The Department of Natural Resources says they’ve put an indefinite hold on plans for forest harvesting on three plots of crown land near Minamkeak Lake in Lunenburg County.
As is standard protocol for DNR after the land was selected as a potential harvesting site by certified forest harvesters, DNR then lists the potential sites on their Harvest Plan Map Viewer for 40 days.
During that period, members of the public are encouraged to come forward with any info on the proposed sites that may not be known to DNR, or any other concerns they may have.
The proposed harvesting sites as they appeared on the Harvest Plan Map Viewer. Photo:
In this case, during the public feedback period concerns were raised that one of the sites was home to a species of rare lichens.
DNR also cited concerns related to road construction that may have harmed the nearby lake, which is home to the Atlantic whitefish.
The Atlantic whitefish is an endangered species endemic to Nova Scotia, meaning that it breeds nowhere else in the world. It is found only in the Petite Riviere watershed.
