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Hi Doug & All, Jan 8, 2016
I am partial to evidence based conclusions. I have yet to see any =
experimental results based on NS material. All I have received are =
fragments of the Gospel according to Nick & David P. If the evidence is =
so great and obvious why is it being kept a secret ?
The example which I quoted recently, and not explained, still has me =
wondering if the fuss about drastic Ca depletion is more than a fad in =
some cases and perhaps all cases. This was from Table 2 in Lawerence and =
Huntington; given without background information.=20
A site classified as highly sensitive to calcium depletion (Coweeta) =
has 1370 kg/ha exchangeable Ca, total Ca of 11500 kg/ha total Ca and Net =
Calcium depletion of 6.6 kg/ha/year. So exchangeable Ca, assuming no =
recycling from Mixed Hardwood litter and foliage leaching which is of =
course false [Most Ca in such litter would be released within a year], =
would be sufficient for only 207 years. Note to self: urgent; order a =
truckload of lime to be delivered in 100 years.=20
And Total Ca, in some undisclosed fraction of the rooting zone, of =
which the major portion would be bound in minerals [and such weathering =
would be speeded by the acidity of acid ppt.] would be sufficient once =
released to last only 1700 years.=20
I am partial to free and open evidence-based discussion. This latest =
move; an official Nature NS policy sounds like a move to muzzle =
discussion and replace it by worship of some ad-hoc form of Religion. =
If that in fact proves to be the case then Naturens will wither to a =
bird watch forum or some dust on a cobweb.=20
In one of my recent e-mails I indicated the merits of research into =
this and many other related questions. That bounced somewhat less than a =
dead cat.
The will be many Science Graduates in the near future with no =
prospect of a job. And in my view there are a multitude of questions to =
be investigated. Why are the self-appointed High Priests of Nature NS so =
fearful of truth being laid bare ?
=20
Nick, as came to light recently, I knew more about the history of =
charcoal forests in your UK area than you did. Is it perhaps possible =
that I know almost as much as you do about barrens in my backyard ? You =
speak of "overharvest transforming landscape into lower equilibrium =
states (e.g. shrub barrens here and in NL)",=20
Do you have documentary evidence of when these barrens carried a =
crop of trees and when they were cut ? Where exactly are these barrens ? =
Have you examined for traces of charcoal well below the litter layer by =
flotation ? What textures and soil depths are represented ? Good soil or =
good highway fill too shallow to bother mining ?
For example, the large barren west of the Costley homestead on Route =
12 (just this side of the Salmontail River) was referred to by one of =
the Costleys (Milton or Truman) as "the fire barrens". It goes back to =
the mid-1800s if not earlier. And it seems likely that these barrens had =
help getting and remaining in that state. All Lowbush Blueberries were =
harvested wild in those days and those living in Nova Scarcity needed to =
use all possible edibles.
When my father was young [late 1800s, early 1900s] he and my =
grandfather (as I learned by chance from some Costley70+ years later) =
used to drive out (horse and buggy; by star, moon or slack reins both =
ways) every year to pick blueberries and return to Cambridge, Kings Co =
with a year's supply. His father David Costley was famous as a bear =
hunter and elderly when he was decorated by Queen Victoria (early 1900s =
?) for the many Bear hides he had provided. One can be reasonably sure =
that Blueberries were the bear draw.
As recently as 1960 there was an area near Aldershot which used to =
catch fire at a convenient time so there would be a renewal of the =
plants and better crops for a few years. Vaccinium a. is not shade =
tolerant so decent stands would tend to develop where light coarse soil =
texture could support only scattered Pines, runty Betula populifolia and =
the like.=20
And in addition to the fires set in relatively recent times by =
intent, fires started by lightening or careless use of fire would be =
expected to add to the roster over time. And before European settlers =
arrived there were Indians for 8,000 to 10,000 (?) years and it would be =
strange indeed it they over time did not have fire barrens until the =
berry plants played out. To survive here, using stone age culture, I =
expect that on average they were a good deal more intelligent than the =
average modern University Prof. so they surely would have used fire and =
made good use of these berries.
I am concerned that ganging up on the government to make sudden =
changes will snuff out use of Biomass period; woodland or otherwise. =
Politicians never need bad press; least of all now.=20
I have studiously avoided ever becoming a member of any organization =
which might attempt to control thoughts. Personal freedom of thought is =
of great value and members of the the Little Pioneers or whatever are =
expected to, in North Korea style, acquire Little Pioneers ways of =
thought.=20
=20
=20
Yours truly, David H. Webster, Kentville
----- Original Message -----=20
From: "Doug Linzey" <doug.linzey@gmail.com>
To: <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Sent: Friday, January 08, 2016 4:21 PM
Subject: Re: Fwd: [NatureNS] Red Herring & Forestry
> Succinctly put, Nick.
>=20
> I agree that Nature Nova Scotia should have a policy statement on=20
> biomass burning in the province. At this point the NNS board is well=20
> aware of the situation and will likely discuss the topic at its =
meeting=20
> in Halifax this weekend.
>=20
> In the meantime, if this subject is of concern to you, let your local=20
> naturalist clubs know. They are the backbone of Natur