Summer Newsletter 2020

Evidently, this summer has been very different than what we’re used to at the MCFC. Like many others, we’re still navigating the new climate of NS forestry, and have been limited in operations due to tightened contractor availability and poor markets. Instead of running our typical events and workshops this summer, we went online, hosting over 10 webinars on a variety of topics related to multi-value forestry. Special thanks goes out to our Community Outreach Intern, Heba Jarrar for doing such an excellent job with our webinar series. Although we're sad to see Heba head back to school we're looking forward to having her help us with some very interesting GIS research as part of her Master of Forest Conservation capstone study this fall.

Looking into the fall, we’re happy to announce we’ve created a new position at the MCFC and hired our other summer student, Jennika Hunsinger as our first full-time support staff member, taking on the role of Ecological Forestry Coordinator. We’re looking forward to working with Jennika as she helps build the Nova Scotia Working Woodlands Trust and assists in field work on the MCFC license area. 

OUTREACH

As mentioned in our spring newsletter, this summer we ran two webinar series, one dedicated to participants with some background in forestry, and another targeted to the general public. The webinars were well attended and we received very positive feedback on the topics and presenters. All webinars were recorded and are available to watch on our Youtube channel.
 
Although COVID has created challenges in hosting events, we were able to have our annual Forest Fair last weekend in Annapolis Royal. Thank you to all who came out to safely support our local woodworkers and crafters. Keep posted to our website and Facebook page in the coming weeks as we share contact information for our vendors so you can purchase their goods outside the market. This year we held a fundraiser for Flying Squirrel Adventures raffling off a basket made by Jan Waterman, and raised $270! 
 
We have decided to hold our AGM virtually this year, on Thursday October 1 from 6:00-8:30pm. All are welcome to join us for this paired down version of our typical AGM. Instead of guest speakers and facilitated workshops, we will simply provide updates on the MCFC, the Nova Scotia Working Woodlands Trust, and of course host our annual business meeting. The meeting will be held on the WebEx platform, if you’re interested in registering please contact Jennika, we will be releasing a detailed agenda and poster shortly. 

MCFC staff enjoying the sunshine and selling merch at this year's Forest Market. Staff include (from left) Jennika Hunsinger, our new Ecological Forestry Coordinator, Mary Jane Rodger, our Executive Director and Heba Jarrar, our Community Outreach Intern.

BIRD STUDIES
 
For the several year now, we’ve implemented a singing season or silent season, for the month of June. During this time we cease all forestry activities to avoid the destruction of nests and prevent auditory disturbances during the peak migratory bird breeding season. In 2019 we began annual monitoring to capture a year-to-year analysis of species presence and densities. Being high in food chains, birds are particularly susceptible to environmental changes and so are valuable indicators of the state of the environment.

For the surveys, MCFC staff conduct 10-minute audio surveys in 25 permanent sample plots across a diversity of forest types. This spring we detected two species at risk, four separate detections of Olive-sided Flycatcher and three of Eastern Wood-Pewee. Looking at our early results, we’ve found that birds are most abundant in older forests, as seen in the graph below. Through ongoing bird monitoring and collaborative work with forest bird researchers, we are working to develop best management practices to ensure habitat for birds is preserved, promoting operations that maintain or increase habitat suitability.

Early analysis of our 2020 bird monitoring indicates that our mature (70+ years) white pine forests have the most abundant bird populations.

OPERATIONS

Our harvests have slowed over the summer, however we’re looking forward to having R&C Weare Logging in partnership with Freeman’s Lumber back on our license area in the coming weeks.
 
We currently have several proposed harvest areas up for review on the Department of Lands and Forestry’s Harvest Plan Map Viewer (HPMV). Along with the map, we also posted detailed prescriptions and maps on our website. If you’re interested in forest harvesting operations take time to check out our proposed prescriptions - it’s a very effective way to be involved in our management decisions. The period for public review on the HPMV ends September 13, 2020, however we will continue to accept comments on any of our proposed harvests beyond this period.
 
We recently closed a call for bids on our 2020 pre-commercial thinning (PCT) tender. We’re happy to announce that we awarded the contract to Leggate Forestry, based in Truro. Leggate Forestry has worked with us in the past, and we’ve always been pleased with their execution of our treatments. The PCT prescriptions we ask for are a bit different than the typical treatment, promoting a diversity of species as growing stock rather than just those with the highest timber values. Please contact us if you’re interested in further details regarding the award of this contract.

Photo taken of the selection harvest we completed this spring with R&C Weare, 1 month following treatment. The primary goal in executing this harvest was to promote the growth of healthy tolerant species (primarily sugar maple) by removing older, declining, early successional trees (red maple and white birch). The treatment was done without interfering with large diameter legacy trees which are retained for wildlife habitat and structural diversity.

CAMPGROUND    

We’re pleased to share that we are negotiating the terms of a Letter of Authority with the Department of Lands and Forestry to bring our campground project to fruition. Our hope is to begin construction this fall and open for the summer 2021. You can now view a draft map of the campground on our website. If you’re interested in learning more about this project or have any concerns please contact us.