News release

Minister Welcomes New Association

Natural Resources (to July 2018)

The act establishing a professional foresters association in Nova Scotia officially took effect today.

The Foresters Association Act outlines the administration, eligibility requirements and standards for the Registered Professional Foresters Association of Nova Scotia.

Natural Resources Minister Ernest Fage said proclamation of the Act is good news for the province's forestry industry.

"The Department of Natural Resources is in full support of the association and its mandate," said Mr. Fage. "With the proclamation of this Act the association can get started on building a membership that will maintain high standards for the profession and lend significant credibility to the forestry sector in Nova Scotia."

Professional foresters are persons who have been trained and experienced in management of forests. The act establishes that registered professional foresters must have a combination of training at a recognized university or technical school, plus a certain amount of experience in the field. It focuses on maintaining and promoting the professional ethics, knowledge and skills of the association's members.

Members will benefit from being in the association. They will be recognized for professional credibility throughout the industry, and their business opportunities in other provinces will increase through membership recognition there. Similar associations exist in New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia.

"The association's founding members have been working for a long time to make this a reality and I congratulate them for their dedication and wish them every success," said the minister.

Anyone interested in more information about the association and its membership requirements can telephone Ian Millar at 902-893-0099 or David Harrison at 902-254-3305, or write to the Professional Foresters Association of Nova Scotia, P.O. Box 667, Truro, NS, B2N 5E5.