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Protesters in six separate locations are set to rally against the province’s clear-cutting policies.
The protests are being done in conjunction with Jacob Fillmore’s protest which has been going on for 103 days.
Fillmore first started his protests after a court ordered the removal and arrest of protestors in Digby County who were blocking a logging road that serviced clear-cutting activities.
Fillmore started to camp out and occupy space outside government buildings in Halifax to protest the forest protector’s arrest. On March 3, after 12 weeks of his outdoor protest without government action, Jacob announced his intention to escalate his protest by refusing to eat until this moratorium is declared. He has not eaten since March 8.
With the six scheduled protests set to take place Tuesday, March 30 protestors hope to bring awareness to the harms associated with clear-cutting.
The protests organizing committee issued a release explaining the harms associated with clear-cutting.
“Because of modern clear-cutting techniques, when a 100-year-old forest is clear-cut, that same forest will never grow back. Clear-cuts degrade the soil, depleting its nutrients through weathering and erosion. Climate change is making it harder for forests to regrow due to more severe storms, droughts, and wildfires. What do grow back are even-aged stands of short-lived species. These ecological deserts are particularly vulnerable to disease and insect damage.”
The impact clear-cutting has on mainland moose populations is another issue the protest aims to raise awareness on.
In the same release, organizers say the mainland moose was declared an endangered species in 2003 and it is now believed there are less that 100 in Nova Scotia.
The main protest is set to take place in Halifax at Province House at noon, where Fillmore will be in attendance.
Five other protests are planned to take at the same time in Masstown, Annapolis Royal, Wolfville, Yarmouth and Bridgewater.
The Bridgewater protest will take place outside of MLA Mark Furey’s office.
