Fredericton – David Coon, MLA for Fredericton South and leader of the Green Party of New Brunswick issued the following statement in recognition of Earth Day, April 22nd:

“Fiddleheads will be emerging along our riverbanks shortly – the indisputable harbinger of spring in New Brunswick and an enduring symbol of rebirth and renewal. Another sure sign of spring, is the emergence of wild queen bumblebees from their long winter hibernation in the soil, but I worry they will not find the spring flowers to feed on in our degraded forests.

While half of our forests are held in trust by the Province as Crown land, they have never regulated forestry activities to conserve habitat for spring flowers, or any other flower or shrub for that matter.

I have tabled a bill that will be debated at Second Reading, shortly after Earth Day. Its purpose is to amend the legislation governing the use of Crown lands to achieve sustainability, equity, fairness and justice. I hope this will reignite a public debate about how Crown lands are to be effectively managed for the protection of plant and wild life, and for the public good.”