Federation of Nova Scotia Woodland Owners
Truro, N.S.
    On behalf of our board of directors, I’d like to sincerely thank our guest speakers, sponsors, and all who attended the 17th Annual General Meeting in Truro on Saturday, May 14. The AGM drew an impressive crowd, with positive comments and discussion from the participants. 
    Department of Natural Resources Associate Deputy Minister Allan Eddy gave the AGM opening address with an update on what’s new for the woodlot owners from the department’s perspective. According to Eddy, economic impact of the forest sector is currently about 50 percent of what it was in 2003.

Federation of Nova Scotia Woodland Owners
Truro, N.S
    The environment that woodlot owners find themselves in today has changed significantly since the initial meetings of the FNSWO back in the year 2000. Despite many new challenges faced by woodlot owners and the forestry sector, the goal of our board of directors remains the same today as it did then: “To promote and support the economic and social interests of woodlot owners across the province.”

Registered Professional Foresters Association of Nova Scotia
Truro, N.S.
    In the last issue of AFR, I led off with an update on the efforts that were being made to achieve the Right to Practice for Forest Professionals. I would like to be able to provide some hard facts on the progress that has been made, but while progress is being made regarding answers to the questions that I posed, the details are not yet firm enough to put in print. We are expecting that by the date of the Annual Meeting (March 10 and 11), we will be able to provide answers to those and other questions.

Cape Breton Privateland Partnership
Port Hawkesbury, N.S. 
     It’s been a busy year again here on Cape Breton. Cape Breton Privateland Partnership (CBPP), a partnership of Baddeck Valley Wood Producers, North Inverness Forest Management, and the Nova Scotia Landowners and Forest Fibre Producers Association, has grown to 279 woodlots, and we have also been busy developing some new initiatives that we are very excited about.
    Since its inception, CBPP has carried out almost $600,000 worth of silviculture work on member woodlots through agreements with Association for Sustainable Forestry (ASF), Port Hawkesbury Paper, and a very recent agreement with Nova Scotia Power.