"An effective and well-developed resource roads program assists in our forest management efforts to ensure healthy regeneration of the resource," said the Honourable Kathy Dunderdale, Minister of Natural Resources and Minister Responsible for the Forestry and Agrifoods Agency. "This program assists in providing the infrastructure to allow harvesting to occur in an environmentally-sustainable manner that ensures economic benefits and ecological integrity."

The work is valued at $320,000 and is part of the Provincial Government�s annual $4.2-million capital resource roads construction program. The program provides construction or upgrade of access roads on Crown land, based on priority and forest management activities in various parts of the province.

These new access roads are in the Point Leamington and Fortune Harbour areas. The work will see the clearing and construction of two new roads off Southern Lake resource road, three kilometres of new road off Pine Pond resource road, and four new road extensions off Bulley�s Cove resource road. A 50-metre stretch of an existing resource road on Bulley�s Cove road will also be reconstructed. This project is employing 12 people for three months.

"I�m thrilled to see the Provincial Government�s continued support of the resource roads program in rural areas of the province," said Clayton Forsey, MHA for Exploits. "Resource roads are critical for maintaining sustainable forest harvesting and to ensuring the continued growth of the industry, which provides valuable jobs for families all over the province."

The forest industry is vital to the rural economy of Newfoundland and Labrador. Budget 2008 provides $55 million for the forest industry, including $14 million in new funding for diversification initiatives to provide for stability and create growth in the industry.