Securing forestry jobs for Garden River First Nation
Ottawa expands NS containment area to battle brown spruce longhorn beetle
Securing forestry jobs for Garden River First Nation
The Ontario government is investing in a project that will strengthen the forest industry and will benefit Aboriginal people, Natural Resources Minister David Ramsay announced in April at an event with the Garden River First Nation.
“The McGuinty government is investing in the businesses that help Northern Ontario prosper and supporting Aboriginal development,” said Ramsay. “Through the Prosperity Fund, we are supporting a key engine of our economy – the forest sector - making that sector more competitive, and securing good jobs for a First Nation community in the North.”
The government is providing a grant of $280,000 to Garden River Truss Company for the development of a $3.2-million green field home component manufacturing facility on the Garden River Reserve near Sault Ste. Marie. The Aboriginal-owned facility produces value-added wood products and creates about 30 new jobs. The facility is located on an old sawmill site located in the Garden River Industrial Park.
“The province’s support has helped make this manufacturing facility a reality, and we are seeing considerable benefits for the Garden River First Nation,” said Garden River First Nation Chief Lyle Sayers. “We are grateful for the contribution from the Forest Sector Prosperity Fund in making it possible for us to proceed with this exciting initiative.”
The Forest Sector Prosperity Fund is part of the McGuinty government’s over $1-billion plan to help forest companies invest in their own future and the future of the communities that depend on them.
“We’ve had a very positive response to the Forest Sector Prosperity Fund and the Loan Guarantee Program by the forest industry,” said Ramsay. “We expect that 100 per cent of the Prosperity Fund will be committed to capital investments like this that support the industry in developing more value-added wood products.”
Ottawa expands NS containment area to battle brown spruce longhorn beetle
Ottawa is expanding a containment area to stop the spread of the brown spruce longhorn beetle in Nova Scotia.
An 828-square-kilometre perimeter was set up around Halifax in 2000 to contain the tree-killing insect, first discovered in the city's Point Pleasant Park.
Brown Spruce Longhorn Beetle
Under the new regulations, central Halifax County and some small, adjacent portions of Colchester and Hants Counties will be included in the containment zone.
Some woodlot owners had warned that an expanded zone could hurt their businesses and prompt layoffs.
However, some of the existing rules will be relaxed to ensure producers can get their products to market.
Mills and other processors outside the containment area will be allowed to process regulated wood from the area, but they must first obtain a special permit from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
As well, the new measures now cover only higher-risk commodities: spruce logs, bark and unprocessed wood chips.
The new measure comes into effect May 14.
“These new measures will allow the industry in Nova Scotia to continue to move regulated items to mills and markets while limiting the spread of (the beetle),” Agriculture Minister Chuck Strahl said in a statement.
The beetle, a European pest that attacks dead or dying trees, was first found in Halifax in 1999.
Last month, scientists told a legislative committee they still don't know how big the beetle population or how fast it is spreading.
Last summer, the beetle was found in 18 new sites around the city.
The federal food agency has set up traps in New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Quebec.
The agency originally rated the beetle a high risk to Canadian forests, but officials have since downgraded that rating.
Enterprise Rent-A-Car to join local dignitaries and First Nations Chiefs to plant first tree at Lillooet reforestation ceremony
Watershed Fire and Restoration Project part of Enterprise's pledge to plant 50 million trees in honor of company’s 50th anniversary
A post-fire reforestation project near Lillooet, BC broke ground April 25, 2007, thanks in part to a financial donation from Enterprise Rent-A-Car, North America's largest rental car company. The planting, that will see the addition of 251,000 seedlings, is the first Canadian planting to be part of Enterprise Rent-A-Car's pledge to plant 50 million trees over the next 50 years in honor of the company’s 50th anniversary.
The Mayor of Lillooet, Christ'l Roshard, along with local chiefs from the Bridge River Indian Band and T’ít’q’et Reserve and other local business representatives joined Enterprise Rent-A-Car Vice President and General Manager in BC, Tim Driscoll, for a presentation and traditional lunch in Lillooet and a ceremonial planting of the first tree on the reforestation site just outside of the town.
In 2004, several fires caused by lightning merged and burned significant portions of the Bridge River Indian Band’s reserve lands near Lillooet. The fire also burned more than 50 percent of the main community watershed of the Band and the Village of Lillooet. The Band has strong ties to its lands and forests, and reforestation of the affected area was identified as high priority by Tree Canada and The Arbor Day Foundation.
“It is my privilege to be on hand on behalf of Enterprise to participate in this very special ceremony,” said Tim Driscoll. “To witness new seedlings being planted in an area devastated by fire, to return it once again to a beautiful forest that supports both a culture and community, is both humbling and inspiring.”
Launched in October of 2006, the Enterprise Rent-A-Car’s 50 Million Tree Pledge – is a historic commitment to plant 50 million trees over the next 50 years at a total cost of $50 million U.S. in today’s dollars. The Enterprise Rent-A-Car 50 Million Tree Pledge brings together The National Arbor Day Foundation and its Canadian partner, Tree Canada, along with the U.S. Forest Service, in a long-term commitment to help restore public lands that are badly in need of reforestation.
Reforestation in Lillooet, British Columbia
The District of Lillooet is located on the sage and pine covered bench lands of the Fraser River in South Central British Columbia. This location represents the junction of two major transportation corridors to the coast – Hwy 12 & the Trans Canada Hwy and Hwy 99 – which is the most scenic route connecting the Lower Mainland and the Interior.
To complete reforestation of the burned area in the watershed, 186 hectares (approx. 458 acres) of land will be planted with Douglas Fir seedlings. This reforestation project will help restore the lands for the social, economic, and ecological well-being of the Bridge River Band and the town of Lillooet.
“We are pleased to facilitate this exciting project on behalf of Enterprise Rent-A-Car and the US National Arbor Day Foundation”, said Michael Rosen president of Tree Canada. “This project demonstrates clearly the value of cooperation between the private sector, First Nations and not-for-profits like Tree Canada. It shows how far we at Tree Canada have come as we move towards planting our 75th millionth tree on this our fifteenth year,” he said.
“It was a great pleasure helping make this project a reality,” said Christian Walli, Tree Canada Community Adviser. “The cooperation between all the parties including Bridge River Band (Xwisten) and, T’ít’q’ets Interior Savings Credit Union and the Town of Lillooet to restore these areas burnt by the 2004 wildfire, is a wonderful message,” he said.
About Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Enterprise Rent-A-Car has more than 400 locations across Canada, including more than 20 locations serving airports, resulting in a total economic impact in Canada of more than $1.5 billion annually. For the third year in a row and the seventh time in the past eight years, Enterprise ranks highest in the 2006 J.D. Power and Associates Rental Car Satisfaction Study, which includes both leisure and business travellers.
Enterprise Rent-A-Car was also recently ranked in the top 10 of BusinessWeek’s list of “Customer Service Champs.” This is the magazine’s first-ever ranking of the best providers of customer service in which it evaluated the techniques, strategies, and tools each company uses to put the customer first.
Reservations can be made in the office, by phone or online. To locate the Enterprise office nearest you call 1-800-Rent-A-Car, or visit www.enterpriserentacar.ca .
About The National Arbor Day Foundation
The National Arbor Day Foundation is a nonprofit, environmental education organization of nearly one million members, with a mission to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. More information on the Foundation and its programs can be found at arborday.org.
About Tree Canada
Tree Canada provides education, technical assistance, resources and financial support through working partnerships to encourage Canadians to plant and care for trees in an effort to help reduce the harmful effects of carbon dioxide emissions. In the past 15 years, Tree Canada has planted over 74 million trees, greened more than 400 schoolyards and staged seven successful Canadian Urban Forest Conferences while engaging many of Canada’s top companies, municipalities and the public sector.