Huron-Perth Chapter of the Ontario Woodlot Association

• Morning Tour: Bill & Anne Phelan’s Forest Property near Bayfield
• Afternoon Speaker: Brenda Gallagher of Upper Thames CA: Invasive Species
• CHAINSAW DRAW and Raffle

Click here for full details.

9:45 a.m. Tour: of Bill and Anne Phelan’s forested property. It is hard to believe, but it is 15 years since we visited the Phelan site in April, 2000. At the time they were in the process of thinning their pine plantation. The Phelan’s can now show us and discuss the results of that thinning operation as well as highlighting other activities on their property including a small wetland creation project, products from their small bandsaw mill, wildlife related topics, etc.

Location: 77915 Porters Hill Line northeast of Bayfield (west side of Porters Hill Line, between Tower Line Road and Telephone Road). Parking will be available beside the driveway or near the buildings, depending on the weather prior to April 11^th.

12:00 Noon: Lunch and Business Meeting at the White Carnation Banquet Hall located at 79867 Parr Line south of Holmesville

• Lunch
• General meeting and updates (e.g. past activities, planned activities, treasurer’s report, election of executive members, chainsaw draw and raffle, etc.)

CHAINSAW DRAW –

One member in attendance will win a: STIHL MS 251 Chainsaw (45.6 cc, MSRP $479.99)

• Each current member who attends will receive one draw ticket.
• Members will receive one additional ticket for each guest they bring who purchases a new membership prior to the draw.
• Each new member purchasing a membership prior to the draw will receive one draw ticket.
• You must be present at the draw in order to qualify to win.

RAFFLE

There will be a separate raffle table. If members have, or can access, items to donate for the raffle, please bring them to the meeting (e.g. wood crafts, tools, books, clothes, etc.)

Afternoon Speaker (approximately 1:30 p.m.) Brenda Gallagher will deliver a presentation on Invasive Plant Species, a growing threat to biodiversity in our woodlots and other natural areas. Brenda is an Upper Thames CA staff member and is very knowledgeable on plant identification, edible plant species and assorted native plant restoration topics.

Woodlot Tour and Sawmill Demonstration
Saturday September 27, 2014
Field trip to the farm and woodlots of Roger and Elaine Cook

4335 Road 110, northeast of Stratford
(see full details and map by clicking here)

Morning (9:30 a.m.)
A walk through and discussion of Roger and Elaine’s conifer plantations. Two lots of different ages and stages (34 yrs. and 20 yrs.). Featuring: initial planting spacing, species composition, tending, thinning and pruning which has been ongoing for 25 years, as well as expectations and target spacing. Also a walk through the native hardwood lot which has been heavily thinned of declining ash trees. Discussion of the feasibility of replanting a few hardwood and conifer trees to enhance species diversity with hemlock, white pine, tamarack and red oak. Also, a tree and wood I.D. quiz.

Lunch
We’ll order pizza for those interested, or feel free to bring your own lunch.

Afternoon
Activities after lunch will include an antique circular sawmill demonstration.

Registration –Registration is not required but is appreciated. Phone Roger and Elaine Cook at (519) 271-1978 for details (or email doubleccfarm@gmail.com). Everyone is welcome.

Roughly 80 members of the Huron Perth Chapter of the Ontario Woodlot Association enjoyed perfect weather and an interesting day at the Chapter’s annual general meeting on April 12th.  Hosts were Harold and Aileen Burgin at their Green Arbour Farm, just east of Kirkton.  Following the tour, participants travelled to the Kirkton-Woodham Community Hall for a meal and business meeting, followed by a visit to the Heritage Barn Museum maintained by George and Verna Burgin at the south edge of Kirkton.

Harold Burgin outlines their forest management activities to chapter members

Harold provided an interesting history of the farm and their activities since purchasing it in 1980. By the early 1900’s much of the natural forest in the area had been cleared for farmland and also to produce firewood to heat nearby homes and power local industry.  Somewhat unusual on the Burgin farm is that some of the forest was replaced with a four acre silver maple plantation established in 1928.

Also uncommon is the fact that the Burgin’s have tapped those silver maple trees to produce maple syrup since purchasing the farm.  Most maple syrup producers tap hard (sugar or black) maple trees while very few utilize soft (silver or native red) maple.  Typically sap from soft maple has a lower sugar content than that from hard maple, but in the Burgin woodlot there doesn’t seem to be that much difference.  Harold usually tests the sugar contact of sap several times during the season.  His silver maples are usually around 2.5%, while hard maples in an adjacent woodlot that he rents for tapping are about 3%.

Harold also outlined their many other activities including establishing  a sugar maple plantation, Christmas tree plantation and windbreaks.

Lucky winner of the chainsaw draw: Rick Kaptein

Emerald Ash Borer Information Session

The session was held at Pine Lake Camp near Bayfield on December 16, 2008. Speaker presentations can be viewed by selecting one of the links below.

Brian Hamilton, CFIA – EAB background and update

Eric Clelland, MNR – experiences from Norfolk County

Terry Schwan, MNR – managing stressed woodlots