PORT BLANDFORD, N.L. — The Department of Fisheries and Land Resources has officially offered a revised plan to both the Town of Port Blandford and its citizens regarding forest harvesting in the area, while the Port Blandford Citizens Against Clearcutting group will be reviewing the proposal this evening.
The changes to the five-year forestry plan stem from protests this year from members of the community who did not want to see clearcutting in the Southwest River Valley area surrounding Port Blandford.
The department issued a press release on Tuesday, May 1, detailing their updated proposal to the community.
In its revised plan the department calls it a compromise, saying they’ve considered the suggestions from the residents and are “acting on the majority of requests.”
These include:
• Establishing a 100-metre buffer on the Southwest River;
• No cutting between the Southwest River and the ridgeline;
• Establishing a 100-metre buffer around remote cottages and registered trails;
• An annual review with town and committee; and
• Early reforestation by scheduling planting with the town and committee.
The department adds, to ensure “modest harvest activities,” the total allowable annual cut won’t exceed 4,000 cubic metres of material for each of the two harvesters.
“My department has been listening to the people of Port Blandford and to the forestry community and has provided an approach that we believe enables the forest and tourism sectors to continue to thrive cooperatively in this working forest,” said minister Gerry Byrne in the release.
“Residents can rest assured that our industry maintains International Organization for Standardization certification for its Environmental Management System, which ensures all Crown forest land operators operate within Environmental Management System Guidelines.
The Packet contacted the Port Blandford Citizens Against Clearcutting group about the proposal and they say they’ll be reviewing its contents at a meeting tonight.
They plan to have a response after discussing the changes as a committee.
Twitter: @jejparsons
