Government must stand up for protected natural areas
In 2023, the provincial government announced 400,000 hectares of forest would be protected, with the goal of conserving 10% of New Brunswick’s land. However, these lands have not been protected under legislation yet. Without legal protection, these forests remain vulnerable to industrial logging.
Back in December David Coon asked Natural Resources Minister John Herron if he’d allow JD Irving to cut in newly protected natural areas as they had requested. He said that “those areas in the legislated protected area zones will not be open for logging.” He full-well knew that the new Nature Legacy protected areas are not yet protected in legislation.
Less than two months later, Minister Herron is on the verge of permitting JDI to cut 16,571 hectares of these protected forest ecosystems for a “wood supply more cost competitive” for J.D. Irving. This would swap out natural areas that currently shelter animal and plant populations from industrial forestry operations for forest that has been degraded.
In the words of David Coon, “Minister Herron has a public obligation to defend protected areas rather than sacrifice them on the altar of corporate profits.” If you agree with David that Minister Herron and Premier Holt just need to say no, please sign our petition to join us in our call to keep our protected natural areas conserved.