Today, that figure sits at 43.5 per cent, not much different than 71 years ago, despite the use of herbicide spraying, tree planting and modern silviculture practices. Herbicide spraying in New Brunswick’s public woods is a hot topic. The officials told the committee that the timber and paper industries need herbicides to keep costs in line. A study that was supposed be done within 12 months comparing the cost of herbicide spraying with manual cutting won’t be completed till March 2027. Having more speed, having more fulsome answers is a good thing.”However, Herron defended the use of herbicide spraying, saying he’d follow the science.