Denis Landry says wildlife issues must be balanced with job protection

Natural Resources Minister DenisLandryis facing significantpressure to protect public forests in the province.

A coalition of six groups spoke out last week,demanding changes to the Crown Lands and Forest Act.

They say the current legislation isn't protecting wildlife and creates unfair competition.

Landry says he has to balance that with concerns from many others,including people who are more worried about jobs at sawmills.

The worst thing they would like to see is one of their mills closing.- Denis Landry, minister of natural resources

"Twenty-thousandand over jobs that are directly involved with that industry. It's really big. You talk to the municipalities, you talk to the villages that have a mill in their area, the worst thing they would like to see is one of their mills closing."

Lois Corbett, the executive director of the Conservation Council of New Brunswick, said last week it was keyfor the more than 30 groups to band together to demonstrate the importance of updating the Crown Lands and Forests Act, which was passed in 1982.

"What's really significant here is the broad range of people who are coming together and saying, 'This act doesn't work for us anymore it doesn't work for the good of the province,'" Corbett said in a statement.

"Our forests are very special to New Brunswickers, so when this many people and different types of experts are saying something is broken, it is time to fix it."

Scientists have said current forestry practices threaten the habitats of indicator species including the American marten, the flying squirrel and the pileated woodpecker.

The natural resources minister says he's listening to the concerns that have been raised, but Denis Landry says heisn't prepared to take any immediate action to increase wildlife protection.

He says DNR biologists are monitoring animal populations, and he says university scientists are still researching the reasons for the declines of certain species and what can be done to protect them.

"Biologists in my department are really active.They're measuring all those little animalsthey're trying to find out what can be done to protect those little animals. Isit the climate change, is it the forestry cut? What can we do to protect [them]?

Landry also says there is plenty of protected land in the province and animals will migrate from areas that have been clear cut.