See links below to a number of recent and relevant news stories, added chronologically. Not all articles listed here are necessarily published on behalf of the HFC, but are relevant to our cause and worth reading.
Stop walking on eggshells, bowing to Nova Scotia's industrial forestry lobby
Lindsay Lee
June 6, 2022
The influence of the forest industry lobby group is evident in our province's inability and neglect to protect the biodiversity of Acadian-Wabanaki forests.
Public Pressure Bends Policy
Paul Pross
May 26, 2022
Despite the financial and political power of the forest industry lobby, volunteer organizations and committed members of the public have been able to effect positive change in our province. Paul highlights the importance of individual and collective action, urging more Nova Scotians to get involved in the push towards ecological forestry.
Forest degradation drives widespread avian habitat and population declines
Betts, M., et al.
April 28, 2022
This article published in the journal Nature shows that industrial clear cutting and intensive forestry have significantly reduced the amount of old growth forest in eastern Canada, leading to drastic habitat loss and bird population decline. Despite forest cover remaining relatively unchanged, the shift to younger, conifer-dominated plantations is significantly impacting Acadian forest biodiversity.
Presentation: Lichens in Nova Scotia by Sean Haughian
March 21, 2022
The Blomidon Naturalists Society hosted a wonderful presentation by Sean Haughian on understanding and identifying lichens in Nova Scotia. The presentation received quite a lot of interest.
Riley Scanlan Lamenting the loss of the Acadian forest that I never got to know
March 8, 2022
Scanlan discusses an often overlooked injustice of industrial clearcutting; that is, the lost opportunity for young and future generations to experience and connect with the incredible intact Acadian forest that once covered Nova Scotia.
Bob Bancroft: Moonscapes and Mainland Moose
February 2022
In this article published by Saltscapes Magazine, Bob Bancroft details the complex relationship between mainland moose and clearcutting. If continued unabated, industrial logging will decimate our mainland moose population.
Zack Metcalfe: Camp Last Hope
February 1, 2022
Metcalfe provides an encompassing overview of the complex issues behind Nova Scotia's drawn-out transition to ecological forestry; and why we can expect to see more logging blockades.
Bird Season: Forest decline, shifting baselines and the value of noticing
Article by Linda Pannozzo
January 21, 2022
A wonderful article and discussion on the impact of birding and forests on us humans, as well as the reciprocal: human impact on nature.
Press Release
December 8, 2021
Groups demand immediate moratorium on all forest harvesting on public lands until Lahey Report recommendations implemented on the ground. The call comes following the recent evaluation by Professor Lahey highlighting the province’s ongoing failure to implement recommendations from his 2018 report and change destructive forest harvesting practices in the province.
Lack of Lahey Implementation noted in National Observer
December 3, 2021
William Lahey published his assessment on the implementation of the recommendations he made in The Independent Review of Forestry Practices in Nova Scotia in 2018. In few words, Lahey writes, "my big conclusion is that implementation cannot so far be judged a success.”
Protesting logging in Rocky Point Lake area
November 25, 2021
The Rocky Point Lake area is known habitat for mainland moose, as depicted in the province's new mainland moose recovery plan, yet industrial logging in the area continues unabated.
Mike Lancaster on Information Morning
November 17, 2021
"Forestry, farming and development have taken a toll on old forests in Nova Scotia. Now a new government policy is aimed at preserving what remains. But some say it's not enough. We hear from Mike Lancaster, coordinator of Nova Scotia's Healthy Forest Coalition."
Updated Old Growth Forest Policy
November 9, 2021
Alain Belliveau comments on the province's new Old Growth Forest Policy, saying the draft doesn't do enough to protect forests. Public will be able to provide comment on the draft policy until December 8, here.
Donna Crossland on Information Morning
November 4, 2021
"The provincial government is getting ready to pass Bill 57 - the Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act. Donna Crossland, a retired biologist with Parks Canada, shares her concerns about this new act. She's now the vice-president of Nature Nova Scotia."
Mike Lancaster on Information Morning
September 23, 2021
"Mike Lancaster, from the St. Margaret's Bay Stewardship Association, responds to concerns raised by Westfor's general manager over the Ingram River Conservation Lands. Plus, hear some of your emails."
Dale Smith: Restructure government to safeguard Crown land as valued public asset (4 of 4)
August 25, 2021
Dale argues that Lands and Forestry favours industrial exploitation of Crown lands and that a renewed department should be repurposed and restructured with a mandate for public land stewardship and resource conservation, emphasizing biodiversity protection and sustainable use.
David Patriquin on Information Morning
July 9, 2021
The retired biologist says Nova Scotia will have to reduce the volume of wood coming from its forests if we are going to succeed with ecological forestry in this province.
Dale Smith: Crown land use planning and making lemonade (3 of 4)
July 7, 2021
Dale proposes a Crown land use planning process to guide the implementation of Lahey’s triad model of ecological forestry and to re-frame the concept of ‘ecological forestry’ as nested within a more holistic concept of ‘ecological stewardship’ for Nova Scotia’s public lands overall.
Mike Lancaster interviewed on Global News
July 6, 2021
Note: Interview starts at 4:45 mark
Mike Lancaster and Tom Urbaniak discuss the lack of implementation of key components of the Lahey report.
Raymound Plourde Op-ed in Chronicle Herald
May 26, 2021
Ray describes the attack on the biodiversity act and proposes a new way forward for the province, questioning how public crown land is used.
Dale Smith: Rankin’s green agenda within reach (2 of 4)
May 14, 2021
Dale outlines how unintended outcomes of the Rankin Liberals’ legislative agenda have provided government opportunity to reform forestry practices through adoption of a Crown land use planning and management approach, thereby ensuring credibility regarding land stewardship.
Joan Baxter: How the Biodiversity Act was Killed
April 20, 2021
An investigation into the lobbying powers which gutted the provincial biodiversity act.
Dale Smith: Nova Scotia’s Rankin must end bait-and-switch routine on forestry reform (1 of 4)
April 15, 2021
Dale highlights the repetitive cycle of public criticism of forestry practices and consequent government commitment to reform, followed by industry opposition and bureaucratic foot-dragging and, ultimately, backsliding regarding implementation.
Bob Bancroft in the Chronicle Herald
March 13th, 2021
HFC Working Group member and Nature Nova Scotia President Bob Bancroft writes "WestFor world a far cry from reality for Nova Scotia moose habitat".
Mike Lancaster on CBC's Information Morning
March 4, 2021
The Healthy Forest Coalition on maps put together that show a vast amount of the province's Acadian forest has been destroyed in the past 35 years.
Mike Lancaster on CBC's Main Street
February 25, 2021
A summary of the Silvicultural Guide for the Ecological Matrix (SGEM) and the HFC's response. Interview recorded by Bev Wigney.
Stop walking on eggshells, bowing to Nova Scotia's industrial forestry lobby
Lindsay Lee
June 6, 2022
The influence of the forest industry lobby group is evident in our province's inability and neglect to protect the biodiversity of Acadian-Wabanaki forests.
Public Pressure Bends Policy
Paul Pross
May 26, 2022
Despite the financial and political power of the forest industry lobby, volunteer organizations and committed members of the public have been able to effect positive change in our province. Paul highlights the importance of individual and collective action, urging more Nova Scotians to get involved in the push towards ecological forestry.
Forest degradation drives widespread avian habitat and population declines
Betts, M., et al.
April 28, 2022
This article published in the journal Nature shows that industrial clear cutting and intensive forestry have significantly reduced the amount of old growth forest in eastern Canada, leading to drastic habitat loss and bird population decline. Despite forest cover remaining relatively unchanged, the shift to younger, conifer-dominated plantations is significantly impacting Acadian forest biodiversity.
Presentation: Lichens in Nova Scotia by Sean Haughian
March 21, 2022
The Blomidon Naturalists Society hosted a wonderful presentation by Sean Haughian on understanding and identifying lichens in Nova Scotia. The presentation received quite a lot of interest.
Riley Scanlan Lamenting the loss of the Acadian forest that I never got to know
March 8, 2022
Scanlan discusses an often overlooked injustice of industrial clearcutting; that is, the lost opportunity for young and future generations to experience and connect with the incredible intact Acadian forest that once covered Nova Scotia.
Bob Bancroft: Moonscapes and Mainland Moose
February 2022
In this article published by Saltscapes Magazine, Bob Bancroft details the complex relationship between mainland moose and clearcutting. If continued unabated, industrial logging will decimate our mainland moose population.
Zack Metcalfe: Camp Last Hope
February 1, 2022
Metcalfe provides an encompassing overview of the complex issues behind Nova Scotia's drawn-out transition to ecological forestry; and why we can expect to see more logging blockades.
Bird Season: Forest decline, shifting baselines and the value of noticing
Article by Linda Pannozzo
January 21, 2022
A wonderful article and discussion on the impact of birding and forests on us humans, as well as the reciprocal: human impact on nature.
Press Release
December 8, 2021
Groups demand immediate moratorium on all forest harvesting on public lands until Lahey Report recommendations implemented on the ground. The call comes following the recent evaluation by Professor Lahey highlighting the province’s ongoing failure to implement recommendations from his 2018 report and change destructive forest harvesting practices in the province.
Lack of Lahey Implementation noted in National Observer
December 3, 2021
William Lahey published his assessment on the implementation of the recommendations he made in The Independent Review of Forestry Practices in Nova Scotia in 2018. In few words, Lahey writes, "my big conclusion is that implementation cannot so far be judged a success.”
Protesting logging in Rocky Point Lake area
November 25, 2021
The Rocky Point Lake area is known habitat for mainland moose, as depicted in the province's new mainland moose recovery plan, yet industrial logging in the area continues unabated.
Mike Lancaster on Information Morning
November 17, 2021
"Forestry, farming and development have taken a toll on old forests in Nova Scotia. Now a new government policy is aimed at preserving what remains. But some say it's not enough. We hear from Mike Lancaster, coordinator of Nova Scotia's Healthy Forest Coalition."
Updated Old Growth Forest Policy
November 9, 2021
Alain Belliveau comments on the province's new Old Growth Forest Policy, saying the draft doesn't do enough to protect forests. Public will be able to provide comment on the draft policy until December 8, here.
Donna Crossland on Information Morning
November 4, 2021
"The provincial government is getting ready to pass Bill 57 - the Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act. Donna Crossland, a retired biologist with Parks Canada, shares her concerns about this new act. She's now the vice-president of Nature Nova Scotia."
Mike Lancaster on Information Morning
September 23, 2021
"Mike Lancaster, from the St. Margaret's Bay Stewardship Association, responds to concerns raised by Westfor's general manager over the Ingram River Conservation Lands. Plus, hear some of your emails."
Dale Smith: Restructure government to safeguard Crown land as valued public asset (4 of 4)
August 25, 2021
Dale argues that Lands and Forestry favours industrial exploitation of Crown lands and that a renewed department should be repurposed and restructured with a mandate for public land stewardship and resource conservation, emphasizing biodiversity protection and sustainable use.
David Patriquin on Information Morning
July 9, 2021
The retired biologist says Nova Scotia will have to reduce the volume of wood coming from its forests if we are going to succeed with ecological forestry in this province.
Dale Smith: Crown land use planning and making lemonade (3 of 4)
July 7, 2021
Dale proposes a Crown land use planning process to guide the implementation of Lahey’s triad model of ecological forestry and to re-frame the concept of ‘ecological forestry’ as nested within a more holistic concept of ‘ecological stewardship’ for Nova Scotia’s public lands overall.
Mike Lancaster interviewed on Global News
July 6, 2021
Note: Interview starts at 4:45 mark
Mike Lancaster and Tom Urbaniak discuss the lack of implementation of key components of the Lahey report.
Raymound Plourde Op-ed in Chronicle Herald
May 26, 2021
Ray describes the attack on the biodiversity act and proposes a new way forward for the province, questioning how public crown land is used.
Dale Smith: Rankin’s green agenda within reach (2 of 4)
May 14, 2021
Dale outlines how unintended outcomes of the Rankin Liberals’ legislative agenda have provided government opportunity to reform forestry practices through adoption of a Crown land use planning and management approach, thereby ensuring credibility regarding land stewardship.
Joan Baxter: How the Biodiversity Act was Killed
April 20, 2021
An investigation into the lobbying powers which gutted the provincial biodiversity act.
Dale Smith: Nova Scotia’s Rankin must end bait-and-switch routine on forestry reform (1 of 4)
April 15, 2021
Dale highlights the repetitive cycle of public criticism of forestry practices and consequent government commitment to reform, followed by industry opposition and bureaucratic foot-dragging and, ultimately, backsliding regarding implementation.
Bob Bancroft in the Chronicle Herald
March 13th, 2021
HFC Working Group member and Nature Nova Scotia President Bob Bancroft writes "WestFor world a far cry from reality for Nova Scotia moose habitat".
Mike Lancaster on CBC's Information Morning
March 4, 2021
The Healthy Forest Coalition on maps put together that show a vast amount of the province's Acadian forest has been destroyed in the past 35 years.
Mike Lancaster on CBC's Main Street
February 25, 2021
A summary of the Silvicultural Guide for the Ecological Matrix (SGEM) and the HFC's response. Interview recorded by Bev Wigney.
