[NatureNS] Red Herring & Forestry - calcium exchangeable etc

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Hi David P. & Nick,                   Jan 8, 2006
    After much delay dealing with numerous side matters I read both of =
your e-mails of Dec 27, 2015. Given access to relevant research results =
from two or more independent sources, the full papers, not just a =
summary of a summary of an executive summary, I am prepared to believe =
anything; provided I have good reason to believe that the researchers in =
question have done their homework. And in all such matters Murphy's Law =
never sleeps.=20
    Alex McKeague of Ottawa (in the 80s ?) distributed subsamples of  =
thoroughly validated soil samples to interested labs, assigned code =
letters to each lab involved, so the outliers could avoid embarassment, =
and then reported all results back to those involved. He did this at =
least twice using different samples. The range in results was astounding =
and Ca, drawing on memory, had great scatter.
    It would be helpful if you each could send me a pdf file of the two =
most complete papers.

YT, DW
 =20
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: David Patriquin=20
  To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
  Sent: Sunday, December 27, 2015 7:51 AM
  Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Red Herring & Forestry - calcium exchangeable =
etc


  The studies/modelling by  Ouimet, Clair & others related to acid rain' =
 & Noseworthy's thesis examining forest biomass harvesting include =
calculation of "Exceedances"which occur when the removal of basic =
cations by acid rain exceed the additions though atmospheric deposition =
and weathering of rocks....


  The Noseworthy research,  incorporated more detailed local information =
than the Ouillet et al.study and made an upward revision of the estimate =
of the area of Nova Scotia mapped in exceedance from 39.9% to 73%. This =
is simply not good news for Nova Scotia: even with no harvesting, soil =
fertility under 73% of our forests will continue to decline because of =
acid rain.


  Noseworthy presents results for calculations of sustainable harvest =
rates across Kejimkujik National Park for harvesting with and without =
base-cation depletions....* Although not specifically discussed in this =
context, the results can be interpreted as indicating that limited =
selective harvest schemes, but not clearcuts, would be sustainable for =
most of that area. Such a conclusion would likely apply also to the =
Bowater St. Margaret=E2=80=99s Bay Lands which have similar geology, and =
indeed probably to most of Nova Scotia forests.


  (*There is no assumption that there would be commercial harvesting in =
Keji - details for Keji but not other areas are apparently given because =
there are no commercial interests in it as it is a protected area; also =
exisiting data on outflow of nutrients in streams allowed some =
validation of the methodology.)


  More at  http://wrweo.ca/wrweo2014/posts/2014/LetterWRWEOFeb12.pdf










-------------------------------------------------------------------------=
-----
  From: David & Alison Webster <dwebster@glinx.com>
  To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
  Sent: Sunday, December 27, 2015 7:11 AM
  Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Red Herring & Forestry



  Hi Nick & All                                Dec 27, 2015
      A key question in this discussion is what fraction of soil calcium =
is under consideration ? Is this exchangeable Ca and soil was sampled to =
what depth ?=20
     =20
  Yt, DW, Kentville
     =20


  ----- Original Message -----=20
    From: Nicholas Hill=20
    To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
    Sent: Saturday, December 26, 2015 7:30 PM
    Subject: RE: [NatureNS] Red Herring & Forestry


    Steve,
    Bill Freedman had these data and Garbary and I referred to his paper =
w Morash as well as to a paper on a fractional analysis from New =
England. .conn..The take home message was that while biomass removal =
removed 13% of the soil calcium in new England,  a similar harvest =
removed 27% of soil calcium in Nova Scotia.
    This story has another Dal connection: Barry Goldsmith, forest =
ecologist who worked at Dal before Bill Freedman. Barry (FB Goldsmith, =
we have lost touch) figured that on average NS forests had been cut over =
3 times. This figure is about right if we take a harvest once every 80 =
years rate and we might increase this estimate (made in 1980) to 3.5 =
times cut taking into account we are 36 years past his time and that =
times between harvests have diminished.
    So with 27% loss of calcium per harvest  and forests being cut over =
more that 3 times, we could make a calculation of:
    A. Loss of Ca in NS forests (our cuts do not remove all biomass)
    And=20
    B. How much worse shape we are in in comparison w Connecticut=20
    So what?
    David Garbary and my finding (Botany in 2011) showed that NS has a =
group of rare Appalachian herbs that are restricted to our highest =
calcium forests; floodplains, even though in Appalachia they grow on =
upland slopes. With climate change plant distributions will move north =
but only if we have not exhausted our soils.=20
    We should be able to do something with these data.
    Nick
    On Dec 24, 2015 4:52 PM, "Stephen Shaw" <srshaw@dal.ca> wrote:

      A question regarding Fred & Peter's point about loss of nutrients.
      In a natural deciduous forest of any type that has not been =
harvested at all, for a 100-year old tree (say), what proportion of the =
total recyclable nutrients per tree-area will have come from the =
accumulated annual leaf fall (+ fallen dead branches + feasting =
caterpillar, squirrel and woodpecker turds, etc), and what proportion =
will be returned only after the woody trunk and main branches have =
finally died, fallen down and decayed at age 100?
      If the first is dominant then the argument about loss of nutrients =
by logging and tree removal is not strictly valid, whereas if the second =
dominates, it is.

      I'm sure somebody must have looked at this carefully, and for =
different types of forest and different soil types.  Are the proportions =
known?
      Steve
      ________________________________________
      From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca =
[naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca] on behalf of Fred Schueler =
[bckcdb@istar.ca]
      Sent: Thursday, December 24, 2015 12:28 PM
      To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
      Subject: RE: [NatureNS] Red Herring & Forestry

      Quoting John and Nhung <nhungjohn@eastlink.ca>:

      > Yeah, I get the impression that the main problem with the Point =
Tupper
      > monster is its size.  A smaller operation might have fit in =
quite nicely.
      > Of course, the NewPage surprise added to the mess, but mess it =
is, and I
      > hope the government ad the operators can ramp back its biomass =
consumption
      > to a more sensible, sustainable scale.

      * I was crafting a more complex reply to this thread, but I'll =
just
      say that the problem with biomass harvesting from forests is to =
get
      the nutrients removed in the wood back into the forest so =
successive
      generation of trees can grow at a decent rate. We tried to deal =
with
      this in our county forest here but certain foresters reacted so
      negatively to the question of fertilization that the advisory
      committee was illegally terminated as a consequence - but here's =
our
      discussion of the nutrient question in forests that are having =
wood
      removed - http://pinicola.ca/limnutr.htm - on sand and limestone =
we've
      got very low intrinsic levels of nutrients, but the problem exists =
in
      all woods if they're intensively exploited.

      fred.
      =
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
      >
      > Fingers crossed for a mild winter, with minimum demand for =
firewood!  All
      > this tells me we still need to take solar heat and other =
renewable sources
      > more seriously.
      >
      > -----Original Message-----
      > From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca =
[mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca]
      > On Behalf Of Stephen Shaw
      > Sent: December 24, 2015 11:59 AM
      > To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
      > Subject: RE: [NatureNS] Red Herring & Forestry
      >
      > Ed Darby?   Abraham Darby I around 1709 modified the blast =
furnace that had
      > already been evolving for over a millenium, to consume coke =
instead of
      > charcoal as the source of carbon that formed the carbon monoxide =
used to
      > reduce raw iron oxide to pig iron, the starting point for other =
iron
      > products.   Charcoal gave a purer iron product, but making coke =
from coal
      > proved much cheaper than making charcoal from harvested trees, =
by then a
      > scarce commodity.   For both charcoal and coke, a main byproduct =
was/is CO2
      > gas from the finally oxidised carbon, released into the =
atmosphere.   The
      > cheaper Darby coke method, later improved, caught on rapidly: a =
gnomic irony
      > of this is that while saving some of the CO2-consuming much =
diminished
      > forests from approaching extinction, it led rapidly to much =
greater iron
      > production via burning fossil carbon that underpinned the =
Industrial
      > Revolution in Britain, which in turn led to ever increasing CO2 =
emissions,
      > eventually worldwide.
      >
      > On a lesser point not covered by reporter Aaron Beswick's =
article in the C-H
      > that Dave referred to, if you had tried to get a few cords of =
16" cut
      > firewood for your wood stove in early 2015, as we did, you would =
have found
      > that initially, none of the local suppliers around Halifax could =
get any
      > logs, because they believed that such wood that had been =
harvested was
      > nearly all going directly to Point Tupper biomass monster, =
because that had
      > been built too large for the available supply of so-called =
'waste' wood and
      > bark.  Central planning at its very best.  Our supplier =
eventually got some
      > logs from New Brunswick, but the price went up considerably.
      > Steve
      > ________________________________________
      > From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca =
[naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca] on
      > behalf of David & Alison Webster [dwebster@glinx.com]
      > Sent: Wednesday, December 23, 2015 7:12 PM
      > To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
      > Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Red Herring & Forestry
      >
      > Hi Nick & All,              Dec 23, 2015
      >     I have only few minutes so will deal with the "gnomic" =
question first
      > and return later to the rest.
      >     It was a new word to me so I had to consult a dictionary =
which referred
      > me to sententious=3D Aphoristic, pithy, given to the use of =
maxims; (of
      > persons) =3D fond of pompous moralizing; maxim=3D A general =
truth drawn from
      > science or experience.
      >     I think we should both plead guilty to the "gnomic" charge =
and be
      > flattered. As for the "pompous moralizing"; I am frequently =
inclined to
      > quote the King James Bible but then remember: "Be not righteous =
over much,
      > neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy =
thyself ?";
      > Ecclesiastes 7:16; and decide not to.
      >
      > Merry Christmas All & A Happy New Year
      >
      > ----- Original Message -----
      > From: Nicholas Hill<mailto:fernhillns@gmail.com>
      > To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca<mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
      > Sent: Wednesday, December 23, 2015 4:32 PM
      > Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Red Herring & Forestry
      >
      > A friend recently accused me of being "gnomic", and ill-educated =
lout as i
      > am, i took issue at being called a gnome, but moving into this =
here case at
      > hand, I think the gnomes have it: "And warning that use of =
biomass is not
      > green is perhaps already an effective way to indirectly kill =
trees." Not
      > exactly gnomic but not entirely designed for clarity and =
explicitness. Then
      > we have: "And if not now, then without doubt in the future." =
This non
      > sentence leaves us without a doubt in the future waiting with =
and like Godot
      > for some Christmas clarety.
      >
      > Seriously, I see Dave's point and Jamie's. England found a way =
through
      > Edward Darby to stop using beech trees for coking to make steel; =
Darby
      > figured out how to substitute coal for wood and thank god =
because England
      > had run out of most decent sized trees and was charcoaling most =
of its
      > forests. David is right that the first quotation is an =
overstatement but
      > Jamie's point was most welcome in today's Herald. We not only =
are running
      > the risk of losing good forest but we are running down our =
forest soils so
      > that tree regrowth is poor, forest composition is weedy, =
wildlife suffers,
      > and the carbon balance (ie. that less carbon dioxide is being =
emitted than
      > would be if we allowed forests to grow and used conventional =
fossil fuels in
      > the most efficient manner) is questionable. We want to move away =
from
      > "Green" that is not sustainable for wildlife and I would put =
biomass and
      > large scale hydroelectric both in that unsustainable class.
      >
      > Good on David and Jamie, the environmental critic and the =
advocate.
      >
      > Merry Christmas guys
      >
      > Nick
      >
      > On Wed, Dec 23, 2015 at 2:56 PM, David & Alison Webster
      > <dwebster@glinx.com<mailto:dwebster@glinx.com>> wrote:
      > Dear All,                                Dec 23, 2015
      >     There is an article on biomass in today's Chron. Hrld. page =
A3 "Biomass
      > may be less than green: report". I could not see how to extract =
a link to
      > this article.
      >     The warning was issued some years ago to "Beware of false =
prophets" and
      > if this article is at all accurate then Jamie Simpson and Aaron =
Ward may
      > qualify to some extent.
      >     These biomass plants leave much to be desired and =
constructive criticism
      > will hopefully lead to better context integration in future but =
saying that
      > "...the province is not capable of proving that harvesting for =
biomass is
      > better for the environment than burning coal." is misleading in =
the extreme.
      >     First of all it is an example of deplorable prose because =
superficially
      > it would appear to say that burning biomass for power is no =
better for the
      > environment than burning coal. Unless huge amounts of CO2 are =
released in
      > the course of cutting, hauling and preparation for burning then =
the above
      > would be false.
      >      But burning of biomass is not mentioned; only harvesting =
for biomass is
      > mentioned in that quote. And true enough "harvesting for =
biomass" uses
      > energy for no purpose if the biomass is not subsequently burned =
and would
      > not help the environment in any way. And the province, being =
just an area of
      > land would be unable to prove anything.
      >
      >     Getting back to the heart of this question; when a tree =
which has fixed
      > carbon for say 100 years is cut down, it is entirely correct =
that another
      > tree of equal size and carbon content does not spring up to =
replace it in
      > less than 100 years (unless a faster growing tree is planted). =
So yes there
      > often is an apparent lag. But if done astutely, say by thinning =
overstocked
      > trees sufficiently early, then this apparent lag will shrink =
nearly to zero.
      > And this may be repeated on the same ground two or more times =
depending upon
      > details.
      >
      >     But what are the alternatives ? If a tree dies and rots in =
the forest
      > then all of the carbon is eventually released as CO2 after being =
recycled
      > through a host of fungi, insects , etc. In event of forest fire =
then huge
      > amounts of CO2 are released in one slug. And some may have =
noticed that
      > large areas of western forest were burned this year; (some =
carbon bank).
      >
      >     Going back to that 100 year old tree which was cut, and =
standing back a
      > bit, it can be seen that the perceived lag in carbon capture is =
an illusion.
      > The carbon has already been captured. The tree, over the period =
of its life
      > fixed carbon and atmospheric carbon was decreased accordingly. =
Even if that
      > entire tree is burned; trunk, branches and all roots, the amount =
of CO2
      > released can not exceed the amount which that tree has fixed. So =
the true
      > lag is zero.
      >
      >      There is more than one way to kill a tree. I became alarmed =
about 1990
      > because Spruce trees, normally long lived, were starting to die =
prematurely.
      > At first I suspected air pollution and this may be in play to =
some extent.
      > But over time I have became convinced that moisture stress was =
the dominant
      > cause.     Trees evolved for loss of feeder roots. As moisture =
is extracted
      > to the wilting point, at a given level, death of feeder roots =
will soon
      > follow and when moisture is replenished a new set of feeder =
roots will
      > eventually develop. And long periods without rainfall in NS go =
way back, as
      > growth rings here record, but if repeated too frequently then =
trees become
      > overwhelmed by fungi invading dead extension roots leading to =
invasion of
      > major roots.
      >     I don't have the figures extracted to prove it, but I think =
climate
      > change has already led to more erratic precipitation during the =
growing
      > season here.
      >     And warning that use of biomass is not green is perhaps =
already an
      > effective way to indirectly kill trees. And if not now, then =
without doubt
      > in the future.
      >
      > Yt, Dave Webster, Kentville
      >
      >
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      ------------------------------------------------------------
                 Frederick W. Schueler & Aleta Karstad
             Mudpuppy Night - http://pinicola.ca/mudpup1.htm
      Vulnerable Watersheds - http://vulnerablewaters.blogspot.ca/
           study our books - http://pinicola.ca/books/index.htm
                 RR#2 Bishops Mills, Ontario, Canada K0G 1T0
          on the Smiths Falls Limestone Plain 44* 52'N 75* 42'W
           (613)258-3107 <bckcdb at istar.ca> http://pinicola.ca/
      "[The] two fundamental steps of scientific thought - the =
conjecture
      and refutation of Popper - have little place in the usual =
conception
      of intelligence. If something is to be dismissed as inadequate, it =
is
      surely not Darwin [, whose] works manifest the activity of a mind
      seeking for wisdom, a value which conventional philosophy has =
largely
      abandoned." Ghiselen, 1969. Triumph of the Darwinian Method, p =
237.
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<DIV>Hi David P. &amp; Nick,&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;=20
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Jan 8, =
2006</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; After much delay dealing with numerous side =
matters I=20
read both of your&nbsp;e-mails of Dec 27, 2015. Given access to relevant =

research results from two or more independent sources, the full papers, =
not just=20
a summary of a summary of an executive summary, I am prepared to believe =

anything; provided I have good reason to believe that the researchers in =

question have done their homework. And in all such matters Murphy's Law =
never=20
sleeps. </DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Alex McKeague of Ottawa (in the 80s ?) =
distributed=20
subsamples of &nbsp;thoroughly validated soil samples to interested =
labs,=20
assigned code letters to each lab involved,&nbsp;so&nbsp;the outliers =
could=20
avoid embarassment,&nbsp;and then reported all results back to those =
involved.=20
He did this at least twice using different samples. The range in results =
was=20
astounding and Ca, drawing on memory, had great scatter.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; It would be helpful if you each could send me a =
pdf file=20
of the two most complete papers.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>YT, DW</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;&nbsp;</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; =
PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"=20
dir=3Dltr>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
  <DIV=20
  style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
  <A title=3Ddavidgpatriquin@yahoo.ca =
href=3D"mailto:davidgpatriquin@yahoo.ca">David=20
  Patriquin</A> </DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=3Dnaturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
  href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</A> =
</DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, December 27, 2015 =
7:51=20
  AM</DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [NatureNS] Red =
Herring &amp;=20
  Forestry - calcium exchangeable etc</DIV>
  <DIV><BR></DIV>
  <DIV=20
  style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fff; FONT-FAMILY: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica =
Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif; COLOR: #000; =
FONT-SIZE: 13px">
  <DIV dir=3Dltr id=3Dyui_3_16_0_1_1451215827128_4951><SPAN=20
  id=3Dyui_3_16_0_1_1451215827128_5025>The studies/modelling=20
  by&nbsp;</SPAN>&nbsp;Ouimet,&nbsp;Clair &amp; others related to acid =
rain'=20
  &nbsp;&amp; Noseworthy's thesis examining forest biomass harvesting =
include=20
  calculation of "Exceedances"which&nbsp;occur when the removal of basic =
cations=20
  by acid rain exceed the additions though atmospheric deposition and =
weathering=20
  of rocks....</DIV>
  <DIV dir=3Dltr id=3Dyui_3_16_0_1_1451215827128_4951><BR></DIV>
  <DIV dir=3Dltr id=3Dyui_3_16_0_1_1451215827128_4951>The Noseworthy =
research,=20
  &nbsp;incorporated more detailed local information than the Ouillet et =

  al.study and made an upward revision of the estimate of the area of =
Nova=20
  Scotia mapped in exceedance from 39.9% to 73%. This is simply not good =
news=20
  for Nova Scotia: even with no harvesting, soil fertility under 73% of =
our=20
  forests will continue to decline because of acid rain.</DIV>
  <DIV dir=3Dltr id=3Dyui_3_16_0_1_1451215827128_4951><BR></DIV>
  <DIV dir=3Dltr id=3Dyui_3_16_0_1_1451215827128_4951>Noseworthy =
presents results=20
  for calculations of sustainable harvest rates across Kejimkujik =
National Park=20
  for harvesting with and without base-cation depletions....* Although =
not=20
  specifically discussed in this context, the results can be interpreted =
as=20
  indicating that limited selective harvest schemes, but not clearcuts, =
would be=20
  sustainable for most of that area. Such a conclusion would likely =
apply also=20
  to the Bowater St. Margaret=E2=80=99s Bay Lands which have similar =
geology, and indeed=20
  probably to most of Nova Scotia forests.</DIV>
  <DIV dir=3Dltr id=3Dyui_3_16_0_1_1451215827128_4951><BR></DIV>
  <DIV dir=3Dltr id=3Dyui_3_16_0_1_1451215827128_4951>(*There is no =
assumption that=20
  there would be commercial harvesting in Keji - details for Keji but =
not other=20
  areas are apparently given because there are no commercial interests =
in it as=20
  it is a protected area; also exisiting data on outflow of nutrients in =
streams=20
  allowed some validation of the methodology.)</DIV>
  <DIV dir=3Dltr id=3Dyui_3_16_0_1_1451215827128_4951><BR></DIV>
  <DIV dir=3Dltr id=3Dyui_3_16_0_1_1451215827128_4951>More at &nbsp;<A=20
  id=3Dyui_3_16_0_1_1451215827128_6573=20
  =
href=3D"http://wrweo.ca/wrweo2014/posts/2014/LetterWRWEOFeb12.pdf">http:/=
/wrweo.ca/wrweo2014/posts/2014/LetterWRWEOFeb12.pdf</A><BR></DIV>
  <DIV></DIV>
  <DIV id=3Dyui_3_16_0_1_1451215827128_4976>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV id=3Dyui_3_16_0_1_1451215827128_4933 =
class=3Dsignature><BR></DIV><BR>
  <DIV id=3Dyui_3_16_0_1_1451215827128_4947 =
class=3DqtdSeparateBR><BR><BR></DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"DISPLAY: block" id=3Dyui_3_16_0_1_1451215827128_4944=20
  class=3Dyahoo_quoted>
  <DIV=20
  style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, =
Lucida Grande, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 13px"=20
  id=3Dyui_3_16_0_1_1451215827128_4943>
  <DIV=20
  style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, =
Lucida Grande, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 16px"=20
  id=3Dyui_3_16_0_1_1451215827128_4942>
  <DIV dir=3Dltr id=3Dyui_3_16_0_1_1451215827128_4941><FONT=20
  id=3Dyui_3_16_0_1_1451215827128_4940 size=3D2 face=3DArial>
  <HR id=3Dyui_3_16_0_1_1451215827128_5866 SIZE=3D1>
  <B><SPAN style=3D"FONT-WEIGHT: bold">From:</SPAN></B> David &amp; =
Alison Webster=20
  &lt;dwebster@glinx.com&gt;<BR><B><SPAN=20
  style=3D"FONT-WEIGHT: bold">To:</SPAN></B> naturens@chebucto.ns.ca =
<BR><B><SPAN=20
  style=3D"FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Sent:</SPAN></B> Sunday, December 27, 2015 =
7:11=20
  AM<BR><B><SPAN style=3D"FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Subject:</SPAN></B> Re: =
[NatureNS]=20
  Red Herring &amp; Forestry<BR></FONT></DIV>
  <DIV id=3Dyui_3_16_0_1_1451215827128_5864 class=3Dy_msg_container><BR>
  <DIV id=3Dyiv7108882142>
  <STYLE></STYLE>

  <DIV id=3Dyui_3_16_0_1_1451215827128_6534>
  <DIV id=3Dyui_3_16_0_1_1451215827128_6555>Hi Nick &amp; =
All&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;=20
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; =
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;=20
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Dec 27, =
2015</DIV>
  <DIV id=3Dyui_3_16_0_1_1451215827128_6553>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A key =
question in=20
  this discussion is what fraction of soil calcium is under =
consideration ? Is=20
  this exchangeable Ca and soil was sampled to what depth ? </DIV>
  <DIV id=3Dyui_3_16_0_1_1451215827128_6551>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </DIV>
  <DIV id=3Dyui_3_16_0_1_1451215827128_6549>Yt, DW, Kentville</DIV>
  <DIV id=3Dyui_3_16_0_1_1451215827128_6547>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </DIV>
  <DIV id=3Dyui_3_16_0_1_1451215827128_6545>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV id=3Dyui_3_16_0_1_1451215827128_6543>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV id=3Dyui_3_16_0_1_1451215827128_6541>----- Original Message ----- =
</DIV>
  <BLOCKQUOTE=20
  style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; =
PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"=20
  dir=3Dltr id=3Dyui_3_16_0_1_1451215827128_6533>
    <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4"=20
    id=3Dyui_3_16_0_1_1451215827128_6538><B>From:</B> <A=20
    title=3Dfernhillns@gmail.com href=3D"mailto:fernhillns@gmail.com" =
rel=3Dnofollow=20
    target=3D_blank title-off=3D"" =
ymailto=3D"mailto:fernhillns@gmail.com">Nicholas=20
    Hill</A> </DIV>
    <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial" =
id=3Dyui_3_16_0_1_1451215827128_6536><B>To:</B>=20
    <A title=3Dnaturens@chebucto.ns.ca =
href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca"=20
    rel=3Dnofollow target=3D_blank title-off=3D""=20
    =
ymailto=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</A> =
</DIV>
    <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"=20
    id=3Dyui_3_16_0_1_1451215827128_6532><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, December =
26, 2015=20
    7:30 PM</DIV>
    <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> RE: [NatureNS] Red =
Herring=20
    &amp; Forestry</DIV>
    <DIV><BR></DIV>
    <DIV dir=3Dltr>Steve,<BR>Bill Freedman had these data and Garbary =
and I=20
    referred to his paper w Morash as well as to a paper on a fractional =

    analysis from New England. .conn..The take home message was that =
while=20
    biomass removal removed 13% of the soil calcium in new =
England,&nbsp; a=20
    similar harvest removed 27% of soil calcium in Nova Scotia.</DIV>
    <DIV dir=3Dltr>This story has another Dal connection: Barry =
Goldsmith, forest=20
    ecologist who worked at Dal before Bill Freedman. Barry (FB =
Goldsmith, we=20
    have lost touch) figured that on average NS forests had been cut =
over 3=20
    times. This figure is about right if we take a harvest once every 80 =
years=20
    rate and we might increase this estimate (made in 1980) to 3.5 times =
cut=20
    taking into account we are 36 years past his time and that times =
between=20
    harvests have diminished.</DIV>
    <DIV dir=3Dltr>So with 27% loss of calcium per harvest&nbsp; and =
forests being=20
    cut over more that 3 times, we could make a calculation of:</DIV>
    <DIV dir=3Dltr>A. Loss of Ca in NS forests (our cuts do not remove =
all=20
    biomass)<BR>And <BR>B. How much worse shape we are in in comparison =
w=20
    Connecticut </DIV>
    <DIV dir=3Dltr>So what?</DIV>
    <DIV dir=3Dltr>David Garbary and my finding (Botany in 2011) showed =
that NS=20
    has a group of rare Appalachian herbs that are restricted to our =
highest=20
    calcium forests; floodplains, even though in Appalachia they grow on =
upland=20
    slopes. With climate change plant distributions will move north but =
only if=20
    we have not exhausted our soils. </DIV>
    <DIV dir=3Dltr>We should be able to do something with these =
data.</DIV>
    <DIV dir=3Dltr>Nick</DIV>
    <DIV class=3Dyiv7108882142gmail_quote>On Dec 24, 2015 4:52 PM, =
"Stephen Shaw"=20
    &lt;<A href=3D"mailto:srshaw@dal.ca" rel=3Dnofollow target=3D_blank=20
    ymailto=3D"mailto:srshaw@dal.ca">srshaw@dal.ca</A>&gt; wrote:<BR>
    <BLOCKQUOTE=20
    style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; =
PADDING-LEFT: 1ex"=20
    class=3Dyiv7108882142gmail_quote>A question regarding Fred &amp; =
Peter's=20
      point about loss of nutrients.<BR>In a natural deciduous forest of =
any=20
      type that has not been harvested at all, for a 100-year old tree =
(say),=20
      what proportion of the total recyclable nutrients per tree-area =
will have=20
      come from the accumulated annual leaf fall (+ fallen dead branches =
+=20
      feasting caterpillar, squirrel and woodpecker turds, etc), and =
what=20
      proportion will be returned only after the woody trunk and main =
branches=20
      have finally died, fallen down and decayed at age 100?<BR>If the =
first is=20
      dominant then the argument about loss of nutrients by logging and =
tree=20
      removal is not strictly valid, whereas if the second dominates, it =

      is.<BR><BR>I'm sure somebody must have looked at this carefully, =
and for=20
      different types of forest and different soil types.&nbsp; Are the=20
      proportions=20
      =
known?<BR>Steve<BR>________________________________________<BR>From: <A=20
      href=3D"mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca" rel=3Dnofollow =
target=3D_blank=20
      =
ymailto=3D"mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens-owner@chebucto.=
ns.ca</A>=20
      [<A href=3D"mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca" rel=3Dnofollow =
target=3D_blank=20
      =
ymailto=3D"mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens-owner@chebucto.=
ns.ca</A>]=20
      on behalf of Fred Schueler [<A href=3D"mailto:bckcdb@istar.ca" =
rel=3Dnofollow=20
      target=3D_blank=20
      ymailto=3D"mailto:bckcdb@istar.ca">bckcdb@istar.ca</A>]<BR>Sent: =
Thursday,=20
      December 24, 2015 12:28 PM<BR>To: <A =
href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca"=20
      rel=3Dnofollow target=3D_blank=20
      =
ymailto=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</A><BR=
>Subject:=20
      RE: [NatureNS] Red Herring &amp; Forestry<BR><BR>Quoting John and =
Nhung=20
      &lt;<A href=3D"mailto:nhungjohn@eastlink.ca" rel=3Dnofollow =
target=3D_blank=20
      =
ymailto=3D"mailto:nhungjohn@eastlink.ca">nhungjohn@eastlink.ca</A>&gt;:<B=
R><BR>&gt;=20
      Yeah, I get the impression that the main problem with the Point=20
      Tupper<BR>&gt; monster is its size.&nbsp; A smaller operation =
might have=20
      fit in quite nicely.<BR>&gt; Of course, the NewPage surprise added =
to the=20
      mess, but mess it is, and I<BR>&gt; hope the government ad the =
operators=20
      can ramp back its biomass consumption<BR>&gt; to a more sensible,=20
      sustainable scale.<BR><BR>* I was crafting a more complex reply to =
this=20
      thread, but I'll just<BR>say that the problem with biomass =
harvesting from=20
      forests is to get<BR>the nutrients removed in the wood back into =
the=20
      forest so successive<BR>generation of trees can grow at a decent =
rate. We=20
      tried to deal with<BR>this in our county forest here but certain =
foresters=20
      reacted so<BR>negatively to the question of fertilization that the =

      advisory<BR>committee was illegally terminated as a consequence - =
but=20
      here's our<BR>discussion of the nutrient question in forests that =
are=20
      having wood<BR>removed - <A =
href=3D"http://pinicola.ca/limnutr.htm"=20
      rel=3Dnofollow target=3D_blank>http://pinicola.ca/limnutr.htm</A> =
- on sand=20
      and limestone we've<BR>got very low intrinsic levels of nutrients, =
but the=20
      problem exists in<BR>all woods if they're intensively=20
      =
exploited.<BR><BR>fred.<BR>=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;=20
      Fingers crossed for a mild winter, with minimum demand for =
firewood!&nbsp;=20
      All<BR>&gt; this tells me we still need to take solar heat and =
other=20
      renewable sources<BR>&gt; more seriously.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; =
-----Original=20
      Message-----<BR>&gt; From: <A =
href=3D"mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca"=20
      rel=3Dnofollow target=3D_blank=20
      =
ymailto=3D"mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens-owner@chebucto.=
ns.ca</A>=20
      [mailto:<A href=3D"mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca" =
rel=3Dnofollow=20
      target=3D_blank=20
      =
ymailto=3D"mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens-owner@chebucto.=
ns.ca</A>]<BR>&gt;=20
      On Behalf Of Stephen Shaw<BR>&gt; Sent: December 24, 2015 11:59 =
AM<BR>&gt;=20
      To: <A href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca" rel=3Dnofollow =
target=3D_blank=20
      =
ymailto=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</A><BR=
>&gt;=20
      Subject: RE: [NatureNS] Red Herring &amp; Forestry<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; =
Ed=20
      Darby?&nbsp; &nbsp;Abraham Darby I around 1709 modified the blast =
furnace=20
      that had<BR>&gt; already been evolving for over a millenium, to =
consume=20
      coke instead of<BR>&gt; charcoal as the source of carbon that =
formed the=20
      carbon monoxide used to<BR>&gt; reduce raw iron oxide to pig iron, =
the=20
      starting point for other iron<BR>&gt; products.&nbsp; =
&nbsp;Charcoal gave=20
      a purer iron product, but making coke from coal<BR>&gt; proved =
much=20
      cheaper than making charcoal from harvested trees, by then =
a<BR>&gt;=20
      scarce commodity.&nbsp; &nbsp;For both charcoal and coke, a main =
byproduct=20
      was/is CO2<BR>&gt; gas from the finally oxidised carbon, released =
into the=20
      atmosphere.&nbsp; &nbsp;The<BR>&gt; cheaper Darby coke method, =
later=20
      improved, caught on rapidly: a gnomic irony<BR>&gt; of this is =
that while=20
      saving some of the CO2-consuming much diminished<BR>&gt; forests =
from=20
      approaching extinction, it led rapidly to much greater =
iron<BR>&gt;=20
      production via burning fossil carbon that underpinned the=20
      Industrial<BR>&gt; Revolution in Britain, which in turn led to =
ever=20
      increasing CO2 emissions,<BR>&gt; eventually =
worldwide.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; On=20
      a lesser point not covered by reporter Aaron Beswick's article in =
the=20
      C-H<BR>&gt; that Dave referred to, if you had tried to get a few =
cords of=20
      16" cut<BR>&gt; firewood for your wood stove in early 2015, as we =
did, you=20
      would have found<BR>&gt; that initially, none of the local =
suppliers=20
      around Halifax could get any<BR>&gt; logs, because they believed =
that such=20
      wood that had been harvested was<BR>&gt; nearly all going directly =
to=20
      Point Tupper biomass monster, because that had<BR>&gt; been built =
too=20
      large for the available supply of so-called 'waste' wood =
and<BR>&gt;=20
      bark.&nbsp; Central planning at its very best.&nbsp; Our supplier=20
      eventually got some<BR>&gt; logs from New Brunswick, but the price =
went up=20
      considerably.<BR>&gt; Steve<BR>&gt;=20
      ________________________________________<BR>&gt; From: <A=20
      href=3D"mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca" rel=3Dnofollow =
target=3D_blank=20
      =
ymailto=3D"mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens-owner@chebucto.=
ns.ca</A>=20
      [<A href=3D"mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca" rel=3Dnofollow =
target=3D_blank=20
      =
ymailto=3D"mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens-owner@chebucto.=
ns.ca</A>]=20
      on<BR>&gt; behalf of David &amp; Alison Webster [<A=20
      href=3D"mailto:dwebster@glinx.com" rel=3Dnofollow target=3D_blank=20
      =
ymailto=3D"mailto:dwebster@glinx.com">dwebster@glinx.com</A>]<BR>&gt; =
Sent:=20
      Wednesday, December 23, 2015 7:12 PM<BR>&gt; To: <A=20
      href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca" rel=3Dnofollow =
target=3D_blank=20
      =
ymailto=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</A><BR=
>&gt;=20
      Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Red Herring &amp; Forestry<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; =
Hi Nick=20
      &amp; All,&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Dec 23, =

      2015<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;I have only few minutes so will =
deal with=20
      the "gnomic" question first<BR>&gt; and return later to the=20
      rest.<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;It was a new word to me so I had =
to=20
      consult a dictionary which referred<BR>&gt; me to sententious=3D =
Aphoristic,=20
      pithy, given to the use of maxims; (of<BR>&gt; persons) =3D fond =
of pompous=20
      moralizing; maxim=3D A general truth drawn from<BR>&gt; science or =

      experience.<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;I think we should both =
plead guilty=20
      to the "gnomic" charge and be<BR>&gt; flattered. As for the =
"pompous=20
      moralizing"; I am frequently inclined to<BR>&gt; quote the King =
James=20
      Bible but then remember: "Be not righteous over much,<BR>&gt; =
neither make=20
      thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself ?";<BR>&gt;=20
      Ecclesiastes 7:16; and decide not to.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Merry =
Christmas All=20
      &amp; A Happy New Year<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; ----- Original Message=20
      -----<BR>&gt; From: Nicholas Hill&lt;mailto:<A=20
      href=3D"mailto:fernhillns@gmail.com" rel=3Dnofollow =
target=3D_blank=20
      =
ymailto=3D"mailto:fernhillns@gmail.com">fernhillns@gmail.com</A>&gt;<BR>&=
gt;=20
      To: <A href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca" rel=3Dnofollow =
target=3D_blank=20
      =
ymailto=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</A>&lt=
;mailto:<A=20
      href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca" rel=3Dnofollow =
target=3D_blank=20
      =
ymailto=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</A>&gt=
;<BR>&gt;=20
      Sent: Wednesday, December 23, 2015 4:32 PM<BR>&gt; Subject: Re: =
[NatureNS]=20
      Red Herring &amp; Forestry<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; A friend recently =
accused me of=20
      being "gnomic", and ill-educated lout as i<BR>&gt; am, i took =
issue at=20
      being called a gnome, but moving into this here case at<BR>&gt; =
hand, I=20
      think the gnomes have it: "And warning that use of biomass is =
not<BR>&gt;=20
      green is perhaps already an effective way to indirectly kill =
trees."=20
      Not<BR>&gt; exactly gnomic but not entirely designed for clarity =
and=20
      explicitness. Then<BR>&gt; we have: "And if not now, then without =
doubt in=20
      the future." This non<BR>&gt; sentence leaves us without a doubt =
in the=20
      future waiting with and like Godot<BR>&gt; for some Christmas=20
      clarety.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Seriously, I see Dave's point and =
Jamie's.=20
      England found a way through<BR>&gt; Edward Darby to stop using =
beech trees=20
      for coking to make steel; Darby<BR>&gt; figured out how to =
substitute coal=20
      for wood and thank god because England<BR>&gt; had run out of most =
decent=20
      sized trees and was charcoaling most of its<BR>&gt; forests. David =
is=20
      right that the first quotation is an overstatement but<BR>&gt; =
Jamie's=20
      point was most welcome in today's Herald. We not only are =
running<BR>&gt;=20
      the risk of losing good forest but we are running down our forest =
soils=20
      so<BR>&gt; that tree regrowth is poor, forest composition is =
weedy,=20
      wildlife suffers,<BR>&gt; and the carbon balance (ie. that less =
carbon=20
      dioxide is being emitted than<BR>&gt; would be if we allowed =
forests to=20
      grow and used conventional fossil fuels in<BR>&gt; the most =
efficient=20
      manner) is questionable. We want to move away from<BR>&gt; "Green" =
that is=20
      not sustainable for wildlife and I would put biomass and<BR>&gt; =
large=20
      scale hydroelectric both in that unsustainable =
class.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Good=20
      on David and Jamie, the environmental critic and the=20
      advocate.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Merry Christmas guys<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;=20
      Nick<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; On Wed, Dec 23, 2015 at 2:56 PM, David &amp; =
Alison=20
      Webster<BR>&gt; &lt;<A href=3D"mailto:dwebster@glinx.com" =
rel=3Dnofollow=20
      target=3D_blank=20
      =
ymailto=3D"mailto:dwebster@glinx.com">dwebster@glinx.com</A>&lt;mailto:<A=
=20
      href=3D"mailto:dwebster@glinx.com" rel=3Dnofollow target=3D_blank=20
      =
ymailto=3D"mailto:dwebster@glinx.com">dwebster@glinx.com</A>&gt;&gt;=20
      wrote:<BR>&gt; Dear All,&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; =
&nbsp;=20
      &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Dec =
23,=20
      2015<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;There is an article on biomass in =
today's=20
      Chron. Hrld. page A3 "Biomass<BR>&gt; may be less than green: =
report". I=20
      could not see how to extract a link to<BR>&gt; this =
article.<BR>&gt;&nbsp;=20
      &nbsp; &nbsp;The warning was issued some years ago to "Beware of =
false=20
      prophets" and<BR>&gt; if this article is at all accurate then =
Jamie=20
      Simpson and Aaron Ward may<BR>&gt; qualify to some =
extent.<BR>&gt;&nbsp;=20
      &nbsp; &nbsp;These biomass plants leave much to be desired and=20
      constructive criticism<BR>&gt; will hopefully lead to better =
context=20
      integration in future but saying that<BR>&gt; "...the province is =
not=20
      capable of proving that harvesting for biomass is<BR>&gt; better =
for the=20
      environment than burning coal." is misleading in the=20
      extreme.<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;First of all it is an example =
of=20
      deplorable prose because superficially<BR>&gt; it would appear to =
say that=20
      burning biomass for power is no better for the<BR>&gt; environment =
than=20
      burning coal. Unless huge amounts of CO2 are released in<BR>&gt; =
the=20
      course of cutting, hauling and preparation for burning then the=20
      above<BR>&gt; would be false.<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; But =
burning of=20
      biomass is not mentioned; only harvesting for biomass is<BR>&gt; =
mentioned=20
      in that quote. And true enough "harvesting for biomass" =
uses<BR>&gt;=20
      energy for no purpose if the biomass is not subsequently burned =
and=20
      would<BR>&gt; not help the environment in any way. And the =
province, being=20
      just an area of<BR>&gt; land would be unable to prove=20
      anything.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Getting back to the =
heart of=20
      this question; when a tree which has fixed<BR>&gt; carbon for say =
100=20
      years is cut down, it is entirely correct that another<BR>&gt; =
tree of=20
      equal size and carbon content does not spring up to replace it =
in<BR>&gt;=20
      less than 100 years (unless a faster growing tree is planted). So =
yes=20
      there<BR>&gt; often is an apparent lag. But if done astutely, say =
by=20
      thinning overstocked<BR>&gt; trees sufficiently early, then this =
apparent=20
      lag will shrink nearly to zero.<BR>&gt; And this may be repeated =
on the=20
      same ground two or more times depending upon<BR>&gt;=20
      details.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;But what are the =
alternatives=20
      ? If a tree dies and rots in the forest<BR>&gt; then all of the =
carbon is=20
      eventually released as CO2 after being recycled<BR>&gt; through a =
host of=20
      fungi, insects , etc. In event of forest fire then huge<BR>&gt; =
amounts of=20
      CO2 are released in one slug. And some may have noticed =
that<BR>&gt; large=20
      areas of western forest were burned this year; (some carbon=20
      bank).<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Going back to that 100 =
year old=20
      tree which was cut, and standing back a<BR>&gt; bit, it can be =
seen that=20
      the perceived lag in carbon capture is an illusion.<BR>&gt; The =
carbon has=20
      already been captured. The tree, over the period of its =
life<BR>&gt; fixed=20
      carbon and atmospheric carbon was decreased accordingly. Even if=20
      that<BR>&gt; entire tree is burned; trunk, branches and all roots, =
the=20
      amount of CO2<BR>&gt; released can not exceed the amount which =
that tree=20
      has fixed. So the true<BR>&gt; lag is zero.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;&nbsp; =
&nbsp;=20
      &nbsp; There is more than one way to kill a tree. I became alarmed =
about=20
      1990<BR>&gt; because Spruce trees, normally long lived, were =
starting to=20
      die prematurely.<BR>&gt; At first I suspected air pollution and =
this may=20
      be in play to some extent.<BR>&gt; But over time I have became =
convinced=20
      that moisture stress was the dominant<BR>&gt; cause.&nbsp; &nbsp;=20
      &nbsp;Trees evolved for loss of feeder roots. As moisture is=20
      extracted<BR>&gt; to the wilting point, at a given level, death of =
feeder=20
      roots will soon<BR>&gt; follow and when moisture is replenished a =
new set=20
      of feeder roots will<BR>&gt; eventually develop. And long periods =
without=20
      rainfall in NS go way back, as<BR>&gt; growth rings here record, =
but if=20
      repeated too frequently then trees become<BR>&gt; overwhelmed by =
fungi=20
      invading dead extension roots leading to invasion of<BR>&gt; major =

      roots.<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;I don't have the figures =
extracted to=20
      prove it, but I think climate<BR>&gt; change has already led to =
more=20
      erratic precipitation during the growing<BR>&gt; season=20
      here.<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;And warning that use of biomass =
is not=20
      green is perhaps already an<BR>&gt; effective way to indirectly =
kill=20
      trees. And if not now, then without doubt<BR>&gt; in the=20
      future.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Yt, Dave Webster,=20
      Kentville<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; No virus found in this =
message.<BR>&gt;=20
      Checked by AVG - <A href=3D"http://www.avg.com/" rel=3Dnofollow=20
      target=3D_blank>www.avg.com</A>&lt;<A href=3D"http://www.avg.com/" =

      rel=3Dnofollow target=3D_blank>http://www.avg.com</A>&gt;<BR>&gt; =
Version:=20
      2016.0.7294 / Virus Database: 4489/11241 - Release Date:=20
      12/23/15<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; ---<BR>&gt; This email has been =
checked=20
      for viruses by Avast antivirus software.<BR>&gt; <A=20
      href=3D"https://www.avast.com/antivirus" rel=3Dnofollow=20
      =
target=3D_blank>https://www.avast.com/antivirus</A><BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;<BR><B=
R><BR><BR><BR>-----------------------------------------------------------=
-<BR>&nbsp;=20
      &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Frederick W. Schueler &amp; =
Aleta=20
      Karstad<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Mudpuppy Night - <A=20
      href=3D"http://pinicola.ca/mudpup1.htm" rel=3Dnofollow=20
      target=3D_blank>http://pinicola.ca/mudpup1.htm</A><BR>Vulnerable =
Watersheds=20
      - <A href=3D"http://vulnerablewaters.blogspot.ca/" rel=3Dnofollow=20
      target=3D_blank>http://vulnerablewaters.blogspot.ca/</A><BR>&nbsp; =
&nbsp;=20
      &nbsp;study our books - <A =
href=3D"http://pinicola.ca/books/index.htm"=20
      rel=3Dnofollow=20
      target=3D_blank>http://pinicola.ca/books/index.htm</A><BR>&nbsp; =
&nbsp;=20
      &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;RR#2 Bishops Mills, Ontario, Canada K0G =

      1T0<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; on the Smiths Falls Limestone Plain 44* 52'N =
75*=20
      42'W<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<A href=3D"" =
rel=3Dnofollow>(613)258-3107</A>=20
      &lt;bckcdb at <A href=3D"http://istar.ca/" rel=3Dnofollow=20
      target=3D_blank>istar.ca</A>&gt; <A href=3D"http://pinicola.ca/" =
rel=3Dnofollow=20
      target=3D_blank>http://pinicola.ca/</A><BR>"[The] two fundamental =
steps of=20
      scientific thought - the conjecture<BR>and refutation of Popper - =
have=20
      little place in the usual conception<BR>of intelligence. If =
something is=20
      to be dismissed as inadequate, it is<BR>surely not Darwin [, =
whose] works=20
      manifest the activity of a mind<BR>seeking for wisdom, a value =
which=20
      conventional philosophy has largely<BR>abandoned." Ghiselen, 1969. =
Triumph=20
      of the Darwinian Method, p=20
      =
237.<BR>------------------------------------------------------------<BR><=
BR><BR></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><A=20
    href=3D"" rel=3Dnofollow></A>
    <DIV align=3Dleft>No virus found in this message.<BR>Checked by AVG =
- <A=20
    href=3D"http://www.avg.com/" rel=3Dnofollow=20
    target=3D_blank>www.avg.com</A><BR>Version: 2016.0.7294 / Virus =
Database:=20
    4489/11261 - Release Date:=20
  =
12/26/15</DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV></DIV><BR><BR></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV>
  <STYLE></STYLE>
  </DIV><A></A>
  <P align=3Dleft color=3D"#000000" avgcert??>No virus found in this=20
  message.<BR>Checked by AVG - <A=20
  href=3D"http://www.avg.com">www.avg.com</A><BR>Version: 2016.0.7294 / =
Virus=20
  Database: 4489/11320 - Release Date: =
01/04/16</P></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>

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