Kaiser Brook (NS) Area Under Threat

Date: Sun, 23 Dec 2001 14:49:30 -0400
To: sust-mar@chebucto.ns.ca
From: jan@TartanNET.ns.ca (Jan Slakov)
Precedence: bulk
Return-Path: <sust-mar-mml-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>

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Dear Sust-Mar,   Dec. 23

Rudy Haase (Exec. Secretary, Friends of Nature) sent me this press release
and asked that I help get the word out since he doesn't have e-mail. ... I
sense that people at our DNR (Dept. of Natural Resources) are starting to
realize that Nova Scotians will no longer tolerate having DNR's primary
mandate be that of paving the way for industry. We need to let them know
that we want sustainability; that industry has to change its ways just as we
must change ours. This struggle to save the Kaiser Brook area from
clear-cutting & spraying is part of the big struggle; let's take advantage
of it to make sure DNR and Bowater know we care! 

Please contact your local DNR office and or:

the Hon. Ernest Fage, Minister of Natural Resources, <MIN_DNR@gov.ns.ca>
Peter S. Jones, Forest Manager, Bowater
ph: (902) 354-8646 fax: 354-2867 <jonespj@bowater.com>
*********************************************************
PRESS RELEASE            11 Dec. 2001

contact: Brad Armstrong 
(h) (902) 275-3121
(w) 857-9160

KAISER MEADOW BROOK AREA PROTECTION URGED

Many Lunenburg County residents are distressed that about 3,000 acres of old
natural mixed forest is scheduled to be cleracut by Bowaters. The area along
Kaiser Meadow Brook, and other tributaries of the East River, is north of
Chester and contains many large maples, oaks, pines and beech trees, as well
as much spruce and fir.

Brad Armstrong, chairman of the newly formed Kaiser Meadow Brook
Preservation Group, along with Martin Rudy Haase, Executive Secretary of
Friends of Nature, met recently with peter Jones, Bowaters' Forestry
Manager. Mr. Jones agreed to consider establishing a protected wilderness
area along Kaiser Brook similar to areas of old growth forest which Bowaters
has spared as part of its concern for the environment.

Mr. Haase pointed out that none of the 31 provincial wilderness areas are in
Lunenburg Co., nor does Bowaters presently have any of its "Pocket
Wilderness" areas here. With only about 1% of Nova Scotia's unprotected
forest left with trees over 80 years old, people are concerned that with the
extensive clearcutting planeed, this small percentage will be further reduced.

Mr. Jones said clearcutting by big tree harvesting machines will be done in
12 - 14 hectare pockets spread over 8 - 10 years, and that provincial
forestry regulations that take effect on January 14 will be strictly adhered
to. The regulations require only a 20 metre strip of trees be left along
waterways, but Bowaters' contractors will leave 30 metres where slopes are
steep. However, members of the Kaiser Meadow Brook Group feel that more
should be left, and that this old natural forest should be selectively cut.
Saw whet owls, very rare in Nova Scotia, and many other birds and animals
requiring old trees, live in this area.

A recent GPI study shows that selection cutting is not only much better for
the environment in terms of water table, air quality, and wildlife habitat
preservation, but in the long term there are also increased economic benefits.
***************     - 30 -      **************************************
Note from Jan: A couple things to remember - Lunenburg County is the home of
Windhorse Eco-Forestry School of the Maritimes which provides an example of
how harvesting can be conducted without destroying the forest.
It should be emphasized as well, that clearcutting often leads to the use of
herbicide spraying, a thoroughly unsustainable practice.
Also, in budget-cutting, apparently DNR has laid off its law enforcment
officers from January to April; it is difficult to imagine how new forestry
regulations will be enforced.



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