Natural Resources Citizen Engagement Committee Releases Report

Nova Scotians' thoughts, concerns and values are the focus of a three-phase project to develop a new natural resources strategy for the province.

The report on the first phase of the project, The Future of Nova Scotia's Natural Resources: Our Common Ground, was released today, April 17, by Voluntary Planning's Natural Resources Citizen Engagement Committee.

Nova Scotians have expressed that they are seeking change in all areas of natural resource management.

"We want to thank all Nova Scotians who participated in the first phase of the process to develop a new natural resources strategy," said committee co-chair Candace Stevenson. "Throughout the citizen engagement process, we heard the passion of Nova Scotians for the use, management and health of the natural resources of the province."

The committee's goal was to assess values, concerns and visions about the province's natural resources -- specifically biodiversity, forests, minerals and parks.

Nova Scotians expressed their views through written submissions, telephone messages and at meetings and workshops across the province. About 2,000 participants attended meetings held in May and June 2008.

Voluntary Planning received more than 600 written and phone submissions. After the release of a working paper in October 2008, the committee received further input from three workshops and written feedback from individuals and organizations.

Five key values emerged from participants: sustainability, diversity, collaboration, transparency and informed decision making. Nova Scotians hope to see these values reflected in the new natural resources strategy. The committee's report summarizes participants' key concerns, issues and opinions within each of the values.

The report, submissions and details from the community meetings and workshops, will inform and provide a strong foundation for the next phases of the strategy process. In phase two, panels of expertise will conduct a more detailed analysis of the committee's findings and prepare recommendations. The third and final phase will be the development of the long-term strategy by the Department of Natural Resources.

"The level of participation in the report shows the great depth of feelings Nova Scotians have for the province's natural resources," said committee co-chair Rick MacDonald. "Their enthusiasm speaks to their desire to be involved in the process of developing strategies and policies for this topic.

"Nova Scotians want to continue working with government, their communities and other organizations, to make decisions related to natural resources."

Voluntary Planning is an arm's length board of the provincial government mandated to engage citizens on important policy issues for the future.

Nova Scotia aims to have one of the cleanest and most sustainable environments in the world by 2020. To help reach that goal, the province is developing new strategies for water, natural resources, energy, climate change and coastal management.

To learn more, or to take part, see The New Nova Scotia: A Path to 2020 at www.gov.ns.ca/2020.

A copy of the Voluntary Planning report is available at http://vp.gov.ns.ca .