Agriculture and Forestry Minister Mitch Murphy today announced that a forest technician from the department has been seconded on a full-time basis to work over the next year with a new forestry cooperative. The Wood Stewards Co-op, formerly the Queens Country Woodlot Owners Association, hopes to attract 60 members with some 2500 acres of forest land across Prince Edward Island. The forest technician, Todd LaFrance, will support sustainable harvest and management practices on their forest lands and improve forest-related economic returns to its members. He will also assist in organizing workshops designed to increase landowners' awareness of their woodlot's potential, help the co-op recruit new members and develop working relationships with forest contractors.
"As a government, we are strongly committed to the sustainable development of the province's forest lands," said Mr. Murphy. "Because the vast majority of those lands are privately-owned, we look forward to working more closely with landowners to identify and implement improved management and harvesting practices."
Mr. Murphy said that providing staff support will help the co-op get established, identify long-term goals and strategies, and help it become self-sufficient.
"This is a great start to develop the critical mass required to provide the best range of management services to our members," said co-op chair Malcolm MacFarlane of Stanley Bridge. "The minister agreed to support our request to second a forest technician to help us identify and implement management and harvest work which can be done on members' lands in the coming year."
Over the last several years, there has been growing public concern over high harvest levels and insufficient re-planting on privately-owned Island forests.
"The debate over how to approach harvest-related issues on private land touched most of our members," said co-op general manager Bruce McCallum. "There was a lot of frustration about the inability of the industry to address the need for sustainable harvesting practices, so we decided to act on our own behalf and demonstrate that woodlot owners can do a responsible job of managing and harvesting their woodlands."
Mr. McCallum said that, unlike farmers, woodlot owners do not derive a large portion of their livelihood from their forests, nor do they harvest and market their own forest products. Instead, they rely on harvest contractors to cut and sell wood, and that while most contractors harvest responsibly, they have little interest in the long-tem management of the woodlot.
"By working collectively through the co-op, our members will get a management plan that spells out the range of options for the various stands in their woodlots over time and base their harvest and management decisions on those options," he said. "The management plans will also serve as a guide for contractors. As well, the co-op can facilitate educational opportunities and information sharing, and help find new markets for new or non-traditional forest products."
Mr. Murphy said that based on the outcome of this pilot project, government may consider support for comparable ventures. "We want to give this co-operative idea a good trial run and we will base future woodlot owner group support on our experience," he said. "This initiative of land owners working together to encourage sustainability and stewardship is a positive step forward."