P.E.I. announces new funding to help clear Fiona-felled trees

The Prince Edward Island government announced new funding on Thursday to help small forestry business and woodlot owners clear trees that were cut down following post-tropical storm Fiona last fall that may pose a fire risk to nearby urban areas and infrastructure.

The new Hurricane Fiona Forestry Recovery Program is supported by $125,000 from the provincial government and $975,000 from Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) through the federal Hurricane Fiona Recovery Fund.

Financial assistance is available for small woodlot owners - defined as larger than one acre but less than 2.5 acres - where land is excluded from the previously announced Forest Enhancement Program, but where land intersects with urban and wildland areas and may pose a fire risk.

The province says assistance is also available for land where the forestry road is deemed necessary for sustainable forest management and fire suppression.

“We know that our province’s forests were hit hard by extreme weather, and we need to continue to reduce our forest fire risk. We are here to help Islanders dealing with the continued impacts of Fiona and to do what we can to maintain our forested areas for the long term,” said Steven Myers, minister of Environment, Energy and Climate Action, in a statement.

“The Government of Canada, through the Hurricane Fiona Recovery Fund, continues to work closely with communities, businesses and organizations to help them recover and rebuild from Fiona’s aftermath,” added the minister responsible for ACOA, Gudie Hutchings.

“This program for woodlot owners will help protect forests and surrounding areas against further damage, increasing the region’s resilience to climate-induced weather events in the future.”

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