Seed Tree
– No longer done but can be seen in South Western Nova Scotia
The objective of a Seed Tree treatment is to regenerate a stand to intolerant or intermediate shade tolerant species by leaving wind-firm, well-formed, mature seed trees (specifically white pine in Western Nova Scotia) uniformly distributed throughout.
FAQ ARCHIVE
Treatments
Seed Tree
The objective of a Seed Tree treatment is to regenerate a stand to intolerant or intermediate shade tolerant species by leaving wind-firm, well-formed, mature seed trees (specifically white pine in Western Nova Scotia) uniformly distributed throughout.
BURNABY LAKE, QUEENS COUNTY, NS
Photo by Marcus Zwicker
Shelterwoods – Uniform Shelterwood
The objective of a Uniform Shelterwood is to uniformly thin the overstory to produce light conditions suited for natural regeneration of long-lived species. During the harvest treatment 30-40% of the basal area of the stand is removed. Intolerant and short-lived tree species such as balsam fir, as well as poor form or imminent mortality, are targeted for harvest. Stands are revisited over multiple entries typically every 10-12 years based on presence of acceptable regeneration.
ST. MARGRET’S BAY, HALIFAX COUNTY, NS
Photo by Marcus Zwicker
Shelterwoods – Strip Shelterwood
The objective of a Strip Shelterwood is to generate light conditions suited for medium and shade tolerant trees. In a Strip Shelterwood one third of the area is treated with varying strip widths. Harvested strip widths are to be 1-1.5 times the average tree height. Usually used in areas of high windthrow hazards. Typically, these stands are harvested over 3 entries with the adjacent strip harvested when the regeneration is established. This results in a 3-4 age class stand.
SHEEP LAKE, QUEENS COUNTY, NS
Photo by Marcus Zwicker
Shelterwoods – Patch Shelterwood
The objective of a Patch Shelterwood is to remove trees in small patches where they are dominated by intolerant short-lived species, such as balsam fir, to a later-successional stage dominated by more shade tolerant later successional species (red spruce). The patches are typically between .1-.3 of an ace. in size. Volume removed does not exceed 50%.
LAPLAND, LUNENBURG COUNTY, NS
Photo by Marcus Zwicker
Shelterwoods – Restoration Shelterwood
The objective of a Restoration Shelterwood is to uniformly thin the overstory to move a stand dominated by intolerant short-lived species (balsam fir) to a later-successional stage dominated by more shade tolerant later successional species (red spruce). The volume removed in a Restoration Shelterwood is 30% of the basal area.
BROAD RIVER, QUEENS COUNTY, NS
Photo by Marcus Zwicker
Shelterwoods – Irregular Shelterwood
The objective of an Irregular Shelterwood is to maintain a continuous canopy cover in a non-uniform stand thinning the overstory to move a stand dominated by intolerant short-lived species to a later-successional stage dominated by more shade tolerant later successional species. The volume removed in an Irregular Shelterwood does not exceed 40%.
LONG LAKE, ANNAPOLIS COUNTY, NS
Photo by Marcus Zwicker
Variable Retention
The objective of the Variable Retention treatments is to maintain vertical structure through retention of rare or long lived species, cavity or wildlife trees, young or immature trees that aren’t commercially viable. This treatment is usually prescribed in stands that are dominated by intolerant non windfirm tree species but have a portion of the stand that are late successional windfirm species. Variable Retention harvests are of 3 different classifications 10%, 20% or 30% retention.
TORBROOK, ANNAPOLIS COUNTY, NS
Photo by Marcus Zwicker
Selection Harvests – Individual Tree Selection
The objective of an Individual Tree Selection treatment is to create an evenly distributed multi-aged stand through encouraging the regeneration of shade tolerant species. The treatment also improves the growth and quality of the remaining trees by selecting poor form early successional species from the stand during harvest. This treatment is usually prescribed in stands that have a significant amount of tolerant hardwoods and softwoods. Typically 65-70% of the starting stand basal area is retained post harvest.
NORTH TWIN LAKE, KINGS COUNTY, NS
Photo by Marcus Zwicker
Selection Harvests – Group Selection
The objective of a Group Selection is to create/maintain multiple age classes of forest with the stand patches of intolerant short lived trees are harvested in 0.1-1 hectare in size not exceeding 30% of the stand area. These patches will regenerate in long lived shade tolerant species with re-entry of the stand every 15-20 years.
8 MILE LAKE, QUEENS COUNTY, NS
Photo by Marcus Zwicker
Commercial Thinning
The objective of a Commercial Thinning treatment is to improve the growth, quality, and species composition of the forest stand by harvesting 30-40% of the merchantable BA in 1 or 2 entries. Commercial Thinning is typically prescribed in stands at a younger age 30-50 years than other that have already had a silviculture treatment performed such as pre-commercial thinning or planting.
BIRCH LAKE, KINGS COUNTY, NS
Photo by Marcus Zwicker
Salvage – Blowdown Salvage
Nova Scotia has seen a rise in severe wind events usually resulting from Hurricanes such as Juan and Dorian. During these events areas of partially harvested stands and untreated stands blow down with varying severity. After significant wind events, the forest is surveyed aerially for areas that have suffered significant blowdown and are assessed for potential for salvage harvesting. In stands where windthrow exceeds 40% we harvest the blown trees while retaining still intact long lived windfirm trees such as white pine and yellow birch either individually or in clumps.
GODFREY LAKE, ANNAPOLIS COUNTY, NS
Photo by Marcus Zwicker
Salvage – Red Pine Salvage
Salvage harvest of red pine plantations impacted by Sirococcus shoot blight times can be economically viable in our region. Sites chosen for Red Pine Salvage harvest are mature red pine plantations that are currently impacted by Sirococcus shoot blight. Sirococcus is a natural red pine disease (fungus) within our forests, but it has made a significant negative impact on the health of red pine trees found in plantations. Red pine plantations were established throughout Nova Scotia in the 1970-80s following the spruce budworm. These sites range from 30-100 percent of infestation. This leaves over half of our working forest trees left standing and very little for natural regeneration or vegetation remaining on site.
COLINS LAKE, SHELBURNE COUNTY, NS
Photo by Marcus Zwicker
Sustainable Forestry
What is sustainable forestry?
Sustainable forestry means that we do not harvest more than what is grown. It is also management that maintains the forest ecosystem, protects water quality, and maintains healthy, vibrant communities.
What is a long term management plan and how does it promote sustainable forestry?
A long-term forest management plan is created by the Nova Scotia Department of Lands and Forestry (used to be the Department of Natural Resources). A long term forest management plan forecasts the forests condition. This includes stand type, age class structure, forest habitat given objectives and constraints. The current Management Plan that WestFor Management works with is based on a 100-year projection of forest development given the current forest condition from the most recent forest inventory. This inventory is updated annually with actual forest interventions. The management plan is also managed to meet the requirements of the SFIS 2015:2020 Principles for Sustainable Forestry.
An overall theme of forest sustainability is that you can never harvest more than what is grown, thus each Forest Management plan has an annual allowable harvest level that is not maintained through its 100 year forecast. It maps and forecasts anticipated forest growth, and management interventions planned over that period.
Westfor Management is committed to sustainable forest management through the implementation of the Nova Scotia Forestry Code of Practice and through the endorsement of the pre-existing certification programs for the Mersey Woodlands.
An example of a 100 year management is the plan for the South Shore Rossignol, St. Margaret’s Bay, and North Mountain (SSR/SMB/NM) which can be found here.
What is a five-year operating plan and how does it promote sustainable forestry?
A five-year operating plan is a spatial plan that maps out where and what forest intervention will be carried out in the forest. It outlines what forest interventions will be carried out to meet the desired outcomes in guidelines of the long-term forest management plan. For example, it identifies what harvest areas will be treated, where road and bridges will be built, and where tree planting and spacing will occur.
As Westfor currently operates under a one-year Timber License, its operating plans are limited to a single year rather than five years. They are reviewed individually by the Regional Integrated Resource Management Team, the KMKNO and the Western Region Stakeholder Advisory Committee.
What is a Pre-Treatment Assessment and how does it promote sustainable forestry ?
A Pre-Treatment Assessment (PTA) is a survey that is conducted by a trained professional before a harvest or silviculture treatment is chosen for a stand. The survey conducted by the forest professional gathers information (tree species composition, soil type, vegetation type) to determine the type of Forest Ecosystem (FEC) and the associated forest treatments that are applicable through the Forest Management Guides. They also identify and document other items such as recreational trails, sensitive features, unmapped streams, species at risk and wildlife occurrences.
What is a regeneration survey and how does it promote sustainable forestry?
Part of sustainable forestry is that sites that have been harvested are regenerated with a new forest. A regeneration survey is conducted three years after a harvest treatment is complete. A trained professional will survey the site to determine if there is a sufficient amount of new growth. A “stocked site” is one that has sufficient regeneration and is not planted. If the stand is determined to not be regenerating (not stocked) then it is either full planted (entire site) or fill planted (parts of the site that are not stocked) with species that would naturally do well on the site.
WestFor has committed to planting 1 million trees in 2020!
What is a Special Management Practice and how does it promote sustainable forestry?
Special management practices (SMP’s) are rules that apply to forest management activities to protect individual attributes or species on the landscape. These SMP’s can be applied to the following season of operation, if a survey has to be conducted by a trained practitioner in the identification of a particular species or habitat and additional buffers of location or habitat. Currently we have nine SMP’s that we follow on public land as well as the Provinces Field guide to Forest Stewardship Biodiversity.
Please click here to find all of Nova Scotia SMP’s that are currently in practice and continue to check as there are more to come.
What is SFI?
SFI stands for Sustainable Forest Initiative. This organization works with the forest sector, brand owners, conservation groups, resource professionals, landowners, educators, local communities, Indigenous peoples, governments, and universities to help promote sustainable forestry. The SFI is a solutions-oriented sustainability organization that collaborates on forest-based conservation and community initiatives that demonstrate and enhance the shared quality of life while providing supply chain assurances through standards, data, and authentic stories.
To learn more about SFI please click here.
Please stay tuned as we are adding our silviculture practices soon!
“Sustainable forestry balances the needs of the environment, wildlife, and forest communities.”
Harvesting
How much of Nova Scotia is publicly owned?
There is approximately 850,000 hectares of publicly owned land in Western Nova Scotia.
How much land is under WestFor’s Licensing Area?
We can operate on approximately 490,000 hectares of land.
To see our harvesting areas please click here.
How much land does WestFor operate on in a year?
We operate on approximately 4000 hectares a year.
Does WestFor operate on privately owned land?
No, we only operate on publicly owned land.
Species at Risk
To see what Special Management Plans (SMP) we follow please click here.
HAVE A QUESTION? WE HAVE AN ANSWER!
We will reply to all questions within 2 business days.
