FOREST HEALTH

FOREST HEALTH & STOCKING SURVEYNatural Resources Environmental Technology

Applied Math

Prepared forJim Richard, Natural Resources Environmental Technology Faculty

NSCC

Prepared byGarrett Bagnell

Table of contents

Page 1 ……………………………………………………………… Introduction, Location

Page 2…………………………………………………… Methodology, Forest health results

Page 3…………………………………………………….Species composition, Diameter classes

Page 4…………………………………………………….Diameter classes

Page 5 ……………………………………………………. Stems per hectare, Recommendations

Page 6………………………………………………… Sources of error, Conclusion

Page 7,8 ………………………….......................... Appendix A.

Page 9………………………………………………………… Appendix B.

Introduction

A Forest Health and Stocking Survey was completed on a woodlot property in Lower River Inhabinants by the Natural Resources Environmental Technology – Year 1 students - Nova Scotia Community College on Janurary 19th, 2015. The purpose of the survey was to evaluate the overall health, tree species, and diameter classes of the current state of the woodlot.

Location

The property is located at the intersection of Port Malcolm Road and the Highway 104 in the county of Richmond, Nova Scotia. Located between the communities of Evanston and Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia. The woodlot is located St. Francis de Sales Parish, 17 Church Rd., RR1 Cleveland B0E 1J0. Figure 1 shows a map of the approximate area of woodlot.

Figure 1. Study Area Figure 2. Road Photo

Methodology

The class of Natural resource Environmental Technology students were split up into teams of three, and set out to survey the forest health of the woodlot. Plot samples were randomly conducted throughout the woodlot, using a 3.99M radius.

Forest health results Data collected to analyze forest health included;Tree species: Spruce, Balsam Fir, RM, WB,LA. Shown in Figure 3, Table.1

Table 1.Species and forest health.Species and forest health

Team #

SPRUCE BALSAM FIR RM WB LA OT Totalhealthy Infested dead healthy Infeste

d dead

1 4 0 1 27 3 9 1 3 3 0 512 5 7 1 4 27 12 7 1 0 0 643 1 0 0 34 6 7 1 0 0 1 50Total 10 7 2 65 36 28 9 4 3 1 165

Spruce Balsom Fir Red Maple White Birch Larch other0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Species Composition- Team 1 vs. Group Results

Team 1 Total

Figure 3.Showing species composition for team 1 and group data

Most of the diameters fall between 12 and 22 (see table 2, figure 4). The stand was even aged.

Table.2 Diameter class distribution Team #

Diameter class

8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28+ Total

1 0 4 7 11 9 7 6 4 2 0 0 16.31cmTotal 7 12 20 30 25 23 18 16 6 5 5 16.44cm

8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 280

5

10

15

20

25

Diameter class Team 1 vs. Group

Team 1 Total

Figure 4. Data results for diameter class for team 1 and group

The forest health data for spruce and balsam fir show that the trees in the stand are infested with the Balsam woolly aphid. (See figure 5, 6)

Healthy Infested Dead0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

SPRUCE

Team 1 Group Figure 5. Showing the healthy, infested and dead percentages of spruce

Healthy Infested Dead0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

BALSAM

Team 1 Group

Figure 6. Showing the healthy, infested and dead percentages of balsam fir

Stems per hectare (SPH)Calculating Stems per hectare gives an accurate description of stand density and stocking levels.

Team 1 51 Stems / 5 plots * 200= 2040 SPH

Group165 Stems/ 16 plots * 200 = 2062 SPH

RecommendationsUsing the data we collected, my recommendations for the woodlot would be to take out the infested and dying tress so that the healthier trees can thrive, and monitor the area for future infestations.

Sources of error Due to the level of expertise of the class at the time of the survey, data could have some error. Snow levels were relatively high at the time, which could have threw off DBH.

ConclusionGoing by the results of the Forest Heath Survey, there seemed to be a healthy amount of stems per hectare but a lot of the tress throughout the stand were infested with the Balsam woolly aphid, the stand overall is unhealthy and will have to be treated to prevent further infestation.

Appendix A.

First Aid Remote Location Plan

1.) Type of operation: Forest health survey.

2.) Site location: The property is located at the intersection of Port Malcolm Road and the Highway 104 in the county of Richmond, Nova Scotia. Located between the communities of Evanston and Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia. The woodlot is located St. Francis de Sales Parish, 17 Church Rd., RR1 Cleveland B0E 1J0. Figure 1 shows a map of the approximate area of woodlot.

3.) Dates workers will be on site: January 23rd 2015

4.) Nearest telephone location and emergency numbers: Each environment technician will have cell phone on site. Nearest landline telephone location will be located inside of the nscc building.

a.) 911, fire, hospital, ambulanceb.) Cell phone number on site: 1902-304-3136c.) Poison center: 1-800-565-8161d.) Dept. of labour: 1-800-952-2687e.) Environmental assistance: 1-800-565-1633f.) NDR ‘Forest fire emergency’ 1-800-565-2224

First Aid on site

All crew members on site are certified in Standard First Aid.

Location of First Aid kits

First aid kits will be on site and also 2 First Aid kits located in the parking lot beside work area, in blue ford pickup Vans at the very back of the parking lot beside the church.

Emergency Transportation on stie: 2 ford pickup vans.

Plan reviewed with crew on date of: January 19th 2015

Supervisors/Lead hands on site: Garrett Bagnell- supervisor of forest crew

Jim Richard

Daniel Nightingale

Appendix B.

Field Notes

Tables and figuresTables

Table 1. Species and forest health…………………………………………………………….. Page 2

Table 2. Diameter class distribution ………………………………………………………… Page 3

Figures

Figure 1,2 Study area…………………………….......................................... Page 1

Figure 3. Species composition……………………………… Page 3

Figure 4,5 Diameter classes…………………………. Page 4

Figure 6. Balsam Fir percentages………………………… Page 5