1. Large Woodlands Conservation Cooperative
Gina Varrin
Coordinator
January 31, 2008

2. 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. 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

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

5. Forest Industry
Lumber
Veneer
Firewood

6. Recreation:
Hunting
Hiking
Camping
ATVing and Mountain-biking…

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

9. 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

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

12. mortality of small mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians

15. 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

17. 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

19. 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

20. Photo: Copeland S Robinson

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

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

28. Contact Information
(705) ext. 7670