Post by POINTY STICKS on Apr 1, 2008 9:05:22 GMT -4
Properties Added to Crown Land Base
Department of Natural Resources
March 28, 2008 10:37 AM
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The province is finalizing details on several land purchases, including the first transactions under its forestry transition program.
In October, the province announced it would invest up to $20 million over five years to purchase parcels of industrial forest land from viable forestry companies.
The first acquisitions under that program, worth up to $4.5 million, are:
-- land valued at up to $1.5 million in Queens County from NF Douglas and Company Limited
-- land in western Nova Scotia valued at up to $2 million from Freeman Lumber of Greenfield, Queens Co.
-- $1 million worth of property in Annapolis, Digby and Yarmouth counties from Comeau Lumber Limited.
By March 31, the province is expected to have completed about $2.5 million worth of those purchases, acquiring about 1,563 hectares (3,862 acres). Work will continue over several months to identify and finalize remaining parcels from the companies.
"This program is a great way of making our investments work for us in more than one way," said Natural Resources Minister David Morse. "The province is adding to its limited Crown land base by acquiring good land at fair market value. But it also helps these key rural employers by letting them divest of certain assets they no longer consider essential."
NF Douglas and Company Limited produces kiln-dried lumber at its sawmill in Caledonia, Queens Co.
Freeman Lumber is an ISO-certified company whose main products include Eastern White Pine and Eastern Hemlock lumber, kiln-dried studs and precision trims.
Comeau Lumber is headquartered in Meteghan in the District of Clare. It produces construction-grade lumber, custom-built wooden packaging and wood chips for use in pulp and paper industry production.
Under terms of the forestry transition program, purchases of land are made from viable forest-related companies. Land must be reviewed under the Department of Natural Resources' integrated resource management process, the purchases must be made at current market value and all proposals are assessed by an interdepartmental committee of government staff.
In addition to the up to $4.5 million in forestry transition program purchases, the province has also approved acquisitions worth up to $1.7 million to further increase lands of coastal, environmental and recreational value.
Department of Natural Resources officials are now working to finalize those purchases, which include:
-- more than 70 hectares (180 acres) at Carters Beach, Queens Co.
-- 21 hectares (53 acres) on Moshers Island, Lunenburg Co.
-- 65 hectares (160 acres) of land near the Lake Rossignol Wilderness Area in Queens Co.
"This is all part of the province's ongoing efforts to expand the proportion of Crown lands available for Nova Scotians now and in the future," said Mr. Morse. "Whether we acquire land that has strong forestry options or strong environmental attributes, all of it gets added to our Crown land base. That means we are able to continue to move closer to our goal of protecting 12 per cent of the total land mass by 2015."
The province has yet to determine how any of the newly acquired properties will be designated or used in the future.
Department of Natural Resources
March 28, 2008 10:37 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The province is finalizing details on several land purchases, including the first transactions under its forestry transition program.
In October, the province announced it would invest up to $20 million over five years to purchase parcels of industrial forest land from viable forestry companies.
The first acquisitions under that program, worth up to $4.5 million, are:
-- land valued at up to $1.5 million in Queens County from NF Douglas and Company Limited
-- land in western Nova Scotia valued at up to $2 million from Freeman Lumber of Greenfield, Queens Co.
-- $1 million worth of property in Annapolis, Digby and Yarmouth counties from Comeau Lumber Limited.
By March 31, the province is expected to have completed about $2.5 million worth of those purchases, acquiring about 1,563 hectares (3,862 acres). Work will continue over several months to identify and finalize remaining parcels from the companies.
"This program is a great way of making our investments work for us in more than one way," said Natural Resources Minister David Morse. "The province is adding to its limited Crown land base by acquiring good land at fair market value. But it also helps these key rural employers by letting them divest of certain assets they no longer consider essential."
NF Douglas and Company Limited produces kiln-dried lumber at its sawmill in Caledonia, Queens Co.
Freeman Lumber is an ISO-certified company whose main products include Eastern White Pine and Eastern Hemlock lumber, kiln-dried studs and precision trims.
Comeau Lumber is headquartered in Meteghan in the District of Clare. It produces construction-grade lumber, custom-built wooden packaging and wood chips for use in pulp and paper industry production.
Under terms of the forestry transition program, purchases of land are made from viable forest-related companies. Land must be reviewed under the Department of Natural Resources' integrated resource management process, the purchases must be made at current market value and all proposals are assessed by an interdepartmental committee of government staff.
In addition to the up to $4.5 million in forestry transition program purchases, the province has also approved acquisitions worth up to $1.7 million to further increase lands of coastal, environmental and recreational value.
Department of Natural Resources officials are now working to finalize those purchases, which include:
-- more than 70 hectares (180 acres) at Carters Beach, Queens Co.
-- 21 hectares (53 acres) on Moshers Island, Lunenburg Co.
-- 65 hectares (160 acres) of land near the Lake Rossignol Wilderness Area in Queens Co.
"This is all part of the province's ongoing efforts to expand the proportion of Crown lands available for Nova Scotians now and in the future," said Mr. Morse. "Whether we acquire land that has strong forestry options or strong environmental attributes, all of it gets added to our Crown land base. That means we are able to continue to move closer to our goal of protecting 12 per cent of the total land mass by 2015."
The province has yet to determine how any of the newly acquired properties will be designated or used in the future.