Forestry News
way’, Hello. Our Forestry Crew has spent much of the summer thinning and pruning young dense lodgepole pine stands. This work allows easier access for wildlife, allows more light to reach the forest floor to promote the growth of shrubs and herbs, and over time, helps to reduce the wildfire hazard.
This spring and summer we planted approximately 325,000 seedlings consisting of six different species. These trees were planted across the Community Forest including in areas burned last summer in the MacDougall Creek wildfire.
Logging that was conducted 30 – 40 years ago is much different than logging today. Back then, stands were clear cut, broadcast burned and often reforested with just one species. Today these forests are growing well but lack some of the attributes that certain wildlife require. Marten for example like to nest in hollow trees or cavities which are often hard to find in these young forests.
To bring marten back into these areas, we’ve begun a trial where we’ve built some marten boxes and placed them in trees to see if the marten will use them for nesting. These forests presently contain lots of prey for marten (voles, mice, squirrels) but no place for the marten to nest. Over the next two years we will see if marten will start to occupy these boxes.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us. limlǝmt, Dave Gill.
A marten box placed in a 40-year-old pine tree.
The NRLP crew picking siya berries