Buyers' Registry for Primary
Forest Products

NATURAL RESOURCES--Buyers' Registry for Primary Forest Products

Natural Resources Minister Ken MacAskill announced today that a Registry of Buyers for primary forest products has been set up to collect data on Nova Scotia wood supply and demand.

The registry will contain names of individuals and businesses that acquire primary forest products for processing into secondary products, export and import, energy production, or sale as firewood.

"The information will be used to provide a better understanding of wood demand and use in Nova Scotia," said Mr. MacAskill. "It will also be used to prepare reports on our forests and forest production, and for use in forest management policy and practice in Nova Scotia."

The registry requires individuals and businesses to register by March 17, 1998, if their business processes primary forest products (e.g. sawmills); imports or exports primary forest products to or from Nova Scotia; acquires more than 1000 cubic metre solid (454 cords) per year to sell as firewood; or buys forest products to produce energy. New businesses have 30 days to register.

Producers of Christmas trees and wreaths, businesses that remanufacture wood products, and homeowners who buy firewood for their own use are exempt from this program.

The Registry of Buyers is part of the province's broad forest management strategy described in the document Toward Sustainable Forestry: A Position Paper, which was released in October.

The registry will help to ensure that Nova Scotia timber is not being harvested faster than it can be grown. It will also help maintain jobs and incomes for thousands of people who rely on forestry for their livelihood.

Information is available at Natural Resources' offices, on the department's homepage at http://www.gov.ns.ca/natr/forestry/registry, or through Access Nova Scotia offices. To register, contact the registrar at 902-893-6270, e-mail regbuyer@gov.ns.ca or fax 902-893-5660.