Sierra Club of Canada to Appeal J.D. Irving, Ltd.'s "Green Designation"

Sierra Club of Canada to Appeal J.D. Irving, Ltd.'s "Green Designation" in Black Brook, NB

Environmentalists don't believe company's forest deserves certification

Monday, Sept. 21, 1998

Yarmouth County, NS - Scientific Certification Systems (SCS), a certifier under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) has formally certified the J.D. Irving, Ltd. (JDI) - owned Black Brook forest district. This designation implies that management of Black Brook meets among the most stringent environmental and social criteria anywhere. However, Sierra Club of Canada intends to launch an official appeal with FSC, asking them to revoke the designation.

"We have a number of very serious concerns regarding JDI's forestry operations in addition to their general environmental and social practices," says Elizabeth May, Executive Director of Sierra Club of Canada. "This certification should only go to forest regions where management practices are ecologically sound. JDI's Black Brook district isn't one of them."

Sierra Club of Canada's objections to certification stem from a number of concerns. They include:

The preponderance of clear cutting as a harvesting system in Black Brook.

The intended conversion of 27% of the mixed hardwood forest and up to 56% of the entire area into plantations.
Lack of an adequate proportion of permanent protected areas or reserves for long-term scientific study.
Secrecy by the certifier with respect to specific criteria and the scoring system used in the evaluation of Black Brook.
Loose and vague interpretation by the certifier of the FSC principles and criteria.
Excessive use of biocides by J.D. Irving, Ltd.
Minimal consideration of proposed regional "Standards for Best Forestry Practices in the Maritime Forest Region.
JDI's ongoing dispute with Nova Nada and its implications for Nova Nada's long-term survival as a monastery as well as JDI's relations with their neighbours.

Certification is a way in which companies can expand their markets, particularly in Europe where many buyers insist on evidence that the wood comes from sustainably-managed forests. Sierra Club of Canada believes that this is a test case for the rigour of the FSC system in Canada.

-30-

For more information, contact:

Elizabeth May, Executive Director, tel: 613-241-4611
Rita Morbia, Biodiversity Campaign Coordinator, tel: 613-241-4611

Back to Media Page