This is the first, of what I hope to be, many looks into commercial forestry in rural Nova Scotia. It's so easy to get caught up in the anti-forestry rhetoric. For good reason, too. There have been decades of poor practices from some forest-tenders, but like anything, it's unfair and unwise to paint everyone with the same brush. Poor practices make good headlines. Our family (on both sides) has earned a living, and provided a living to others, from the woods. We would be pretty damned stupid no to be doing it right. I was recently at the funeral of my husband's uncle, former MLA Sidney Prest, and in his eulogy, the remark was made that 27 of Sid's father's (Boyd Prest) progeny worked directly or indirectly in the forest industry. That's a pretty healthy number, and I'm comfortable thinking that number will only grow as time marches on.
