Workshop: Woodlot Management

Introduction to Woodlot Management

Saturday, September 24, 2011

9am-3pm

Glen Orchard Public School

If you are planning to harvest trees from your woodlot, have an interest in what information is available on woodlot management, are wondering how you might manage your woodlot for wildlife values, or would like to learn more about the design and maintenance of trails through your woodlot, then this is the workshop for you!

Participants will learn about basic principles of forest management, how to assess trees for defects, what wildlife values exist in woodlots, as well as some basic principles of trail design and maintenance.

The morning session will consist of several short lectures followed by an afternoon field trip with real examples and hands on learning.

This workshop is limited to 35 participants. Pre-registration is required. For information and registration please contact Meghan Powell at the Ministry of Natural Resources, Bracebridge Office. Tel: 705-646-5500 or email, meghan.powell@ontario.ca

Top photo by John McQuarrie.

2nd and 3rd photos by Greg Francis

Woodlot Management & Tree Selection

The final 2011 Nature Quest Workshop was held on July 26th at the Bracebridge Resource Management Centre. Stewardship Coordinator, Chris Near, from the Parry Sound Muskoka Stewardship Network (PSMSN) led the session about Silviculture.

What is Silviculture?

Simply put, silviculture is the science of growing trees. If you are a woodlot owner, chances are you will want to think about which silviculture method you would like to practice in your woodlot. You may even end up practicing more than one depending on the size and features of your property. Chris spoke to the group about three methods for growing, harvesting, and regenerating trees: clearcutting, selection, and shelterwood.

Plantations, such as the red pine plantation pictured above, require good forest management, including proper thinning, top reach their full potential. Red pine prefers dry locations and grows best on sandy, coarse loam soil which is well drained. Research has shown that as red pine plantations mature, they begin to transform old field sites into forest conditions. The increase in organic material in the soil from the needles helps prevent erosion from wind and water. As the stand is thinned, the increase of sunlight reaching the forest floor provides ideal conditions for native hardwood and conifer species to germinate and grow.

About 50 bird and mammal species depend on cavity trees, including primary users which make their own cavities. Cavities constructed by the pileated woodpecker (like the ones above) are especially important in providing habitat for other animals. Aim to keep six living cavity trees per hectare in our woodlot.

If you are planning a large cutting operation on a large woodlot, be sure to consider how the logging equipment will get in and out of your woodlot. There is the potential for damage if not thought out properly. Some landowners will use the trails made by the skidders and other logging equipment and convert them into trails for personal use after the logging is finished (like in the photo above)

Creating openings in the forest crown provides benefits to regeneration. You might consider planting seedlings in an opening to promote greater species variety. Make sure to consider species types and their shade tolerance and plan for maintenance of the area if necessary to maintain sunlight in the area.

The Bracebridge Resource Management Centre (BRMC) is a great place to visit to see the different aspects of forest management. It is indeed a managed forest where the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) has managed different parts of the forest there in different ways and to regenerate the forest using different methods. If you get a chance to visit, make sure to stop at the signs like to one above to learn about various aspects of silviculture.

More Information

There is a lot to consider when managing a forest or woodlot. Be sure to seek out good information and reliable professionals. Some resources to get you started:

1. 
   
   A Landowner's Guide to Forest Management Basics call me or drop in at the office to receive this resource


2. 
   
   Managed Forest Tax Incentive information and resources


3. 
   
   Private Land Forestry resources


4. 
   
   What to ask when hiring a forest contractor


5. 
   
   A landowners guide to careful logging


6. 
   
   A landowners guide to selling standing timber
   

Tree ID in Muskoka

It's that time of year again! The Nature Quest Stewardship Series is in full swing. Join us every Tuesday in July as we learn about tree identification, species at risk, bats, and forest management.

Participants look in their field guides and they identify a tree as part of the first Nature Quest workshop of the summer.

This week, the topic for the workshop was "Hike up your tree ID IQ". You might remember a workshop with the same title from last year. The new Stewardship Coordinator at the Parry Sound Muskoka Stewardship Council, Chris Near, refreshed the program this year and enthralled the audience in an afternoon hike at the Bracebridge Resource Management Centre.

Chris helped to give us the tools we need to become tree ID experts. Here he helps a young participant identify some needles from a coniferous tree.

Chris helps some of the participants note the differences between the leaves of hard and soft maples.

We started off with a list of ways that trees can be identified:

Coniferous or Deciduous

Coniferous are cone-bearing and have needles. Deciduous have leaves.

Bark

What colour is it? Is it rough or smooth? Does it peel? Is it hard or soft? Each tree has a distinctive bark. This is a good way to identify deciduous trees in the winter.

Leaf Pattern and Structure

Are the leaves compound or are they simple?

Do the leaves grow opposite on each side of the stem or do they alternate?
Along the edges, is each leaf lobed, single toothed, or double toothed?

What is the shape of the leaf?

When there are no leaves on the trees, it can also be helpful to look at the pattern of the buds on the branch.

Needle Pattern

Are the needles clustered together? if so, in groups of how many? Or, are the needles single shoots off the stem?

Silhouette

What is the silhouette of the tree when you stand back a little but and look at it? Round, pointy, bushy? This can offer a hint as to the species of the tree.

Fruit

Is the tree bearing any fruit? What does it look like? What shape is it?

My list above is very brief and uses only words. It's a good idea to find a field guide to help you with your tree ID. There are also some good websites to help you along. Some suggestions are at the end of the blog. It's also a good idea to go for hikes to practice your tree ID. After all, practice makes perfect! Good Luck!

Participants walk along the trail and the Bracebridge Resource Management Centre. It was a beautiful day for a hike as we identified trees.

Suggested Resources

What tree is it? : an interactive tree ID website

Flemming College website

Highly recommended book: Trees in Canada by John Laird Farrar

For a sneak peek at the same book try this link

Another highly recommended book: Forest Plants of Central Ontario

Join us next Tuesday at Torrence Barrens as we discover Species at Risk in Muskoka!

Earlier this month the Stewardship Program held its' annual Master Steward Training in preparation for property visits this field season. The Master Stewards visit with landowners to tour their property and speak with them about good stewardship practices for their property. Everything from healthy forest management to shoreline re-naturalization to creating habitat for wildlife and trail building.

We had a fastastic weekend of learning! The following is a photo journal of our weekend spent talking, learning and experiencing stewardship in Muskoka.

This is most of the group at the end of the weekend. Thanks for a great weekend and for being super volunteers!

Master Steward Paula led us in a creative icebreaker that involved gathering from the forest to make a food or drink to share!

Matt and Chad explain their concoction.

The group listens to Master Steward Chris Near as he speaks about trail building.

The Master Steward volunteers listen intently.

The Master Stewards gaze up at the canopy as we listen to our guest speaker, Forester Scott Reid.

Scott speaks with the group about common tree diseases in Muskoka.

The Master Stewards identify trees and note their defect in a field exercise with Scott.

Master Stewards cross the stream on a bridge built by a landowner during a property visit at the Master Steward training.

Master Steward Chris Near speaks about trails in the field as a follow-up to his morning presentation.

The Master Stewards hike up a path using a railing along one of the trails at the property visit.

Master Steward Chris Gilmour gives a talk about wild edibles of Muskoka.

Some of the wild edibles Master Steward Chris Gilmour brought with him to share with the group- at our own risk!

Master Steward Chad give a talk on the importance of downed woody material in the forest and the art he creates from it.

Master Steward Ariel Zwicker speaks about her family maple syrup operation in Muskoka.

Thanks to the Master Stewards for their participation and passion for conservation through private stewardship in Muskoka!

Are you a landowner who would like a property visit from a Master Steward? Your property must be at least 5 acres. For more information click on the "About Us" tab or the "Contact Us" tab at the top of the page.

Maple Syrup in Muskoka

Word from hard maple stands in Muskoka is that the sap is starting to run!

Buckets on trees

Maple syrup production has a long history in Canada, beginning with aboriginal people. Check out some neat photos of some of the first sap collection techniques used here.

Tools of the trade

Remember, it's the International Year of Forests, to raise awareness on sustainable management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests. Maple syrup and forest health are strongly linked.

Sugar bush management involves thinning the trees to improve the health of the woodlot and the sap producing potential of individual maple trees. The development of wide and deep crowns is encouraged to support the production of large volumes of sweet sap.

The types of trees removed in improvement operations include the following:

• Non-maple species including hemlock, beech and ash which interfere with the growth of maple crop trees.
• Over-mature trees
• Diseased, dying and defective trees
• Trees producing sap with a sugar content of less than 1%

But remember, it is good practice to maintain species diversity to accommodate other values including aesthetics, wildlife and bio-diversity.

Tapping the tree

Feeding the fire to boil the syrup

Did you know?...It takes about 40 litres of Sugar Maple sap to make 1 litre of maple syrup!

Filtering the syrup

Upcoming workshop: Savour Muskoka is running a workshop at Brooklands Farm this Sunday, March 20th about maple syrup production fundamentals. For more details and a full description visit the "Stewardship Workshops and Events" page.

Want to know more?

• This Extension Note about "Backyard Maple Syrup Production" tells you more about how to produce maple syrup in your own backyard.
• This Extension Note about "Sugar Maple" trees is also helpful in learning more about this species and how to identify it.
• Atkinson Maple Syrup Supplies has some helpful info sheets on various topics.
• The Ontario Maple Syrup Producers Association has some educational resources too-- especially for children!
• Managing Maple Trees for Sap Production: resources from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs.
• FAQs about maple syrup production from OMAFRA

Thanks to Ariel Zwicker for the great photos from her family maple syrup operation!

Of Forests and Men

International Year of Forests on my mind...

Yann Arthus-Bertrand was appointed by the United Nations to produce the official film for the International Year of Forests. This film was shown during a plenary session of the Ninth Session of United Nations Forum on Forests (24 January - 4 February 2011) in New York. With the voice of Edward Norton.

International Year of Forests will be the theme for this years' Muskoka Heritage Foundation Award at the Muskoka Arts and Crafts Spring Members' Show. The show runs at the Bracebridge Sportsplex from March 25-27, 2011.

Winter Visitor

Pileated Woodpecker

Dryocopus pileatus

This woodpecker was pecking away in our yard when we got home the other day! We can see he has been working on a couple of the coniferous trees in our yard by the fresh wood chips on the snow.

It really is neat to see a pileated woodpecker. They are large birds (up to 47cm tall!) and are quite striking with their red tufts atop their heads and white and black markings around their eyes and neck.

I've posted before about the importance of cavity trees in our woodlots. Pileated woodpeckers require snags (standing dead trees) for habitat, like the white spruce below. All the needles and much of the bark have fallen off. There are two in a row that are similar and the woodpecker seems to like them both!

There are also often wood-boring insects who are feasting on the dead tree, which in turn make a tasty feast for the pileated woodpecker. By eating large numbers of these insects, pileated woodpeckers also help to control insect populations that can damage valuable trees- commercially important or otherwise.

Pileated woodpeckers excavate cavities in snags that can be used for nesting and roosting. They are usually long oval or rectangle shaped holes in the tree. I went out the next day to see the work of this particular bird:

Pileated woodpeckers often abandon the cavities they create. These abandoned cavities make high quality nesting and refuge habitat for other species like wood ducks and squirrels.

Keep your ears open for the tapping of a pileated woodpecker this winter. If you can find where it is, you have a good chance of catching it at work- and helping to keep the forest healthy.

2011: International Year of Forests

The United Nations General Assembly declared 2011 as the International Year of Forests to raise awareness on sustainable management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests.

Their website is a platform on which to celebrate the actions people take to sustainable manage the world’s forests.

Muskoka has beautiful forests- and some shining examples of sustainable management. In 2011, the blog will write often about sustainable forestry. Check back often!

What techniques are you using on your property to manage your forest or woodlot sustainably?