Now, here’s an interesting story. The prime minister buys a pipeline and uses the oil and gas revenues to establish a tree-planting program that offsets the environmental impacts. It is perverse, indeed, to make ecological restoration contingent on resource extraction.
Instead of a glorified silvicultural program, which should be the responsibility of those cutting the trees, how about an ambitious “re-wilding” program? This would involve the safeguarding of intact ecosystems and wilderness areas, as well as conservation and restoration of critical ecosystems, habitats and connectivity corridors, with the goal of protecting 30 per cent of land and water. A "conservation science" approach is more likely to address climate change and biodiversity loss than planting trees.
M.L. Gorman, Antigonish
