Just received (Nov 20, 2024) from the Healthy Forest Coalition:
The Healthy Forest Coalition reached out to the provincial party leaders with a 7 point election statement and a question [See Post, Nov 8, 2024, for details]. It ended thus:
…Right now, our government appears to be offering up our forest resources — whether as fiber, biofuel or real estate for wind turbines — to any company offering economic growth, seemingly forgetting the commitments it has already made to protecting the health of our lands and waters and all who depend on them.
The promises of new industries must be weighed against the costs. Wealth without ecosystem health is worthless.
Will you and your party put nature protection first, not last, ending log now, save later and acting with the urgency required to protect 20% of our province by 2030?
Below are the responses (in order of receipt) from the Liberals, NDP and PCs. Due to an error on HFC’s part, the Green Party has only just received the statement. Their response will be post as soon as it is received. See Update
Nova Scotia Liberals:
Meeting the 2030 protection targets is of top priority for a Nova Scotia Liberal government. For example, if voted in, on day one, we will implement the Coastal Protection Act. Additionally, in time, we will ensure that areas of new protected land are put forward.
We know that we have a lot of work to do to protect our ecosystems across the province, and we are committed to engaging diverse voices and perspectives to do so. We will certainly work with experts like yourselves to ensure that action is being taken to maintain Nova Scotia’s forests.
We recognize the urgency of our current climate situation and look forward to working alongside groups like yours to protect our province.
Nova Scotia NDP
– An NDP government will be committed to strong nature and environmental protections.
– An NDP government will proceed without delay to engage widely in identifying and assessing the land and water areas that can best be protected to protect 20% of natural areas in our province by 2030. The NDP will set targets for each stage of this additional protection strategy.
– An NDP government will require a well-founded public process to remove protection from an area, equivalent to the thorough process used before an area is protected, to ensure that protection cannot be quietly removed with little or no attention.
– An NDP government will provide the resources and leadership needed for on-going timely implementation of the ecological forestry policies and processes arising from the Lahey Report, including better definition and protection of old growth forest. Your coalition are important eyes on the forest about these improvements.
– An NDP government will engage Nova Scotia communities and industries in preparing an Environmental Bill of Rights – legislation that would protect the right to clean air, water, and soil, and give Nova Scotians a say in decision-making about what happens in their own communities.
Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative Campaign
Thank you for reaching out to the Progressive Conservative Party of Nova Scotia campaign. We appreciate the opportunity to provide you with a response to your concerns.
A: Our government committed, in law, to protect 20 per cent of our land, water and wetlands by 2030 and are working hard to achieve this goal and maintain Nova Scotia’s reputation as a national leader in conservation. A re-elected PC government will continue to work on meeting this target.
UPDATE Nov 22, 2024
Green Party of Nova Scotia
– Ensure provincial legislation is in place to protect old-growth forests and to both protect and remediate coastal salt marshes, which act as natural carbon sinks.
– Fully implement the recommendations of the 2018 Lahey forestry report.
– Collaborate with researchers and the forestry industry to develop more sustainable forestry practices.
– Support measures to ensure the legislated elimination of clearcutting forestry practices.
– Support facilitation of best practices silviculture on public and private land forestry and for old-forest restoration.
– Call for full implementation of the Endangered Species Act on public and private land.
– Urge legislation preventing toxic agents, such as glyphosate, from being applied to fields and forests.
– Urge legislation preventing the use of forest biomass for the purpose of electricity generation both domestically and abroad.
– Support measures that contribute to carbon sequestration and climate resilience, such as fire-risk criteria and incentives, to conserve old-growth and Acadian forests on public and private land.
– Require both survey-based and molecular-based assessments of forest health and monitoring of invasive or destructive species.