Large Woodlands Conservation Cooperative Gina Varrin Coordinator January 31, 2008

A Collaborative Program Peterborough Field Naturalists Stewardship Councils Conservation Authorities Forest Gene Conservation Association Kawartha Heritage Conservancy Trent University Alongside other Initiatives 3 Stewardship Councils: Peterborough, Northumberland, Victoria 2 Conservation Authorities: Otonabee and Ganaraska

3 Year Outreach Program Working with local landowners Workshops Demonstration projects Information products Funded by Ontario Trillium Foundation Workshops: WITH PARTNERS!!! LWCC Member organisations and other partners such as Caring for the Moraine which Norm W will speak about. Seed Collecting Tree Planting Forest Management Nature Hikes Demonstration Projects: Tree-marking Tree-panting Forest Harvest Wetland Information – pamphlets, newletters, website, Natural History Guide with SSFC

Pigeon River Woods Long Sault Fleetwood Creek Ganaraska Stewart’s Woods Brackenridge

Forest Industry Lumber Veneer Firewood

Recreation: Hunting Hiking Camping ATVing and Mountain-biking…

Wildlife Habitat – different wildlife use different niches within the forest Salamanders use downed woody debris Birds nest in Cavities or on the ground

Large Woodland Features Forest interior habitat Aquatic features – small wetlands; springs/seeps; vernal pools; streams Large woody debris Standing dead trees and cavity trees A diversity of trees species; Fruit and nut producing trees Stick nests and den trees

HIGHER: wind, light, air, soil temp LOWER: moisture, relative humidity Edge Effects HIGHER: wind, light, air, soil temp LOWER: moisture, relative humidity

mortality of small mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians

generally appear in the spring (vernal pools) from snowmelt or heavy spring rains and sometimes also form in the fall of the year (autumnal pools) Certain amphibian species depend on these vernal pools for all or portions of their life cycle

Tree Species Diversity Pioneer species– poplar, cherries, white birch, white cedar, hawthorn, more recently Scots pine, buckthorn Followed by those species more tolerant of shade – pines, spruces, ashes, basswood, oaks Upland hardwood – hard maple, American beech, ironwood, hemlock, balsam fir

Our Concerns Forest fragmentation Diminishing interior habitat, Forest health –invasive species and climate change Decreasing bio-diversity Lack of management, e.g. poor logging practices Threats to our natural heritage – headwater streams and wetlands, old growth, super canopy white pine, diversity of tree species LARGE TRACTS OF UNFRAGMENTED FOREST ARE DIFFERENT! Forest Fragmentation: islands that inhibit the mixing of tree species genetics, creatures with limited mobility; Diminishing interior habitat, i.e. woodland area that is >100 metres from any edge or significant trail; decreasing numbers of certain interior songbird species Forest health – smaller woodlands are more susceptible to invasion from invasive species and climate change Decreasing bio-diversity Lack of management, e.g. poor logging practices Threats to our natural heritage – headwater streams and wetlands, old growth, super canopy white pine, diversity of tree species

Photo: Copeland S Robinson

Conserving Interior Get help from local organizations Work with your neighbours Practice good forestry when harvesting Connect woodlots using blocks not lines

Urban Forest Speaker Series Peterborough Green-up Co-sponsors LWCC, KHC, PFN Wednesday Feb 6, March 5, April 2 Peterborough Public Library

Contact Information lwcc@trentu.ca (705) 748-1011 ext. 7670