Nova Scotia Needs a Moratorium on Aerial Glyphosate

Glyphosate is used to prevent the regrowth of hardwood trees after a naturally diverse forest has been clearcut. It is a forest vegetation management tool that was first experimented with in the boreal forest, after similar formulations gained approvals for use in agriculture. It is increasingly used in Nova Scotia’s mixed forests because of its convenience for some large landowners. Native Wabanaki/Acadian forests can be managed for their economic values while also safeguarding the ecosystem goods and services they offer us. These ecological forestry practices do not require the use of glyphosate-based herbicides. More importantly, there is a growing body of evidence that suggests wide-scale use of glyphosate may have harmful consequences for our native ecosystems. Glyphosate-based herbicides:

eliminate hardwood trees and leafy plant regeneration, leaving soils exposed and at risk of erosion and creating the potential for acidified sediments.
may remove browsing habitat for the Endangered Mainland Moose.
increase fire risk by killing fire-resistant deciduous plants and prioritizing fire-adapted conifers.
harm the complex mycorrhizal relationships in the soil that are essential to healthy tree growth by removing hardwood species symbionts, impacting overall soil health but also the quality of the coniferous crop tree.
have a half-life in the soil of anywhere from 7 to 400+ days, depending on local conditions, may persist in plant tissues and the sediment for several years, and adsorb readily to sediment particles, leaving some watersheds at greater risk of contaminated runoff.
degrade in the environment to aminomethylphosphonic acid and carbon dioxide, which can effectively decrease the pH of the water it is found in.
can introduce a substantial source of anthropogenic Phosphorus into the watershed, which can lead to nutrient loading, fish health effects, and algae blooms.
contain a surfactant which, at reasonable concentrations in the environment (10, 100, and 100µg/L), has been shown to be toxic to fish, mussels, and other aquatic wildlife.
have been shown to impair honeybee navigation at just 10mg/L (or 0.500ug per animal) and impact threat stimuli learning in mosquitos at 100ug/L.

Our forests have been severely degraded by decades of industrial-scale forestry. The Wabanaki/Acadian forest cannot tolerate more large-scale harvests that disregard soil health, water quality, and wildlife habitat. Now, in the words of William Lahey, protecting and restoring ecosystem health must be “our overarching priority.” Aerial spraying of glyphosate-based herbicides on forested land has no place in today’s forests. We are calling for a moratorium on glyphosate treatments on public lands, effective immediately.

Help us put pressure on government to finally implement ecological forestry in Nova Scotia. Sign onto our petition demanding a moratorium on aerial glyphosate-based herbicides.

Nova Scotia Needs a Moratorium on Aerial Glyphosate

First Name *

Last Name *

Email *

Street Address

City

Province / State

Postal Code

Customize the email subject *

Customize the message *

Minister Halman,

Glyphosate is used to prevent the regrowth of hardwood trees after a naturally diverse forest has been clearcut. It is a forest vegetation management tool that was first experimented with in the boreal forest, after similar formulations gained approvals for use in agriculture. It is increasingly used in Nova Scotia’s mixed forests because of its convenience for some large landowners. Native Wabanaki/Acadian forests can be managed for their economic values while also safeguarding the ecosystem goods and services they offer us. These ecological forestry practices do not require the use of glyphosate-based herbicides. More importantly, there is a growing body of evidence that suggests wide-scale use of glyphosate may have harmful consequences for our native ecosystems. Glyphosate-based herbicides:

eliminate hardwood trees and leafy plant regeneration, leaving soils exposed and at risk of erosion and creating the potential for acidified sediments.

may remove browsing habitat for the Endangered Mainland Moose.

increase fire risk by killing fire-resistant deciduous plants and prioritizing fire-adapted conifers.

harm the complex mycorrhizal relationships in the soil that are essential to healthy tree growth by removing hardwood species symbionts, impacting overall soil health but also the quality of the coniferous crop tree.

have a half-life in the soil of anywhere from 7 to 400+ days, depending on local conditions, may persist in plant tissues and the sediment for several years, and adsorb readily to sediment particles, leaving some watersheds at greater risk of contaminated runoff.

degrade in the environment to aminomethylphosphonic acid and carbon dioxide, which can effectively decrease the pH of the water it is found in.

can introduce a substantial source of anthropogenic Phosphorus into the watershed, which can lead to nutrient loading, fish health effects, and algae blooms.

contain a surfactant which, at reasonable concentrations in the environment (10, 100, and 100µg/L), has been shown to be toxic to fish, mussels, and other aquatic wildlife.

have been shown to impair honeybee navigation at just 10mg/L (or 0.500ug per animal) and impact threat stimuli learning in mosquitos at 100ug/L.

Our forests have been severely degraded by decades of industrial-scale forestry. The Wabanaki/Acadian forest cannot tolerate more large-scale harvests that disregard soil health, water quality, and wildlife habitat. Now, in the words of William Lahey, protecting and restoring ecosystem health must be “our overarching priority.” Aerial spraying of glyphosate-based herbicides on forested land has no place in today’s forests.

I am asking for a moratorium on glyphosate treatments on all forested lands in Nova Scotia, effective immediately.

Your postal address will be automatically added to your message when it is sent.

For further reading, see:

By entering your email you consent to receive emails from us. You may unsubscribe at any time. We send few messages.

The use of aerial glyphosate-based herbicides is on the rise in Nova Scotia, despite growing evidence that its widespread use is detrimental to our wildlife and water quality and calls from local councillors to ban the practice in their jurisdictions. Help us move Nova Scotia towards ecological forestry by signing onto the petition for a glyphosate moratorium.

Actions

Join

Donate

Events

News

About

Annual General Meetings

Projects

N.S. Trees

N.S. Forestry

Contact

Actions and Updates in your Inbox:

Nova Scotia Needs a Moratorium on Aerial Glyphosate

Nova Scotia Needs a Moratorium on Aerial Glyphosate

Sharing is Caring

Actions and Updates in your Inbox

© Nature Nova Scotia