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Index of Subjects It is certainly well known that catastrophic events tend to structure communities. I don't, however, follow the logic that justifes a lot of even aged management on that basis, rather it argues for increased diversity, multi-aged/ management. Quoting David & Alison Webster <dwebster@glinx.com>: > Hi Dave P. & All, Oct 25, 2012 > I read both of these, and by way of disclaimer don't know either > Gary or Nick, but thought that Gary's article was soundly based and > Nick's seemed out of touch with reality. > > According to Nick e.g., if we just manage our Acadian forests > properly then even climate change will be a good thing; Magnolias, > Shagbark Hickory, Tulip Poplar, an amazement of understory > wildflowers--- wow, who would have known ? > > Sadly there is more to climate change than warmer temperatures > and the dangerous element to forest trees in this area will likely > be extreme variation of weather. > > Even one seriously adverse year in 100 can make a mess of good > management and 2012 was not great in my North Alton woodlot, to take > one example that I happen to know well. A large number of the few > spruce that did not die following extreme drought near the turn of > the century, or blow over in the wind of Dec 2010 looked very > stressed during the unusually prolonged drought this summer and a > fair proportion dropped all or nearly all of their needles. Based of > observation of similar circumstances elsewhere I expect thickets of > even aged trash trees (Fir & Poplar) will fill the clearings. > > When there is serious windfall even salvage is an option only if > you are an industrial scale operator. Following the windthrow of Dec > 2010 I took a rough survey of damage and decided to try horse > logging, the trees being scattered, and sawing with a portable mill > at 4-5 brows by hiring the work and offering a split of the > proceeds. The owner of a portable mill kindly advised me to proceed > only if I had a use for the lumber and went on to explain that he > had many trees over in 500 acres and had decided to let it rot in > the woods; the lumber can be sold only if certified and > certification is not practical for small lots. > > And the industrial scale outlook for pulp is bleak. A study of > pulp production costs worldwide some 15-20 years ago (sorry no > reference) found that Atlantic Canada had by far the highest costs > worldwide for pulp delivered to the mill site. And diversion of > sawmill waste to pulp mills helped to keep sawmills afloat but, > given the shrinking demand for paper, this could unravel within a > decade. > > So there are serious problems ahead for forests, forestry > industries and the rural economy and clear-headed, fact-based > thinking is called for as opposed to wishful dreaming. > > Yt, Dave Webster, Kentville > ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Patriquin" <patriqui@dal.ca> > To: <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca> > Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2012 9:49 AM > Subject: [NatureNS] Forest Perspectives > > >> I hope everyone reads Nick Hill's perspective of our forests, so >> wonderfully expressed and refreshing after the dismal, rural vs >> urban, Saunders Op-Ed >> >> Nick: Take a walk into the future in the Acadian forest >> http://thech.ca/RXLoLA >> >> Saunders >> http://thechronicleherald.ca/opinion/151384-taking-a-walk-in-the-woods-and-through-nova-scotia-s-past >> >> >> ----- >> No virus found in this message. >> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com >> Version: 2013.0.2741 / Virus Database: 2614/5333 - Release Date: 10/15/12 >> Internal Virus Database is out of date. >> > > > David Patriquin 6165 Murray Place Halifax, N.S. Canada B3H 1R9 e-mail: patriqui@dal.ca Phone: 902-4235716 Professor of Biology (retired) Dalhousie University http://www.dal.ca Halifax Field Naturalists http://halifaxfieldnaturalists.ca Nova Scotia Wild Flora Society http://nswildflora.ca Young Naturalists Club of Nova Scotia http://ync.nature1st.net/ Woodens River Watershed Environmental Organization http://wrweo.ca Control of Chinch Bug without Pesticides http://versicolor.ca/lawns
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