November 20th, 2025 | via Nova Scotia Government, released on behalf of Nova Scotia Forestry Innovation Transition Trust
The Forestry Innovation Transition Trust is investing $1.8 million to assist private landowners and forest contractors in finding new markets for underutilized wood fibre and to support sustainable forestry management.
The Association for Sustainable Forestry will use $800,000 over the next year to help private landowners and forest contractors find new, more efficient ways of harvesting, transporting and selling low-grade fibre that would normally go unused. It will also help reduce the risk of wildfires through removal of material that would normally be left on the forest floor.
Forest Nova Scotia will use $1 million over two years to help woodlot owners develop and maintain access roads into their woodlots. This allows them to harvest more wood. It also lowers the risk of wildfires, since less wood remains on the ground, and allows woodlot owners to be more selective about which trees they cut and which they leave for another year.
Since its launch in 2020, the Forestry Innovation Transition Trust has committed more than $50 million to help the forestry sector develop new, high-value products, new business models, economic growth opportunities and new ecological services.
Quotes:
“The Forestry Innovation Transition Trust makes investments designed to help our forestry industry become more competitive and more sustainable. These projects will help bring more high-quality products to market and strengthen this important sector of our economy.”
— Rosalind Penfound, Chair, Forestry Innovation Transition Trust
“For over a year, Forest Nova Scotia has been advocating for additional funding for the road program for our members. With this funding, we will be able to enhance our support for woodlot owners to help them actively manage their woodlots. Given the recent fires, funding like this is crucial to help improve access for contractors, first responders and service providers. We will continue active dialogue with decision-makers, government officials and friends of forestry. There is still much more to do, but this is a step in the right direction.”
— Todd Burgess, Executive Director, Forest Nova Scotia
Quick Facts:
- Nova Scotia has about four million hectares (40,000 square kilometres) of forests, equivalent to about 72 per cent of the total area of the province
- about 6,400 Nova Scotians work in the forestry industry, with 2,700 direct full-time jobs and another 3,700 spin-off jobs
- Nova Scotia has prioritized the use of wood, including mass timber, wood pellets, biomass, biofuels and other products, in public buildings, new construction, renovations and conversions from oil heat
