msjacksonpei@gmail.com
By this time next year, Kings County is going to be a bit more beautiful than it is already and a bit greener, too. About 10 acres greener.
As part of the 2014 celebrations marking the 150th anniversary of the Charlottetown Conference, the Environmental Coalition of PEI was awarded a grant to establish a 10-acre Acadian woodlot in each of the province’s three counties.
“When the Europeans first came here, they would have found large hemlock, white pine and red spruce as the dominant conifers. And yellow birch, sugar maple and beech as the dominant deciduous trees,” Gary Schneider, co-chair of ECOPEI, said.
“But, of course, the people who came here wanted to farm, build ships or send wood back to Europe, so most of that forest is gone."
Mr Schneider said the intent of ECOPEI’s project is to rebuild those forests using native species suited to PEI’s climate.
“It’s a great place to grow trees,” Mr Schneider said, adding that it won’t be just trees that are planted next year.
“We’ll work all the way down to the wildflowers and shrubs, too,” he said.
Mr Schneider said the species of trees planted in each county will depend on the type of property acquired for each woodlot.
“If it’s a big, wide open, sunny area we won’t be able to put in hemlock or yellow birch or any species that like a bit more shelter,” Mr Schneider said. “We’re expecting to get different types of habitat, though, so we’re open to what works and what people want.”
A site for the Kings County woodlot hasn’t been chosen yet because there are certain conditions to meet before it’s selected.
“We’d like places that are really high profile,” Mr Schneider said.
“We want properties that are guaranteed not to be cut down, such as protected lands or crown land.”
However, he said they’re not opposed to establishing the woodlot on private, donated land.
“Private land would be fine if it was very accessible,” Mr Schneider said, adding there would need to be room for parking and public access. “On any private land there would have to be a legal covenant to say the land wouldn’t be sold and nothing would change.”
Mr Schneider said ECOPEI is trying hard to ensure the grant money is used appropriately and the Acadian forest becomes a part of Island heritage.
The proposal for the woodlot was developed by Eric Edward, an environmental educator and longtime employee of the Macphail Woods Ecological Forestry Project who coordinates their children’s summer education program called ‘Sharing a Love of Nature.’
Mr Edward said the idea of an historic woodlot was a way to commemorate the forests that repeatedly appear in the Island’s literature, art and songs.
“I just thought it’d be lovely to have three forests celebrating Confederation and our heritage,” Mr Edward said. “Plus doing the plantings is a lot of fun and a great way to involve the community.”
Mr Schneider said ECOPEI will begin planting trees in May 2014, with a second planting the same fall.
They’re hoping to get some help from volunteers and community groups, such as watershed groups or 4-H members, as well as school children.
“It’s not just our project,” he said. “We’re getting people to help with the plantings, to help establish a trail within each planting. It’s not ours, it’s theirs.”
Mr Schneider said the children who’ve helped with past plantings take pride in their forest, with some even watering their trees and giving them names.
“When they’ve dug the hole, planted the tree and had fun doing it, they care about it.”
In its proposal to government, ECOPEI said, “These forests will be a continual source of civic pride and will inspire further environmental action within each community.”
Mr Schneider said his group will be hosting workshops and visiting schools next spring to get adults and kids interested in helping build the forest.
“We think it’s important to build up an awareness about biodiversity and to have forests that are protected and will last a long time.”
Mr Schneider said although this grant was a wonderful surprise for his group, the payoff will be much greater for future generations.
“We’re not doing historic stuff, we’re actually leaving a legacy in hopes that in 200, or even in 50 years, we can look back and say it was a great use of money.”
Mr Schneider said any impressive and long-standing landmark quite often involved someone taking a risk for the greater good.
“When you see places like Hyde Park in Toronto or Stanley Park in Vancouver, you know that land could have been used for something else, such as business or development,” Mr Schneider said. “But at some point someone said, ‘this is important for our children’s children’s children.’ And though they might not think it at the time, they made an important impact on the legacy of that city or area.”
If you would like to learn more about the Acadian woodlot project, Mr Schneider and Mr Edward can be contacted through the Macphail Woods website at www.macphailwoods.org or at 651-2575.
Photo: Gary Schneider, left, and Eric Edward stand next to a young sugar maple tree, just one of the many species that will be planted in three 10-acre woodlots to be established next year as part of PEI's 2014 celebrations. Mr Schneider said many of the trees to be planted will come from the Macphail nursery. Melanie Jackson photo
First appeared in The Eastern Graphic June 26, 2013
No comments:
Post a Comment