LOGGING TODAY Autumn
Jeff Gagne of Faithorn joins Tyler Nickels, Rod Malinowski and Ryan Jacobson of Nickels Logging of Norway at a harvest site in Iron County.
2018
2 — The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018
The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018 — 3
4 — The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018
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Manual showcases latest in forestry ‘best practices’ MARQUETTE —An updated manual on best practices in forestry is now available from the Michigan D e p a r t m e n t o f N a t u r a l Resources. Those interested in learning about current techniques and trends in caring for forests can check out the new manual, “Michigan Forestry Best Management Practices for Soil and Water Quality.” The manual, updated f r o m 2 0 0 9 , i n c l u d e s changes in procedures for endangered species assessment, estimating stream channel width and culvert diameters, and additional guidance on harvest operations. Sections covering f o r e s t r o a d s , c h e m i c a l treatments and use of pest i c i d e s a l s o h a v e b e e n reorganized. “These ‘best manage-
ment practices’ contain legal requirements and voluntary practices that can help prev e n t s e d i m e n t o r o t h e r sources of pollution from going into lakes and streams during forest management activities such as a timber harvest, whether it’s on public or private lands,” said Deb Begalle, chief of the D N R F o r e s t R e s o u r c e s Division. The revision process was a joint effort by the DNR, the departments of Environmental Quality and Agriculture and Rural Development, the Michigan Association of Timbermen and the Michigan Forest Products Council. T h e D N R , D E Q a n d the Michigan Sustainable Forestry Initiative Implem e n t a t i o n C o m m i t t e e c o n t r i b u t e d m o n e y f o r printing.
The use of a forwarder with tracked wheels is one method recommended to lessen rutting in sensitive forest areas. “We sincerely thank our tice manual. We could not More information about michigan.gov/forestry or partners for their help in have done it without them,” forestry and best manage- contact David Price at 517finalizing the new best prac- Begalle said. ment practices is available at 284-5891.
The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018 — 5
6 — The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018
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Michigan DNR launches online map for information on forest plans CRYSTAL FALLS — The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has launched an interactive online map to help the public better understand plans for different areas of Michigan’s state forests. The map makes it easier to find information on timber sales, prescribed burns a n d o t h e r m a n a g e m e n t activities. Users can navigate on the map or simply type in an address to find out what activities are being planned or getting started in their area of interest. The current map highlights planned activities that will occur in 2020, the current “year of entry” — which means the departm e n t r i g h t n o w i s d i s cussing and planning for actions that will take place
i n 2 0 2 0 . N e x t y e a r , i n 2019, forestry staff will work on actions for the next year of entry, 2021. “This really makes it easier for people to learn well i n a d v a n c e a b o u t w h a t we’re doing to manage the forest for timber production, creation of wildlife habitat, o r r e m o v a l o f i n v a s i v e species — actions that will keep our forest healthy,” said Brian Maki, the DNR’s geographic information systems support manager. The map is part of the D N R F o r e s t R e s o u r c e s Division’s commitment to involving the public in proposed state forest management activities. The public also can comment at open houses in each of the 15 management units i n t h e n o r t h e r n L o w e r
Peninsula and Upper Peninsula. Find the map under Public Input on the michigan.gov/forestry webpage. The DNR welcomes feedback to improve users’ experience, so those with s u g g e s t i o n s o n m a k i n g interaction with the map better are asked to email dnr-gis@michigan.gov. An inTerAcTive mAp at michigan.gov/forestry will help people learn The DNR manages 4 mil- about coming state forest plans. lion acres of state forest and houses a crew of geographers and data managers who provide up-to-date information on forest health, wildlife populations and more. To explore the DNR’s m a p s a n d d a t a t h a t a r e available, go to “2001 Recipient Of The Michigan Association Of michigan.gov/dnrmaps. Timbermen Excellence In Logging Award” Those with questions can contact Brian Maki at 517“2006 Michigan Forest Association 284-5846. Logger Of The Year Award”
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The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018 — 7
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8 — The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018
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The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018 — 9
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DNR’s electronic forest inventory system wins national recognition LANSING — Michigan’s foresters are saving time, effort and paper when they conduct inventories of state forest resources. The web-enabled Michigan Forest Inventory system — called “MiFI” for short — replaces previous, cumbersome data-recording s y s t e m s w i t h c o m p u t e r tablets when foresters are working in the woods. The innovative system recently won a top award from the National Association of State Chief Information Officers. Staffers use computers to inventory forests. “We have 80-plus field staff out on the ground with a Panasonic Toughpad instead of using paper data sheets,” said Brian Maki, natural resources manager in the Geographic Information Systems unit of the Michigan Department of Natural R e s o u r c e s ’ F o r e s t Resources Division. He accepted the award at the association’s annual conference in Texas. The system was developed with assistance from the Department of Technology, Management and Budget. DNR staff inventory 10 percent of the 4 million acres of state forest each year, which allows for a c o m p r e h e n s i v e r e v i e w every 10 years. The system of recording inventory data on paper could take up to 40 percent of a forester’s time. An electronic collection system introduced in 2012 was more effective but difficult to use. “What we needed was a
sTAffers from The michigan Dnr’s forest resources Division inventory one-tenth of the forest each year. A new electronic system that recently earned national acclaim is making that task faster and more efficient. more intuitive tool,” said Jason Stephens, DNR state forest inventory specialist. “We were kicking off the development of the moreefficient system at the same time.” D a t a t h a t u s e d t o b e stored across two databases now is in one, and information is recorded only once instead of recorded in the field, then added to the database. “Before, we struggled to meet year-end deadlines in m a n y a r e a s a n d n e e d e d m o r e s u p p o r t s t a f f , ”
Stephens said. “We’ve been able to lower the support needs and training levels while allowing the staff that were focused on those areas to diversify and take on othe r p r o j e c t s t h a t h a v e increased our abilities to be good stewards of the state forest.” As part of forest inventory, foresters collect data in sample plots, including the number and diameters of different tree species present in the forest canopy and the types of trees in the subcanopy.
The first paper merchant in America was Benjamin Franklin, who helped to start 18 paper mills in Virginia and surrounding areas. For hundreds of years, cotton and linen rags were the papermaker's raw materials. American Forest and Paper Association
10 — The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018
The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018 — 11
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Forest and paper industry strives for zero workplace injuries By Stan Lancey chief economist american Forest & Paper association Worker safety is a top priority for American Forest & Paper Association member companies. Because any injuries to the industry’s employees are not acceptable, AF&PA members adopted a visionary Better Practices, Better Planet 2020 goal of working towards zero injuries and measuring progress toward that vision by reducing our incidence rate by 25 percent from 2006 to 2020. According to the most recent data, the AF&PA member company incidence
r a t e r e a c h e d 1 . 6 7 p e r 200,000 hours worked in 2016, down 36.3 percent relative to the 2006 base-year level and well below the 2016 all-manufacturing average rate of 3.6 reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics . However, despite achieving our goal way ahead of schedule, AF&PA members are not satisfied with this progress. Rather, they are working in numerous ways to reduce all safety incidents, and are particularly focused on reducing serious injuries and fatalities. In order to achieve further progress, they are promoting safety cultures, providing worker training, and
investing in equipment and controls. Paper and wood products companies continue to participate in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Voluntary Protection Programs. The program includes industrial facilities that voluntarily work to maintain job illness and injury rates below national BLS averages. F o r a w o r k s i t e t o b e admitted to the VPP, it must meet rigorous performancebased safety and health criteria. In 2017, our industry had 149 sites (80 paper facility sites and 69 wood products sites) enrolled in federal and state VPPs.
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In fact, the paper and wood products manufacturing industry has the second largest number of facilities of any manufacturing sector registered by VPP. AF&PA also has several ongoing projects to help member companies promote safety in their respective workplaces. We convene annual safety workshops,
organize safety webinars, and issue awards to member companies that demonstrate outstanding safety achievements. AF&PA conducts a biannual safety benchmarking survey that allows member companies to compare their metrics with those of their peers and conducts an annual survey to help member c o m p a n i e s u n d e r s t a n d
w h e r e a n d w h y s e r i o u s injuries and fatalities occur so that they could be avoided in the future. In conclusion, while we are proud of the progress that has been achieved to date, our members are committed to taking actions that w i l l p u t u s o n a p a t h t o reaching the visionary goal of zero workplace injuries.
12 — The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018
The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018 — 13
14 — The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018
The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018 — 15
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Coalition works to save hemlock trees By JOanne FOReMan Michigan Department of natural Resources If you travel past Michigan’s cities, past the farms, there’s a point where the billboards give way to forest land as far as the eye can see. This is the home of eastern hemlock — spanning f r o m W e s t M i c h i g a n ’ s dunes, across the northern Lower Peninsula, into all b u t t w o c o u n t i e s i n t h e Upper Peninsula. Though not a standout, hemlock is an important part of the mesic northern forest, providing shelter for deer and nesting birds, and keeping forest streams cool and clean. Now, the state’s hemlock resource, estimated at 170 million trees, is threatened by a tiny invasive insect — the hemlock woolly adelgid. the threat Nearly invisible to the naked eye, the black, aphidlike bug pierces branches and feeds on sap, slowly sucking the life from the tree. To protect its eggs, the adelgid spins a cotton-like, w a x y w h i t e b a l l . T h e s e “ovisacs,” resembling the tips of cotton swabs, are vis-
These small, localized infestations were managed by surveying and removing infested trees and treating nearby trees with insecticides. By 2015, just when these sites were receiving an “all-clear” designation, reports of hemlock woolly adelgid were confirmed in new areas of Ottawa County and in southern Muskegon County. S u r v e y s , a n d r e p o r t s
The hemlock woolly adelgid is an invasive species in michigan that came from Japan and damages eastern hemlock trees. ible on the underside of hemlock branches, near the base of the needles. It is the woolly appearance of these ovisacs that help give the hemlock woolly adelgid its name. A n a t i v e o f A s i a , t h e adelgid probably arrived in the U.S. on a shipment of hemlock from Japan. It was first identified in Richmond, Virginia in 1951 and by the 1980s had spread to large t r a c t s o f f o r e s t i n t h e Appalachian Mountains.
On the move Despite a 2001 external quarantine restricting the shipment of hemlock to Michigan from states infested with the adelgid, the i n s e c t w a s d e t e c t e d i n Emmet County just south of the Mackinac Bridge, in 2006. Reports were then later confirmed in Macomb and Ottawa counties in 2010, in Berrien County in 2012 and in Allegan County in 2013.
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from the public, revealed infestations in northern Muskegon County in 2016, and in Ottawa, Allegan and Oceana counties in 2017. Not only private lands were affected, but also state parks in these four western Lower Peninsula counties were found to have severe infestations. “Given the checkerboard pattern of hemlock woolly adelgid across the western
counties, it is likely that multiple introductions of i n f e s t e d t r e e s t o c k a r e responsible,” said Scott Lint, a forest health speciali s t w i t h t h e M i c h i g a n D e p a r t m e n t o f N a t u r a l Resources. Once it is introduced, the adelgids can be spread by wind, wildlife and vehicles that brush against infested trees. (continued on 16)
16 — The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018
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... Hemlock woolly adelgid infestations battled (continued from 15) coordinated response As the map of new infestations grew, the need for a coordinated plan of action to battle this invasive species was clear. Staff from the Michigan depa r t m e n t s o f N a t u r a l Resources and Agriculture and Rural Development, Michigan State University, t h e U . S . D e p a r t m e n t o f Agriculture’s Forest Service, and the Ottawa County P a r k s a n d R e c r e a t i o n Dep ar tmen t f o r med th e Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Coordinating Committee, which cooperatively completed a statewide strategy document in August 2017. Prevention The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development spearh e a d s t h e f i r s t l i n e o f defense — prevention. A lo n g w ith th e 2 0 0 1 external quarantine, the department issued an internal quarantine in 2017, restricting the movement of hemlock tree nursery stock and unprocessed hemlock products from, or within, Allegan, Muskegon, Ottawa and Oceana counties. Staffers provide educat i o n , c e r t i f i c a t i o n a n d inspection services to nurseries and producers handling hemlock in the quarantined counties, and they train certified pesticide applicators on the proper use of insectic i d e s t o t r e a t h e m l o c k wooly adelgids. The agriculture department staff also verifies reports of adelgids detected in new locations. Detection and response T h e D N R ’ s F o r e s t Resources and Parks and
professor in Michigan State University’s departments of Forestry and Entomology, is at the center of a multifaceted effort to understand the hemlock woolly adelgid’s life cycle in Michigan, its response to insecticide treatments and the effects of Michigan’s winter temperatures on its survival. McCullough and her colleagues have already completed an adelgid risk map, layering hemlock stands identified by satellite imagery over climate data indicating temperatures favorable for adelgid survival. The map directs survey crews to the most likely
A hemlock Tree branch shows ovisacs that resemble wool, helping to give the insect its name. Recreation divisions are finding and treating hemlock woolly adelgid infestations on state lands, including at Silver Lake, Duck Lake, Muskegon, P. J. Hoffmaster and Grand Haven state parks — spanning the shoreline along these four a f f e c t e d s o u t h w e s t e r n Michigan counties. A recent grant from the U.S. Forest Service’s Landscape Scale Restoration Program will expand outreach to local units of government in affected areas and provide training to their staff. Infestations on private and municipal lands in the four-county area are being surveyed by the Ottawa Conservation District, supported by funding from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the Michigan Inva-
sive Species Grant Program and Ottawa County. T o k e e p i n f o r m a t i o n organized and efforts coordinated, all partners use the same software for data collection. All survey and treatment information is housed in one database managed by the DNR that can be used by partners to inform decisionmaking and work flow.
Investigation When invasive species arrive, they don’t come with a set of instructions. Knowing how they will respond to a newly encountered environment, what they need to survive and whether they develop new behaviors are important considerations in determining how best to control them. Deborah McCullough, a
places hemlock woolly adelgids might be found. Preliminary findings from treatment studies are communicated with partners and contractors to improve results in the field. “There are so many parts to managing an infestation research, funding, partnerships, survey, treatment,” McCullough said. “Working together means we’re sharing information and moving each other forward, but at the same time each of us is able to focus on our part of the task.” the northern line Silver Lake State Park, in Mears, along the Lake (continued on 18)
The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018 — 17
18 — The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018
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... Hemlocks treated (continued from 16) M i c h i g a n s h o r e l i n e i n Oceana County, is the mostnortherly known location of hemlock woolly adelgid in Michigan. Emma Fojtik and Katie Knapp, crew members with Ottawa Conservation District’s adelgid project, perch halfway up the slope of a forested dune on private property just south of the park. They are mapping the location of every hemlock on the property, recording each tree’s diameter and attaching a numbered tag to the trunk. This prepares the site for chemical treatment to be applied by contractors in the fall or spring. “Once we find an infested tree, every hemlock within 800 feet of the tree will be
treated,” Knapp explains, as s h e g e s t u r e s t o w a r d a seedling full of white masses. “Basically, all of the hemlocks on this property have hemlock woolly adelgids.” Nearly identical work is happening at Silver Lake State Park, where DNR staff is surveying and preparing for hemlock treatments. “Our current strategy is based on the knowledge we h a v e n o w , ” s a i d J a m e s Wieferich, a technician with D N R F o r e s t R e s o u r c e s Division. “If adelgid infestations are limited to the areas we have surveyed, we can create a barrier to sever the infestation from areas farther north that are not infested and then stair-step treatment down to the southern (continued on 20)
Two-thirds of the nation’s drinking water comes from forests. American Forest and Paper Association
eAsTern hemlock Trees rise at porcupine mountains wilderness state park in ontonagon county. The old-growth hemlocks here are part of the reason the forest was preserved as a park.
The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018 — 19
20 — The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018
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... Michigan hopes to contain hemlock wooly adelgid infestation (continued from 18) limits (of the infestation).” North of the designated barrier, the Nature Conservancy — in partnership with the Michigan Dune Alliance — will soon begin detection surveys in coastal a r e a s n o t k n o w n t o b e infested with adelgids. Detection surveys are b r o a d s c a l e a n d q u i c k , examining no more than 30 trees per acre on selected plots to determine whether hemlock woolly adelgids are present. These surveys will be conducted by Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area staff — local partners who also assist by providing outreach
to communities affected by improve treatment success cloprid and Dinotefuran. invasive species. for the insecticides Imida- (continued on 21) Signs of hope A t a c a m p g r o u n d i n Norton Shores in Muskegon County, an early infestation site and ground zero f o r M c C u l l o u g h ’ s research, stands of hemlock look gray and thin against the background of m a p l e s i n f u l l s u m m e r flourish. A closer look reveals a bright, vibrant hemlock tree among the maples, tied with assorted colors of plastic marking tape. Another hemlock has fresh, green growth at its tips. These trees are part of a study, funded by MSU’s Project GREEEN, to
A hemlock Tree towers to the sky at porcupine mountains wilderness state park in Gogebic county.
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The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018 — 21
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... Optimism in fight to save hemlocks (continued from 20) Dinotefuran is fast-acting but short-lived, protecting trees from adelgids for one to two years. Imidacloprid takes up to one year to show results but provides protection for at least four years. Armed with effective treatments and a coordinated management strategy, Michigan hopes to be able to contain its hemlock woolly adelgid infestation. The Nature Conservancy’s Shaun Howard, project manager for Eastern Lake Michigan, is cautiously optimistic. “(Working together) we have more data to make d e c i s i o n s o n a b r o a d e r scale,” Howard said. “Treatments are available and effective. Once trees are infested, tree mortality
Ignazio Graziosi, University of Kentucky
The DefoliATeD eAsTern hemlock trees in the center of the photo show damage from hemlock woolly adelgids in the Great smoky mountains.
could take four to 10 years, so we have time to save the t r e e s — b u t I c a n ’ t s a y whether this will be eradication (of the infestations) or just the beginning of a longterm effort.” McCullough is investigating the effects of temperature on the adelgids — another factor that may improve the odds of success in the battle against these invasive insects. After an extremely cold night in Muskegon in January 2018, 80 percent of the hemlock woolly adelgids on a sample tree at the campground in Norton Shores had died. Warmer temperatures on the same night at a site in Ottawa county showed far less adelgid mortality. “ M i c h i g a n ’ s k n o w n
infestations are along the lakeshore, which has its o w n m i c r o - c l i m a t e , ” McCullough said. “The lake effect means more snow and generally warmer winter temperatures than our inland areas, which may have an effect on the adelgids’ ability to survive and spread.” Knowing what’s at stake — the significant environmental, recreational and economic costs of losing Michigan’s hemlock trees — keeps the team committed to working together to p r o t e c t t h i s v a l u a b l e resource. More information about hemlock, hemlock quarantines and identifying and treating hemlock woolly a d e l g i d i s a v a i l a b l e a t www.michigan.gov/hwa.
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22 — The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018
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Michigan is home to more than 170 million native hemlocks By JOHn PePIn Michigan Department of natural Resources “She’s knotty but nice, reaching for the sky, she don’t like snow or ice.” — Gordon Lightfoot In the burnt sunlight of a late afternoon, I followed a rocky trail down one side of an ancient volcanic rock face. The steep trail was rugged and twisted down into the forest below. Once there, I stopped. Looking up, I could no longer see the craggy, black rocks near the top of the lichen- covered face of the cliff. They were obscured by a dark green cover of pine needles and branches lightly perched high in the canopy. I ran my hand over the dark reddish-brown bark of one of the trees. Still staring s k y w a r d , I e n j o y e d t h e peace and comfort of feeling small in the shadow of these forest giants. It was my old friend hemlock. Sometimes called the C a n a d a h e m l o c k o r t h e hemlock spruce, some eastern hemlock trees can live to be almost 1,000 years old. Most manage to survive on the earth about half that long. God knows how old these were. They turn their branches away from the prevailing winds. Lightning strikes, fires threatening their shallow root systems and winds t o r m s a r e a m o n g t h e i r toughest foes. F o r e s t c r e a t u r e s l i k e white-tailed deer, ruffed grouse and the snowshoe hare all find food and shelter among these trees. T h i s h e m l o c k I ’ m describing is a species of pine, not to be confused
A hemlock Tree works through a hardwood canopy. w i t h t h e p o i s o n G r e e k philosopher Socrates picked to end his life. His tea was brewed from the crushed leaves of the hemlock plant, also called “beaver poison” and “devil’s flower.” The plants, which have small white flowers, are not native to America. When the leaves are crushed they have an unpleasant smell. The same can be said of the needles of the hemlock tree — and therein lies the root of any confusion. This similarity led to these attractive trees being named hemlocks but unlike
the 3- to 5-foot-tall flowering plants, hemlock trees are not poisonous. Today, Michigan is home to over 170 million native
hemlocks. Hemlock wood is used in newsprint and wrapping paper or to make boxes and crates, as well as railroad ties and timbers used in mining operations. During Michigan’s historic pine timbering days hemlocks were avoided, with the wood less-suited for lumber compared to some other pine species. The bark was stripped from hemlocks for use, as it is today, for tannin for leather. Campers know when a piece of hemlock wood has found its way into the fire pit by the loud pops and cracks it makes when it burns. A s t i m e p a s s e d , t h e demand for pulpwood tree species — including hemlock — increased. During World War II, pulpwood, because of reliance on paper goods for countless items, was an important material needed for the war effort. I n t h e e a r l y 1 9 4 0 s , a movement was under way to save from the woodsman’s ax the intact hemlock-hardwood stands in the western Upper Peninsula – in particular, those trees l o c a t e d i n w h a t w a s t o become Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. In October 1941, an article in the Detroit Free Press predicted a dire future for
those timberlands if they were not saved. “At the present rate of cutting, the largest single stand of virgin hardwood in the United States, covering 250 square miles of rugged country in Gogebic and Ontonagon counties, known as the Porcupine Mountains, will be reduced to a tree-less stumpcovered waste in less than 10 years,” the paper reported. In those days, the Porcupine Mountains — the high-
e s t r a n g e b e t w e e n N e w York’s Adirondacks and the Black Hills of Dakota — were still attracting thousands of tourists, despite limited access. “A road now runs along Lake Superior from Silver City to the bottom of the range, and a short, stiff climb brings sightseers to the top of the escarpment which overlooks the lake,” the Free Press story said. (continued on 23)
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The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018 — 23
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... Conservation measures preserve beauty of hemlock forest (continued from 22) “ B e s i d e s t h e r o a d t o Lake of the Clouds, there is only one other access to the roadless wilderness area of the Porcupines. That is the country highway that leads to the mouth of the Black River and Black River Park, o n e o f t h e o u t s t a n d i n g scenic spots in Michigan.” The newspaper outlined the aims of those conservation-minded people organized to help preserve the area. “ A v a c a t i o n - g r o u n d w h o s e d e l i g h t s a r e j u s t beginning to be discovered w i l l l o s e m u c h o f i t s appeal,” the newspaper s a i d . “ T h i s i s t h e d r e a d prospect—unless this great area of privately-owned land can be brought into government ownership so that the timber may be harvested on a selective basis.” A 1 9 4 3 M i c h i g a n Department of Conservation proposal urging land purchases for preservation a s a p a r k d e s c r i b e d t h e hemlock-hardwoods of the
est growth of the hardwoodhemlock type, with small scattered patches of oldgrowth white pine interspersed,” the report read. “Almost every phase of this type is present, varying f r o m a l m o s t p u r e h a r d woods, maple, birch and b a s s w o o d o n t h e u p p e r s l o p e s t h r o u g h v a r y i n g degrees of hemlock mixtures, to the stands on the lower flats where hemlock predominates.” This lower, moist area where the hemlocks stand tall is where I stood admiri n g t h e g r o w t h o f t h e s e magnificent trees. These rugged mountains offer many places where hemhemlock wooD is used in newsprint and wrapping paper or to make boxes and crates, as well as railroad ties and timbers used in mining operations. Porcupine Mountains. “ E x c e p t f o r a n a r e a immediately adjacent to Lake Superior, the slopes are covered with virgin for-
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lock cathedrals provide inspiring places for peace and reflection — nature’s beautiful churches — open to all. Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park — Michigan’s largest state park at roughly 60,000 acres — was established h e r e i n 1 9 4 5 . T h e p a r k gained the “wilderness” part of its title in 1972, after passage of the Wilderness and Natural Areas Act. For some reason to me, some trees appear “friendlier” than others. Hemlocks are among those trees that seem soft and pleasing — with their short, flat needles and tiny cones — yet strong
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and tall, some with trunks as thick as yardsticks. I e n c o u n t e r m y o l d friends often, and not just in the Porcupine Mountains — often with white cedars and balsam firs — i n t h e w e t s w a m p s I haunt, looking for cagey trout, wild bird songs and pretty pictures. Here, in the places where black muck is king, hemlocks can offer a leg-up, a shady place to eat a sandwich or a firm place to rest your back. Before turning back up the trail. I paused along the
shoreline at the Lake of the Clouds. The trees of these famed forests cast beautiful swirls of watercolor magic across the placid surface of the lake. At the top of the craggy escarpment again, I took one last look at those hemlocks now far below me. Just knowing they were t h e r e w o u l d b r i n g m e peace of mind in the days ahead . John Pepin is the deputy public information officer for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
24 — The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018
The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018 — 25
LoggINg ToDay canadian firm signs lease with Dnr to grow millions of tree seedlings in michigan H A M B U R G T O W N S H I P , M i c h . ( A P ) — A Canadian company plans to grow about 8 million tree seedlings a year in Michigan. PRT Growing Services
Ltd. has signed a 20-year lease with the Michigan D e p a r t m e n t o f N a t u r a l Resources Parks and Recreation Division. The lease is for about 14 acres at the
Brighton State Recreation Area. Plans call for the construction of a large commercial tree nursery with 22 greenhouses, outdoor raised
beds, and production and office space. “We have a fairly welld e v e l o p e d b a s e o f c u s t o m e r s f r o m t h e ( G r e a t Lakes) region, but we had
no local production there ... for growing and providing seedlings for reforestation,” P R T G r o w i n g S e r v i c e s CEO Rob Miller said. The company will pay
the state $1.4 million in rent over 20 years, said Nicole Toman, a regulator y u n i t m a n a g e r f o r t h e state’s Parks and Recreation Division.
26 — The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018
The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018 — 27
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28 — The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018
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Schenck to offer trucking industry consulting workshop Oct. 25 D E P E R E , W i s . — Schenck plans to host a workshop, “2018 Trucking Update: Insights to Drive Your Success,” for owners, senior leaders, and safety and operations professionals involved in transportation operations. The workshop will be 1 to 4 p.m. Oct. 25 at St. Norbert College’s Bemis Con-
ference Center, 299 Third St. in De Pere. Registration begins at 12:30 p.m. A networking reception will follow from 4 to 5 p.m. Keynote presenter is Rob Reich, senior vice president of equipment, maintenance and driver development at Schneider. He will dive into the critical elements affecting the industry, including a
labor and equipment outl o o k , t r e n d s o n f r e i g h t acquisition, and changes in technology. He also will s h a r e i n s i g h t i n t o h o w smaller companies can create scalable processes for h a n d l i n g e x p e n s e s a n d maintenance. Breakout sessions will follow, and participants can choose to attend one of the
following sessions: — “Accounting and Tax Update, A Trucking Industry Perspective,” presented by Chris Roble, CPA shareholder, and Paul Westberg, CPA manager and co-leaders of Schenck’s Trucking & Logistics team. — “Business Transit i o n s , a P r o c e s s N o t a n Event,” presented by Lisa
Horn, CEPA, senior manager-operations consulting at Schenck. — “Maintenance, Keys to Utilization and Lower Costs,” presented by Tom Anderson, president; Derrick Washington, vice president of sales; and David Hooper, director of commercial fleet management, Master Fleet National.
Cost is $50 per person. T o r e g i s t e r , g o t o t h e S c h e n c k w e b s i t e a t schencksc.com/events. For more information, contact Michelle Vandenbush at 920-455-4137 or michelle.vandenbush@sche ncksc.com. Schenck is a full-service regional accounting and consulting firm.
The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018 — 29
LoggINg ToDay
Theresa Proudfit/Daily News photo
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30 — The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018
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Trees develop unique adaptations for regenerating By MIKe ScHIRa Michigan State University extension Forest stands tend to be accepted as naturally occurr i n g w i t h o u t t o o m u c h thought given to how forests sustain themselves. The true s t o r y i s t h a t t r e e s h a v e evolved through time to h a v e d e v e l o p e d s o m e remarkable adaptations to help them be more competitive and successful in regenerating themselves. Forest stands that sustain themselves without human interference are usually refe r r e d t o a s n a t u r a l l y regenerated. If this natural term invokes a vision of a seed fluttering down to earth to be gently engulfed by the soil to germinate into a new beginning of the next generation of forestland, the reality of tree species natural regeneration might be somewhat of a surprise. In many cases this “natural” rebirth is in conjunction with violent acts of nature. One of the more violence caused episodes of forest renewal is what occurred following the retreat of the
glaciers so many eons ago. For the most part, all that was left after the glaciers melted was soil, water and stone; even in this extreme conditions trees were able to repopulate the lands over time through a variety of regenerative adaptions. I n o u r w o r l d t o d a y extreme events are more likely to come in the form of wildfire, tornados, hurricanes, straight-line winds, drought and flooding. Some species of trees are adapted to these kinds of violent disturbances. The poplar family (Populus spp.) produces seed that is embedded in a cottony mass that drifts on the wind to be deposited in a site that is hopefully suited for germination and growth. This wind sown seed may end up hundreds of yards or even miles Aspen reGenerATion is shown following a timber harvest. clearcutting aspen stimulates root from the parent trees depend- sprouting and minimizes shade on the site. clearcutting helps to raise soil temperatures above 55 ing on wind conditions. degrees, and stimulates root sprout initiation. Poplars also have another adaption that is their primary means of regeneration. Their roots have buds along their length that, given the right conditions, will sprout (continued on 31)
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The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018 — 31
LoggINg ToDay
... Some trees depend on help from wildlife to regenerate (continued from 30) u p f r o m t h e g r o u n d a n d grow into new trees from the preexisting root system. T h i s r o o t s p r o u t i n g gives these trees advantage f o l l o w i n g w i l d f i r e . Although the fires may kill most of the above ground vegetation, new sprouts s h o o t u p f r o m t h e s t i l l healthy root systems protected underground. Forest managers may choose to duplicate this natural event by prescribing clearcutting of aspen and other poplar family trees to somewhat duplicate what occurs in a fire situation to regenerate stands. Another species to have unique adaption to help sustain itself following wildfire i s J a c k p i n e ( P i n u s banksiana). Jack pine has a cone that is labeled as serotinous as they contain excessive pitch which keeps most closed for years, protecting their valuable seed. It takes heat of 122 degrees F to cause the cones to begin to open. F o l l o w i n g w i l d f i r e , although the parent trees may be scorched and killed, the cones, having been heated by the fire, slowly open, allowing the protected seed t o b e d i s t r i b u t e d b y t h e
b l Ac k b e A r cA n h e l p h e av y - s e e d e d t r e e species regenerate by moving or burying nuts and acorns. breezes into ash laden seed beds with little or no competition. Post fire, a new stand of pine will emerge from the aftermath. aids to regeneration M o s t r e a d e r s w i l l b e familiar with the winged seed of maple trees. Once ripe the seeds helicopter away from the parent tree to hopefully land in a suitable location to germinate. These relatively light seeds may float on streams or be blown across flooding’s and other water bodies to germinate after the water recedes far from their parent stock. Some trees depend on
help from wildlife to assist in seed distribution. Nuts and acorns are large, heavy seeds that fall directly under p a r e n t t r e e s w h e n r i p e . These nuts and acorns are important seed sources for wildlife and although most will be consumed by the animals that come across t h e m , e n o u g h w i l l b e moved, buried or forgotten to sustain the parent tree stands.
B e a r , d e e r , s q u i r r e l , turkey and several other wildlife species play an important role in moving these heavy seeded species production and assist in not only regenerating the trees but also help sustain their food source. Still other species of trees, cherry or apple for example, have fleshy fruit surrounding their seed, w h i c h a l s o a p p e a l t o wildlife. Birds distribute many of these varieties of tree fruit seeds, however other wildlife like chipmunk, bear and raccoon feed and benefit from them as well. With fleshy fruits the bird or animal usually consumes the seed, along with the nourishing protective covering, and the seed is later deposited as it passes through the host animal’s digestive system. S o m e o f t h e s e e d i n g adaptions trees and other plants have developed prove challenging with trees we have labeled as invasive. Invasive Scots pine (Pinus
sylvestris) produces seed that is remarkably hardy and able to generate in sod or grasslands that our native pines find a challenge for establishment. This encourages Scots pine to overtake areas in place of our native species. Buckthorn and autumn olive produce abundant fleshy fruit type seeds that are attractive to a variety of w i l d l i f e . T h e i r s e e d s become wildly distributed encouraging thickets of these non-native invasive species. These thickets can grow so dense that they prevent sun from getting to the soil and prevent native species from growing under their shade. A successful adaption for the exotic species that is wreaking havoc on native regeneration in many regions. Planting trees is a popular past time and sometimes necessary, particularly if managers desire to change the species of trees growing there. Nature however has worked to adapt trees to a
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wide variety of growing and site conditions which, left to their own, allow trees to repopulate without human intervention. Michigan Natural Features Inventory as part of Michigan State University Extension tracks rare and endangered species and habitat types in the state. The web site they maintain provides information o n i n v a s i v e s p e c i e s a s w e l l a n d i s a g r e a t resource for anyone intere s t e d i n f i n d i n g m o r e information on how invas i v e s a r e a d a p t e d t o b e successful in our forests and other habitats. Michigan State University Extension has publications available through the MSU Bookstore that provide greater insight into these tree regeneration adaptations. Soil type, moisture availability, proximity to the Great Lakes as well as latitude all impact trees ability to reproduce and sustain themselves. For more information, go to http://www.msue.msu.edu.
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32 — The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018
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‘Tree-huggers’ take a turn as lumberjacks By GLen MOBeRG Wisconsin Public Radio RHINELANDER, Wis. — Matt Dallman guided his four-wheel drive truck up a narrow, snow-covered road in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in Forest County. Dallman, the director of conservation for the Nature Conservancy in Wisconsin, pointed to a cluster or stand of red pines, which would soon be converted into twoby-four boards as part a program he’s spearheading. “The Nature Conservancy is managing 380 acres here,” Dallman said. “We’re going to be harvesting just short of 2 million board feet, and that will equate to about $370,000 of revenue.” It’s a new role for the Nature Conservancy, which Dallman said is often stereotyped as a “tree-hugging organization.” The Conservancy now finds itself in the lumberjack business. “I’m not here to say that we need every tree cut. I think we need old places and we need places that are being managed,” Dallman said, “While we want some places preserved, we also want places for jobs and the economy.”
T h e 2 0 1 4 F a r m B i l l allowed the U.S. Forest Service and the Nature Conserv a n c y t o e n t e r i n t o t h i s stewardship agreement, just one of 13 nationwide. TNC is hiring the loggers, selling the timber, and then using the proceeds for projects the Forest Service can’t afford to do. Dallman pulled over by Simpson Creek, a fast running, narrow stream whose spring-fed waters had not frozen over in the long, cold winter. “It’s a trout stream that was pretty much beat up from the old logging era. You used to catch 15-inch brook trout in here,” Dallman said. “Then they floated logs down it, and it got dammed up.” With the money from the timber sale, TNC is planning to restore the stream by re-routing the channel, and exposing the gravel bottom the fish need for spawning. TNC is also planning to rebuild a handicap accessible boardwalk on a much bigger trout stream in the forest: the Oconto River. In nearby Oconto County, TNC plans to use the timb er s ale p r o ceeds to restore habitat for the endan-
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mATT DAllmAn of the nature conservancy, project forester ryan Grefe, and logger clint wallgren stand in front of red pines they’re harvesting in the chequamegon-nicolet national forest. gered Kirtland’s warbler. visor Paul Strong said he is through the alders and walk Strong added that there At the headquarters of excited about the projects. long distances. There are a r e e v e n f e w e r l i k e t h e the Chequamegon-Nicolet “I’m a trout fisherman,” very few trout streams you Oconto River with its soonN a t i o n a l F o r e s t i n Strong said. “You often can simply get to and wet a to-be-fixed boardwalk. Rhinelander, Forest Super- h a v e t o f i g h t y o u r w a y line.” (continued on 33)
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The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018 — 33
LoggINg ToDay
... Nature Conservancy and US Forest Service manage timber harvest in northern Wisconsin (continued from 32) “ T h e v a l u e o f t h i s i s making some of these trout streams more accessible for people with disabilities,” he said. “People can get out there in wheel chairs and lite r a l l y b e i n b r o o k t r o u t heaven” The U.S. Forest Service c o u l d d o t h e s e p r o j e c t s itself, Strong said, but its budget has been stretched thin, fighting wildfires that have become more frequent and more intense. “Whether you believe in climate change and what drives it or not, the weather
patterns are different,” he said. “More of these megafires are happening at very high cost.” The Forest Service gets a 2 0 - p e r c e n t m a t c h f r o m TNC and also saves money and manpower by letting its employees and volunteers do all of the work. B a c k a t t h e r e d p i n e stand, a truck known as a forwarder picked up fresh cut logs with a steel claw and unloaded them into a neat pile. The Nature Conservancy hired forester Ryan Grefe to supervise the project. He
said by thinning the trees, those that are left will be healthier and taller. “If Mother Nature were to take her course, a forest actually deteriorates over time,” Grefe said. “You’ve got to start taking out the dead trees, the dying trees, the diseased trees.” Grefe said he’s happy that the money is going to stay in northern Wisconsin. “The opportunity to have some funds directly from a local timber sale go right back into the local economy is just great,” Grefe said. “The logging industry, the
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timber industry, I can’t even think how many people they employ.” One of those people is Clint Wallgren, a burly, good-humored man who has been working as a lumberjack for 32 years. “It doesn’t get any better than this,”Wallgren laughed, pointing at the trees around him. “Best office in the world.” Wallgren works from the cab of a harvester. Using the controls, he grabbed a tree, cut it down, stripped the pAul sTronG, foresT supervisor, points to a branches off and sliced it map of the stewardship agreement area in the (continued on 34) chequamegon-nicolet national forest.
34 — The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018
LoggINg ToDay ... Stewardship agreement in Wisconsin (continued from 33) into neat logs in less than a minute. “If you didn’t have that machine, you’d have ten guys running out here with chainsaws, and pretty much somebody’s going to get hurt,” he said. Wallgren said good-paying jobs are hard to come by in northern Wisconsin. “If I wanted to stay in the area I don’t know what I would do that would pay as well and be as enjoyable for me,” he laughed. “I hope I’m middle class anyway.” Environmentalists and loggers have not traditionally gotten along, but both Dallman and Wallgren said it was time for that to stop. “This distinction between tree-huggers and people that use the forest and loggers, I think conservationists and people that make a living in the woods are one and the same,” Dallman said. “Loggers and foresters are really good managers and sustain-
UW offers new website for foresters MADISON — A new w e b s i t e d e v e l o p e d b y researchers from the University of Wisconsin’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences and UW-Extension teaches foresters how to more effectively work with landowners making management decisions about their lands. Aimed at foresters who work with woodland owners on a daily basis, ForestryInsights.org provides a combination of blog posts, scientific studies and training materials. “The content is meant to give foresters the tools they need to effectively communicate best management practices to their clients and work together to use those practices to everyone’s bene f i t , ” s a y s B r e t S h a w , UW–Madison associate simpson creek will have its trout habitat professor in the Department restored under plans by the nature conservancy. of Life Sciences Communiable managers. They don’t w a n t t o e x h a u s t t h e i r resource because they’re in it for the long haul.” “From my experience, tree-huggers didn’t want a
single tree cut, so it’s kind of neat to see that we can work together and see we’re not enemies,” Wallgren said. “I love the forest just as much as they do.”
cation and environmental communication specialist for UW-Extension. The website offers modules that can help foresters communicate about a range of topics such as managing f o r o a k t r e e s a n d u r b a n forestry issues. “Research on encouraging people to adopt a new behavior tells us that sharing knowledge and information a l o n e i s u s u a l l y n o t enough,” said Tricia Gorby, UW-Extension’s Cooperat i v e E x t e n s i o n N a t u r a l Resources Director. “We hope that with these communication and marketing i n s i g h t s , w e c a n h e l p foresters and other natural resource professionals interact successfully with woodland owners.” Support and funding for the website came from the Kickapoo Valley Reforestation Fund administered by
the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UWExtension, the Wisconsin D e p a r t m e n t o f N a t u r a l Resources and the Aldo Leopold Foundation. Additional collaborators and contributing authors include Katy Thostenson from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Alanna Koshollek with the Aldo Leopold Foundation. ForestryInsights.org will be updated with new content as more training materials become available. Future c o n t e n t w i l l f o c u s o n e n g a g e m e n t o f w o m e n woodland owners and best practices for foresters delivering interpersonal advice to their clients. Connect with Forestry Insights through Facebook and Twitter or join the email newsletter at ForestryInsights.org.
The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018 — 35
LoggINg ToDay
Oak wilt treatments prove successful By BILL cOOK MSU extension Service Oak wilt is a pernicious e x o t i c d i s e a s e t h a t h a s expanded across much of Michigan and Wisconsin. I t ’ s b e e n a r o u n d f o r decades, however. Its presence has captured the attention of many conservation groups and has led to seasonal timber harvest restrictions. It’s a tough disease to c o n t r o l a n d t y p i c a l l y involves significant changes in the visual quality of a forest stand. O a k w i l t s p r e a d s throughout an oak stand via underground root grafts.
A vibrATory plow with a blade cutting 5 feet into the ground creates a trench to protect against the spread of oak wilt. It’s this research-based dis- that determines the “foottance of underground spread print” of an infected area.
Containing the underground spread and removing the oaks within the perimeter of this footprint is the treatment goal. The trees that present a threat of overland transmiss i o n , v i a s a p - f e e d i n g insects, are those oaks that died the previous growing season. The pathogen kills the tree in one year, then produces fruiting bodies on the dead oaks the next year. This is why recently killed trees require quarantine or prompt destruction. F r o m 2 0 0 4 t h r o u g h 2013, more than 200,000 feet of trenching was done,
on both public and private forestland in Menominee and Dickinson counties, with some epicenter complexes well over 40 acres. Over this decade, many of the largest oak wilt areas were treated, which reduced the potential for overland spread. Untreated areas produce new spore-producing trees each year. The presence of this “inoculum” results in new epicenters in previously healthy oak stands. As fewer acres of oak wilt exist in the landscape, the level of inoculum goes down, reducing the risk of new infections. For three years, from
2014 through 2016, about 116 sites were treated on state land in Menominee County. These were all small epicenters, the aftermath of the previous decade of aggressive treatments in the region. The average size was about 1.5 acres, employing 2,339 feet of root-severing trenching. Each of these sites are to be monitored for at least three years. After two to four years of monitoring, with one more year to go (2019), there are four sites where the treatment may have failed. (continued on 36)
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36 — The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018
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... Oak wilt treatments largely effective in Menominee County (continued from 35) That’s a success rate of almost 97 percent. There is some uncertainty about whether the four failures are actually failures. Oak wilt can spread overland, beyond the footprint perimeter, to an outlier tree that shows no symptoms during the set-up period, which is best done in late August. It’s also possible the technician missed an outlier tree during the reconnaissance. During the monitoring period since 2016, another 28 new sites with dead or dying oaks were observed while visiting treatment sites, although reconnaissance was not part of the monitoring goals. The 17 sites from 2017 displayed diagnostic spore mats and pressure pads in 2018. The 1 1 s i t e s i n 2 0 1 8 w e r e assumed to be infected with o a k w i l t . A l m o s t a l l o f these new sites were the result of wind damage, such as broken limbs, windthrow, and wounds from nearby falling trees. While forest management recommendations continue to evolve, there are possible conclusions and suggestions as a result of the monitoring of the 2014-2016 sites and other experience. 1. Treat oak wilt epicenters as soon as possible. 2. Commercial harvest of small areas is difficult for a private forestowner. 3. Avoid wounding oaks from mid-April through mid-July. 4. New epicenters are often the result of wind d a m a g e . I n s p e c t y o u r
A poTenTiAl spore producing tree is marked for special handling. woodland after significant wind events. Remove damaged oaks as soon as possible. Do not wound standing oaks in the process. 6. Consider the risk of leaving a stand of residual large oaks in areas with oak w i l t i n t h e l a n d s c a p e . They’re more susceptible to wind damage. 7. Single-tree infections, caught soon enough, can be effectively treated by stumppulling. 8. For more advanced epicenters, but still small, a double-girdling / herbicide technique has shown some success. 9. Injections by certified a p p l i c a t o r s c a n p r o t e c t healthy oaks, but cannot save infected oaks. 10. Rapid leaf browning and total mortality (within a month or so) suggests oak wilt. Wilting leaves often h a v e a d i s t i n c t b o r d e r between the green and the brown. However, only a lab tissue culture or the prese n c e o f f r u i t i n g b o d i e s (from dead oaks the year before) are diagnostic for oak wilt. There are damaging agents that resemble oak
wilt symptoms. If you suspect oak wilt on your woodland property, contact a forester (or several). Many county conservation districts house a service forester. All areas of Michigan and Wisconsin have nearby consulting foresters. University Extension and s t a t e n a t u r a l r e s o u r c e agency websites and other Internet sources contain relevant information. However, keep in mind that not all foresters are familiar with oak wilt and not all “experts” are experts. As an MSU Extension forester and biologist, Bill Cook provides educational programming for the entire Upper Peninsula. His office is located at the MSU For- A p o s T - T r e A T m e n T est Biomass Innovation boundary runs near a Center near Escanaba. stand of oak timber.
The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018 — 37
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DNR seeks input on forest management recommendations CRYSTAL FALLS — Michigan’s 4 million acres of state forest land require a lot of careful planning to keep them healthy and thriving. That’s why the Michigan D e p a r t m e n t o f N a t u r a l Resources finalizes plans for each forest management unit two years in advance of w h e n a n y m a n a g e m e n t activities — prescribed burns, timber harvests or tree thinning, for example — will take place. This fall, forest management recommendations for 2020 are being presented at open houses within those forest management units, giving people the opportunity to speak with foresters, wildlife biologists and other resource professionals. Upcoming open houses include: — Crystal Falls Forest Management Unit, Oct. 3 in pl Ans for mAnAGinG state forest land in michigan are finalized two years in advance of prescribed activities.
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Crystal Falls. — Shingleton Forest Management Unit, Oct. 4 in Shingleton. — N e w b e r r y F o r e s t Management Unit , Oct. 16 in Newberry. — Grayling Forest Management Unit, Oct. 17 in Grayling. About a month after each forest management unit’s open house, a public compartment review meeting also will take place. That’s where the foresters will present their final decisions on management activities for that unit. Compartment review m e e t i n g s c o m i n g u p include: — Sault Ste. Marie Forest Management Unit, Oct. 2 in Naubinway.
— Gwinn Forest Management Unit, Oct. 17 in Ishpeming — Shingleton Forest Management Unit, Oct. 23 in Shingleton. — Crystal Falls Forest Management Unit, Oct. 25 in Crystal Falls. — N e w b e r r y F o r e s t Management Unit, Oct. 30 in Newberry. — Grayling Forest Management Unit, Nov. 8 in Grayling. For more information — including a link to the interactive forest map showing details of forest management activities, and the forest open house and compartment review schedules — go to the public input section of the DNR’s michigan.gov/forestry webpage.
38 — The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018
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MSU Extension introduces Eyes of the Forest program E A S T L A N S I N G — The introduction of new invasive insects and disease that become established are causing a decline in many important forest tree species. Supported by expanding international imports into the country, new and potentially devastating tree pests, both insects and disease, are being introduced. Many of these new exotic species won’t find suitable host species or conditions and will simply die off, but a few will be successful in becoming established. Newly established exotic species, having been introduced from other regions of the globe, have no natural enemies or pathogens to hold their numbers down. Unchecked, these new pest species can spread rapidly thereby being labeled as invasive with the potential of devastating their host species. Examples of past impacts are the losses of American chestnut and elm from both urban landscapes and forest s t a n d s . T h e l o s s o f t h e
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American chestnut and elm affected not only the trees, but also the wildlife that was dependent on them for food and shelter. The lost trees may have been shading stream and river waterways. The loss of shade is contributing to increased water temperatures, which causes a reduction of fish populations. B e e c h b a r k d i s e a s e , emerald ash borer and oak wilt are examples of exotic species that have become
established and are working their way through forest stands, leaving dead skeletons of once healthy trees. In an effort to enable early detection of new invasive tree pests, Michigan State University Extension has developed the Eyes on the Forest program. With initial funding from a Michigan Department of Natural Resources grant, this ongoing program is an effort to establish a network of sentinel trees across the
state. Volunteers select the sentinel tree of their choosing and report on the trees overall general health using the online Midwest Invasive Species Network. With a network of sentinel trees, researchers hope to achieve early detection of new tree pests and work to eliminate them before they can become established. For more information, visit https://www.canr.msu.edu/e TAGs like The one above will identify trees yes_on_the_forest/. entered into the eyes on the forest program.
The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018 — 39
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Theresa Proudfit/Daily News photo
r ya n J a c o b s o n o f n o r way o p e r a t e s a 9 31 komatsu harvester for nickels logging at a job site in iron county.
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40 — The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018
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Storer named dean of MTU’s School of Forest Resources By MaRK WILcOX Michigan technological University HOUGHTON — Andrew Storer for the past 17 years has been a part of the faculty o f t h e S c h o o l o f F o r e s t Resources and Environmental Science at Michigan Technological University. July 1, he took the lead at that school. Storer, the associate dean of SFRES since 2012, was tapped to succeed Terry Sharik, who retired at the end of June. Calling it “an exciting opportunity at a very exciting time for the university,” Storer said he looked “forward to working with faculty, staff and students to explore areas where the school and university can continue to contribute to c r e a t i n g t h e f u t u r e i n a changing world.” His years as associate dean prepared him to help f a c i l i t a t e g r o w t h i n t h e school and its programs, Storer said. Huntoon said Storer’s experience prepared him well to take over at SFRES: “He has been involved in accreditation activities, hosting the school’s external advisory board, reviewing and improving undergraduate and graduate curricula, mentoring faculty and students and managing financial commitments.” At the same time, according to Huntoon, Storer was able to “maintain a strong research program that brings him, the school and the university national and international recognition.” More than forestry Storer received the University’s Research Award in
2012 and s e e s research as one of the biggest challenges facing SFRES. “There is an environment AnDrew w h e r e sTorer there are more people competing for fewer resources,” he said. “SFRES has been a leader in research areas such as forestry, ecology, wildlife
biology and genetics.” Storer added, “We will develop strategies to ensure we remain at the forefront of research and build on our strong reputation.” Storer earned his bachelor’s, master’s and PhD degrees from University of O x f o r d i n E n g l a n d . A n entomologist by training, Storer sees SFRES as much more than forestry. “The school has developed distinctive education and research programs in a r e a s s u c h a s e c o l o g y , wildlife management, cli-
mate change, conservation biology, molecular genetics and geospatial sciences.” Leading by collaborating Storer views interdisciplinary cooperation as the key to success and sees multiple areas of collaboration between engineered and natural systems. “This can include managing natural resources to provide various materials from them and understanding the benefits of natural systems on human health and wellbeing,” he said. Storer joined the Michi-
gan Tech faculty in 2001 and rose to the rank of professor of forest insect ecolog y . I n a d d i t i o n , h e h a s served as director of the Honors Institute at Michigan Tech and director of graduate studies within the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science. His areas of expertise include forest insect ecolog y , i m p a c t s o f e x o t i c species on forest ecosystems, interactions among fire, insects and disease in forests and urban forest health.
Michigan Technological U n i v e r s i t y i s a p u b l i c research university, home to more than 7,000 students from 54 countries. Founded in 1885, the university o f f e r s m o r e t h a n 1 2 0 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, forestry, business and economics, health professions, humanities, mathematics, and social sciences. The campus overlooks the Keweenaw Waterway and is just a few miles from Lake Superior.
The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018 — 41
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Theresa Proudfit/Daily News photo
rod malinowski of florence, wis., operates a ponsse buffalo skidder on a job sub-contracted from nickels logging in norway.
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42 — The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018
LoggINg ToDay Michigan’s Registered Forester program moves to the DNR LANSING — Michigan’s Registered Forester program, managed by the D e p a r t m e n t o f N a t u r a l Resources, is a great place for landowners to enlist help in caring for their forests. Landowners who need h e l p w i t h t h e i r f o r e s t s should soon find that Michigan’s Registered Forester program has an up-to-date online database and a new complaint review process. Those changes are part of a restructuring process as oversight of the registered forester program moves to the DNR from the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. “The new program is the ideal source for landowners to find highly qualified foresters to help them manage their forestland,” said Deb Begalle, chief of the DNR’s Forest Resources Division. Begalle will be responsible for appointing a seven-member board to oversee the program. The voluntary program has undergone a four-year restructuring process that includes required continuing education for registered foresters, appointment of the board and a moderate fee increase to help pay for maintaining and promoting the program. A b i l l i n t r o d u c e d i n 2014 in the state Legislature would have abolished the registered forester program, but Gov. Rick Snyder vetoed it after protest from foresters across the state. Snyder signed a law in April of this year to move oversight of the revamped program to the DNR. “This is a voluntary pro-
gram that encourages higher standards for Michigan’s foresters,” Begalle said. Nearly two-thirds of Michigan’s 20 million acres of forest are privately owned; the state manages an estimated 4 million acres of public forest. The Society of American Foresters, a national professional organization, encourages and supports all states to have their own in-state certification programs for forestry professionals. Learn more about the Registered Forester program at michigan.gov/forestry under Private Landowners. Questions on the current or f u t u r e p r o g r a m ? E m a i l B r e n d a H a s k i l l a t haskillb@michigan.gov.
The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018 — 43
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Mike Krebs/Muskegon Chronicle via AP photo
loGGinG Debris wAs removed this summer from muskegon lake as part of the muskegon lake Aoc habitat restoration in muskegon, mich. The project will remove 122,673 tons of mill debris from the lake.
Tons of sawmill debris from 1800s logging being removed from lake M U S K E G O N , M i c h . (AP) — Sawmill debris from Michigan’s early logging era is being removed from Muskegon Lake as part of a long-term environmental cleanup project. Work began this summer to retrieve almost 123,000 tons of wood dumped into the lake by 47 mills that operated there during the 1 8 0 0 s . T h e p r o j e c t i s expected to wrap up soon. The Muskegon Chronicle reports the goal is to restore habitat for fish, including the endangered lake sturgeon. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is funding the $2.8 million project through a partnership with the Great Lakes Commission. It will restore 11.4 acres of open water and emergent wetlands. Kathy Evans of the West
Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission says the cleanup will boost a multi-year effort to get Muskegon Lake off a l i s t o f t h e G r e a t L a k e s region’s most highly polluted sites. Historic sawmill debris, foundry sand, and slag filled 798 acres of open water and emergent wetlands in the area of concern. Nearly 25 p e r c e n t o f M u s k e g o n Lake’s open water and shallow wetlands were filled. “Repurposing this historic logging-era sawmill waste has been celebrated by the local community,” s a i d M u s k e g o n M a y o r Steve Gawron. “The wood has been used for brew pub tables, artwork and brownfield redevelopment fill. This habitat restoration project has been a real win/win for the local economy and the environment.”
44 — The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018
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Fungi play a role in a healthy forest ecosystem By MIKe ScHIRa Michigan State University extension Usually, when we see or hear news items regarding tree and forest fungus, it is being presented as bad or something that is killing trees. Sadly in many instances it’s true that newly introduced fungal pathogens, like Dutch elm disease and oak w i l t f o r e x a m p l e , a r e a major issue resulting in the death of healthy trees. The majority of fungi we find in the forest are beneficial to the overall health of the stands they are living with. It is inevitable that trees are going to get old, slowdown in growth and eventually die. These life cycle processes can be rather short in some species; for example aspen, jack pine and white birch or quite long stretching to over hundreds or even thousands of years i n t h e l o n g e s t g r o w i n g species like northern white cedar in the Lake States region or sequoia and bristle cone pine in the west. Regardless of how or when a tree dies, the process of decomposition begins. T r e e c e l l w a l l s c o n t a i n lignin, a compound that
ArTisT’s conk (Ganoderma applanatum) fungi grow from a sugar maple. fungi help break down the materials in stressed and dead trees as part of a complex nutrient cycle that is vital to regeneration and a healthy forested ecosystem. strengthens the cells assisting trees to grow tall. Lignin i s t o u g h a n d f u n g i a r e thought to be the only major organism that can break it down. This is important to the remaining trees as well as for the newly established
seedlings that depend on the nutrients in the dead and dying trees to allow them to grow and remain healthy. Without the decaying action of fungi, wood would not break down to supply the nutrients for the remaining stand in a timeframe that
will sustain growth. o f p l a n t m a t t e r f o r t h i s T h e p r o c e s s o f p l a n t process, it is fungi that pregrowth, decline and decay forms the important first followed by reabsorption of the released compounds is generally referred to as nutrient cycling. Although Now Buying: Hickory, Cherry, and Maple Pulpwood there are other organisms Sawmill Chips and Sawdust, Apple Chunkwood and Chips. that aid in the breakdown
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step by breaking down the lignin. These processes may be at work above ground in the tree stems and branches, or below ground in the roots and stumps. There are many different species and kinds of fungi that are at work in f o r e s t s t a n d s a n d v a r y depending on tree species, soil type and moisture conditions. F o r a m o r e d e t a i l e d e x p l a n a t i o n o f h o w t h e complex processes work to help sustain a healthy forest ecosystem Michigan State University Extension has a series of bulletins that covers this topic; Forest Terminology and Ecological Systems Extension Bulletin E-2635 through E-2641. This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://expert.msue.msu.edu, o r c a l l 8 8 8 - M S U E 4 M I (888-678-3464).
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The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018 — 45
LoggINg ToDay sixty-six percent of used paper in us recovered for recycling W A S H I N G T O N — The American Forest & P a p e r A s s o c i a t i o n announced that 65.8 percent of paper consumed in the U . S . w a s r e c o v e r e d f o r recycling in 2017. “Paper recycling brings continued economic, environmental and social benefits to communities across the country,” said AF&PA President and CEO Donna Harman. “We thank the millions of Americans who choose to recycle every day for their essential contributions to paper recycling’s success.” “Paper is one of the most successfully recovered and recycled commodities in the U.S. because of our strong, market-driven voluntary s y s t e m , ” s a i d A F & P A Board Chairman and GEC Packaging Technologies
CEO John Rooney. “Our industry will continue to support and implement education programs and initiatives that drive awareness and increase access to paper recycling.” Paper recovery for recycling helps extend the useful life of paper and paper-based packaging products, making it an integral part of the industry’s sustainability story. The industry has a goal to exceed 70 percent paper recovery for recycling by 2020 as part of its Better Practices, Better Planet 2020 sustainability initiative. For more information about paper recycling and AF&PA’s commitment to sustainability, go to paperrecycles.org. U.S. paper recovery rate statistics are available at www.paperrecycles.org/statistics.
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46 — The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018
LoggINg ToDay AT lefT is the hessler cabin, north of Traverse city on old mission peninsula. with its sturdy, hand-hewn walls and dovetailed notched corners, this little place built in 1854 now sits as a rare example of what early settlers’ homes looked like in northern michigan. it is listed on the state register of historic places and draws thousands of visitors each year.
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The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018 — 47
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Theresa Proudfit/Daily News photo
Jeff Gagne of faithorn operates a 931 Xc komatsu harvester for nickels logging at a harvest site in iron county.
48 — The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Friday, September 28, 2018
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Trees for Tomorrow to host Cranberry Crush event Oct. 6 EAGLE RIVER, Wis. Trees For Tomorrow, an a c c r e d i t e d n a t u r a l resources specialty school in Eagle River, will host its first-ever Cranberry Crush C a s i n o N i g h t & M u s i c Fundraiser on Oct. 6. Cranberry Fest is one of E a g l e R i v e r ’ s b i g g e s t e v e n t s , w i t h m o r e t h a n 40,000 people attending the festival annually. After the gates close at Cranberry Fest, TFT looks forward to welcoming visitors to the Cranberry Crush Casino Night & Music Fundraiser on Saturday evening on its campus. “Cranberry Crush Casin o N i g h t & M u s i c Fundraiser is a new event t h a t w i l l o f f e r e x c i t i n g entertainment for locals and visitors alike after the gates close at Cranberry Fest,” said Robin Ginner, executive director. “This event promises an evening of fun for adults, while helping to raise funds for T r e e s F o r T o m o r r o w ’ s school programs for K-12 students.” The evening kicks off at 5 : 3 0 p . m . w i t h c a s i n o games — fake money, real f u n — i n c l u d i n g t a b l e games, craps, poker and roulette until 8:30 p.m. H e a v y h o r s d ’ o e u v r e s , w i n e a n d b e e r w i l l b e served as attendees spin the roulette wheel, throw some dice, or try their hand at p o k e r a n d b l a c k j a c k . Guests will receive $2,500 in “starter” cash. Additional cash to play games will
proGressive blueGrAss bAnD miles over mountains — from left, sean shiel, phil hoffman and caleb peters — will perform at 9 p.m. oct. 6 during t he cranberr y crush casino night & music fundraiser hosted by Trees for Tomorrow in eagle river, wis. be available for purchase. Once the last hand is won, the evening continues under the big top tent in the campus oval at 9 p.m. with live bluegrass music by Miles Over Mountains, a progressive, high-energy band from McHenry, Ill. They will be serving up a cache of original material and a refreshing variety of cover songs infused with their own, unique style. Collectively, with decades of experience under their belts, Miles Over Mountains strives to provide the audience with a fun and freeing experience. Tickets for the event are $45 per person for casino games and music, $35 per person for casino night
only, or $20 per person for admission to see the band. Please leave pets at home. Tickets can be purchased
online at cranberry-crush2018.eventbrite.com or s t o p b y t h e T r e e s F o r Tomorrow’s campus and pay by cash or check to avoid online fees. “This event is a great opportunity for adults to e n j o y a n i g h t o u t i n E a g l e R i v e r , ” G i n n e r said. “Make a sure bet — c o m e t o T F T ’ s c a m p u s and help us raise money to support programs that prepare today’s youth to be tomorrow’s stewards of our natural world.” Trees For Tomorrow is an accredited nonprofit natural resources specialty school that serves school groups throughout Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois. Founded in 1944, T r e e s F o r T o m o r r o w ’ s mission is to promote sustainable management of o u r n a t u r a l r e s o u r c e s through transformative educational experiences.
The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan
Friday, September 28, 2018 — 49
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Forestry myths fail to meet the truth test By BILL cOOK Michigan State University extension Working every year with hundreds of school kids and various public groups, several misconceptions, under-lying assumptions, or myths seem to bubble-up to the surface on a regular basis. Here’s 10 of the most common: 1. trees provide the air we breathe. Most of the Earth’s fresh oxygen is produced from the oceans, which makes sense when you understand that three-quarters of the Earths’ s urface is co v er ed with water. For terrestrial systems, non-forest biomes are the most common. So, oxygen from trees? Meh. Okay, they produce some, but it is not a particularly high value a t t r i b u t a b l e t o t r e e s o r forests. 2. We should plant two trees for every one we harvest. In the Lake States, planting is typically unnecessary. Our forest management systems are tailored to the various forest types to create environmental conditions t h a t e n c o u r a g e n a t u r a l regeneration. This management is quite successful. So, why plant a few trees when nature will successfully produce billions? This said, there are circumstances where tree planting is needed and useful. 3. a tree grows one ring per year. If a tree grew only one ring, how could you tell where last year’s ring ended and the next year’s ring began? In fact, our northern temperate trees grow two annual rings each year. The
wider, light-colored ring grows in the springtime, followed by the narrower, dark colored ring in the summertime. Then, the tree stops growing wood for about six months. 4. Forests are disappearing. This is not true in Michig a n o r a c r o s s t h e L a k e States, although it is true in some regions around the world. As of 2017, Michig a n h a s m o r e a c r e s o f forestland than any time since the 1930s, when statistical forest inventories began. Now, if you live in an urban area and see sprawl gobbling up the countryside, it might be easy to get this i m p r e s s i o n . H o w e v e r , statewide, we now have a bit over 20 million acres of forest, and that covers a little over half the state. 5. clearcutting is deforestation. Deforestation, by definition, is a land use change from forest to something else. The overwhelming amount of deforestation is for agriculture, and then, secondly, for building human infrastructure. Clearcutting is a forest regeneration practice designed to stimulate the reproduction of sun-loving tree species, such as the
aspens, red pine, jack pine and others. Natural clearcutting happens through wildfire, windstorms, insect and disease outbreaks and similar events. While clearcutting is not quite exactly the same thing, it’s far more benign than natural occurrences. 6. Planting a tree will save the planet. This is a popular promotional campaign and has some value in raising awareness, but in ecological terms it is nonsense. Even if every Michigander planted a thousand trees every year, that amount would not come c l o s e t o a n n u a l n a t u r a l regeneration. However, planting trees does have strategic value in filling-in where nature missed a beat, to change forest type compositions, or to achieve a visual quality objective at a residence or in a city. So, planting trees is a great thing, it is just not going to save the planet. 7. Mother nature knows best. Nature knows nothing. It i s n o t s e n t i e n t . B e n i g n neglect is not a fruitful strategy. The predictable paths of natural succession lead to places most people are not going to be happy with. First, the forest legacy fol-
lowing the historic logging era left forests in an unnatural condition, which is the forest that we see today. Second, ecological forest processes alone are unlikely to meet all the demands that society places upon forests. Third, forest health challenges and exotic species place additional pressures on forests. The solution to these problems is active forest management. We don’t m a n a g e f o r e s t s f o r t h e forests’ sake. We manage forests for people, by working with natural processes. 8. timber harvest destroys wildlife habitat. Harvest, natural disturbance or forest succession creates habitat changes. These changes benefit some species and do not benefit others. Therefore, any particular timber harvest will have wildlife winners and losers. The same is true without the harvest. More likely, critics of timber harvest react to the change in visual quality, which is an especially poor measure of ecological integrity. 9. Government owns most of the forest. Nearly two-thirds of the Michigan forest is privately owned. Of that, families own nearly three-quarters.
The State of Michigan owns about 21 percent and the federal government owns about 17 percent. Ownership has a huge impact on how a forest is managed. However, regardless of ownership, all forests provide benefits to everyone. 10. Forest industry is a destructive, extractive industry. It is counter-intuitive to many, but the forest industry provides the financial incentive for forest management. No markets leads to no management. With an unmanaged forest, there is a road of troubles. Additionally, there is no greener industry. Thousands of daily products, made from the m o s t e n v i r o n m e n t a l l y friendly raw material at our disposal, come from forests. Forest products also include clean water and a diversity of wildlife habitat. In contrast to the myth, the forest industry supports a wide range of goods and services, including a healthier environment. Wood use is not a
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choice, it is essential to our survival. Every U.S. resident uses an average of t h r e e t o f o u r p o u n d s o f wood every day. Michigan is a big state. It can be misleading to assume that what may be seen in a particular area or along highway corridors is what occurs across the state. Our forests currently produce an amazing array of benefits and unmet opportunities. The potential for increases in quality and quantity of these benefits is huge. O u r p o p u l a r c u l t u r e seems to perpetuate many incorrect assumptions and perceptions about forests and how humans depend upon forests. Do not believe everything you read. Look it up and learn, it can end up being pretty fun stuff.
Carrie Hyska
News Betsy Bloom
bbloom@ironmountain dailynews.com
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50 — The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan
Friday, September 28, 2018
LoggINg ToDay
MTU study: Whole-tree logging doesn’t hurt plant biodiversity By MaRcIa GOODRIcH For Michigan technological University HOUGHTON — When it comes to timber harvesting, removing the whole t r e e — f r o m s t u m p t o twigs — doesn’t reduce plant diversity any more than old-fashioned logging, which leaves tree branches b e h i n d i n t h e w o o d s , according to a study done at Michigan Technological University. “People think, ‘It’s bad enough to log, and now you are going to take away the branches that decay and then nurture the ecosystem?’” says Robert Froese, a forest scientist at Michigan Technological University. “But we wondered, what really is the role of branches?” So, with funding from the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement and Weyerhauser, Froese’s team decided to find out. What they discovered surprised them: when it comes to plant diversity, harvesting the whole tree does not have dire consequences. T h e r e s u l t s o f t h e i r study have been published in the journal Forest Ecolog y a n d M a n a g e m e n t (DOI:10.1016/j.foreco.2016.09.048). Along with PhD graduate Michael Premer, Froese studied plant communities scattered throughout 29 aspen stands in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. All the stands had been logged at some point within the last 40 years. In some, only the logs had been taken, while in others the whole tree was harvested. The researchers expect-
e d t h a t p l a n t diversity would go d o w n i n stands where whole trees had b e e n removed, perhaps roberT because froese t h e t o p s and branches leave some nitrogen behind to fertilize the soil. That’s not what happened. “What we found is nothing, essentially,” Froese said. There was no difference in the composition of the overstory — the trees that grew back after logging. In stands where logg i n g r e s i d u e s h a d b e e n removed, the understory — shrubs, grasses and othe r s m a l l p l a n t s — w a s a c t u a l l y m o r e d i v e r s e . “The difference was small, but it was measureable.” W h y ? T h e s c i e n t i s t s can’t say for sure, but they have a theory. “We believe when you remove logging residues, you disturb the soil more, which increases nitrogen availability,” said Froese. “We’ve been asked if the diversity increased
b e c a u s e o f a n u p t i c k i n invasive species, but we didn’t find that.” During the study, the scientists made another u n e x p e c t e d d i s c o v e r y . A l o g g i n g t e c h n i q u e that’s supposed to prot e c t s e n s i t i v e s o i l s i s a c t u a l l y d e p r e s s i n g aspen regeneration. To protect wetlands and other delicate areas, timber harvesters often use cut-tolength logging, in which trees are delimbed and cut to length directly at the stump. The branches are left b e h i n d , a n d t h e l o g i s transported along a narrow trail to a landing near a road. Premer found that f e w e r a s p e n g r e w b a c k a l o n g t h o s e t e m p o r a r y logging trails, and those that did were 20 percent shorter.
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“It’s likely that loggers are doing this to comply with sustainable forestry practices,” Froese said. “But Mike’s work suggests that, if you want to maint a i n p r o d u c t i v i t y , y o u should probably only log these places in the winter, w h e n t h e g r o u n d i s frozen.” The article on this study,
coauthored by Froese and Premer, now a silviculturist with the timberland compan y R a y o n i e r , w a s p u b lished online April 4 in Forest Science. The article on the earlie r s t u d y , “ V e g e t a t i o n R e s p o n s e t o L o g g i n g R e s i d u e R e m o v a l s i n Great Lakes Aspen,” was published in the journal
Forest Ecology and Management. The coauthors are Froese, Premer, Professor Christopher Webster of Michigan Tech’s School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science and Linda N a g e l , f o r m e r l y o f t h e S c h o o l a n d n o w o n t h e faculty of Colorado State University.
The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan
Friday, September 28, 2018 — 51
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52 — The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan
Friday, September 28, 2018