2007 Woodlot Owner of the Year Announced
The 2007 winners of Nova Scotia's Woodlot Owner of the Year Award nurture a seventh generation, 170-hectare woodlot that exhibits many attributes that come from thoughtful stewardship of the land.
The winners are Kevin and Susan Veinotte from Bridgewater, who manage an uneven-aged forest with high-quality timber, wildlife habitat and water quality that provides aesthetic appeal, recreational opportunities, spiritual aspects of nature and much more.
"The Department of Natural Resources is proud to present the 2007 Woodlot Owner of the Year Award to Kevin and Susan Veinotte, who demonstrate outstanding achievements in woodlot management," said Natural Resources Minister David Morse.
"In the past 18 years, 106 woodland owners have been recognized for qualities such as setting and meeting sustainable goals for their land, improving the condition, access and health of their woodland, and considering values like wildlife habitat."
Woodlot management has been ongoing on the Veinotte land since the first homestead was established on the property in 1860.
"I have a great appreciation and respect for the land," said Mr. Veinotte. "My management philosophy is to have the condition of the woodlot in as good or better shape than it is today, and to ensure the forests' value has multiple benefits sustained for my children."
The Veinotte family practices sound and responsible harvest methods and their woodlot has been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. Mr. Veinotte is an active member of the local Lunenburg County Federation of Agriculture. He runs the agriculture awareness booth at the South Shore Exhibition and his woodlot has been used for educational and information sharing purposes.
He is vice-president of the Lunenburg County Christmas Tree Council Association and maintains more than 12 hectares of certified organic Christmas trees within his woodlot, the first in eastern Canada.
The Department of Natural Resources received a number of nominations for the honour. All nominations were evaluated by Natural Resources staff members for regional winners, while the provincial winner was selected by a committee comprised of two foresters, a wildlife biologist, a former Woodlot Owner of the Year winner, and an environmental studies undergraduate student.
In May, Kevin and Susan Veinotte were recognized as the outstanding woodlot owners in western Nova Scotia. Other regional winners recognized were Brian Brown of Oxford, Cumberland Co., from the central region, and Bob Bancroft and Alice Reed of Pomquet, Antigonish Co., from the eastern region.
The 2007 Woodlot Owner of the Year Award will be presented to the Veinottes during a public field tour on their woodlot on Sept. 29.
Nova Scotia residents who own 20 to 800 hectares of woodland in the province are eligible for woodlot owner awards. Nominations are accepted at Department of Natural Resources offices until March 31 of each year. For more details, go to the website www.gov.ns.ca/natr/extension/woya .