Drafting
Also see Wabanaki Forest/Links
Pan-NS Associations
Federation of Nova Scotia Woodland Owners (FNSWO)
“The FNSWO is a non-profit organization providing forest certification, woodlot management, extension services, and advocacy to Nova Scotia’s small private woodland owners.” Promotes FSC certification. Informative website.
Forest Nova Scotia (FNS)
Formerly the Forest Products Association of Nova Scotia. “We’re the largest organization of forestry interests in the province. Since 1934, we’ve served as the voice of the forest industry in Nova Scotia.”
Healthy Forest Coalition
“The HFC started in 2016, protesting the rampant clearcutting of Nova Scotia’s forests and increased harvesting of timber for biomass. We wanted to halt these practices and to ensure that our government’s policies would foster restoration of the Acadian forest, protection of special places, and maintenance of biodiversity.”
Nova Scotia Forestry Association (NSFA)
“Originally established in the early 1940’s, the Nova Scotia Forestry Association (NSFA) was formed to help promote wise management and conservation of Nova Scotia’s forests through education and communication. Over the past 80 years, the NSFA has evolved – we no longer see the forest as just trees; we take into account wildlife, soils, watercourses and other vegetation, and we strive to promote wise management and conservation of the whole Nova Scotia forest environment.” Coordinates Nova Scotia Envirothon. “The Nova Scotia Envirothon program was established in 1993 to challenge high school students and educators to look at the natural resources our great province has to offer, in a combined classroom and hands-on atmosphere.”
Nova Scotia Woodlot Owners and Operators Association (NSWOOA)
“The Nova Scotia Woodlot Owners and Operators Association is an independent organization of woodlot owners achieving prosperity, stewardship, and solidarity through the practice of ecologically, socially, and economically sustainable forestry. Founded in 1969, NSWOOA is the oldest association of small forest landowners in Nova Scotia.” Very informative website. Hosts The Forestry Lab. “The Forestry Lab will focus on business model innovation that aligns the industry with existing and potential competitive advantages from operating in Nova Scotia; the long-term productive capacity of our forests; and the values of our communities.”
Nova Scotia Working Woodlands Trust (NSWWT)
“The Nova Scotia Working Woodlands Trust (NSWWT) was founded to fill a void in land conservation in Nova Scotia. We aim to uphold the long-term stewardship of working woodlands in Nova Scotia, through ecological forestry and conservation…The NSWWT offers a wide variety of services to help you conserve your stewardship legacy. Through the Nova Scotia Community Easements Act, NSWWT places working woodlot easements on private woodlands with exceptional stewardship legacies. Woodlot owners remain the stewards and owners of their lands, but must adhere to their easement agreed practices. These are tied to the forest management plan complete by one of our partner organizations. Placing an easement on your property does not have to mean you can’t continue to harvest firewood or maintain an annual harvest. Combined with the principles of ecological forestry, our easements allow us to keep working the woods without comprising biodiversity.”
Save Our Old Forests (SOOF)
“The Save Our Old Forests (SOOF) Association is a registered nonprofit based in Kespukwitk, Mi’kma’ki. SOOF has two primary objectives:
“- To engage the public in helping to protect the forests in keeping with the Government of Nova Scotia’s commitment to protect 20% of Nova Scotia’s lands and waters by 2030; and
– To raise awareness of the ecological importance of protecting forests over 80 years old in particular.”
Other associations, more specialized or local or not restricted to NS
Acadian Forest Keepers
“The Acadian Forest Keepers are an independent group of forest-owning families and small businesses from throughout Canada’s Maritime provinces. Our members share a desire to conserve and restore the natural Acadian Forest, a belief that healthy forests make healthy communities, and a long-term perspective on caring for our forests. Our woodlands are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council®”
Association for Sustainable Forestry (ASF)
“The Association for Sustainable Forestry (ASF) is a progressive organization, which provides small private woodland owners with the financial means to implement forest improvement work on their properties. The ASF works with silviculture contractors, woodland owner groups, and individuals to allocate and monitor the silviculture funds available through the provisions of the Nova Scotia Forests Act. The association acts as a conduit between woodland owners and the forest industry, and is dedicated to ensuring the future health and enhancement of resources on privately owned woodlands.”
(Does not seem to be membership based; provides services.)
Athol Forestry Cooperative Ltd.
“Athol Forestry Cooperative Limited (Athol), established in 1977, is a co-operative of independent woodlot owners with holdings located in northwestern Nova Scotia. Athol employs a staff of dedicated forestry professionals who work on behalf of the members to manage and protect the many values of their woodlots. With membership exceeding 250 landowners, Athol currently manages in excess of 45,000 acres.”
Canadian Woodlands Forum (CWF)
CWF, is a not-for profit membership based organization recognized for its commitment to effective, quality woodlands operations in support of sustainable forest management…The Mission of the Canadian Woodlands Forum is to improve the efficiency, cost-effectiveness and profitability of woodlands operations, through an ongoing commitment to providing opportunities for communication and a means to exchange knowledge of best practices, technology and innovations that contribute towards sustaining a robust, safe, and environmentally responsible wood fiber supply chain.” Included on this because it ‘seems to have a Maritime/NS core. Physical address is in Hilden, N.S., mail address in Truro)
Christmas Tree Council of Nova Scotia
“This website provides services for growers, members, and industry partners. If you are a member of the public seeking information on Nova Scotian grown Christmas trees, please visit our sister site: iloverealtrees.com. There you will find information on the benefits of real trees, tips on choosing a tree, where to buy your real tree, and much more!”
Forestry Sector Council
“The Forestry Sector Council is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to developing a skilled and professional workforce for the Nova Scotia forest industry. We collaborate with our partners to identify and solve labour challenges and pursue advancement in human resource innovation and capacity building. Our strategic priorities are talent attraction and retention, skill development, and HR planning…Our organization began in 1989, as the Nova Scotia Forest Industry Regional Industrial Training Committee (RITC). With a shift in Human Resources and Skills Development Canada in 2000, the RITCs evolved into sector councils, and we became the Nova Scotia Forestry Human Resources Sector Council (NSFHRSC). Re-branding in April 2021, we became the Forestry Sector Council (FSC) that we are today!”
Nova Scotia Forestry Economic Task Force (NSFETF)
No mission statement on website. Under Home: it is stated only “Contact is to learn more”.
Cited at topline.com “Our Mission is to provide a platform for the Nova Scotia forestry sector to engage with key stakeholders in order to create a shared vision that recognizes the sustainable, environmental and economic potential of Nova Scotia’s forests. Our Vision is to develop an empirically based, economically focused strategic plan: the ‘Forestry Economic Opportunities Plan’ which will be used to support the work of the Task Force in fostering sustainable investment attraction and growth in the Nova Scotia Forest Industry’. Elsewhere it has been described as “industry led”; in 2021 it was announced in a NS Gov News Release: “The Forestry Economic Task Force will receive more than $2.6 million to develop a roadmap to sustain and grow Nova Scotia’s forestry sector. The task force will oversee an industry-led, collaborative approach to identify key economic challenges, market trends and opportunities for the industry.” In the same announcement this “Quick Fact” was given: “members of the Forestry Economic Task Force, a not-for-profit organization, include Forest Nova Scotia, the Wood Product Manufacturers Association of Nova Scotia, NSCC (Truro), Maritime Lumber Bureau, Nova Scotia Innovation Hub, Canadian Woodlands Forum, Cumberland Forestry Advisory Committee and 14 independently owned forestry businesses”. On the website, 13 Directors are currently (Aug 2024) cited; the first is Alan Eddy, at one-time a Senior Forester with Nova Scotia Power, then a top bureaucrat in government (amongst them: Associate Deputy Director Deputy, NS DNR, Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives; Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries and Aquaculture), since 2018 manager of business development for Port Hawkesbury Paper; he is a long-standing advocate of biomass energy. (All of this cited to illustrate that the NSFETF is a quasi-NS government organization, or at least well supported by the NS Government.)
Maple Producers Association of Nova Scotia
“The Maple Producers Association of Nova Scotia is a member driven association of maple syrup producers and professionals working towards the common goal of bettering the maple syrup industry in Nova Scotia.”
Nova Scotia Landowners and Forest Fibre Producers Association
“NSLFFPA is an independent Association which provides forest management, certification and extension services for private woodlot owners in Eastern Nova Scotia. We advocate for sustainable management of our privateland forest resource, and believe appropriate forest management can contribute to both the ecology and economy of our region.” Group manager for FSC® certified woodlots in Eastern Nova Scotia.”We are an organization of private woodlot owners who struggled successfully for the right and responsibility to negotiate prices for our wood and manage our forests to the highest environmental standards.” Confusing overlap with NSWOOA which I will try to sort out. Informative website.
Nova Scotia Forest Technicians Association
“The Nova Scotia Forest Technicians Association objectives are: To elevate the image of the Nova Scotia Forest Technicians in the eyes of the government, industry and the public in general. To foster high standards of efficiency…Maintain and promote the NSFTA Code of Ethics.” Sponsors the Big Tree Contest
North Nova Forest Owners Co-op Ltd
“NORTH NOVA FOREST OWNERS CO-OPERATIVE LIMITED (NNFO) is a Forest Management Co-op incorporated in 1976. NNFO is owned and directed by its shareholders who take advantage of its services.”
Registered Professional Foresters Association of Nova Scotia (RPFANS)
“The Registered Professional Foresters Association of Nova Scotia (RPFANS) is a non-profit association for professional foresters who are dedicated to ethical professional conduct,accountability and maintenance of competency through continued forestry education, to improve the holistic management of the forest resources in the Province of Nova Scotia, and to ensure the public of the proficiency of Registered Professional Foresters.” Maintains the Nova Scotia Forestry Hall of Fame
Westfor Management Inc
“WestFor was created in 2016 when 12 mills came together to create a partnership to effectively manage crown lands in western Nova Scotia. WestFor manages crown lands holistically to ensure the highest value is attained for the province. This partnership has led to the implementation of better forestry practices and the highest environmental and safety standards. Through this process our 12 local mills, many of them family owned, have been able to invest in their businesses providing local employment and give back to their local communities where trees are grown and harvested.”
Nova Scotia Hemlock Initiative
Info on HWA, upcoming events etc. Also on FB