Department Concerned over Illegal Cutting on Silviculture Sites  

Forestry officials are raising concern over the impact of the illegal cutting of wood for personal use on silviculture sites is having on efforts to manage and sustain the province�s forest resource. 

Any unauthorized cutting on silviculturally-treated sites undermines reforestation efforts, but of particular concern to forestry officials is the level of illegal cutting in the Carmanville area, near the location known locally as �the 1961 burn.�

�This is senseless destruction of our forest management efforts and it cannot be allowed to continue,� said the Honourable Kathy Dunderdale, Minister of Natural Resources.  �These silviculture sites have been developed at considerable taxpayer expense and are a valuable part of our efforts to protect our forest resource. Removing this wood for personal use is illegal and will not be tolerated.�

The department has received a number of complaints from members of the public and industry in the Carmanville area in recent weeks over the level of destruction illegal cutting is having on silviculture efforts there. In response to the complaints, conservation officers are patrolling various silviculture sites and signs have been erected to reinforce that cutting is not permitted.

Silviculture projects play a vital role in proper forest management and in the economies of rural communities.  Government has invested over $30 million in silviculture since 2003, creating nearly 1,000 person years of employment or seasonal employment for 3,000-4,000 people.  The renewable nature of the forest resource requires replacement of trees through an effective silviculture program.  Government provided an additional $1 million this year for silviculture to increase the total number of tree seedlings planted in the province this year from 11 to 15 million.  

Domestic wood cutters are asked to not cut in silviculturally-treated areas.  Information on how to obtain a domestic cutting permit is available by contacting their local forestry and wildlife office or by visiting the Department of Natural Resources web site at www.nr.gov.nl.ca/forestry/permits/licence.stm#domestic 

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Media contact:
Tracy Barron
Director of Communications
Department of Natural Resources
709-729-5282, 690-1703
tracybarron@gov.nl.ca 

2006 11 23                                                        9:55 a.m.