Challenges

Following are some challenges that we face in sustaining the Acadian Forest.

During the life of a forest from regenerating trees to maturity, there will be numerous managers who will be entrusted with its management, likely working for several different “owners”. New managers may change definitions and objectives for "sustainability" to satisfy stockholder expectations.

As new markets develop for biofuels, so will the demands on the forest. The free market system fails when it comes to sustaining natural resources. Expectation for rapid return on investment trumps sustainable forest management in the absence of adequate laws to prevent exploitation

Example: Tolerant Hardwoods such as Sugar Maple, Yellow Birch, and Beech are “tolerant” of growing in shade, and are therefore one of the climax forest types in the Acadian Forest. Sustainable management of these types should limit harvesting to periodic light harvests of about 1% per year. For example, 10% every 10 years, 15% every 15 years, and should never exceed 40% removal of the stand.

Rationale used for timber companies to increase higher proportions of these stands is for “stand improvement”, often accompanied by rationale that the softwood component of the stand was “high-graded” at an earlier time, removing the “quality” trees and/or softwood component. This rationale has lost merit with the increased value of “inferior” trees for fuel.

We need managers with Boy Scout values, “a Scout is Trustworthy,…”. Are the new owners worthy of trust? Do we need new laws to ensure that our forests are sustained?