A Walk in the Woods
Woodland Conference Open to All
On Saturday April 13, the public is invited to attend a woodland conference in Grand Desert, HRM. The Department of Lands and Forestry, along with several woodland owner organizations and individuals, have arranged for many interesting experts and exhibitors to participate in this annual event. The event is created from feedback received by previous year’s participants and will be of interest to woodland owners and others interested in our forests.
One of the objectives of the conference is to provide information and contacts to aid woodland owners to manage their properties in a sustainable manner while meeting many like-minded and interesting people. The conference runs from 9:00am to 3:30pm, and will include a hearty lunch, breaks and a chance to win a new powersaw and other prizes. Preregistration before April 5 is $20 each with regular admission at the door $25 and $15 for students.
Lands and Forestry Minister Iain Rankin will open the conference with a brief update on recent developments within the Department and the forest sector.
Topics to be discussed by the various experts and landowners include: good and bad experiences of woodland owners; property law pertaining to woodland owners; protecting watercourses, wetlands and wildlife habitat; how woodlands are valued and taxed by PVSC; Results thus far of the independent review of forest practices in Nova Scotia; income tax and estate planning for woodland owners; experiences of a forestry contractor; and the newly created Nova Scotia wood heat initiative.
At the end of the day, a draw will be held resulting in one of the participants going home with a new chainsaw. As well, exhibitors such as Atlantic Gold and Conform Woodlot Owners Co-op Ltd. will be on-site to provide information for attendees. There will also be various services and products for sale such as wooden spoons, wood carvings and other forest-based products.
The conference location is the Saint Therese Community Centre, 17 Conrod Rd, Grand Desert, near Porters Lake.
To register or get more information regarding the conference, call toll free 1-855-679-6637 (M-F, 9-5); or register online at www.nswoods.ca
