NS Government and a few other News Releases ‘pertaining to ‘Implementation of the Triad’ under the current (PC) Government
Also view: Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act – Annual Progress Reporting
To search by department, & other classifications, see https://novascotia.ca/news/
Aug 13, 2024
Funding Available for Industries to Move Toward Cleaner Fuels
Natural Resources and Renewables
Aug 9, 2024
Premier Appoints New Communications Director
Premier’s Office ““Premier Tim Houston announced today, August 9, that Stephen Moore has been appointed Communications Director for the Premier’s Office.“Stephen has proven experience in communications, and I am excited to welcome him to the team,” said Premier Houston. “I look forward to working with him as we continue to improve healthcare and build up Nova Scotia.” Mr. Moore is currently the Executive Director of Forest Nova Scotia…”
31 July 2024
Report Shows Significant Progress in Response to Climate Change
Environment and Climate Change
26 July 2024
Funding for Wildlife Habitat Conservation Projects
Natural Resources and Renewables “Fifteen projects that aim to enhance and conserve wildlife and habitats are moving forward with funding from the Habitat Conservation Fund.n“This fund is vital for maintaining ecosystem health, supporting biodiversity, habitat conservation and community research,” said Tory Rushton, Minister of Natural Resources and Renewables. “I thank all groups advancing habitat projects and hunters and trappers whose wildlife habitat stamp purchases make these efforts possible.” Wildlife habitat stamps are required to hunt, trap or snare in Nova Scotia. An Acadia University project to track black bears and analyze their movements and behaviour and another looking at deer parasites are among this year’s funding recipients. A project through the Trappers Association of Nova Scotia will promote humane trapping methods. The full list of projects is available at: https://novascotia.ca/natr/wildlife/habfund/
19 July 2024
Temporary Suspension of Cape Breton Moose Hunt
NRR “The Province is suspending the licensed Cape Breton moose hunt for three years because of a significant drop in the population. The Mi’kmaq are also putting a moratorium on their rights-based moose harvest until population numbers are sustainable.”
Consultation on New Protected Areas Begins
Environment and Climate Change. “…The Department launched an online survey today, July 19. Public input will be accepted until September 20. The survey is available at: https://www.novascotia.ca/nse/protectedareas/…at this time, 13.6 per cent of the province’s land and water is protected…the challenge fund agreement concluded on March 31 and was replaced with the Canada-Nova Scotia Nature Agreement, which will help to create new wilderness areas and nature reserves and support Mi’kmaq-led conservation, with a goal to protect 82,500 more hectares of land and water by 2026”
28 June 2024
Province Advances Work on Offshore Wind Road Map
Natural Resources and Renewables “The Province has released the second module of the offshore wind road map, which lays out its plan to develop a robust supply chain for the emerging sector.”
13 June 2024
Nova Scotia Delegation Supports Federal Offshore Wind Bill
Natural Resources and Renewables “Nova Scotia sent a clear message to Ottawa today, June 13, that federal legislation must pass quickly to help establish the offshore wind industry.”
22 May 2024
Province Helping Industries Move Toward Cleaner Fuels
NRR News Release“The fund helps replace fossil fuels with cleaner fuels for heating, transportation and industrial processes. Options include biofuels and biomass from forestry waste products, green hydrogen and renewable natural gas.”
29 April 2024
Wildfire Report Highlights Strengths, Areas for Improvement
Natural Resources and Renewables
20 December 2023
New Island Lake Wilderness Area Among 14,000 More Hectares Now Protected
Environment and Climate Change “…Minister Halman also released the Collaborative Protected Areas Strategy, which will guide the Province’s work in achieving the goal to protect 20 per cent of Nova Scotia’s land and water mass.”
– Nova Scotia Collaborative Protected Areas Strategy: https://www.novascotia.ca/nse/protectedareas/docs/collaborative-protected-areas-strategy-en.pdf
– More information about wilderness areas and nature reserves is available at: https://www.novascotia.ca/nse/protectedareas/
– Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act: https://nslegislature.ca/sites/default/files/legc/statutes/environmental%20goals%20and%20climate%20change%20reduction.pdf
Our Climate, Our Future: Nova Scotia’s Climate Change Plan for Clean Growth: https://climatechange.novascotia.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/ns-climate-change-plan.pdf
Parks and protected areas plan: https://novascotia.ca/parksandprotectedareas/pdf/Parks-Protected-Plan.pdf
22 November 2023
Forestry Trust Announces Funding for New Program
Economic Development
The Nova Scotia Forestry Innovation Transition Trust is investing $9.85 million in a new program to support businesses facing increased costs from adopting more sustainable forestry practices.
September 2023
EAC response to the NSECC Collaborative Protected Areas Strategy Engagement Survey
17 August 2023
Groups Use Funding for Wildlife Habitat Conservation
Natural Resources and Renewables Universities, conservation groups and community organizations are using grants to improve wildlife habitats around the province. Fifteen projects are receiving more than $220,000 from the Habitat Conservation Fund. The fund supports research, education and land acquisition to help conserve wildlife and its habitat. The fund is supported by the sale of wildlife habitat stamps that are required to hunt, trap or snare in Nova Scotia.
17 January 2023
High Production Forest Zone in Place
Natural Resources and Renewables
Ten per cent of Crown land – 185,000 hectares, currently – will be allocated for the high production forest zone where clear-cutting is allowed, as recommended in the review. Once forestry licensees have harvested an area in this zone, they will prepare and add nutrients to the soil, plant high-quality, fast-growing seedlings and manage the crop for decades. This method of forestry can produce crops of trees that mature in 25 to 40 years, compared with 60 to 90 years through traditional approaches. High production forestry will be done mainly on Crown lands that have been previously used for forestry or agriculture, are conducive to growing spruce trees quickly and are relatively close to existing sawmills. It will not be done on Crown lands that include or are near parks and protected areas, old growth forests, sensitive habitats, tolerant hardwood or pine forests, special wildlife management zones, buffers along watercourses or areas with high Indigenous cultural value.
18 Aug 2022
All Old-Growth Forest Protected
Natural Resources and Renewables
All old-growth forest on Crown land is now protected as part of the Province’s new approach to ecological forestry…Additional Resources:
An Old-Growth Forest Policy for Nova Scotia: https://novascotia.ca/ecological-forestry/docs/old-growth-forest-policy.pdf
Summary of feedback from public consultation: https://novascotia.ca/ecological-forestry/docs/old-growth-forest-consultation-2022.pdfhttps://novascotia.ca/ecological-forestry/docs/old-growth-forest-consultation-2022.pdf
3 June 2022
Forestry Advisory Committee Members Appointed
Natural Resources and Renewables
Forest Biodiversity Science Advisory Committee members:
Peter Bush, Manager of Forest Research and Planning, Department of Natural Resources and Renewables
Tara Crewe, chair and Manager of Ecosystems and Habitats, Department of Natural Resources and Renewables
Peter Duinker, professor emeritus, Dalhousie University (retired)
Thom Erdle, professor, University of New Brunswick (retired)
Tom Herman, professor emeritus, Acadia University (retired)
Yolanda Wiersma, professor, Memorial University
Ministerial Advisory Committee members:
Jane Barker, Co-Director, Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute
Kirsten Campbell, Manager, Cape Breton Privateland Partnership
Mac Davis, private woodlot owner
Angie Gillis, Associate Executive Director, Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq
Greg Herrett, chair and CAO, Municipality of the County of Cumberland
Breck Stuart, General Manager, Westfor Inc.
Chris Tufts, Vice-President, Tufts Forestry Services Ltd.
—
Download the FBSAC Strategic Research Plan (PDF)
Download the committee terms of Reference (PDF)
29 April 2022
Province Making Progress on Implementing New Forest Practices Guide
Natural Resources and Renewables
The Silvicultural Guide for the Ecological Matrix applies to Acadian forest on Crown land and is being phased in gradually. By June 1, the majority of practices in the guide will be required. The guide outlines the types of forest practices that can be used within matrix – also known as mixed forest – areas on Crown lands. In these areas, the triad model of ecological forestry prioritizes biodiversity conservation through lower impact forestry and reduces clearcutting. As of February 1, the Department has required that new harvest plan proposals follow most of the practices in the new guide. The requirement also applies to proposals that were submitted before February 1 but not approved by that date. These harvest proposals now reflect the latest requirements when they are posted on the Harvest Plan Map Viewer for public consultation. Effective June 1, the requirement to follow practices in the new guide will be extended to most harvest plans that had been approved using previous guidelines. In the few cases where meeting that time frame is not possible, licensees must work with the Department to transition their harvest plans as quickly as possible.
4 April 2022
Funding Supports Adoption of Ecological Forestry
The Department is investing $830,000 for several projects to protect species at risk, working with: Atlantic Canada Conservation Data Centre to expand information gathering and data management
Nova Scotia Invasive Species Council to support enhanced data management and co-ordinated reporting systems Saint Mary’s University to develop mapping and planning tools for lichens that are at risk
E.C. Smith Herbarium at Acadia University to support field work for collecting baseline data and monitoring plants and lichens that are at risk. The Department is also investing $445,000 to establish a Centre for Sustainable Soil Management in partnership with Dalhousie University. It will support expanded research and information sharing about soil nutrient management to ensure harvests do not exceed the soil’s capacity to support regeneration and re-growth.
25 November 2021
New Mainland Moose Recovery Plan
Natural Resources and Renewables
A new recovery plan will help the long-term recovery of Nova Scotia’s endangered mainland moose population.
5 November 2021
House Session Advances Action on Nova Scotians’ Priorities
Premier’s Office “…Ambitious environmental legislation, with targets and a strong focus on equity and inclusion, was also passed, continuing Nova Scotia’s leadership in environmental sustainability. The Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act includes the strongest 2030 greenhouse gas emission reduction target in Canada and sets the path for achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
For a complete list of bills passed this session, visit: https://nslegislature.ca/legislative-business/bills-statutes/bills/assembly-64-session-1[Includes:Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act, Nov 5, 2021.]
27 October 2021
Legislation to Address Climate Crisis, Guide Province to Cleaner, Sustainable Future
Environment and Climate Change The Province is introducing an ambitious plan to guide Nova Scotia toward a cleaner, healthier environment where the benefits of being a leader in environmental sustainability and a better quality of life go hand in hand…The legislation contains solutions that will guide Nova Scotia toward sustainable prosperity over the next 10 years and beyond. It will result in the Province working more closely with partners to encourage the growth of a cleaner economy and greening of traditional industries. Some of the goals include:
– 80 per cent of Nova Scotia’s energy to be supplied by renewable energy by 2030
– 30 per cent of vehicle sales by 2030 to be zero-emission vehicles
– conserve at least 20 per cent of total land and water mass
– develop a provincial food strategy and support consumption of local food
– modernize the environmental assessment process to include consideration of cumulative impacts; Netukulimk – the traditional Mi’kmaq concept of connection and balance between the natural and human worlds; diversity, equity and inclusion; climate change; and independent review
– reduce solid waste disposal rates to no more than 300 kilograms per person per year by 2030.
9 March 2021
Third Session of the 63rd General Assembly of the Nova Scotia Legislature Speech from the Throne
Nova Scotia will be the first province in Canada to achieve carbon neutrality. In the forestry sector, my government will accelerate the implementation of the recommendations of the report of Professor William Lahey to adopt ecological forestry principles, placing protection of the ecosystem and biodiversity in the forefront of forest management practices. My government is committed to higher value production with lower ecological impacts as we innovate away from industrial forestry to ecological forestry.
Forestry Innovation Transition Trust (Search)
20 April 2023
15 entries 2024 back to June 21, 2020
Selected example:
Forestry Trust Announces Two New Projects
Economic Development
Two more projects, totalling more than $2.5 million, have been approved by the trustees of the Forestry Innovation Transition Trust. The Verschuren Centre for Sustainability in Energy and the Environment is receiving $926,500 to further support the development of the Bio-technology and Bio-manufacturing Acceleration Centre in Sydney. It aims to advance commercialization of key forestry and biomass sector innovative technology companies. Research Nova Scotia will receive about $1.6 million for a project to assist the forestry sector as it transitions to the ecological forestry model. The five-year research and knowledge mobilization program will be led by Dalhousie University.