The forests of western Newfoundland were once plentiful, which helped create a pulp and paper industry in that part of the province. For decades, the cultivation and revitalization of those forests wasn't a significant consideration. Generations of forestry workers cut and hauled pulpwood in the area without thinking ahead to a day when those trees might begin to dwindle.

But by 1984, the area's forests were struggling — not only because of forestry but due to the devastation of insect infestations.

That is how Land & Sea came to be filming a western Newfoundland forest fire that was intentionally set by people who aimed to help the forests, not destroy them. Burning the remains of disease and cut-down trees was the first step in revitalizing the forests, making it possible to get rid of diseased trees and plan new species.

The arrival of silviculture in western Newfoundland wasn't just meant to improve the health of the forests, though that was an important goal. It was also hoped that healthier forests would mean a healthier pulp and paper industry at a time when the sector was struggling both in Newfoundland and Labrador and across Canada.

Learn more about the early days of silviculture in western Newfoundland in this archival episode of Land & Sea, available to watch in full on YouTube.

Want more Land & Sea? Click here to see a playlist of archival episodes on our YouTube channel, and you can watch more recent episodes on our CBC Gem streaming service here.

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