Submitted by Sandra Doyle
Vision:
Enduring diverse, sustainable old forests for all future generations. Requirement for any use of any land by anyone to allow segments of every section to remain either untouched and to grow, or to be selectively cut for healthy growth. A see and enjoy philosophy encouraged.
Strengths:
Biodiversity that has allowed our air to be cleaned naturally by our forests and supporting plant life. Our forests have allowed us to use our own resources to build our homes and export for world use. Our minerals have aided in self sustaining building of roads and power. Our Parks are many but small and allow our society with so much free time in its hands, places to go and enjoy.These are part of our Nova Scotia treasures.
Barriers and Issues:
Our Crown land is being used in ways that it should never have been intended. As crown land it should be our old growth canopy forest. Clearcutting removes all species of trees and replanting one of kind is ruining our biodiversity and affecting the air we breath and the water sheds, not to mention that the beauty of our hard woods are being sacrificed for the soft woods being used in the lumber industry. Human disrespect and ignorance, our children are removed from the need for our natural environment to remain natural and sustainable. We are losing our bird species and plants and small animals as their habitat is being removed. Our foot print we leave is not only in the carbon and waste we commit but in our actual footprints we leave when we are trodding and driving through woods with abandon. For example the recreational vehicles called four wheelers drive through our ditches (and woods)which have a specitific environment for wild flowers (iris, bullrushes etc.) our oxygenating plants, Driving through the water without regard to the disruption in the streams. Education and expectation of responsible behaviour of recreational vehicles drivers although I would go so far as to say that they should not be allowed in the woods in any way shape or form unless they stay to roads and paths that exist and should they stray off of these, expect to be fined or fix what they have broken.
Community's Priorities:
I would like to see a cease of clearcutting on entire landscapes. A percentage of every section of land left with diverse forests. No clear cutting within at least 500 meters of streams and waterways to allow natural filtrations of runoff before anything reaches these areas. Encourage the young in schools to recognize our dependence on a healthy natural environment and that we are all responsible in the way that we tread through life through natural environment studies from Primary through to High School.
Guiding the health and sustainability:
Respect for the natural environment. Committment to do our part individually and as communities and to stay committed to a course of action.
Additional Comments:
I would like to see Towns and Villages recognize that they too can improve local environments by protecting air quality in these areas with shade trees where there are large expanses of tarmac and cement which bring temperatures up drastically. We make sure the water is tested and do what we need to do to make it safe why don't we test the air quality and challenge our cities and towns to help to reduce the heat in the summer. Shade trees, Bike paths, encourage alternate forms of transportation.