This update can be emailed to members who request it.
Hello woodlot owners,
This is a busy time of the year for woodlot owners and most everyone else. There seems to be a multitude of tasks to be concerned with, from mowing the lawn to cutting hay and silage. All this and we want to spend some time in the forest as well. Take the time to visit your woodlot on a cool summer morning or after a refreshing shower of rain. Besides keeping you up on how the forest is doing, it enriches your life as well.
This Update is our third effort to communicate with NSWOOA members who are “on the net.” We know that there are other members who have access to the internet, but have not provided us with their addresses. If you know of such NSWOOA members, please forward this Update to them.
New address. For those who would like to communicate with the Directors, to share ideas and concerns, to give input or ask questions, our email address is now nswooa@gmail.com. We would like to hear from you.
Smartwood and Stora. Recently we forwarded Smartwood’s notification of its review process for Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification of Stora owned and controlled lands to members who receive email from us. We hope that concerned members took time to fill out the short questionnaire concerning Stora’s forest practices and its relationship to woodlot owners and community, to add their comments, and forward this to Smartwood. The NSWOOA is doing this as well. Our submission will focus on the inappropriateness of using the DNR model of forest disturbance patterns to plan harvests. It will also ask Smartwood to require substantive quantative goals and standards, especially in developing its uneven aged multi species forestry plans.
Good news for once. Word has been passed around that the proposed amendments to forest sustainability regulations (including Section 7(c)) have been adopted. While tightening and more clearly defining criteria in some areas, the changes to the regulations do offer much more flexibility to woodlot owners trying to restore their forests and who have to deal with woodlots that did not fit previous criteria.
Web site news. A volunteer has stepped forward with an offer to manage our web site (nswooa.ca). This will be a learning experience for her and for us, but we are looking forward to seeing changes made regularly, some fresh ideas and some input from our members. Feedback can be made through our email address. Our goal is to have members and the concerned public check in regularly to see what is going on.
Woodlot seminar planned. Wade Prest, woodlot owner and former NSWOOA President, has announced his intention to hold a workshop on crop tree selection, crop tree pruning and crop tree release in a hardwood stand on his property. There will be a modest charge, and participation is to be limited to the 15-20 range. Wade sees this as a repeatable seminar, that can be adapted to any woodlot and conducted by woodlot owners who have experience in this field. The whole concept of harvesting fewer but more valuable trees is becoming more important because of the pulpwood markets we face, and the carbon storage issue. However, if we do not take steps to purposely produce these crop trees, are we not guilty of high grading?
Long Horned Beetle. Members in the restricted zone are reminded that they should react to the beetle threat in a measured and properly planned manner. This problem should be handled in the same thoughtful manner as other forests treatments, with advice from trustworthy foresters, with reference to management plans and goals, and in accordance with sound restorative forestry practices.
History of NSWOOA. Wade Prest has written a short history of NSWOOA, which can be found at this website. There is much history compressed in these few pages, and we thank Wade for preparing this document for us.
Fall Field Day. A committee has been set up to get the fall field day set up. Please watch for further Update notices and for details in the Atlantic Forestry Review.
Your Executive for 2007
President Mr. Lorne Burrows
Vice President Mr. Ken MacRury
Treasurer Mr. Greg Amon
Secretary Mr. Paul Brison
CWSD President Mr. George Johnson
CWSD Secretary Mr. Paul Brison.
Feedback is important to us. Contact us on forestry issues and concerns at nswooa@gmail.com
