FREDERICTON, New Brunswick (AP) – An environmental group is warning that New Brunswick’s ancient and unique Acadian forest is vanishing due to overcutting and government indifference.

The Conservation Council of New Brunswick, a non-profit environmental lobby group, said Thursday in a new report that the province must act quickly and decisively to stop the loss of old-growth forest and with it, numerous wildlife species.

“Mature Acadian forest is disappearing at a frightening rate, and along with it the habitat of a large number of species,” said Karen DeWolfe, co-ordinator of the council’s Campaign to Save the Acadian Forest.

The council produced satellite images of New Brunswick that clearly show where large swaths of forest have been cut, leaving a patchwork of bare ground and protected areas.

DeWolfe said the province is allowing too much of the old Acadian forest to be taken by forestry companies.

She said the council’s survey of over 2.5 million acres of forest in New Brunswick showed that the area of old forest has declined from 80 per cent to 45 per cent of the land base.

“The provincial government’s standards require only 12 per cent of the forest to be kept as mature forest,” DeWolfe said. “An increasing body of scientific research demonstrates that local extinctions can occur when the habitat area drops below 40 per cent.”

She said the council is recommending that the minimum standard for the area of mature forest on Crown lands be raised to 40 per cent from 12.

But Keith Ashfield, New Brunswick’s natural resources minister, said he doesn’t think the Acadian forest is in any danger.

Ashfield said the national objective for preservation of mature forests is 12 per cent.

“In our opinion we’re meeting the national objective and that’s the figure we’re working with currently,” he said.

Forestry is New Brunswick’s largest industry. Ashfield said the province has to protect the thousands of jobs in the forestry sector.

“We have a balance to maintain,” he said. “We have to ensure the environment is respected but, at the same time, we have to ensure we have jobs in the future and prosperity for all New Brunswickers.”

DeWolfe said a number of bird species, as well as animals like the flying squirrel, are already endangered by the vanishing forest.

The Acadian forest encompasses the Maritime provinces and parts of New England.

It is a unique meeting place where the northern boreal forest blends with southern hardwood forests, creating a variety of ecosystems.

The conservation council released its findings in hopes of applying pressure to New Brunswick’s Conservative government as it considers new wood-supply requests.

The forestry industry wants to double both the supply and harvest of pulp wood in Crown forests within 50 years.

Premier Bernard Lord’s government is expected to release its decision on wood supply within weeks.

The premier appears to be leaning toward allowing more wood to be harvested from the publicly owned forests.

“We believe it’s possible to grow more wood and harvest more wood in the province of New Brunswick,” Lord said recently.

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