Forestry and Agrifoods submits five-year plan for review

Locals are invited to offer their input on the province’s proposed five-year operating plan for management areas in the Central region.

Forestry Services Branch of the Forestry and Agrifoods Agency registered its Crown Zone 5 Five-year Forestry Operating Plan (2016-2020) plan for environmental assessment on Dec. 9.

The deadline for public comments is January 13, 2016; and the minister’s decision is due by January 22, 2016.

The proponent has submitted a proposal for a five-year operating plan for Zone 5 which includes Forest Management Districts 10, 11, 12 and 13 in Central Newfoundland. Zone 5 includes the area between Victoria Lake in the west to Bay d’Espoir highway in the east and from Island Pond in the south to North and South Twin Lakes in the north.

The undertaking will enable the Forestry Services Branch to harvest timber, construct forest access roads and conduct silviculture activities, according to a press release from the Department of Environment on Wednesday.

The undertaking is necessary to maintain or expand the existing commercial industry and allow domestic harvesting for home heating, the release added.

The plan is scheduled to commence on January 1, 2016, and end on December 31, 2020.

For further information on the environmental assessment process, contact the Director of Environmental Assessment at 709-729-4211 or toll-free: 1-800-563-6181 or by mail to:

Director, Environmental Assessment Division