Islanders can fill in the long winter months of 2005 by offering and discussing their ideas and concerns for the future of Island forests. On January 10, the Public Forest Council will host the first of six public meetings designed to gather Islanders’ input and ideas on what a new Forest Policy should support and promote.
Minister of Environment, Energy and Forestry Jamie Ballem began the process of developing a new Forest Policy for Prince Edward Island with the release of the Forest Policy Discussion Paper in early December. At the same time, Minister Ballem announced that Government asked the Public Forest Council to lead the public consultations on the new policy.
“Throughout January and February, the Council will be holding public consultations in O’Leary, Wellington, Hunter River, Montague, Fortune, and Charlottetown,” said Chair Dr. Ian MacQuarrie. “We are gathering information and ideas on what government’s role should be in terms of the management and conservation of our public and private forests. This information will allow us to develop recommendations which will address peoples’ ideas and concerns in a practical, effective, and cost efficient manner.”
Dr. MacQuarrie noted that the Island’s current forest policy was released in 1987, and was largely centred on the development of a timber industry. Since that time, the industry has expanded, creating jobs and income for thousands of Islanders. In order to meet expanded market opportunities, the harvest industry mechanized and the processing sector increased its reliance on new technology. However, in some ways these were only short term economic benefits because the commercial softwood resource was based largely on old field white spruce stands which were not sustainable for a variety of reasons.
One area of particular concern to many Islanders is the permanent loss of forests through conversion to other uses. Over the 1990s, the Island’s forest area decreased by nearly six per cent due to increases in agricultural and blueberry production, as well as tourism and strip development. Demands on public forest lands also increased as society demanded new outdoor recreation opportunities, access to non-timber forest products, protection of sensitive or unique forest areas, and higher standards for the harvest of traditional forest products.
“These and other issues such as the increasing role of non-timber forest products and non-commodity values such as landscape and water quality are also of interest to many Islanders,” said Dr. MacQuarrie. “Hopefully we will be able to find the commonalities and develop recommendations which balance society’s many demands for our forest lands.”
The Public Forest Council will be hosting meetings January 10 at the O'Leary Lions Hall, January 17 at the Wellington Fire Hall, January 24 at the Hunter River Lions Hall, January 31 at the Rodd Marina Inn in Montague, February 8 at the Fortune Cove Community Hall, and February 15 at the Farm Centre in Charlottetown. All meetings will run from 7-9 p.m., and in case of storm delay, the Council will automatically reschedule the meetings for Wednesday of the same week. Dr. MacQuarrie indicated that the Council will hold additional meetings if demand warrants.
For more information on the Forest Policy development process, or to offer your ideas and suggestions, visit http://www.gov.pe.ca/go/forestpolicy .