Ecological Forestry
Maintaining Variety

"An uneven-aged stand is particularly favourable to birds. Selection cutting provides a continuing supply of food and cover for wildlife throughout the life of the forest."

Fred Payne, Waterfowl Biologist, N.S. Department of Lands and Forests, Wood and Wildlife from Your Woodlot

People think of late successional, Acadian forests as full of large old trees, widely spaced and in a very steady state. This is only partially true. The Island's original forests were complicated and ever-changing. Besides the major species, other species were also present, including:

Black Spruce	White Spruce	White Birch	Grey Birch	Red Maple
Striped Maple	Eastern Larch	Eastern White Cedar	Red Pine	Balsam Fir

• mountain maple,
• white elm,
• large-toothed aspen,
• trembling aspen,
• pin cherry,
• choke cherry and
• ironwood.

Shrubs were even more numerous, with many types of alder, hawthorn, dogwood, serviceberry, elder, mountain ash, willow and hazelnut. The exact makeup depended on slope, soil conditions, available sunlight and drainage.

Even in late successional forests dominated by long-lived species, some trees were always dying and falling down. In these openings would grow young trees and shrubs. Depending on the size of the opening and the sources of available seed, very early-successional plants that grew in full sun might get a start until shade was created. Different levels of plants, from ground level (herbs like bunchberry) to shrub level (alternate-leafed dogwood) to canopy (sugar maple) provided a wide variety of shelter, nesting habitat and food sources.

Biological diversity, reflected in a wide variety of heights, ages and species, is the key to a healthy forest and wildlife community. A diverse forest provides for the needs of many animals suited to make use of that specific ecosystem.

1. Herbicides reduce the amount of diversity, especially in a young forest, and only compound already serious problems. Chemicals such as Glyphosate (Roundup) always get a good safety rating from producers and promoters and a poor rating from conservationists. What we do know is that they poison plants and simplify an ecosystem. If you must control other species of plants, mow or use a mulch such as burlap or woodchips.

2. Clearcuts drastically alter wildlife communities. Inhabitants must find suitable, unoccupied habitat nearby or perish. No one knows how this affects animal populations during breeding season, for example, territories are aggressively defended. Do parents spend time fighting off intruders instead of looking after their young? It is a fallacy to think there is a lot of empty, appropriate habitat nearby. The clearcut itself makes very poor habitat for most species of animals and takes a long time to recover and establish a stable wildlife community.

Typical Red Pine Plantation. Note the lack of diversity on
the forest floor.

3. All plantings should include both deciduous and coniferous species, except in those rare areas where soil conditions dictate otherwise. Studies done on Prince Edward Island show a marked decrease in the diversity of birds in red pine plantations they are among our worst wildlife habitats. A variety of species also protects against insects and diseases. F.S. Baker, author of Principles of Silviculture, notes "since most insects and diseases of forest trees are limited rather sharply to one or a few host plants, mixed stands offer far less opportunity for epidemics than do pure stands. In the case of insects, every tree in a pure stand offers food and a breeding ground. In the case of fungi, the liberated spores find favorable substrates everywhere. In both cases, destructive concentrations can readily be built up in pure stands."

4. Forests in this region should be full of trees of all ages. Even aged plantations lack the diversity of levels that will best suit the habitat/food requirements of a wide variety of species.

5. If you are missing some species that should be in a natural forest in your area, try underplanting or interplanting. Both conifers and deciduous trees should be present in most forests, so you may want to try adding, for example, eastern hemlock, white pine or yellow birch. Mixes of species make good use of available sunlight, rainfall and nutrients.

This series of webpages is based on the booklet "Wildlife and Woodlands - What you can Do !" written by Gary Schneider. This booklet reflects the views of the Environmental Coalition of Prince Edward Island independent of federal and provincial government departments. If your interested in receiving a hardcopy of this booklet, please see our publications page. Web development and maintenance by Chris Martin.