Many woodlots in Nova Scotia have been degraded over the last century to the point where they are no longer recognizable as "typical" examples of the Acadian Forest type, this region's natural forest. This is mostly the result of widespread clear cutting, which is an inappropriate forestry treatment for any stand containing a majority of long-lived, shade-tolerant species such as red spruce, eastern hemlock, white pine, yellow birch and sugar maple.

These types of stands are typically made up of various age levels and sizes, making selection harvesting a better treatment. This allows the woodlot owner to pick at or "tickle" his forest, producing round wood for sale while maintaining a canopy of trees throughout that might make it hard to see that any work has taken place.

This would be an ideal, and it is what we're striving for in restoration work. Unfortunately this will take decades, even a century or so to achieve in today's degraded landscape. I find many people aren't willing to wait that long!

For those who do have a long-term vision and are willing to wait, I'll offer a few ideas and techniques that I have found to work for me over the last 15 years or so. Granted, that's not even close to a century, but you have to start somewhere.

Even with the widespread degradation, pretty much every woodlot has some Acadian Forest species as singletons, clumps or even whole stands that have survived the onslaught. These are known as epicenters, and the objective is to "connect these dots" throughout your woodlot. This has proven doable by thinning the woods between these epicenters to create the desired species regeneration on the ground between them.

That's my mantra: "Thin everything!" This opens up the ground to allow regeneration of these shade-tolerant species to be spread around. You get increased sunlight, but maintaining a canopy keeps enough shade to promote these species.

So, an on-the ground example might look something like this:

A one-acre patch of red spruce and hemlock, then scattered hemlock, white pine and yellow birch singletons, and then a half-acre patch red spruce, yellow birch and sugar maple. This is located in a six-acre block, let's say, with poplar, white birch, grey birch, balsam fir and white spruce growing pretty thickly throughout.

Maybe you have no patches, just scattered singletons. It doesn't matter, these are your crop trees and seed sources, and they don't even have to be good-quality stems. Most deformities in trees are caused from some type of physical damage, such as wind, sleet and snow, porcupines, insects or man-made. Hopefully, their progeny won't suffer these indignities and will turn into the quality stems we're striving for.

I like to work through the block and flag the crop trees for leaving to get a sense of how many I have. Just after snow melt in the spring is the best time for this work. I also flag my skid trails at this time.

It's my belief that the best trees to encourage regeneration under are hardwoods. The bare branches in spring allow the ground to warm up quicker, promoting earlier germination of the desired seeds. The bare branches in the fall will mean an improved soil composition from the resultant leaf fall and litter.

My initial harvest will remove most of the softwood from our example above, the fir and white spruce and some hardwood, leaving a thinned out, mostly hardwood cover. Now, the waiting begins, with 5-7 years probably necessary to start to see the results.

There may be some other considerations during this first step. Some advance regeneration of desired species may already be on the ground and should be flagged to avoid negatively impacting this very important component. There may be patches of it that can be released, either partly or completely, thus helping this area to develop quicker.

Leaving low-value stems laying full length on the ground as woody material or girdling trees to create standing deadwood is helpful as well. Watch out for any shrubs that may be part of that important layer. Cutting a spruce to leave some alders may a new experience, but remember you're at a very early stage here and a natural forest has many layers. This work may fall under the category 7c (selection management) of the Forest Sustainability Regulations, and any available silviculture funding goes a long way in making such work feasible. Part of the initial layout of the site can determine this acceptability.

Finally, don't dismiss any areas when you consider restoration. Some suitable seed trees are a bonus, but under-planting a thinned area with the proper species is another way to go. Patience and determination will rule the day.

Editor's note: Tom Miller is a longtime member of the Nova Scotia Woodlot Owners and Operators Association and a former provincial Woodlot Owner of the Year.

Please join us for a day in the woods at Otter Ponds Demonstration Forest (OPDF). A biota survey will take place there on Saturday, 27 June -- and we'd like your help! 

The goal is to increase our knowledge about the property's flora and fauna. Naturalists with various interests are invited to participate.

The site is located about 90 minutes from Halifax, near the community of Mooseland, in the interior of the Eastern Shore. Please bring along field guides, binoculars, sturdy waterproof footwear, snacks, water, and insect repellent.

The survey will take place throughout the day. We intend to focus on four areas of interest: hardwood drumlins, softwood lowlands, wetlands, and a core area of old forest that hasn't been harvested since the late 1800s.   

The survey will be a public event; folks are welcome to come and enjoy a day of learning.  Drinks and a BBQ lunch will be provided. Rain date: Sunday, 28 June.

For more information and to register, please contact Clare Robinson at clarerobinson@eastlink.ca.

About Otter Ponds

OPDF is a unique nonprofi­t organization that includes the Nova Scotia Woodlot Owners and Operators Association, Eastern Shore Forest Watch, Ecology Action Centre, and the Mooseland and Area Community Association as partners. The partners manage a 500-hectare (1,200-acre) Crown parcel near Mooseland, Nova Scotia, within the Halifax Regional Municipality.

OPDF produces timber for market using the best forest practices presently known. It demonstrates the philosophy and science of uneven-aged management while developing new techniques for silviculture and forest restoration. At the same time, OPDF works to protect wildlife habitat and water quality in the Tangier River watershed, enhance the social and cultural value of the forest, and respect the other values and services that come from diverse, healthy, natural woodlands.

You are welcome to visit us online at:

https://www.facebook.com/OtterPondsDemoForest

http://www.nswooa.ca/otter-ponds/

NSWOOA is committed to being your best source for information about sustainable forestry. We do not offer silviculture or harvesting services; our interest is only in the protection and enhancement of the native forest ecosystems of Nova Scotia.

Truly sustainable management requires that all the values of our woodlands -- ecological, social, and economic -- be preserved for future generations. That's a complex undertaking.

If you have questions about sustainable management of the Acadian Forest, we want to hear from you! Give us a call at:

1-855-NS-WOODS

(1-855-679-6637)