As part of the field trip portion of the Canadian Woodlands Forum last week, Paper Excellence visited a private woodlot owned by Stephen Thompson.  

As owner of one of over 30,000 private woodlots in Nova Scotia, Stephen had tough decisions to make following the extensive amount of trees downed post hurricane Fiona. With thousands of trees damaged it would have made sense and been cheaper to extensively cut impacted forests, even clearcutting in some instances.  

However in Renfrew, Hants County, Nova Scotia, owners decided on a more laborious and complex approach following the storm, protecting the esthetics of the forest, longtime camps and biological diversity. They cut carefully and strategically, increasing optionality for the future.

This way everyone who enjoys a walk in the woods wins! It was a beautiful day to be in the forest.