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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: &#39;Tahoma&#39;,sans-serif;">&#160; &#160; The discussion has already strayed far from the original topic of Lyme disease so I will continue this journey by throwing in some general thoughts about Hemlock and Yellow Birch; based on casual observation. &
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It's best to avoid the 'company line' about "spruce budworm left
unchecked". This is a topic that the forest industry uses to instill
panic to justify full scale harvesting of spruce and fir, complete with
a spray program, etc. Budworm is a native pest and should not enter the
conversations over exotics. It comes 'round every few decades, as we
know. Bay-breasted, Tennessee and other warbler species can increase
rapidly. We can sit back and enjoy watching natures responses to it.
This year I observed a few more Bay-breasted warblers in forest
monitoring plots than previous years, and am questioning if they are
from an increased number resulting from the Qc population that decided
to settle in southwest NS this year instead of heading farther north
after returning from the tropics.
The forest industry and DNR would have us "tinker" with this this
natural disturbance agent. But balsam fir was never "built to last".
Titus Smith referred to it as a nursery tree to shelter the growth of
other late successional tree species. Early entry harvesting in the
pure fir/spruce stands would mitigate the fear of trees dying all at
once and wood going to 'waste' (industry thinking, not mine), but in
actuality industry doesn't want to float in the big machines for
multiple, early, preemptive partial harvests. The cheapest approach is
to harvest all at once, so they wait until the budworm hits (it was all
so predictable), and then cries wolf and harvests all at once. But this
is the worst scenario for all other ecosystem components including soil
nutrients then exposed to leaching. The budworm issue really hits a nerve.
Balsam fir and spruce will regenerate after budworm. No worries there.
But hemlock will be repeatedly hit by HWA and not successfully
reestablish. It will be no more. That's the huge difference between
native pests and exotics. The latter situation leaves a permanent
void. Forests without hemlock, ash, and beech are likely imminent,
perhaps in as little as two decades, but who knows. Nature will figure
something out, but all these rapid changes are occurring because of
human activities.
Donna Crossland
On 2018-06-19 1:16 PM, rita.paul@ns.sympatico.ca wrote:
> Well Lance predictions for the future are chancy business!
> I even have trouble predicting the winner of the next
> race when I attend the horse races!
> I suspect that there is a chance Genetic Modifying could
> be used to save some species of trees,
> Enjoy the last few days of spring
> Paul
>> On June 19, 2018 at 11:43 AM "Laviolette, Lance"
>> <lance.laviolette@lmco.com> wrote:
>>
>> Hi Dave,
>>
>> There are a number insects and diseases in the pipeline that will add
>> to those such as Dutch Elm and Beech canker. Emerald Ash borer has
>> left vast areas of skeletal tree remains in Ontario and western
>> Quebec where ash trees used to dominate. If Eastern Hemlock is mostly
>> removed from the equation and spruce budworm is left unchecked my
>> question would be, what do you foresee the composition of Nova
>> Scotian forests to be in 20 years? Are we looking at large areas
>> where cherry and birch dominate until fir and spruce regrow and
>> maple, oak and Yellow Birch become the only hardwood trees of any size?
>>
>> All the best,
>>
>> Lance
>>
>> Lance Laviolette
>>
>> Glen Robertson, Ontario
>>
>> *From:*naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca
>> [mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca] *On Behalf Of *David
>> *Sent:* Monday, June 18, 2018 6:11 PM
>> *To:* naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
>> *Subject:* EXTERNAL: Re[2]: [NatureNS] Lyme disease
>>
>> Hi All,
>>
>> The discussion has already strayed far from the original topic of
>> Lyme disease so I will continue this journey by throwing in some
>> general thoughts about Hemlock and Yellow Birch; based on casual
>> observation. Both can attain majestic size (so does Oak and Ash)
>> and once established are land hogs. I suspect Yellow Birch does this
>> by a wide ranging root system and Hemlock by widely spreading
>> branches. Hemlock tends to develop relatively pure stands perhaps
>> because they are masters at root grafting and nourish nearby young to
>> replace them when they die.
>>
>> Thus I have a soft spot for Hemlock and Yellow Birch but know
>> that they too will eventually render their soil more suitable for
>> something else and accordingly succumb to pest or disease; secondary
>> succession in unusually slow motion.
>>
>> Consequently I think that the death of large numbers of Hemlock
>> in SW NS is not cause for grief or alarm; but perhaps suitable action
>> by landowners.
>>
>> My 2 cents as someone was fond of saying.
>>
>> Yt, DW, Kentville
>>
>
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<p>It's best to avoid the 'company line' about "spruce budworm left
unchecked". This is a topic that the forest industry uses to
instill panic to justify full scale harvesting of spruce and fir,
complete with a spray program, etc. Budworm is a native pest and
should not enter the conversations over exotics. It comes 'round
every few decades, as we know. Bay-breasted, Tennessee and other
warbler species can increase rapidly. We can sit back and enjoy
watching natures responses to it. This year I observed a few more
Bay-breasted warblers in forest monitoring plots than previous
years, and am questioning if they are from an increased number
resulting from the Qc population that decided to settle in
southwest NS this year instead of heading farther north after
returning from the tropics. <br>
</p>
<p>The forest industry and DNR