Summer Newsletter 2021
Here at the MCFC we’re celebrating a fun summer of community events, workshops, and the frequent rainfall leading to plenty of wild food foraging - berries and mushrooms galore! While grey rainy Nova Scotian days aren’t always the cheeriest, the drought we experienced last summer led to many wells running dry, consistent burn restrictions, several forest fires, and overall added stress on wildlife and forest ecosystems. We hope you’ve been enjoying a portion of your summer under the shady forest canopy.
Our forester and ED, Mary Jane speaking to participants on the Unique Sites Tour.
Outreach Update
Forest Market
Our annual Forest Market was Sunday August 22nd, in Annapolis Royal. It was a successful and sunny day out supporting and celebrating local talent, traditions, artists, producers, foragers, and nature-based organizations. The aim of this market is to not only feature wonderful local vendors, but to also increase an awareness for non-timber forest products and value-added wood products.
Summer Events
Our Community Outreach Intern, Emily Snair has been hard at work planning, organizing, and executing a summer of workshops and events. We kicked off the summer in partnership with Whynot Adventures' backcountry enthusiast, Carlene Gallant, discussing tips and tricks for cooking in the woods. She shared her years of outdoor adventure experience, vegan artichoke "pulled pork" tacos and a refreshing wintergreen mocktail!
Some weeks later we met at the Four Mile Stillwater Trail with local ecologist, Donna Crossland, learning the language of the Barred owl, as well as other tricks and tales that Donna has acquired during her many years studying the Wabanaki-Acadian Forest.
We had a great turnout for our tour through the unique sites of the MCFC. We talked about the various threats to our old forests; and how restorative forest operations can promote successional pathways to diversify and build resiliencies. Discussions on the wildlife habitat and food sources around us, some recreation, ecotourism and wild food foraging rounded out a full day visiting three unique forest stands. We enjoyed connecting with community members under old forest canopies and folks sharing their knowledge and experiences, woodlot stewardship goals, and questions related to Nova Scotian forests and climate change.
Earlier this summer we postponed our Wildlife House Workshop event to Sunday, September 12th. Sign-up today and to learn how to build your own bird house for either a chickadee, downy woodpecker, nuthatch, tree swallow or wood duck! A great way to welcome new winged neighbours to raise their young and take shelter. Click here to register.
We would like to express a huge thank you to Emily for all her impressive and hard work this summer taking on event after market after event, it’s been a successful summer of outreach with many thanks to you!
Operations Update
We have been working with the Climate Forest Company to build our operations capacity through timber harvesting, finding higher-value markets for our wood products and generally making better economic use of our timber resources, generating more revenue and supporting increased local economic activity. As a for-profit social enterprise, it’s in our objective to utilize revenue generated to develop ecotourism opportunities, conduct research, to help community members build new forest-based businesses, and more.
The recommendations summary report can be found here.
HPMV Update
We have new harvest blocks up for comment on the Province’s Harvest Plan Map Viewer (HPMV). They will be open for comment until September 25th, and we encourage our members, and members of the community to provide feedback. If you’re not sure where to find our license area in the viewer, we are located in Annapolis Co., nestled in between the Medway Lakes Protected Area, the Tobeatic Wilderness Area and Kejimkujik National Park and Historic Site. We’d prefer if you provided comment directly through the viewer, however you can also contact us through email.
A detailed summary of the blocks up for harvest can be found on our website, along with maps and photographs.
We’re Hiring!
As part of our work in expanding harvest operations, we have decided to hire a full-time Forest Operations Manager who will be responsible for the planning, implementation and supervision of forest operations and silviculture under the guidance of the MCFC Executive Director. They will be responsible for upholding the quality of MCFC wood products and delivery to market. The ideal candidate will be equally passionate about ecological forestry, biodiversity and maximizing value from timber sales.
For more details on the position check out the full posting on our website.
Come join our team! Here is Jennika and Emily enjoying the scenery of the Durland Lake area on a field day earlier this August.
Come join our team! Here is Jennika and Emily enjoying the scenery of the Durland Lake area on a field day earlier this August.
Caledonia Community Tree Plant
In partnership with the Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute (MTRI) and with funding from the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, we are working away planning for a Caledonia community tree plant & climate adaptive forests education program this October. We will be planting climate-adaptive trees, and running a program with the North Queens Community School to explore various topics related to climate adaptivity and forests, showing younger generations how they can be environmental advocates and take local action while discussing global issues.
The main objectives of the project are:
To increase our urban tree canopy in Caledonia
To educate youth and community members on forest ecosystems, tree health, and climate change.
To involve community groups, local landowners, and businesses in tree stewardship.
To improve the aesthetic value and shade provided in public gathering spaces to enhance community activity and outdoor engagement.
Trees will be planted along the main roadways and public gathering spaces in Caledonia to replace declining and short-lived species, provide shade in public outdoor spaces, and improve town aesthetics in support of economic opportunities related to the Gateway to Kejimkujik Project.
A diversity of tree species have been chosen in anticipation of increased risk by pests, drought and increased precipitation. These favourable species are predicted to be resilient in a changing climate, provide wildlife food and habitat values, and are either native deciduous species (including red and sugar maple, red oak, American elm, yellow birch and ironwood) or species from warmer and more southernly seed zones (including tulip tree, white oak, butternut, black walnut and sassafras).
There's still time to get in touch with us if you're interested in planting a tree on your property!