NSWWT Marks Major Milestone
The Nova Scotia Working Woodlands Trust (NSWWT) is pleased to announce the completion of a multi-year effort to protect 10 woodland properties, totaling more than 2,800 acres (1,150 hectares), through Working Forest Easements established in partnership with landowners under the Community Easements Act.
On June 26, participating landowners from across Nova Scotia will gather in Canning, Kings County, to sign their easement agreements. In doing so, they commit to conserving their woodlands while continuing to practice ecological forestry. Spanning properties in seven counties, the easements mark the largest working forest protection initiative in the province to date.
Sherman and Cindy Embree are participants in the Working Forest Easement program. They reflect on their experience collaborating with the NSWWT by saying,
“We are thrilled to have a mutual commitment with an organization that supports the partnership of conservation and income from forest products. The support of professional forestry organizations in our long-term vision of a working forest and conservation areas for future generations was key in our membership in NSWWT.”
The signing is a milestone for NSWWT, the first organization dedicated to protecting working forests in Nova Scotia. With nearly 70% of the province’s land in private hands, the Trust’s easement model offers a collaborative approach to safeguarding biodiversity, wildlife habitat, and healthy forests for future generations – protecting land while keeping it in active, sustainable use.
Many participating properties protect habitat for species at risk, old-growth forest characteristics, Atlantic Coastal Plain flora, and diverse wildlife. Donald MacDonald, whose property is home to old-growth Hemlock comments that,
“The signing culminates two years of working hand in hand with the NSWWT in a cooperative manner. (It) feels satisfying to know that now this woodland will finally be protected in perpetuity for future generations.”
Through the easements, NSWWT supports landowners through tailored Stewardship Management Plans, expert advice, consultations with forest professionals, and stewardship resources – along with the long-term assurance their woodlands will remain thoughtfully managed for future generations.
“This signing represents years of trust built with landowners, culminating in a milestone that proves conservation and working landscapes can be effectively managed together” said Mary Jane Rodger, Executive Director. "It shows that ecologically managed working forests have a significant role to play in protecting biodiversity and in long-term carbon storage and sequestration."