Provincial government plans Carter’s Beach purchase

The beach, a popular recreational property for both residents and visitors alike, is apparently on the market.

According to a March 21 press release, Department officials are also firming up plans to buy 65 hectares of land near the Lake Rossignol Wilderness Area in Queens Co. The province approved $1.7-million to purchase lands of coastal, environmental and recreational value. Land is Lunenburg Co. is also falling under this proposal.

"This is all part of the province's ongoing efforts to expand the proportion of Crown lands available for Nova Scotians now and in the future," said Natural Resources Minister David Morse. "Whether we acquire land that has strong forestry options or strong environmental attributes, all of it gets added to our Crown land base. That means we are able to continue to move closer to our goal of protecting 12 per cent of the total land mass by 2015."

The province has yet to determine how any of the newly acquired properties will be designated or used in the future.

The province is also buying more industrial forest land under its forestry transition program.

In October, the province announced it would invest up to $20-million over five years to purchase parcels of industrial forest land from viable forestry companies.

The first acquisitions under that program, worth up to $4.5-million, are: land valued at up to $1.5-million in Queens Co. from NF Douglas and Company Limited; land in western Nova Scotia valued at up to $2-million from Freeman Lumber of Greenfield, Queens Co.; and $1-million worth of property in Annapolis, Digby and Yarmouth counties from Comeau Lumber Limited.

By March 31, the province is expected to have completed about $2.5-million worth of those purchases, acquiring about 1,563 hectares. Work will continue over several months to identify and finalize remaining parcels from the companies.

"This program is a great way of making our investments work for us in more than one way," said Morse. "The province is adding to its limited Crown land base by acquiring good land at fair market value. But it also helps these key rural employers by letting them divest of certain assets they no longer consider essential."

NF Douglas and Company Limited produces kiln-dried lumber at its sawmill in Caledonia, Queens Co.

Freeman Lumber is an ISO-certified company whose main products include Eastern White Pine and Eastern Hemlock lumber, kiln-dried studs and precision trims.

Under terms of the forestry transition program, purchases of land are made from viable forest-related companies. Land must be reviewed under the Department of Natural Resources' integrated resource management process, the purchases must be made at current market value and an interdepartmental committee of government staff assesses all proposals.

In addition to the up to $4.5 million in forestry transition program purchases, the province has also approved acquisitions worth up to $1.7 million to further increase lands of coastal, environmental and recreational value.