Last summer, Island and national media carried reports about forest owners from across PEI who were experiencing problems with wide spread theft, trespass, and site damage on their land related to the harvest and sale of Ground Hemlock (Taxus canadensis). The Province asked the Public Forest Council to look into these allegations, and they concluded that many of these complaints were valid and were frequently compounded by the use of unsustainable harvest practices. Council recommended that Government act to set mandatory standards for the harvest, purchase, and transportation of Ground Hemlock.
The Department of Environment, Energy, and Forestry has responded by developing a series of recommendations for the Ground Hemlock harvest and processing industries. Over the next few weeks, staff from the department plan to meet with the industry, landowners, and the public to outline the recommendations and explain what will be required in the near future.
“The intent is to regulate the activities of the harvest and buying industries and not those of landowners who harvest on their own property,” explained Director of Forestry and Land Resource Modeling, Kate MacQuarrie. “We propose that commercial harvesters and buyers be required to meet a number of mandatory standards related to licensing, training, and record keeping of harvest locations, dates and volumes. These consultations will allow us to explain the details of these recommendations to landowners and the public, and allow them to provide feedback before the regulations come into effect.”
A meeting with the Island’s Ground Hemlock harvesting and processing industries was held May 24 in Charlottetown. Enforcement staff and senior management from the Department of Environment, Energy and Forestry, along with representatives from the RCMP, Revenue Canada, and Services Canada, met with industry representatives to discuss the implications of the regulations and the various mandatory requirements for workers and buyers.
“Overall, the Ground Hemlock industry seemed to acknowledge the need for some standards, and several companies indicated that they are already requiring their workers to comply with similar measures,” noted Ms. MacQuarrie. “These recommendations are intended to not only set standards for the commercial harvest, but also ensure a level playing field for everyone involved in this new and exciting opportunity. Landowners will receive a measure of protection from theft and site damage, while harvesters and buyers will be required to comply with common rules which help to ensure the sustainability of the resource, and thus their livelihood.”
The industry will also be required to report information such as the harvest location, property number, date, and volume harvested, as well as providing a signed contract or copy of the landowner’s name and signature when selling any harvested material. This will prove they have the right to harvest on the lands in question and provide data on whether the resource is being harvested sustainably. These components will also apply to Ground Hemlock buyers and buying stations. However, landowners who harvest on their own lands sell their own material by simply providing proof of ownership such as a recent property tax bill, and proper identification such as their driver’s licence, at the buying station.
Ms. MacQuarrie also noted that the recommendations include the creation of an annual harvest season for Ground Hemlock.
“Research indicates that the active Taxane compounds are at their lowest levels from late May to mid August, so harvesting is not as profitable during this period,” she stated. “This is also a critical time for many ground nesting forest birds and flowering plants, so restricting harvesting during this period will provide these unique components of our forest ecosystem with a measure of protection.”
The landowner and public meetings will be held June 6, 2005 at the O’Leary Community Centre Boardroom and June 7, 2005 at Rodd’s Marina Inn in Montague. Both meetings run from 7-9 p.m.
For more information on the Ground Hemlock consultations, contact Ken Mayhew, Forest Information Officer, at (902) 368-6450.