ST. JOHN’S, Nfld. — A new load slip system is being touted in Newfoundland’s forestry industry, that could improve the tracking of commercially harvested wood in the province.

The initiative is in response to the thousands of cubic metres of wood that go unaccounted for each year in the province, and Minister of Forest Resources and Agrifoods, Rick Woodford, says the plan will be implemented next spring.

"This new system will ensure a more accurate accounting process to measure wood flow around the province and provide us with more complete information concerning the use of our forest resources," says Woodford. "The information will also result in increased accuracy when calculating annual allowable cuts which govern the sustainability of our forest resource."

Under the new system, each load of timber transported around the province will be accompanied by a load slip which will include details on the authority under which the wood was harvested, its origin and its destination. Log haulers will be required to maintain their own load slips, as will harvesters and processors.

The load slip system will be strongly enforced, and strict penalties will be levied against companies who fail to follow the new system.