The leader of New Brunswick’s Progressive Conservative party told CBC News this week that he is open to revisiting the controversial forestry deal that his party negotiated and signed when it was in power in 2014.
“In the case of the forestry deal, did we achieve the best value for the citizens of the province?” Higgs told CBC on Jan. 23. “The woodlot owners would say no, and I would say we need to analyze this deal, and if we have not got the right deal for woodlot owners, we need to explore that, and we need to find a way to get it.”
Higgs can add the Conservation Council to the list New Brunswickers who think we got a bad deal with the 2014 forestry strategy.
We were among the broad mix of biologists, conservationists, hunters, fishers and woodlot owners who pointed out the risks of giving industry unsustainable amounts of public forest and allowing companies to clearcut in areas that used to be off-limits — not to mention many other issues with the unfair contracts and unsustainable management plan.
The Conservation Council continues to push for a new Crown Forests Act that works for all New Brunswickers.
Want to help our Forest Conservation campaign?
One thing you can do right now is write your MLA to call for the end of glyphosate spraying on our Crown forest. Hundreds of New Brunswickers have already sent their MLA an email using our fast, easy tool (it takes less than 30 seconds) — have you got yours in yet?
Recommended Links:
- Wildlife, forestry and conservation groups join with scientists and academics to call for new Crown Lands and Forests Act (Nov. 36, 2017)
- Glynn urges new forest management model after federal report shows significant changes coming with climate change (Oct. 30, 2017)
- The way we manage our forest is outdated: experts (Aug. 24, 2017)
- CBC: Forestry changes in 2014 made New Brunswick lumber a target in U.S. (Apr. 28, 2017)
- Fact Sheet: What’s Wrong With N.B’s Crown Forest Management Plan? (Winter 2015)
- Quotable Forestry Quotes (July 26, 2015)
- AG report shows DNR ignored calls to reduce clearcutting in public forest (June 26, 2015)
- Lois Corbett on forestry plan and wood allotment (March 20, 2015)