News release

Comments Invited on Forest Sustainability Regulations

Natural Resources (to July 2018)

Nova Scotians are invited to comment on proposed changes to forest sustainability regulations designed to increase the health of private wood lots and provide more silviculture treatment options and flexibility.

Silviculture is the art of producing and tending a forest.

The proposed changes will allow more silviculture treatments for uneven-aged stand management and in the hardwood management program. The amendments will also create an intensive plantation category with higher standards and tending requirements.

The proposed changes will allow buyers, who are registered under the Forests Act as owners or operators of wood mills, or as exporters of harvested trees, with wood acquisition plans to carry deficiencies in private and industrial silviculture.

Changes to technical standards will:

  • increase flexibility in fill planting by reducing planting requirement to 300 trees per hectare in even and uneven-aged stands
  • allow competition control treatments in hardwood stands
  • create an intensive plantation category with higher standards
  • simplify the technical requirements for the plantation density control treatment
  • create a new flexible standard for the crop tree release category
  • improve standards for selection management that allows a more flexible approach to move towards uneven-aged management for tolerant hardwood and softwood species.

"These changes are intended to improve long-term sustainability and provide increased flexibility for conducting even-aged and uneven-aged silviculture on Nova Scotia's private lands," said Natural Resources Minister David Morse.

The regulations are administered by the Department of Natural Resources' forestry division.

All Nova Scotians, including woodlot owners, forestry operators, and registered buyers responsible for implementing wood acquisition plans, are invited to comment before Dec. 19.

Information about silviculture treatments can be found at the department's online woodlot owners home study program at http://www.gov.ns.ca/natr/extension/woodlot/ .

The forest sustainability regulations and a guide to the proposed amendments are available on the department website at http://www.gov.ns.ca/natr/forestry/fsr or by calling 1-902-893-5715.

Nova Scotians may send comments in writing to the Department of Natural Resources, Forestry Division, P.O. Box 68, Truro, N.S., B2N 5B8, by fax at 1-902-893-6102, or by e-mail to forestry@gov.ns.ca