The Forest Partnership Council is holding a series of public meetings later this month on the proposed Code of Practice regulations. The proposed regulations were contained in a discussion paper released earlier this year and will require all commercial forest harvesters to register and comply with a set of standards.
"By controlling harvests on private land, the new regulations will ensure the long-term health and productivity of the Island's forest resources," said Agriculture and Forestry Minister Eric Hammill. "The regulations will direct the harvest to appropriate stands, promote reforestation and establish a firm set of environmental standards for harvest operations."
The minister said the proposed regulations have been discussed with a number of industry groups, and the upcoming meetings will enable the public to provide input.
"Forest practitioners recognize that public concerns over harvest levels and reforestation are legitimate and must be addressed," said Ian Dennison, Chair of the Forest Partnership Council. "These concerns must be addressed by an approach that is workable for woodlot owners and operators."
The proposed regulations require a pre-harvest assessment on all sites to verify if the stand is suitable for harvest, determine which harvest method will be used, and recommend how the site will be reforested. The assessment will also identify environmentally sensitive areas such as streams or ponds and ensure that harvest activities respect the special needs of those areas. The regulations are also aimed at protecting immature stands.
The public meetings will be held September 14 at the Linkletter Inn in Summerside, September 17 at the Whim Inn at Poole's Corner, and September 21 at the Dutch Inn in Cornwall. Each begins at 7:00 p.m. Groups and individuals who are interested in making formal presentations should register by calling 368-6450 at least two days prior to the meeting.