Bridgewater Couple Named Woodland Owners of the Year
Judy and Thomas Mailman of Bridgewater are the western region and provincial winners of the 2024 Woodland Owners of the Year Award. (Communications Nova Scotia)
Judy and Thomas Mailman of Bridgewater are the western region and provincial winners of the 2024 Woodland Owners of the Year Award.
“I’d like to congratulate the Mailmans and thank them for passing along their extensive forestry knowledge to future generations of Nova Scotians,” said Tory Rushton, Minister of Natural Resources and Renewables. “Private woodlot owners are crucial to preserving our forests and an important part of our economy, and it's fantastic to see so many collaborating with us to promote ecological forestry in Nova Scotia.”
The Mailmans have worked hard to take care of their woodland. They have taken part in a project on silviculture for hemlock woolly adelgid – an insect that attacks hemlock trees – hosted classes from Nova Scotia Community College, worked with researchers on tree care and wood heating, and put up birdhouses. They have also teamed up with the Western Woodlot Services Cooperative to promote their woodlands.
The central region winners are Julia and David MacMillan of Tatamagouche, Colchester County, and the eastern region winners are brothers Brian and Steven Eadie of Clydesdale, Antigonish County.
The awards honour private landowners for exceptional management of their woodlands and superior forestry practices on private land. They promote sustainable stewardship and raise public awareness about the significance of private woodlands in Nova Scotia.
Nominations were assessed based on integrated resource management practices, employing environmental standards, meeting sustainability goals, protection of wildlife habitats, enhancement of woodlots and understanding of forestry and woodlot management.
Quick Facts:
- the award has recognized private woodlot owners for more than 30 years
- Nova Scotians who own between 20 and 2,000 hectares of woodland are eligible to be nominated
- about 60 per cent of Nova Scotia’s woodlands are privately owned
- there will be an open house at one of the Mailmans’ woodlots, located at 58 Mossman Rd., West Northfield, Lunenburg County, on Saturday, October 5, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Additional Resources:
Woodland Owner of the Year Award: https://novascotia.ca/natr/woodlot/woya/
Information on ecological forestry in Nova Scotia: https://novascotia.ca/ecological-forestry/
Department of Natural Resources and Renewables on X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/NS_DNRR
Nova Scotia Woodlands on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NovaScotiaWoodlands/