The Ministry of Environment and Energy (MOEE) was preparing to launch an investigation of the Ministry of Natural Resources to examine massive clearcuts in the Gordon Cosens forest.
Two environmental groups, the Sierra Legal Defence Fund and Earthroots, are calling the tract of land one of the worst-managed forests in Ontario, pointing out an 11,000-hectare clearcut. Both groups take issue with a 1994 environmental-assessment board recommendation to curb clearcuts to 260 hectares, but allow some exceptions, which they claim forest companies are skirting by copying natural patterns of forest fires. Although the investigation had not yet been launched by late August, the MOEE has been given until Sept. 28 to complete it.
