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Hi Donna & All,
Here we go again, but I feel compelled to comment on your contention=
=20
(Chron. Hrld., p.A3, Aug 22, 2018) that use of Glyphosate to control=20
hardwoods will lead to nutrient depletion. I suppose if one carefully=20
selected sites where this might apply, [eskers or well drained portion=20
of drumlins], then it could be demonstrated by experiment. But general=20
truth is not proven with a thumb on the balance.
And as an aside, I don't think spraying to kill hardwoods is prudent=
=20
in areas which resemble the woods near Kentville. Spruce continue to die=20
like attic flies and in far less than 80 years, if current trends=20
continue, Spruce near Kentville will be nearly unknown. And I do agree=20
that a mixed forest is best able to roll with the punches delivered over=20
time provided the context is land never used for farming which will=20
usually mean a defective profile. We should be more receptive to a model=20
of timber production widely used elsewhere; plant relatively good soil=20
to trees evenly spaced in rows and mow the lot when mature.
Sometimes Spruce is shallow rooted due to impervious subsoil=20
overlain by rocks and nutrients are supplied to these trees by lateral=20
flow from upslope and by mineralization of the underlying rocks..=20
Hardwoods do poorly on such sites and when there is a stiff wind the=20
Spruce blow over, frequently in clumps of from two eight trees and the=20
'topsoil' is revealed, a thin carpet of moss and roots which is peeled=20
back to reveal highly mineralized rocks. On a nearby site, 100" away,=20
Spruce may be so deeply rooted that it breaks off above ground in a=20
stiff wind while adjacent Poplar are uprooted and nearby Maple also fall=20
in large numbers if the soil is saturated to rooting depth by heavy rain=20
plus lateral subsurface flow. In one blow I lost 2-3 acres of hardwood,=20
Mostly Maple and Poplar, with nothing left standing.
To pull the above together: soil profile physical properties are the=
=20
coarse controls and assuming that forest soils should be as rich in=20
nutrients as soil used for annual crops flies in the face of experience.=20
Trees are there year round, have tissue capable of extracting nutrients=20
from precipitation, fixing N etc. Recent "studies" which assume=20
otherwise are just exercises in meaningless number crunching.
These endless debates could perhaps simmer down if it were more=20
widely appreciated IA) that forest cover moderates extremes in stream=20
flow as opposed to the flood>drought generated by clearcuts and typical=20
urban conditions, 1B) the debate should not be just about clearcut yes=20
or no but about what fraction of a watershed can be cut over a decade. I=20
would favor 10%. 2) small woodlot owners should be paid to maintain=20
this cover, and 3) the small woodlot owner should be free to sell lumber=20
extracted from his lot. Then selective cutting would be more realistic.=20
It would also help if those entirely against clear cutting would buy a=20
woodlot and show everyone else how to turn a profit using selective=20
cutting. It is not as easy as it sounds. Especially if you have to pay a=20
$500 annual certification fee.
Yt, DW
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<body>Hi Donna & All,<div>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 Here we go again, but I feel co=
mpelled to comment on your contention (Chron. Hrld., p.A3, Aug 22, 2018) th=
at use of Glyphosate to control hardwoods will lead to nutrient depletion.=
I suppose if one carefully selected sites where this might apply, [eskers o=
r well drained portion of drumlins], then it could be demonstrated by exper=
iment. But general truth is not proven with a thumb on the balance.=C2=A0</=
div><div>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 And as an aside, I don't think spraying to kill hard=
woods is prudent in areas which resemble the woods near Kentville. Spruce c=
ontinue to die like attic flies and in far less than 80 years, if current t=
rends continue, Spruce near Kentville will be nearly unknown. And I do agre=
e that a mixed forest is best able to roll with the punches delivered over=
time provided the context is land never used for farming which will usually =
mean a defective profile. We should be more receptive to a model of timber =
production widely used elsewhere; plant relatively good soil to trees even=
ly spaced in rows and mow the lot when mature.=C2=A0</div><div>=C2=A0 =C2=
=A0 Sometimes Spruce is shallow rooted due to impervious subsoil overlain b=
y rocks and nutrients are supplied to these trees by lateral flow from upsl=
ope and by mineralization of the underlying rocks.. Hardwoods do poorly on=
such sites and when there is a stiff wind the Spruce blow over, frequently=
in clumps of from two eight trees and the 'topsoil' is revealed, a thin car=
pet of moss and roots which is peeled back to reveal highly mineralized roc=
ks. On a nearby site, 100" away, Spruce may be so deeply rooted that it bre=
aks off above ground in a stiff wind while adjacent Poplar are uprooted and =
nearby Maple also fall in large numbers if the soil is saturated to rootin=
g depth by heavy rain plus lateral subsurface flow. In one blow I lost 2-3=
acres of hardwood, Mostly Maple and Poplar, with nothing left standing.=C2=
=A0</div><div>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 To pull the above together: soil profile physic=
al properties are the coarse controls and assuming that forest soils should =
be as rich in nutrients as soil used for annual crops flies in the face of =
experience. Trees are there year round, have tissue capable of extracting=
nutrients from precipitation, fixing N etc. Recent "studies" which assume o=
therwise are just exercises in meaningless number crunching.=C2=A0</div><di=
v>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 These endless debates could perhaps simmer down if it were=
more widely appreciated IA) that forest cover moderates extremes in stream=
flow as opposed to the flood>drought generated by clearcuts and typical=
urban conditions, 1B) <i>the debate should not be just about clearcut yes o=
r no</i>=C2=A0but about what fraction of a watershed can be cut over a deca=
de. I would favor 10%.<i>=C2=A0</i> 2) small woodlot owners should be paid=
to maintain this cover, and 3) the small woodlot owner should be free to se=
ll lumber extracted from his lot. Then selective cutting would be more real=
istic. It would also help if those entirely against clear cutting would buy =
a woodlot and show everyone else how to turn a profit using selective cutt=
ing. It is not as easy as it sounds. Especially if you have to pay a $500 a=
nnual certification fee.</div><div>Yt, DW</div></body></html>
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