huge threat to the well-being of the park.
And there are many factors affecting the stress on the trees, not just an
alleged killing of live trees by this beetle.

"All the evidence suggests," said executive director of the SCC, Elizabeth
May, "that there has been an over-reaction to the issue of tree health in
the park.  This is a very difficult issue, and it is clear that opposing
viewpoints are the result of conflicting information and a lack of certainty
about the behaviour of this exotic species.  We are persuaded that even
those those advocating a cut we oppose are operating with good intentions."

The Club is calling for a no-cut policy now, with further research done by
specialists who have more direct experience with the beetles' actual
behaviour in the park. "There needs to be a  full consultation with European
experts who have had extensive experience with this beetle," says Helen
Lofgren, Conservation Committee member.

 It appears, the club is saying, that the task force has not made best use
of the expertise that exists in Halifax and elsewhere, and it is their
responsibility to the people of Halifax and to all Nova Scotians to do so.
The Sierra Club is fully supportive of the effort of the Friends of Point
Pleasant to have a moratorium on cutting in place now, until further
detailed and careful study is done.

contact:  Roger Davies   457-4351
daisies@chebucto.ns.ca

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