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r herbivores will become less nutritious in terms of mineral nu
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Hi Nick & All,
A closed mind and hysteria are not favorable conditions for a=20
positive discussion; or for positive outcomes.
I have two woodlots and have clearcut only when it was the only=20
practical choice; e.g. once only when all Spruce in some 5-10 acres that=20
was predominantly Spruce suddenly shed needles early in the summer of=20
2000; felled by chainsaw and extracted by porter. I requested that=20
hardwood be spared whenever possible (it all was) and that the porter be=20
used only when the soil was dry (there was zero soil disturbance).
That turned out well. There was some annual cover that same year=20
(drawing on memory) but starting early in the following year there was a=20
vigorous cover of insect friendly annual and perennial plants except=20
where prevented by hardwood trees (e.g. shoulder high Solidago sp by=20
late summer). One White Birch grew so rapidly that the bark split at the=20
base. To judge from subsequent growth of spared hardwood and seeded=20
trees there was zero leaching loss.
But I know that clearcutting happens a great deal. One of the=20
reasons is economic. I suspect that depopulation of rural areas is=20
another because if you have to migrate to find work then selling the=20
family woodlot for a song may be your only option. Spruce trees near=20
Kentville are unthrifty to put it mildly and this may be true elsewhere.=20
Is the rush to cut perhaps driven by the emergence or fear of tree=20
decline ?
I don't advocate clearcutting as the way to go but if you wish to=20
change industry practices then it is desirable to find out why it has=20
become so widespread. Selective cutting is practical for the hobby=20
firewood cutter, e.g. DW, and just possible commercially given UNUSUALLY=20
favorable circumstances. Otherwise it is a great way to make a large=20
loss, as I learned in 2002 when we horse logged selectively.
I had an opportunity to try selective cutting about 2003 using a=20
tree harvester with (as I recall) an 18' reach. The approach was to cut=20
9' travel ways (in about 20 acres of overstocked woods) every 36',=20
protect soil of the travel ways with trash wood and selectively cut the=20
remainder using the tree harvester, I agreed, had a sleepless night and=20
to my everlasting regret backed out. My harvester friend said "Dave, if=20
you don't thin these trees they will all die" As it turned out he was=20
entirely correct and I missed an opportunity to test a possible cost=20
effective way to thin overstocked woodland.
Yt, DW, Kentville
------ Original Message ------
From: "Nick Hill" <fernhillns@gmail.com>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Sent: 10/15/2017 5:31:39 PM
Subject: Re: Re[2]: [NatureNS] The Forest Funeral
>Let's pull together.
>The argument that clearcut is good for wildlife is able to be made in a=20
>mosaic of mature and disturbed habitat. Where we have clearcut and=20
>recovery from clearcut being the principal land class, one cannot argue=20
>for the value of clearcut.
>Where clearcut is used in rapid succession every 60 years or less, the=20
>soil nutrient base becomes depleted. Where that occurs there are=20
>ecosystem impacts as well as trophic level implications as browse for=20
>herbivores will become less nutritious in terms of mineral nutrients.
>
>Nova Scotia still has forest. PEI does not. New Brunswick is being=20
>intensively managed. Nova Scotia could choose to get out of the forest=20
>as a short-term source of funds and could become a green Vermont of the=20
>Maritimes. We have the tradition of the guides of the north woods and=20
>lovely rivers. No one comes for clearcuts. Clearcut forestry cannot=20
>survive without addition of human sewage compost. Why not develop a=20
>forestry based on longer rotations that uses true selection cutting and=20
>results in working landscapes whose productivity and thought make=20
>people's minds register beauty rather than out for a quick buck=20
>sadness?
>
>On Oct 15, 2017 4:45 PM, "rita.paul@ns.sympatico.ca"=20
><rita.paul@ns.sympatico.ca> wrote:
>>Good point Dave! Folks travelling on the 103 should
>>remember that paving is in progress about exit 5a. Delays can be=20
>>length!
>>Take my word from experience!
>>An old saying in BC Dave "The Axe comes before the Moose"
>>summarizes it nicely.
>>Enjoy the Autumn
>>Paul
>>
>>>On October 15, 2017 at 2:46 PM David <dwebster@glinx.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>Hi All,
>>> It is interesting that this mock funeral will increase highway=20
>>>traffic (briefly) because the expansion of highways, especially of=20
>>>the 101 series, has destroyed a huge chunk of potential forest land=20
>>>and taken a much larger bite out of small animal habitat/population.=20
>>>Even a 10" high gravel ridge is a barrier to snake travel and the=20
>>>huge cuts and fills associated with the 101 series has fragmented=20
>>>Reptile and Amphibian habitat much as a sledge hammer can fragment a=20
>>>fragile glass container.
>>> The idea that Moose need mature forest is not sound. I have never=20
>>>hunted Moose but have several times hunted Deer in upland country=20
>>>where Moose were also present. Moose sign were consistently very=20
>>>sparse in mature woodland (as in got to get through this wasteland)=20
>>>and abundant in nearby clearcut regrowth. In recent times Moose=20
>>>reached the coast in BC. Mature forest had acted as a barrier to=20
>>>travel and logging generated the food friendly means to travel from=20
>>>inland areas to the coast.
>>> It has been my experience that woodland, flattened by clearcut or=
=20
>>>Spruce Budworm, becomes very good wildlife habitat within 10 years=20
>>>and sometimes 1-2 if hardwoods are involved. Has this changed ? Are=20
>>>recent clearcuts not growing back ?
>>>YT, DW Kentville
>>>
>>>------ Original Message ------
>>>From: "Donna Crossland" < dcrossland@eastlink.ca>
>>>To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
>>>Sent: 10/15/2017 12:25:54 PM
>>>Subje