Nova Scotia ban on walking in woods unjustified, court rules

The Nova Scotia Supreme Court has acquitted Jeff Evely and voided the $28,000 fine he received after premier Tim Houston banned walking in the woods during fire season last year. Houston reacted to the ruling by vowing to ban it again this year if he decides it's necessary. 

From fire prevention to freedom violation — inside the court decision that rebuked Nova Scotia government |Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms | John Carpay:

April 27, 2026 - "In August 2025, the Nova Scotia government prohibited all activities across three-quarters of the province on the pretext of preventing forest fires — including hiking, picnicking, fishing, swimming, camping, and birdwatching. Rather than targeting high-risk activities such as smoking, campfires, and outdoor cooking, the law targeted people themselves.

Jeff Evely. Courtesy Jeff Evely/JCCF.

"Retired Master Warrant Officer Jeffrey Evely, who served Canada in Afghanistan and Iraq, saw the ban as Orwellian. He deliberately defied the decree with no guarantee of winning in court. He stated: 'It’s about human dignity … I find the cavalier attitude with which these freedoms have been impaired to be a gross indignity to our fallen soldiers, and a moral injury to those of us still here. This moral injury serves to exacerbate my PTSD symptoms, which I have been managing with therapy, medication, and daily outdoor activity, which I normally conduct in the woods.'

"Mr. Evely received a $28,873 draconian fine simply for walking in the woods. On April 17, the fortieth anniversary of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Nova Scotia Supreme Court struck down the province’s sweeping ban on walking in the woods.

In Evely v. Nova Scotia (Minister), 2026 NSSC 118, the court ruled that the decree affected Charter section 6 mobility rights: 'people could no longer go where they had once gone.' This was not a fleeting or insignificant restriction. It was one that substantially affected people’s lives. The court held that mobility rights 'sit at the heart of what it means to be a free person,' protecting Canadians against curfews, requirements to carry identity papers in public, and outright blockades on movement....

"The court found no evidence that government officials had even considered Charter rights or values before imposing the ban. The documents placed before the Minister did not refer to the Charter at all. Under Charter section 1, any limit on rights must be demonstrably justified with cogent and persuasive evidence. That obviously did not happen here, with the Nova Scotia government apparently oblivious to the existence of the Charter.

"The court also condemned the unacceptable vagueness of the term 'woods' in the Forests Act. The definition included bog (wet muddy ground), muskeg (swamp with water and partly dead vegetation), rock barrens, and land without trees but with 'surface evidence of past forest occupancy.' Nova Scotians facing the $28,873 fine and possible jail time were left in an interpretative quandary.... This vagueness of this Nova Scotia law also engaged Charter section 7 rights to life, liberty, and security of the person. The ban failed to provide fair notice and left the door open to arbitrary enforcement. While the court did not make a final ruling about section 7, it noted a compelling argument that the ban was so vague as to be incapable of being interpreted at all.

"This Evely ruling is a victory for freedom and common sense. It warns governments to think twice before violating Charter freedoms, which will likely result in invalidating the fine against Mr. Evely.

"Since the decision, Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston has drawn sharp public criticism for flippantly stating that his government would do it again if he deemed it 'necessary.' This expresses the very attitude the court condemned: a willingness to disregard Charter rights. But, thankfully, there are freedom-loving Canadians like Jeff Evely who will courageously engage in civil disobedience, to the benefit of all citizens."

Read more: https://www.jccf.ca/western-standard-from-fire-prevention-to-freedom-violation-inside-the-court-decision-that-rebuked-nova-scotia-government/

Jeff Evely Wins! Court Rules WOODS BAN was Unjustified in Nova Scotia! Tim Houston Responds| Nova Scotia Cobra | April 27, 2026:

New Brunswick lifts ban on walking in the woods

The New Brunswick government has lifted its two-week ban on walking in the woods, but the Nova Scotia government continues to fine people for violating its ban.

25 people charged with violating Nova Scotia's woods and fire bans | Saltwire | Francis Campbell, Halifax Chronicle-Herald:

August 27, 2025 - "The Nova Scotia government’s commitment to crack down on people who ignore proclamations to stay out of the woods is not an empty promise. A spokesperson for the Natural Resources Department says there have been 15 charges laid for violations of the provincewide ban on open fires that started on July 30 and 10 charges for violating the woods restrictions that were implemented on Aug. 5.... 

"'To date, the people charged have not yet paid the fine but they have two months to voluntarily do that,' Adele Poirier, communications director with Natural Resources, said in an emailed response.... Those charged are required either to plead guilty and pay the amount payable within two months or to notify the court of an intention to appear in provincial court and plead not guilty and have a trial. A person charged can also plead guilty and make a penalty submission in court.

"The restrictions that came into effect Aug. 5 do not permit hiking, camping, fishing and the use of vehicles in the woods. The trail systems through the woods are off limits and camping is allowed only in campgrounds. The measures are in place on provincial Crown and private land until Oct. 15 or until the exceedingly dry conditions change enough to allow them to be lifted.... Private landowners are free to use their own properties but cannot host others to use wooded areas of their properties.

"On Monday, the New Brunswick government announced that after a two-week closure due to the high risk of wildfires in that province, Crown land would reopen to the public as of 12:01 a.m. Tuesday. New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt announced that restrictions remain on timber harvesting, which will only be allowed from 6 p.m. to noon and will be reassessed on a daily basis. The New Brunswick government reaffirmed that a provincewide ban on campfires and burning of any kind is still in place. 

"No such lifting of restrictions has been announced in Nova Scotia, where six active wildfires were burning Tuesday.... While the Nova Scotia government has signaled that the woods ban is a very serious measure not to be taken lightly, many residents have voiced their displeasure about the restrictions."
Read more: https://www.saltwire.com/nova-scotia/35-people-charged-nova-scotias-woods-fire-ban-25-thousand-dollar-fine

Jeffrey Evely challenges sweeping travel ban in Supreme Court of Nova Scotia | Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (news release):

August 20, 2025 - "The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms announces that lawyers for Canadian war veteran Jeffrey Evely have filed a Notice for Judicial Review to the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, challenging the province’s sweeping travel ban and Mr. Evely’s $28,872.50 fine for walking in the woods. An emergency hearing will be requested.

"Announced by Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston on August 5, the ban prohibits people from entering wooded areas for any purpose. Approximately 75 percent of the province is classified as 'woods.' The ban even applies to activities such as hiking, fishing, and walking, even though these carry no risk of starting fires. Mr. Evely is arguing that the travel ban is unreasonable and unconstitutional and violates his right to liberty and security of the person – protected by section 7 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

“'Nova Scotia’s travel ban doesn’t target risky activities, but rather treats people as the problem, and bans them from the woods for any purpose. Nova Scotia’s limit on people’s liberties under a blanket claim of ‘safety’ is not rational and has no logical limit,' said constitutional lawyer Marty Moore.

"Mr. Evely, who served in Afghanistan and Iraq, connects his past service to the country to the need to resist unreasonable and unconstitutional government edicts. 'I believe that it is important to have the woods ban proclamation reviewed in light of our Charter rights because I served in Afghanistan and Iraq, so I know how hard won these freedoms really are, especially once they are lost,' he said. 'I find the cavalier attitude with which these freedoms have been impaired to be a gross indignity to our fallen soldiers, and a moral injury to those of us still here.'"
Read more: https://www.jccf.ca/jeffrey-evely-challenges-sweeping-nature-ban-in-supreme-court-of-nova-scotia/

Why he purposely entered the woods — getting a $28K fine | CBC News Nova Scotia | August 13, 2025:

2nd Canadian rights group weighs in on hiking ban

A second Canadian province has imposed a summer ban on hiking, fishing, picnicking, and dog walking in the woods on Crown land to prevent wildfires; and a second Canadian rights group has weighed in on the issue.

New Brunswick warned to lift ban on low-risk activities, such as walking, hiking, and fishing, on Crown land | Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (news release): 

August 11, 2025 - ""The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms announces that a legal warning letter has been sent to Premier of New Brunswick Susan Holt and Minister of Natural Resources and Energy Development John Herron, urging them to reverse their province-wide ban on public access to Crown land. 

Image generated by Grok, created by xAI.

"The universal ban on access to nature across the province applies to low-risk activities such as hiking, cycling, fishing, or even walking a dog.... 

"Constitutional lawyer Allison Pejovic states that these sweeping restrictions violate Canadians’ right to liberty – protected by section 7 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Ms. Pejovic writes that 'walking through the woods and fishing do not pose a risk of starting fires. Punishing Canadians by restricting their freedom to roam and enjoy nature is disproportionate and not rationally connected to preventing forest fires.'

"Less restrictive measures, such as banning smoking and recreational fires, increasing patrols on Crown land, and improving forest management, could address legitimate fire concerns without violating citizens’ liberty.

"The letter cautions that if the province proceeds with 'overbroad, arbitrary, and grossly disproportionate restrictions,' the province could face a legal challenge.... Ms. Pejovic remarks that 'treating people as the problem rather than targeting actions that actually create fire risks shows a serious and concerning disregard for human rights and individual liberty.'

"The letter urges the province to immediately remove the ban on harmless recreational activities on Crown land."

Read more: https://www.jccf.ca/new-brunswick-warned-to-lift-ban-on-low-risk-activities-such-as-walking-hiking-and-fishing-on-crown-land/

Nova Scotia premier bans walking in woods

Nova Scotia premier Tim Houston has announced a province-wide ban on hiking, camping, and fishing in the woods due to an elevated risk of wildfires. 

N.S. bans hiking and use of vehicles in woods as dry conditions raise wildfire fears | CBC News:

August 05, 2025 - "The Nova Scotia government has announced it's banning hiking, camping, fishing and use of vehicles such as ATVs in the woods due to an elevated wildfire risk. Camping in campgrounds is still permitted, but trail systems through woods are off-limits under the new rules.

Nova Scotia has opened a hiking snitch line.

"The rules are in place for provincial Crown land until Oct. 15 or until weather conditions allow them to be lifted. The fine for violating the ban is $25,000. The public can still access beaches and parks, except for trail systems. 

"As hot and dry conditions in the province persist, Premier Tim Houston said at a news conference Tuesday that these proactive measures are a 'small price to pay' to avoid devastation like the province saw in 2023, when wildfires destroyed more than 200 homes....

"Landowners are being encouraged to voluntarily follow the same restrictions on their private land to minimize the risk of wildfires. While landowners will not face a fine for activities such as hiking in their own woods, any guest of theirs who is found violating the ban could be fined.... 

"Travel and activity in the woods were also banned in May 2023 while the province battled two major wildfires that destroyed hundreds of homes. The restrictions were initially put in place for about four weeks or until conditions allowed them to be lifted. The restrictions were lifted after about a week." 

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/hiking-ban-vehicles-wildfire-concerns-1.7019695

Canada's nanny state is out of control! Nova Scotia forest lockdowns banned hikes and picnics | Canadian Constitution Federation | August 7, 2025:

CCF Warns Premier Houston: Hiking Ban Threatens Freedoms, Petition Demands Repeal | Canadian Constitution Federation (news release):

August 7, 2025 - "The CCF [Canadian Constitution Federation] has formally sent a letter to Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston and National Resources Minister Tory Rushton urging the provincial government to reconsider the recently announced restrictions on hiking, birdwatching, fishing, picnicking and other outdoor activities in the province’s forests. Citing wildfire risks amid dry conditions, the ban was announced and came into effect Tuesday, August 5.

"While the CCF recognizes the importance of wildfire prevention and supports targeted safety measures, this sweeping ban unnecessarily and disproportionately restricts responsible outdoor recreation that has zero fire risk. The ban negatively impacts the well-being of Nova Scotians. The full letter can be read here.

"'The Nova Scotia government is threatening ordinary citizens with $25,000 fines for hiking, even though this poses virtually no threat of starting a fire,' said CCF Counsel Josh Dehaas. 'We are calling on the government to rescind these draconian measures and let Nova Scotians safely enjoy their world-famous forests for the remainder of the summer and beyond.'

"'When safety becomes a weapon, everyone loses,' said CCF Litigation Director Christine Van Geyn. 'Nova Scotia’s forest ban is overkill and it’s deja vu. It’s happening now because the government got away with it last time. This is a classic example of safetyism: a mentality where risk becomes an excuse for control, not communication. Once the government sees that overreach is workable, it’s replayed every few years.'

"The CCF is now circulating a public petition calling on the government to immediately rescind the ban and restore access to the province’s forests. If the restrictions are not lifted, the CCF may take legal action."

https://theccf.ca/ccf-warns-premier-houston-hiking-ban-threatens-freedoms-petition-demands-repeal/

Read letter: https://theccf.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025.08.06-CCF-letter-to-Houston-and-Rushton.pdf

Sign petition: https://theccf.ca/restore-access-to-ns-forests/

Parks Canada denied firefighters entry to Jasper

A parliamentary committee was told this week that private firefighters who had driven to Jasper National Park to fight the July wildfire were turned away by Parks Canada.

Properties engulfed in fire in Jasper, July 27, 2024. Radio Canada.

Parks Canada firefighting coordination decisions 'need to be made a lot quicker': fire services contractor | CTV News | Jeremy Thompson & Craig Ellingson:

October 8, 2024 - "A private firefighting service provider says crews contracted to work to protect buildings in and around the town of Jasper during July's wildfire emergency were denied entry to the national park for most of a day. Kris Liivam, the president of Arctic Fire Safety Services, says unclear communication from emergency managers hampered efforts by his crews, who thought they had written permission to enter the national park on July 25, the day after a powerful wildfire destroyed a third of the townsite but with the fire risk still high despite heavy rain.

"At the time, a small Arctic Fire Safety Services crew was already in Jasper, under contract to provincial Alberta Wildfire, working to protect the town. Meanwhile, in Hinton, more of Liivan's team was trying to enter the park -- more than a dozen trucks and about 50 firefighters who had been hired to protect specific properties including Marmot Basin, the Jasper Sky Tram and several hotels.

"'We thought we had everything in place, for permission to go in,' Liivan told CTV News Edmonton on Tuesday. 'Once we got to the first RCMP stop, we were denied entry and we had to turn around and head back to Hinton.'

"Liivam recently voiced his frustrations to a parliamentary committee looking into the Jasper wildfire, telling it his crews 'encountered numerous examples of Parks Canada fire management actively obstructing our activities and not providing us with relevant information on the fire.'

"A Parks Canada spokesperson says ... [that] 'they were eventually allowed in with specific instructions, and helped to fight the fire, which could have had far worse consequences without this swift and effective handling.'"

Read more: https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/parks-canada-firefighting-coordination-decisions-need-to-be-made-a-lot-quicker-fire-services-contractor-1.7067145

Shocking new Jasper wildfire revelations put blame on Parks Canada | True North | October 10, 2024:

How the tragic Jasper wildfire turned into just another political weapon | Calgary Herald | Don Braid: 

October 8, 2024 - "The great Jasper wildfire of July and August simmers on.... Over two weeks, MPs have been sniping at each other in meetings of a parliamentary committee on environment and sustainable development....

"Throughout, federal Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault [has] claimed that Ottawa could not have done better either before or during the fire. At any suggestion that Ottawa was lacking, he trotted out climate change as the true culprit. It was clear more than once that a big ugly fire in Alberta is a great boost for his climate agenda. Focusing on climate also turned minds away from serious questions about Ottawa’s performance as the power in charge of both prevention and firefighting. 

"For instance, why was a convoy of firefighters with 20 trucks turned away from the park gate like tourists who can’t afford a pass? That actually happened. Private firefighter Kristopher Liivam testified that his crew wasn’t there on spec. There had been discussions with officials. They clearly understood they would be admitted. But Parks Canada turned firefighters away from a fire. That was three days after the fire began, just as things were getting really dangerous.

"Alberta deputy premier Mike Ellis, who spoke to the hearing, said in an interview Tuesday that he was 'very concerned' to hear about the episode. 'Certainly, our position would be that we wouldn’t be turning away anybody' if Alberta had been part of joint command.... Denied any authority, Alberta needed federal permission to bring in helicopters, water bombers, surveillance drones, bulldozers and other equipment. The refusal to grant joint command was both bizarre and churlish."

Read more: https://calgaryherald.com/opinion/columnists/braid-jasper-wildfire-political-weapon

Can we learn from the burning of Jasper?

Canadians are mourning the destruction by fire of Jasper, Alberta. But we also need a serious reappraisal of Canadian forest management practices; otherwise it won't be a matter of whether more communities are lost to wildfires, but of when.  

Governments Must Act Now on Proper Forest Management or Wildfires Will Get Worse | Epoch Times | Cory Morgan:

July 26, 2024 - "Millions of Albertans, and indeed Canadians, are mourning the destruction of a site where they have memories of recent and childhood trips. We can be thankful that no lives have been lost, but the loss for residents of Jasper is unimaginable.... When the Jasper fires have been extinguished and the rebuilding process begins, we must have a serious appraisal of our forest management practices and act as soon as possible. Otherwise, it won’t be a matter of if another community is lost to a wildfire, it will be a matter of when.

"To begin with, it must be accepted that fires in boreal forests are natural and inevitable. It has only been in the last couple of centuries that humans have entered the scene and meddled with the natural cycle of burning and rejuvenation of forests. What we are seeing today is the consequences of deferring the fires that would have naturally burned. The forests have become overgrown, unhealthy, and cluttered with layers of extremely flammable deadfall. Forests in that condition burn hot and fast, leading to fires that can’t be extinguished. Many communities in Canada are surrounded by forests like this and are but one spark away from a disaster.

"It’s not reasonable to just let fires burn naturally in populated areas. That means we must manage these forests and our communities to reduce the chances of wildfires and mitigate the damage they cause. This has been done to a degree in areas, but not adequately.

"Jasper is a prime example. A mountain pine beetle infestation had previously killed thousands of acres of pine trees around the "townsite. Standing dead pine trees are extremely flammable, and experts were warning of the risk they presented to Jasper in 2018. A plan was formulated between the Alberta Forest Service and Jasper National Park officials to manage the forests, but it was rejected by the federal government. It’s not that the federal government wanted to see the area burn. They didn’t want to deal with the optics of bulldozers and loggers taking down tracts of forest in a scenic national park along with the haze and smoke prescribed burns would bring. The consequences of that deferral are being seen today.

"Municipal governments are loath to create buffers between forests and their townsites because residents enjoy the cozy feel of living next to the wilderness. Developers pitch communities that share space with nature and property owners will complain if bush is cut back. Cutting buffers in forests, doing prescribed burns, and clearcut logging may not look pretty, but it is all preferable to the devastation a fire will bring. Politicians must make the tough choices and impose fire mitigation measures upon communities, even if it upsets some residents....

"I worked as a surveyor for over 20 years in Alberta, and what I saw building up on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains was concerning, to say the least. In some areas, it is almost impossible to walk due to the volume of deadfall. If we don’t clear those zones out soon, a fire will and it will be a big one.

"Government jurisdiction and long-term changes in the climate are subjects worthy of discussion, and we doubtless will be having those discussions for years. In the meantime, we must act and safeguard our communities. We don’t have years to wait, and we will see more heartbreaking losses as we have with Jasper if we keep putting off the forest management that must happen."

Read more: https://www.theepochtimes.com/opinion/cory-morgan-governments-must-act-now-on-proper-forest-management-or-wildfires-will-get-worse-5694312

Jasper wildfire: Examining the damage and promises to rebuild | CBC News: The National | July 26, 2024:

Trudeau's "two billion trees" was just a slogan

A leaked memo from Canada's Department of Natural Resources says its 2 Billion Trees (2BT) program – set up to honor a 2019 Trudeau campaign promise to plant 2 billion new trees by 2031 – was given that name just to inspire commitment and participation, and is actually expected to have less than 400 million trees planted by then. In related news, the cost of the 2BT program has doubled. 

Trudeau (2nd from right) and other politicians plant trees at G7 Summit in Japan, 2016. Pete Souza, Wikimedia Commons.

Trudeau’s $2B tree planting plan was fake | Western Standard | Jen Hodgson:

24 June 24, 2024 - "The Department of Natural Resources in an internal memo acknowledged the Trudeau Liberals' 2019 pledge to plant two billion trees within a decade was fake. 'Two billion trees' was picked as an inspirational slogan and should not be taken literally, said the February 15 briefing note, according to Blacklock’s Reporter. Federal officials 'sought a name that would inspire that commitment and participation. So far that has worked,' read the memo. 

"The department said the 'two billion trees' program is currently running off-target and behind schedule. It now estimates only a fifth as many trees will be planted by 2031.... 'To date the Government of Canada has signed or is in the process of negotiating agreements that will result in 393 million trees planted by 2031.... The Government of Canada remains committed to planting two billion trees but tree planning at this scale takes time' The department did not set a deadline for achieving the promised two billion trees. 

"While the Trudeau Liberals initially budgeted costs at $3.16 billion over ten years, the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) in a 2021 report said actual expenses would nearly double to $5.94 billion.

"The Liberal Party in its 2019 election platform made the promise to plant two billion trees within a decade. 'We will plant two billion trees to clean our air and protect our communities,' the Liberals wrote in their campaign documents. 'This will help create 3,500 seasonal jobs in tree planting each year.'

"Department managers in May 21 testimony at the Senate National Finance Committee were vague on achievements to date. 'We had initial projections and we continue to calibrate those,' testified Glenn Hargrove, assistant deputy natural resources minister. 'Could you sort of anticipate any completion date?' asked Sen. Larry Smith. 'I can’t give an exact date on when the two billion trees will be planted exactly,' replied Hargrove.

""Canada already has 318 billion trees, by official estimate. Forestry companies currently plant about 600 million trees annually as a condition of cutting on Crown land."
Read more: https://www.westernstandard.news/news/trudeaus-2b-tree-planting-plan-was-fake/55540

Why Trudeau's broken tree planting promise matters | The Hub | Monte Solberg: 

July 2, 2024 - "The reasons for the Trudeau government’s poor political standing are many.... But a key reason is that the prime minister and his team promise big but underdeliver. A towering symbol of this is their promise to plant two billion trees by 2031 to reduce GHGs. The program is off to a bad start.

"Last year in an audit, Canada’s environment commissioner, called out the tree planting program for failing to get timely agreements with the provinces, failing to get commitments through to 2031, not giving nurseries the certainty and time they need to start growing 350 million trees a year, and generally poor planning. The program didn’t even have annual tree planting targets.... 

"The report also noted, and this is infuriating, that in 78 sites where 10,000 or more trees were planted, they planted all the same species of tree, a monoculture. The commissioner noted in the bloodless language of the public service, that monocultures 'do not support biodiversity and other benefits related to environmental and human well-being'.... Enhancing biodiversity is one of the key goals of the entire program. How could they get this so wrong?"
Read more: https://thehub.ca/2024/07/02/monte-solberg-why-trudeaus-failure-to-follow-through-on-planting-2-billion-trees-matters/

Quebec man started 14 forest fires in 2023

A Quebec man has pleaded guilty to starting 14 forest fires in the province during last year's wildfire season.

Quebec man pleads guilty to 14 counts of arson during wildfire season | True North | Isaac Lamoureux:

January 17, 2024 - "A Quebec man has pleaded guilty to starting 14 fires during Canada’s wildfire season this past summer. 38-year-old Brian Paré has pleaded guilty to 13 counts of arson and one count of arson with disregard for human life. The fires took place between May 29 and September 5, 2023. 

"Prosecutor Marie-Philippe Charron informed the court that out of the 14 fires ignited by Paré, two led to the evacuation of approximately 500 homes in Chapais, Quebec, a small community situated about 425 kilometres northwest of Quebec City, according to the Canadian Press. Chibougamau ... a small town ... was also affected.... The fires caused all 7,500 residents to be displaced from their homes....

"Paré posted videos of fires on his Facebook page, which still remain up. The Quebec man claimed that the fires were intentionally started by the Canadian government and other 'elites' to progress their 2030 agenda.... 

"According to CBC, 700 forest fires burned over 4.5 million hectares of Quebec forest over the summer, 99.9% of which were sparked by lightning. However, recent data from the National Forestry Database shows that in 2020, roughly 10% of fires were sparked by lightning. Further, more recent data from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre shows that in 2022, among Quebec’s 449 fires, 39 were natural (8.7%), while 410 were human-caused. 

"According to a spokesperson for the Société de protection des forêts contre le feu, responsible for forest fires in the province, human activity was to blame for roughly 80% of fires in Quebec

"According to the National Forestry Database, the number of fires and total area (in millions of hectares) burned in Canada are lower than in 1980 – the furthest the data goes back.

"During the wildfire season, politicians and the media blamed the fires on climate change, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Minister of Energy Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Environment Steven Guilbeault, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, and Senator Chuck Schumer, each blaming Canadian fires on climate change. CTV and the Washington Post both published articles attributing fires to climate change despite their cause not being known at the time."

Read more: https://tnc.news/2024/01/17/quebec-man-pleads-guilty-14-counts-arson/

Arsonists set Canada on fire. NOT Climate Change | True North | January 22, 2024:

Natural Resources padding tree-planting numbers

Natural Resources Canada claims its program to plan two billion trees by 2030 is ahead of target. But the federal environmental watchdog says that the department is using "creative accounting" to inflate its numbers. 

Ottawa using 'creative accounting' on its 2 billion tree pledge, environmental watchdog says | CBC News | David Thurton:

August 15, 2023 - "Canada's environmental watchdog says Ottawa is using 'creative accounting' to support the claim that its program to plant two billion trees is exceeding targets. Commissioner of Environmental and Sustainable Development Jerry DeMarco told CBC News that Natural Resources Canada (NRCAN) is using trees planted under a different program — and a different department — to boost its numbers. 

"'It's creative accounting,' DeMarco told CBC. "It's certainly within their prerogative to do that. But to achieve the benefits for climate, biodiversity and human health, adding trees is needed. Not simply finding trees and other programs that have already been planted and saying, "Oh, this now counts, we've got a higher number than anyone expected."'

"In August, Natural Resources Canada revised interim numbers on its progress toward the target of planting two billion trees by 2030-31. By 2022, NRCAN was supposed to have planted 90 million trees. NRCAN says that, to date, it has planted approximately 110 million trees. The department initially said it had planted 29 million trees in 2021. It now says it planted 83 million trees that year....

"NRCAN said it revised its 2021 figure by adding millions of trees planted through partner programs like Environment and Climate Change Canada's Low Carbon Economy Fund (LCEF). 'Data from the LCEF program … was received and validated against the two billion tree program's objectives this summer,' said Keean Nembhard, press secretary for Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson. In 2022, the department said it had planted 28 million trees through its partners, missing its interim target for that year of 60 million....

"Wilkinson said in an interview with CBC's Power and Politics that when the government announced its two billion trees initiative, it confirmed it would rely on other programs.... Wilkinson said that what Canadians care about is the government achieving the aims behind its program — enhancing biodiversity and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

"But the environmental advocacy organization Nature Canada said that if the government is counting existing trees that were already planted, it cannot claim its two billion tree program is offering any additional value. 'This, to me, is very disappointing," said Nature Canada's reforestation policy and campaign manager David Wallis.... 'They seem to realize they are not going to hit their target. Instead of coming clean to Canadians and fixing their program, they are choosing to deceive and make it look like they are planting more than they actually are.'   

"Ottawa is investing up to $3.2 billion over 10 years (2021-2031) in its tree-planting program. The government of Canada is planting only some of those trees. Ottawa relies on Indigenous communities, provinces, territories, businesses and non-profit organizations to do most of the planting. The federal government provides half of the money required to plant trees through cost-sharing agreements.... As of March, it had signed agreements with five of 10 provinces and two of three territories to meet the target."

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/two-billion-trees-environmental-sustainability-1.6936232

Is Trudeau's 2 Billion Tree Planting Promise a Failure? | The Agenda, TVO | May 19, 2023: 

Six-year logging ban ended in Kenya

Kenya's president has ended the 6-year ban on logging in the country. 

Kenya Lifts Logging Ban, Promising Jobs and Growth | Reason | William Rampe:

July 10, 2023 - "On July 2, Kenya's president ended an almost six-year moratorium on logging in the country's public and community forests.  'We can't have mature trees rotting in forests while locals suffer due to lack of timber. That's foolishness,' President William Ruto explained during a church service. 'This is why we have decided to open up the forest and harvest timber so that we can create jobs for our youth and open up business.'

"In 2018, when he was deputy president, Ruto announced a 90-day ban in order 'to allow reassessment and rationalisation of the entire forest sector.' The government regularly extended the ban as part of an effort to limit illegal logging and prevent the lowering of Kenya's water levels. 

"While lifting the ban, Ruto is maintaining Kenya's goal of planting 15 billion trees over the next 10 years. The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has also set rules for harvesting in gazetted forests, including requiring loggers to acquire entry and exit certificates.

'Some of the areas, in the Great Rift Valley for example, used to be hubs for timber production,' says Lubanga Makanji, who teaches environment and resource development at Egerton University in Kenya. 'And that means that there were wood processors that would provide employment for the local community. As soon as the moratorium came into place, those jobs were lost.' According to the Kenya Forestry Research Institute, the 2018 ban led to the loss of approximately 44,000 jobs and $28 million in revenue, bringing economic collapse to communities that relied on the logging industry.

"Ruto's decision has set off a storm of environmentalist anger, with activists accusing Kenya of favoring economic development over its climate goals. John Kioli, the executive director of the Green Africa Foundation, told the Associated Press that ... lifting the ban would 'undermine all efforts to put Kenya on a low-carbon trajectory.' 'By lifting this ban president Ruto has prioritised profit over people and nature,' said Tracy Makhet of Greenpeace Africa in a press release....  

"But the ban is still in effect for indigenous forests. The lifted portion of the ban applies to trees in plantation forests, which should be felled when the trees reach rotation age, Makanji says....'We have a community that is also engaged in tree planting within these gazetted government forests. So to me, there shouldn't be any environmental impact.'

"Furthermore, it's far from clear that the moratorium substantially reduced illegal logging. In a 2004 study, Makanji and Haruyuki Mochida of the University of Tsukuba found that a previous ban did not prevent illegal logging in the Kakamega forest. 'As wood shortage bites, the price of sawn timber has risen hence creating a major incentive for illegal extraction,' explained the authors.... 

"By bringing property rights to the forest, Kenya could ensure that its trees are both conserved and used depending on the utility they bring to Kenyans, as determined by price signals. A 2000 paper on forest conservation in Kenya's Mt. Elgon National Park, written by Esther Mwangie of Indiana University and Paul Ongugo and Jane Njuguna of the Kenya Forest Research Institute, found that the 'institutional flexibility' of 'according claimant rights to local communities' can 'create incentives that encourage communities to take long term benefits and short term costs into account when making decisions.'"

Read more: https://reason.com/2023/07/10/kenya-lifts-logging-ban-promising-jobs-and-growth/

Pres. Ruto lifts 6-year ban on logging | NTV Kenya | July 2, 2023:

Quebec police suspect arson behind forest fires

Quebec police suspect that at least some of the many forest fires raging throughout the province were the result of arson.

Cops suspect arson caused wildfire in at least one part of Quebec | Toronto Sun - Joe Warmington:

June 7, 2023 - "The Toronto Sun has learned Quebec police are investigating the possibility that the smoke creating poor air quality in southern Ontario and making downtown skylines disappear may have been the result of arson. 'There is an investigation because the cause is suspect,' said Surete de Quebec media officer Hugues Beaulieu.

"This narrative has not made [,,] many headlines — and is polar opposite to what the likes of U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer and Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez and Environment Minister Steven Guibeault have been saying.

The ongoing wildfires remind us that carbon pollution carries a cost on our society, as it accelerates climate change.
Good read exploring the concept of that social cost of carbon. https://t.co/IQpgP2HYyg
— Steven Guilbeault (@s_guilbeault) June 7, 2023

"They are blaming the wildfires on 'climate change' and on the 'climate crisis.'

Between NYC in wildfire smoke and this in PR, it bears repeating how unprepared we are for the climate crisis.
We must adapt our food systems, energy grids, infrastructure, healthcare, etc ASAP to prepare for what’s to come and catch up to what is already here. #GreenNewDeal 🌱 https://t.co/GT7hY4Ffm3
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 7, 2023

"Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s close friend and former principal secretary, Gerald Butts, also tweeted: 'The fires are worse because of the conditions in the forest. The conditions are caused by climate change'....

These Canadian wildfires are truly unprecedented, and climate change continues to make these disasters worse.
We passed the Inflation Reduction Act to fight climate change, and we must do more to speed our transition to cleaner energy and reduce carbon in the atmosphere.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) June 7, 2023

"And Ontario Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner tweeted that despite 'wildfires raging' the 'premier still won’t make the connection to climate change'....

"The actual cause is yet to be determined. We do know, however, that previous forest fires in places like Fort McMuray or in Nova Scotia are suspected to be caused by humans.... [F]oul play is not suspected in all of Quebec’s fires. But the ones which began in the small village of Chapais — in the northeast section of the province — are being probed.

"'It is suspicious,' said one business owner there. 'It is believed that some of these fires here were deliberately set'....[A] temporary trailer set up as a police command post is staffed with experienced arson investigators....

"'As we speak, we think that certain elements that stand out may suggest that these fires may be linked. There are a few things that seem suspicious,' Mayor Isabelle Lessard told the local le Quotidien newspaper. 'The SQ is investigating in order to make validations, then to see what is happening and if there is a criminal cause behind it, but we are still in validation.'

"While police have been told of unexplainable movements of people in the town, police stress the need for everyone to be patient. 'We are still investigating,” said Beaulieu. 'There are no results.' Part of the challenge, he said, is so many other sections of the province ignited at the same time. Beaulieu said while 'it’s a hard investigation to do, we will do it.'

"At this point, it’s too early to say the early fires in Quebec were started on purpose or as a result of climate change. But we can say Quebec provincial police are on the case."

Read more: https://torontosun.com/news/local-news/warmington-cops-suspect-arson-caused-wildfire-in-at-least-one-part-of-quebec

Quebec confronted with more than 150 wildfires | 'A situation that's unprecedented' | CTV News | June 7, 2023: 

Why are Canada's forests burning?

Smoky New York isn’t climate change — it’s bad forest management | New York Post - Miranda Devine:

June 7, 2023 - "Canadian wildfire smoke currently turning the [New York City] sky orange is taking our tolerance to new levels. By Wednesday we were registering the wors[t] air pollution of any major city in the world and COVID mask maniacs were back in their element. But don’t fall for the propaganda that climate change is to blame.

"The situation in Canada is similar to that in Australia, where green ideology and chronic government underfunding mean that the forests currently ablaze have not been managed properly for years. Instead of dead wood and undergrowth being removed regularly using low-intensity controlled or 'prescribed' burns, forests have become overgrown tinderboxes. Fire trails that used to allow first responders easy access to the forest have closed over as vast tracts of land are locked away from humans. Logging and other commercial practices that used to self-interestedly tend to forest health have been phased out. 

"Back in 2016 when Parks Canada had planned just 12 prescribed burns for the year, Mark Heathcott, the agency’s retired fire management coordinator of 23 years, warned about the importance of the practice to prevent future wildfires. 

"In 2020, a paper in the journal Progress in Disaster Science warned: 'Wildfire management agencies in Canada are at a tipping point. Presuppression and suppression costs are increasing but program budgets are not.'

"Canadian indigenous groups also have complained that bureaucratic obstacles hinder their ability to perform the controlled burns they have used for centuries to reduce fuel load, flush out food and regenerate forests.

"[G]reen activists using illogical emotional arguments about wildlife habitats have caused governments to underfund and curtail the scientific use of prescribed burning to mitigate wildfire risk. The ensuing incineration of forests and critters by super-hot runaway wildfires is infinitely worse for wildlife habitats. 

"But for climate alarmists, the assault on New Yorkers' air quality is a positive outcome that they can spin to prove their case. They’re like the arsonist who sets fire to a building and then profits from the clean-up."

Read more: https://nypost.com/2023/06/07/smoky-new-york-isnt-climate-change-its-bad-forest-management/

Over 400 wildfires burning across Canada, half out of control | CBC News: The National | June 8, 2023:

The most effective way to combat climate change

Best way to fight climate change? Plant a trillion trees | CBC News: - Associated Press:

July 5, 2019 - "The most effective way to fight global warming is to plant lots of trees, a trillion of them, maybe more, according to a new study. Swiss scientists ... say that even with existing cities and farmland, there's enough space for new trees to cover nine million square kilometres, roughly the size of the United States. Their report is in Thursday's edition of the journal Science.

"The study calculated that over the decades, those new trees could suck up nearly 750 billion tonnes of heat-trapping carbon dioxide from the atmosphere — about as much carbon pollution as humans have spewed in the past 25 years. Much of that benefit will come quickly because trees remove more carbon from the air when they are younger, the study authors said. The potential for removing the most carbon is in the tropics.

"'This is by far — by thousands of times — the cheapest climate change solution' and the most effective, said study co-author Thomas Crowther, a climate change ecologist at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich.... Before his research, Crowther figured there were other more effective ways to fight climate change besides cutting emissions, such as people switching from eating meat to vegetarianism. But, he said, tree planting is far more effective because trees take so much carbon dioxide out of the air.

"Thomas Lovejoy, a conservation biologist at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., who wasn't part of the study, called it 'a good news story' because planting trees would also help stem the loss of biodiversity.

"Planting trees is not a substitute for weaning the world off burning oil, coal and gas, the chief cause of global warming, Crowther emphasized.... Nor is it easy or realistic to think the world will suddenly go on a tree-planting binge, although many groups have started, Crowther said.
 
"The researchers used Google Earth to see what areas could support more trees, while leaving room for people and crops. Lead author Jean-François Bastin estimated there's space for at least one trillion more trees, but it could be 1.5 trillion. That's on top of the three trillion trees now on Earth, according to earlier Crowther research. The study's calculations make sense, said Chris Field, an environmental scientist at Stanford University in California who also wasn't part of the study."

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/tree-planting-climate-change-1.5201102
'via Blog this'