The Government of New Brunswick recently announced a new ten year forest management strategy which will increase logging and clearcutting on public land by 20% and take away more than one-quarter of the public land that was specifically managed to conserve fish and wildlife habitat and protect our rivers.
But according to the Government of New Brunswick’s own stated mandate, “among other items, Government has the responsibility to establish objectives that reflect current society values and the newest scientific information on Crown forest management.”
Question:So what are current societal values? And what does the research indicate?
Answer:
1. Even before this regressive new policy was introduced, a 2007 study indicated that ninety-six percent of New Brunswickers said that we should have more respect for our forests and the majority stated there are not enough protected areas.
2. Research scientists across the province and beyond are telling us that the new forest management strategy is not sustainable and are calling for the government toabandon it.
"My concern would be if we follow the current strategy that is quite radical when it comes to the amount of habitat loss, are we going to see abrupt declines beyond which it's a lot more difficult to come back from, a lot more difficult to recover..” -Dr. Matthew Betts, associate professor in forest Ecosystems and Society at Oregon State University.
For their part Minister of Natural Resources, Paul Robichaud, and Jim Irving of JDI Limited have stated repeatedly that the new policy is - according to their research - sustainable.
But where is their research? Who conducted it and how was it conducted? Should we just take their word for it? No.
We, the undersigned, call on the Government of New Brunswick and JDI Limited to immediately release all research upon which they have purportedly based this new forest policy.
Check out the peer-reviewed research of Drs. Forbes, Diamond, Betts, and Villard, some of which informed their clear opposition to this forest management plan.
