next message in archive
next message in thread
previous message in archive
previous message in thread
Index of Subjects
Index of Subjects This is a multipart message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_001E_01D55034.046E32F0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable And somehow, the politicians and other decision-makers need to realize = that when folks like you and Nick make the sorts of points you are = making, you shouldn=E2=80=99t be dismissed as =E2=80=9Cspecial = interests.=E2=80=9D Ecologists are probably the most important early = warning system we have. This isn=E2=80=99t just a matter of aesthetics. = Your concerns matter to the well-being of our grandkids. =20 One of my most- (too-) frequently-used quickies is that there is no = difference between environmental issues and long-term economic ones. A = lot more folks oughta think about that and a lot more. =20 There have to be better ways of dealing with the provincial debt than = mining (semi-mining?) the forests, especially with the summers getting = hotter and drier =E2=80=A6 oh, yeah, that, too! =20 From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca = [mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca] On Behalf Of David Patriquin Sent: August 11, 2019 9:34 AM To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Cornell Article =20 And just as significant, pretty well all Old Growth in NS is = characterized by a Pit and Mound topography, really that should be = amongst the criteria for calling a stand Old Growth (but is not = mentioned in the Old Forest Policy). The mounds preserve the old = microbial processes, and the mounds are favoured habitat for seedlings - = most of the Big Trees in the Old Growth occurs on the mounds, the mounds = formed when a very big tree is blown over. That process also produces = vernal pools and shelter for wildlife. When the mounds erode over time, = the tops of the roots are exposed, and cavities formed which are again = used by wildlife.So when we "salvage" blowdowns, we are also = interrupting a natural process. How much attention is being given to = such processes in L&F's Retention Guidelines...? =20 On Sun, Aug 11, 2019 at 9:11 AM Nick Hill <fernhillns@gmail.com> wrote: A key difference between a known old growth area (eg Abraham's lake, = sporting lake and Cape chignecto) is , yes, the big trees uneven aged = snags and downed logs, but as much, the depth of humus. =20 Our observations were spotty it was long ago but we went into old = growths and then "working" landscapes which had been cut over repeatedly = and collected soils for microbial characterization. The hypothesis was = the old forests might have stress tolerant actinomycetes that could have = useful antibiotics in their long term struggles against fungi and other = microbes. =20 We never unfortunately got that far but the working landscapes had = virtually no organic covering over he mineral soil while the old growths = had deep humus. =20 With forestry, that humus layer will e reduced but it should be valued = because of it is enriched in many forest nutrients..N P Ca..that are = deficient in the mineral layer. The humus is also the seat of the = mycorrhizae and other microbes we may not understand. Forests are said = to have u undergone a shift in my original types in response to the = break up of this humus root layer. We could do ecological forestry and = that would mean working with the key ecological processes..decomposition = mineralization mycorrhizal associations.. and doing our best to = conserve the humus layer. =20 Ecological forestry means no Amazonia like burn piles, no glyphosate = which wipes out early regen and amphibians and plant biodiversity, and = attention to mimicking forest processes. It would be excitng to be = involved in this post Lahey planning.=20 =20 Stay tuned and stay vigilant =20 Nick =20 On Sat, Aug 10, 2019, 10:55 PM David Webster, <dwebster@glinx.com> = wrote: Hi Donna & All, Here I am being the devil's advocate again--- but I have problems with=20 the following passage. "Most of our forests presently require centuries of recovery just to=20 nurse depleted soils back to health from fires, acid rain, and=20 clearcutting. One thing each of us can do is encourage hardwood growth, = with deep rooting structures that help improve soil conditions." First of all have most of our forests been burned ? If not then they=20 don't need centuries to recover from fires,. Acid rain is a different story entirely. The LRT hype has been=20 tucked into a back room somewhere but acid rain is ongoing and, even if=20 it had stopped, recovery of naturally acidic soils in a podsol region,=20 from the effects of acid rain is a pipe dream. Failure of government to act has been a great disappointment.=20 Salmon and Trout have taken a hit and there is no excuse for this other=20 than irresponsible government and perhaps the notion that with time=20 everything will be nice again. High soil acidity and exchangeable Al go=20 hand in hand. Consequently one may expect the Al concentration of=20 groundwater, entering natural waterways from acidic uplands to increase=20 as soil acidity increases; unless the soils are derived from and=20 underlain by basic rocks such as limestone or Basalt so the acidity of=20 leachates can be moderated in transit. In my view it should be standard practice to apply agricultural=20 grade limestone to all clearcut areas at a rate of 20 tons per acre. To=20 clearcuts because application of limestone using soil based equipment is = prohibitive by air and clearcuts make application by ground equipment=20 possible. Apart from perhaps physical damage when soils are puddled by=20 traffic when the soil is too wet or eroded along wheel tracks (In the=20 70's I saw the impact hauling wood out with narrow tires on wet soil;=20 ruts eroded more than 3'deep down long slopes. That would be much less=20 likely to happen now. And I have subsequently not seen it.) what is the=20 evidence that clearcutting damages soils ? In one area which I had clearcut, except for scattered deciduous=20 trees, when all Spruce shed needles in June there was breast high rank=20 growth by late summer of Goldenrods etc (perhaps due to a tree-free area = to the west which acted as a seed source ). But I understand from=20 contact with those who thin regrowth on clearcuts that ground cover is=20 typically complete within a year. In case of doubt it would make sense=20 to sow something which would take root rapidly. This is why I am fond of = Buckthorn. If seeds are present they establish within a year thereby=20 decreasing leaching loss. With regard to Hardwoods, I understand these are currently=20 suppressed or killed in regrowth after cutting. I think this is unwise=20 and consequently wrong. In diversity there is strength. But I am not=20 clear how "each of us" can encourage hardwood growth. It is easy enough if you own woods and cut your firewood but I=20 think relatively few on Naturens are that fortunate. But getting bac