For Immediate Release
July 10, 2015

ST. JOHN’S, NL – Newfoundland and Labrador’s green economy conference – Newleef 2015 – has expanded with the addition of a significant component dedicated to opportunities and growth in the province’s forestry sector.

Organized by the Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association (NEIA), Newleef 2015 takes place on October 8-9, 2015 bringing industry, academia, government, and the community together to discuss the growth and diversification of the province’s economy through the protection of, mitigation of effects to, or enhancement of the natural environment.

“The forestry sector does not get the public attention it deserves. There are many opportunities for innovation and economic growth,” says Ted Lomond, Executive Director of NEIA. “Forestry resources are used for everything from extractants to animal bedding. They can be harvested sustainably to provide opportunities for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians long after other resources have depleted.”

Lomond says that forest resources support business activity in home construction, boat building, heating products, landscaping, and in many other areas. “We are also seeing local firms begin to export forestry management technologies to other regions to create more opportunities at home.”

The province’s forestry sector offers environmental benefits as well as economic. “Newfoundland and Labrador wood products are derived from sustainably managed forests without the scale of environmental impact we associate with many of the alternatives.”

Lomond says that Newleef 2015 will feature discussions with leading experts on a wide range of opportunities and topics important to local industry. “We want participants to leave with a clear sense of how best to advance the sector,” says Lomond.

Speakers at Newleef 2015 include Marianne Berube, the Executive Director of Ontario Wood WORKS!, an organization dedicating to increasing the use of wood in commercial, industrial and institutional construction. Other speakers include William Strauss – globally recognized as a leading expert in valuing both proposed and existing wood pellet projects; Paul Stuart – NSERC’s Design Engineering Chair in ‘Process Integration in the Pulp and Paper Industry’; and Newfoundland’s own Rob Menchenton – a prominent architect and Vice-President of the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Architects. More information on these speakers and their presentations can be found on the Newleef 2015 website at www.newleef.ca.

Newleef explores business opportunities; presents the latest local research; aims to foster sector innovation; navigates environmental issues with a focus on solutions; highlights the products, services, and activities of organizations operating in the province; and builds sector capacity through the delivery of professional development seminars. The forestry sector component of Newleef 2015 is just one of a series of green economy topics to be explored at the conference.

“Newleef continues to grow in size and scope,” says Lomond. “This is an indication of the growing interest by the business community, researchers, government officials, and municipal leaders in this province in the relationship between economy and environment.”

NEIA is a not-for-profit association of businesses that promotes the growth and development of the green economy in Newfoundland and Labrador. NEIA has over 190 members. More information on NEIA can be found at www.neia.org.

Media Contact
Kieran Hanley
kieran@neia.org
709.237.8190

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