Additional Financial Aid Available for Nova Scotia Private Woodlot Owners Impacted by Hurricane Fiona

Nova Scotia has announced that private woodlot owners will be receiving additional support to help them recover from the damage caused by Hurricane Fiona and promote the growth of healthy forests.

In a statement released last Thursday (3-9-23), Nova Scotia’s Minister of Natural Resources and Renewables Tony Rushton said, “Private woodlot owners still need support to clean up trees downed by the hurricane, so we’re investing more money to help. We’re also making sure owners have certainty about silviculture funding in plenty of time to make plans and start work to manage their woodlots sustainably.”

To that end, the department is investing $5.7 million (CAD) this fiscal year to help private woodlot owners with Fiona cleanup and to manage their lands sustainably:

• $2.5 million extends eligibility for Fiona-related assistance to industrial private woodlots and provides more support for repairing roads; after the fall storm, the department supported private woodlot owners with $4.6 million for cleaning up trees, preparing to replant, repairing roads and re-establishing boundary lines.
• $3.2 million is for silviculture work and will allow contractors to get started in the spring as soon as the weather allows, rather than having to wait for the department’s 2023-24 budget to be finalized.