"One need only look down from a plane, or check out the satellite view of any Crown land forest in Nova Scotia to see just how much clearcutting
is going on. Total massacre. Logging roads growing like a cancer across the province.

"The future is looking mighty grim."

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MEDIA INVESTIGATION into Paper Excellence, 8-Part Series

Deforestation Inc:
How an email from China triggered an international investigative journalism project
Joan Baxter — Halifax Examiner, March 1, 2023

Deforestation Inc:
Paper Excellence and the 'environmental insult' to a First Nation community
Is Paper Excellence's Northern Pulp a good neighbour?
Pictou Landing First Nation Chief Andrea Paul says No
Joan Baxter — Halifax Examiner, March 2, 2023

Deforestation Inc:
Are Paper Excellence and Asia Pulp & Paper linked companies? They say they aren't.
Here's what we've learned
Joan Baxter — Halifax Examiner, March 9, 2023

Deforestation Inc:
Paper Excellence's rapid expansion in Canada is a 'fibre grab' to feed mills in China, say critics
Joan Baxter — Halifax Examiner, March 10, 2023

Deforestation Inc:
Nova Scotia opts for forest certification scheme critics call 'greenwashing'
Joan Baxter — Halifax Examiner, March 14, 2023

Deforestation Inc:
Canada is a 'world laggard' in sustainable forestry, say critics, and Paper Excellence's expansion threatens this country's boreal forests
With Paper Excellence now controlling 21% of Canada's pulp and paper industry and 22 million hectares of Canada's forest lands, should Canadians be concerned about its growing control of an entire industry and its supply chain?
Joan Baxter — Halifax Examiner, March 17, 2023

Deforestation Inc:
Media investigation into Paper Excellence ignites concerns on Parliament Hill over the company's mysterious ownership, Chinese ties, and rapid expansion in Canada
Joan Baxter — Halifax Examiner, March 22, 2023

Deforestation Inc:
Parliamentary committee to investigate ownership of Paper Excellence
Joan Baxter — Halifax Examiner, March 31, 2023

UN Biodiversity Conference: COP15 in Montréal Canada, December 7 - 19, 2022

Burning trees to fight #climatechange?
We've been duped and more scientists are speaking out. In honour of the UN biodiversity summit (Cop15), 650 scientists penned a letter stating that bioenergy is not "carbon neutral" and contributes to wildlife loss.
Still Feeding the Fire — When is the biomass fraud going to end?
Linda Pannozzo — The Quaking Swamp Journal, December 5, 2022

Cutting down trees for bioenergy results in the release of carbon that would otherwise had been locked up in carbon-rich forests. This increases emissions and creates "carbon debt," which is only paid off decades or even centuries later if the trees are regrown, the scientists say.
Stop burning trees to make energy, say 650 scientists before Cop15 biodiversity summit
The Guardian, December 5, 2022

Canada accused of putting its timber trade ahead of global environment
Weeks before Cop15 in Montreal, leaked letter to EU shows host tried to water down deforestation regulations
The Guardian, December 1, 2022

Open letter to the Government of Canada from 70+ conservation, climate and health groups

"Canada is heading to the COP27 conference in Egypt with a major gap in its climate plan"
— Michael Polanyi, Policy and Campaign Manager at Nature Canada

". . . we are writing to express concern about the lack of government transparency regarding greenhouse gas emissions from logging, which have recently been reported
as being on par with emissions from oil sands production. "

nova scotia clearcut

Ecology Action photo

Nova Scotia Biomass FAQs

A primer on the Nova Scotia biomass industry provided by Raymond Plourde of Ecology Action Centre, updated as of May 2021.

The Biomass Delusion

Position Statement on Forest Biomass Energy:
"We share a vision of a world in which thriving natural forests play a significant role in tackling climate change and contribute to a clean, healthy, just and sustainable future for all life on earth. Burning forest wood for large-scale energy production cannot be part of that future for all of the reasons outlined below. Instead we must protect and restore natural forests, thereby reducing emissions and removing atmospheric carbon dioxide while supporting biodiversity, resilience and well-being."

Special Report - October, 2021

Environmental Goals & Climate Change Plan for Clean Growth
What We Heard
Clean Foundation and the Nova Scotia Department of Environment and Climate Change asked Nova Scotians for their opinions on the environment and climate crisis (May 27 - July 26, 2021). There was much support for Sustainable Forestry.
pdf: 48 pages

logging loopholes report

Special Report: Missing the Forest

How [Gov't sanctioned] Carbon Loopholes for Logging Hinder Canada's Climate Leadership
Report authors: Jennifer Skene and Michael Polanyi

October, 2021
26 pages

DALE SMITH: How to finally safeguard Nova Scotia Crown land as valued public asset

NS Dept. Lands and Forestry has to go
Saltwire, August 25, 2021 - 6 min read

Ecological Forestry Practices in Nova Scotia

Ecological Forestry
July 19, 2021 - Video 10min

Take a tour of a forest days before it's to be harvested

Ben Kendrick's Photo Story
June 22, 2021

David Patriquin: Why [Nova Scotia] needs a clearcutting moratorium - a brief history lesson

KJIPUKTUK (Halifax) - Text of a speech by naturalist and retired biology professor David Patriquin delivered at March 23, 2021 rally at Province House in support of a temporary clearcutting moratorium and marking the end of Jacob Fillmore's hunger strike after 23 days.
April 4, 2021

Greenwashing Advisory: Each of these phrases means "Clearcutting"

  • Even-aged
  • Variable retention
  • Over-storey removal
  • Salvage cut
  • Shelterwood

Exceptional videos on Forestry in Nova Scotia

Finding the Mother Tree

Suzanne Simard's work reveals the connection and communication between forest trees

Simard has spent the last four decades, with rigorous experiment and study, understanding how trees talk to each other. She's found that they are part of a mutually supportive community, sharing resources with both kin and strangers that are in need. In doing so, she's profoundly changed the way we should see forests.
CBC Radio
April 30, 2021
Text & audio (17mn)

Some of the problems associated with clearcutting

What's Environmentally Wrong with Clear-cutting?

Bob Bancroft
Nova Scotia Wildlife Biologist, President of Nature Nova Scotia
Spring, 2021
pdf - 8 pages

www.sciencing.com

  • Removal of the forest canopy negatively affects other ecological zones.
  • Removal of all the trees from an area destroys the physical habitats of many wildlife species.
  • Increases soil erosion by water runoff. Soil quality takes a hit
  • Removal of trees shading streams raises the water temperature and lowers its oxygen levels to the detriment of fish and other aquatic fauna.

www.wisegeek.com

  • Loss of habitat impacts species-at-risk - birds, reptiles, and mammals
  • Elevation in stream temperatures of even a few degrees can make a huge difference to native plants, fish and amphibians,
  • Major destructive changes can take decades to correct.
  • Riverbank erosion causes collapse.
  • The water cycle is altered.
  • Quality of the atmosphere is adversely affected. Trees filter pollutants from the air, and are a key part of the carbon cycle.

www.lovetoknow.com

  • Animals may be forced to find new habitats. Often they do not thrive and become vulnerable to predators or annoying to humans.
  • Can leave different (i.e. agricultural) ecosystems more vulnerable to invasive plants and animals.
  • Trees are effective carbon sinks. Clearcutting on a large scale could have a significant impact on global climate change.
  • Trees anchor soil. The degradation of soil is one of the most pressing environmental issues facing society at present and clearcutting contributes to it.
  • Increase risk of landslides and fires.
  • Can create new breeding grounds for mosquitoes, which can transmit deadly diseases ranging from malaria to yellow fever.
  • Recreation associated with national forests may bring in 31 times as much income as logging these same national forests in the United States. Recreation can yield as many as 38 times as many jobs.
  • The natural beauty of forests is a draw for tourists as well as people who are looking to relocate.

www.huffpost.com

  • Clearcutting is often used to feed the biomass industry. Burning Biomass is Not Renewable Energy and fuels the climate crisis


Across Nova Scotia, and the globe, much is being done to grow awareness of the harm caused on eco-systems, plants, animals and humans by Clear-Cutting and Aerial Spraying of glyphosate-based herbicides. And yet, the powerful forestry industry has deep connections to various levels of government. And so, educating and defending continues.

Our Nova Scotia Acadian Forests

Media reports

In the Spring of 2020

There's a problem with that . . .

#StopClearcuttingNow

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