Eurasian Collared-Dove

Here is a great observation recorded that is very interesting. I got a call and had to go take a look. It was great we could sit at the kitchen table and watch the bird. I was able to walk around and find the mate.

I want to hear about great sightings in and around Timmins. Be great if you leave a comment too.

2004 entries on the Timmins Naturalists Species Observation page:

December 18, 2004 Timmins Christmas Bird Count. Combining the feeder and field results in 889 individuals, 13 different species and 21 participants. Of note is Canada goose and theEurasian Collared-Dove. This dove was spotted about 4 km west of the previous sighting.

December 4, 2004
By Paul Gaudreau : An Eurasian Collared-Dove has been at his feeder for a number of weeks. Today I was able to confirm with him that there actually was a pair of doves in his back yard. This really is an unusual observations and I wonder if the birds are escaped pets. Will post here if I find out.

It has been a few years and the birds have never been spotted again.

Tree Plant on Tailings, Walking on Rock.

This evening the Porcupine Watchfull Eye group meeting was a field trip. I love field trips!

We met on the Carium road to visit the Coniaurum tailings rehabilitation area (map). While we were there we had a tree plant. We planted Jack pine, White spruce, Red pine and White pine.

In the picture we have Larry just finishing up planting a perfect tree - green side up! We also have Larry and Sylvie (Timmins Naturalists Members) plant with Laszlo adding a layer of mulch to help reduce grass competition around the tree. In total another 20 trees have been added to the rehabilitation effort this evening.

These tailing are covered with bio-waste from the Abitibi paper mill, then seeded to grasses, sedges and clovers and I guess what ever else blows in. There is wide variety of plant life greening the landscape.

A little fox is searching the tall grass for little critters to nibble on. No bears this evening. We also visit the site of soon to be bee hives. Last year the bee hives produced honey from the nectar found in the plants on the tailing. The honey turned out great, I am told. I have seen it but not tasted the sweet liquid.

The bears are kept at bay from the honey with the help of a solar powered electric fence. Poor bears.

We leave our little trees in their new home and head for the Simpson Lake trail (map). It is a trail in progress that will follow a path up waste rock to provide the traveler with a great vantage point.

Snapping Turtles in Timmins

Yes we do have snapping turtles in Timmins.

A discussion about turtles on the weekend prompted me to look back at the last couple of snapping turtle sightings.

June 2006 Mac sent me an email declaring "Newly discovered value" He found the turtle near the Grant mill in the west end of town. He helped it to the river at the bridge behind Grants.

This is the first snapping turtle I have ever seen up here in the north. When I was a young strapping lad paddling a canoe on the 16 mile creek in Oakville I saw many very large snapping turtles. You think you hit a rock and then the rock moves.

Once I found a bunch of baby snapping turtles along the shore while fishing.

September 2008 I was surprised to read about a snapping turtle in Porcupine. The turtle was crossing the road when spotted by a bunch of youth. So if you are out swimming in the Porcupine lake this summer keep an eye out for the large moving rock.

Let me know if you have seen a snapping turtle or any turtle in the Timmins area. I have a great story about painted turtles I will post later.

Timmins Naturalists

There seems to be a buzz in the community again about observations of the birds and the bees. There is alot going on.

Timmins Orchid, bee hives on tailings, big trees, whimbrel, sandhill cranes, turtles, water, windmills, dams, caribou and white moose.

With digital cameras very popular there are some great pictures of wildlife that need to be shared. Look at the great pictures Lynn got of the whimbrel!

I have began work on the reconstruction the Timmins Naturalist website. I thought it was still on the web someplace but I could not find it. I could not even find it on my computer. I found an older version on a backup to get started.

If you are so inclined take a look, come back in a couple of weeks as I update it when I have time.

Still waiting for reports on big trees to add to the Timmins Honour Roll of Trees.

Stuck a Red pine in the eye of the Earth

Look at the shape of the area of poor nutrients. A look from the sky.

It takes the shape of an eye. I first noticed the shape while looking at aerial photography in the early 90's and thought I would take a look at it on the ground. Maybe it just needed more trees to provide shade and stabilitiy.

When with OMNR I took 2 students to plant trees in many differnet places. I have looked at some of the places and the Red pine are taller then I am, but not here. I planted in the eye on the earth with many different people over the years and I know that Denis planted here too with a youth group, I think.

Many trees were put in the eye of the Earth, with the same result for all.

The Red pine in these pictures are the size of a 3 year old tree, but are actually more then 15 years old. Some are really great examples of a bonsia.

White Birch Tar - Do It Yourself

I made birch tar.

I was super surprised how much tar a little bit of birch bark produced.

I stuffed a coffee can full of birch bark. Put it in a fire for an hour and out came about third of a soup can of birch tar. Maybe I am leaving out a few small details about the process, since the entire process would be better described with an entire web page with many pictures. It will follow soon.

The tar was similar to the tar I would put on the bottom of my wooden cross-country skis. Smelled the same and felt the same.

I boiled down the tar until I ended up with more of solid when it cooled. A brittle solid.

Solid birch bark tar.

The huge amount of tar in the bark must be why the wood will rot before the bark. Often I find tubes of birch bark with the wood gone and the bark in good condition.

Look at other posts below and you will see many examples of birch tubes.

Want to have a birch tube of your own, check out this site.

Arbor Day 2009 Yesterday

It was a little cool on Arbor Day, but it would have been perfect if we were actually in the field planting trees.

This year we split up to be in 3 different locations. East end at the water park on Porcupine Lake, Gillies lake and west end at Mountjoy Historic Park. I was at the Mountjoy park with Ben and Kiri.

The last couple of years we have been asking for a donation to cover the cost of the tree seedlings and as a way of raising money for the Wintergreen Fund for Conservation. Millson Forestry Service gives us a very good deal on the trees, but they are not free.

Your donation also got your name entered into a draw for a bat box and a swallow house. Good homes for great bug eaters!

If you missed Arbor day and still want tree seedlings you can get many different sizes and species at the store. Seed soource is important. Trees that come from a local seed source will do better then those that come from a seed source other then here. Trees do not like to move north

, that is why tree seedling from local seed source will always do better then outside sources.

A little more then 1000 white spruce tree seedlings were handed out. That is another 1000 trees going in the ground to help the environment and help keep Timmins beautiful. Many told me they would also plant one at "camp".

"The best time to plant a tree is 100years ago, the second best is today"

Kiri, a Katimavik participant from Nova Scotia has been with us for the week, want to try her hand at creating a bonsai, or maybe she will just plant it here in Timmins before she leaves.

Arbor Day 2009 Tomorrow

Tomorrow is Arbor Day in Timmins

For a donation to Wintergreen Fund for Conservation you can get a white spruce tree.

more about the event tomorrow

How do trees grow up?

The other day I was driving through a spruce plantation. The leader of some the the trees were incredible. Many in the plantation were more then 50 cm in length and a couple of the superstars were in the 90 cm range.

How do trees grow?

Here is a question I ask of everyone that comes on a tour with Muddy Mark, at the greenhouse, or on a hike with me at Kettle Lakes Provincial Park.

The tree we are standing beside is about 20cm in diameter. This tree grows about 50 cm in

height every year. Today we put a mark in the tree, we will come back in 10 years.

How high will the mark

be when return?

It will be at the same place! Why? Trees only grow up at the tip. In forestry lingo it goes something like " the meristematic tissue elongates"

What is in the pictures is last seasons height growth. The growth is fantastic! If trees grow like this every year the trees would cast shadows for kilometers. Tree growth slows as they age.

Trees grow in diameter, that is why you can count the tree rings to determine the age.

Want to learn more? Try these links.

Link 001

Link 002

Link 003

Whimbrel - Numenius phaeopus

New addition to the Timmins Checklist of the Birds 

Yesterday I got a call from a lad over at Dumas on Feldman road. They have a Long-billed Curlew on the grass out in front of the office. WOW. Did someone get pictures?

Yes, Lynn Clement has an excellent camera and took some pictures. I have included a couple of her pictures. Thanks Lynn. I sent the pictures down to Ron Ridout at Bird Studies Canada he will be able to confirm the sighting.  I do not know enough about these types of birds to make informed comments.

Here is the comment back from Ron:  

They are truly wonderful photos and allow me to identify your bird as a Whimbrel. Still, a good bird for Timmins I’m sure.  Long-billed Curlew lacks the definitive head stripes of the Whimbrel  and has a very long bill, easily half again as long as this Whimbrel.

Today I was again informed the little visitor was again on the front lawn on Feldman road. map   I could not resist, at lunch I went for a drive to see for myself. I watched from afar, but noticed traffic passing without creating a reaction in the bird.  I drove past the bird, turned around and came back. I was able to park close to the lawn and watch the bird for awhile. Even took a little video.  The bird remained after I left. 

I wonder what it is finding in the grass, it seems to be plucking something from between the grass blades. Maybe what ever is in the grass will keep the Whimbrel here for sometime.

This is the greatest bird sighting since the Brown pelican was spotted in the lake behind the Mac. No one got pictures, but two excellent reports confirmed the presents. It was only spotted on that one day and never heard from again. The White pelican had a real presents in Timmins for a couple of years, but I have not seen them here for awhile.

If you come across a species out of the typical range I am always interested to hear!

Tree Planting Today

A perfect day for a tree plant.  It was raining, but warm.

The Delta Class from THVS set up  a tour with Goldcorp to see some of the reclamation that has been going on. Part of the our included planting a tree. This was a great opportunity for me to finish the tour I had started at the greenhouse. We did not get to plant a tree during that visit. More on the greenhouse visit.

The rain stopped long enough for us to plant. Each student planted a tree. The area they were planting in had been tailings covered with a biosolid, a waste product produced at the Iroquois Falls paper mill. It grows grass great.

The seedling had some sawdust placed around the tree to help keep the weeds down while they establish. 

The seedlings were also a bigger stock with good root growth filling the 6inch pot they have been growing in. 

This summer Goldcorp expects to plant over 200 jack pine and white spruce seedlings with the help of those taking the tours arranged by the Chamber of Commerce.  

You can buy your own local seed source trees now, or wait for the the Arbor Week special at Millson Forestry Service.

The best time to plant a tree was 50 years ago, the second best time is now!  Get into the habit of planting a tree every year. If you do not have a place to plant your tree I am sure I can point you in the right direction where trees are needed.

Oh yes. One lad asked about the foot print in the mud. What had made the print.  While we were all talking at a story board I could see far in the distance the animal that had made the mark coming closer. The class was distracted from the discussion while the large sandhill crane flew over the group.

Porcupine Watchful Eye

This evening was regular meeting of the Porcupine Watchful Eye people. This group has been meeting for a number of years, I think I have been a regular for the last couple of years.

Goldcorp is in the postition to work with the 
City of Timmins and private land owners to capture tailings that have a problem for the last couple of years.  It is an interesting project and some of the walking trails will have to be relocated for the short term.

In the picture Kees poses for the before picture. In the background a drainage ditch will be constructed to improve water quality.

Tree planting I expect will be the final phase to the rehabilitation.

May 19th - Snow - Come on!

Woke this morning to the wonderful, pretty snow coating everything. It was a little unexpected, but this is Timmins.

I had planted 2 sunflowers in the garden the night before, they were about 20cm tall and in good health. I was surprised today to see them still alive.  

We got the bikes out this weekend and went for a bike ride. I guess I should have made the kids put them in the shed. Mine is in the shed.

In the bush we again have ice in the low shaded areas. This little bird was poking along the ice looking for bugs.  I got a picture and looked in my bird book in the truck. I was unable to say for sure what it was. I will have to look in a differesnt book to be sure.

Do you know what it is? One of you must know. Give me your best guess.

The weather guy tells us warm weather is coming.

Great Horny Toads

Not a great horny toad, but it is the first toad of spring. this little guy was just sitting in the grass beside a small pond beside Gillies lake.

I think the little creature must have just crawled out of it's winter hiding place. It just sat there. the dog gave it a little push with his nose , but no response. I gave it a little push just to see if it would move forward, but it was only interested in absorbing the little bit of  warmth from the sun that was beaming between the clouds. I think it will have to sit for a couple more days until some warmer weather. enature a great site for making identifications of creatures tells me there are 2 types of american toad, but does not discuss the difference. I wonder what it is?

While I took pictures of the toad Roll'n had his head stuck in a hole on the side of the pond. I am sure a muskrat must live there. He likes to play with muskrats. When I was ready to leave he had worked his way into the burrow so that his entire head was not to be seen.

His white face was blackened with poop and mud, he smelled so bad!

We got home and into the bath he went. He hates baths, he hates water for that matter. He will not swim and walks around puddles on the road.

Observation - Cold Day in May

Woke up to a light dusting of snow on the ground. May long weekend, never fails.

Not close to being the record. This morning it was -2C. The record -7.2C was set in 1956. I would prefer the 1962 record high of 33.3C.

Need fire wood to keep yourself warm? Here is the Millson May Special

Bird and Bud

Today I watched a bird and I saw some buds. You just got'a love spring.

I have been watching the growth of a honey suckle for about 07 years now. I noticed it growing in a white spruce plantation that had plenty of poplar competition when I was in the block doing some tending.

I have tried to start cuttings from it, but have not been successful.  How do I regenerate the honeysuckle? If you know - tell me.

The poplar are not yet bursting their buds, but the honeysuckle already have leaves starting to show.  I just love the way the honeysuckle wrap around the poplar, twisting around itself and the poplar stem and branches.

Humming birds enjoy the sweet nectar the flowers produce.

The white spruce are doing very well. 

On the way out of the bush I watched a bird fly across the road. It was a woodpecker, but not one of the small ones. I watched the bird for awhile and figured it must be a black backed woodpecker.

It is a little bigger then the downy and the hairy woodpeckers, with a very black back. The woodpecker was not alone because like Canada Geese  they mate for life. The pair moved around the forest with ease landing on trees that would provide some food.

I took the picture of the woodpecker with my camera-binoculars.  Too bad the picture does not turn out as good as what I see through the binoculars.

Today in the Greenhouse

Seedlings that had been started early in the new year have been moved out of the greenhouse and into a shadehouse.

This means there is more room in the greenhouse to start some more seedlings. I am told we are now starting black spruce.

In the picture is the seeding machine with Mindy, again. If you have been following this blog you will have seen her near the seeding machine a number of times.

What is going on in the picture?  The sheet (insert) of jiffy pellets is placed on the conveyor. A template is place on top before the inserts continues under the seeder. A "cruchunk" of the machine drops seeds into a tube which travels down to the jiffy pellet under the insert. It continues down the converyor where it gets watered before traveling another conveyor to the greenhouse bench.

The jiffy pellets will expand once watered to provide plenty of rome for roots.

Mindy - did I get it right? Dan you are looking good!!

Moose on Highway 101

Come up over a hill and right on the middle of the highway are 2 moose. One large cow and a smaller yearling got off the road faster then I could get my camera out.

I did have to slow down before reaching into the back for the camera. The cow went south and the little one went north. Roll'n really wanted to go and give a little chase. 

If we had been in the bush I would have let him out, he will only chase for a short time, or if the moose turns around.  If the moose stops he stops.

He likes to chase, but he knows better then to catch. Moose are a little bigger then he is.

He does like to attack, once they are down.  Look, here is a youtube video called

"Roll'n taking down a moose"

We also saw our first bear of the season. We pulled to the side of the road to watch the little bear. The window on Roll'n side was down and he has jumped out of the window before. Not to go after a bear, he knows about bears. He is funny in the bush - a bear is the only animal he will bark at. As the bear leaves the side of the road and enters the bush Roll'n lets out 2 little barks just to tell the bear he better get going.

Oxygen grows in the garden too

So far I have nothing growing, but the snow is gone.

I finished turning the small garden in the back yard. I am behind on starting seeds and did not get it done this weekend again. next weekend is the long weekend so I will have time to play - I hope.

Since oxygen also grows in the garden, soon it will be producing.  I can plant carrots and peas next weekend in the garden the flowers and other vegetables will have to wait until June.

White birch bonsai

I have had a nice little white birch in a pot for the last couple of years. I collected it at the same time I was collecting small yellow birch. I found a clear plastic bowl, I think it was a salad bowl. Drilled some holes in the bottom for drainage.

In a couple of months I will be able to begin to shape it. 

Once I had 5 Ginkgo biloba that I had for 5 years. They were turning into great little bonsia trees. When kid number one came I did not over-winter them properly and they all got root rot. What a drag.  I have not had a good bonsai since then. So I am hoping this one will become a good example.

Kid number 1 really likes it and wants to keep it in the living room. So I guess that is where it will be. I just have to teach the kids how to take care of it.

The one picture has a round piece of glass as the table top on the hollow birch stump. The next thing I want to try is to plant a tree directly into one of the hollow stumps. That will look wonderful. It will be a little heavy and too big for our house.

You can see all the pictures I took, when I take more as the tree takes shape I will post them in the same place. Follow this link

 

Ducks Water and Ice

Yesterday was the first outdoor soccer practice for the kid.  The field is a little wet on the edges, but other then that it is pretty good.

Finally getting a start to summer. The boys of summer kick'n a ball.

While the kid was ran, jumped and kicked the dog and I went for a walk.  There is a great trail south of Northern College along the lake. One part we had to turn around since it was underwater.

A beaver has been very busy along the side of the lake as many downed trees litter the trail. 

A pair of ducks, male and female mallards, flew from the shore into the lake. Along the lake edge is water, out in the lake only gaps in the ice have water. The ducks are at home between the sheets of ice.

This picture was taken with my camera-binoculars. A 3mp digital camera attached to a pair of binoculars. What you see in the binoculars is what you get a picture of. A light-weight answer to having to lug around a camera and a pair of binoculars.

I still have the pocket digital camera with me, it comes with me everywhere. I have had the digital bino-camera for a couple of years now and I find it pretty good. 

i will put up more pictures from it this summer.

Observation - Snow in May

What a wonderful weekend!!

I walked uptown, about 45 minutes. By the time we got to where we were going we had walked in the rain, snow, sleet and more snow.

It has been a long winter so when the next day the boys were out playing basket ball in the warm cloudy weather, they got a little surprise.

Big snow flakes and basket ball go together in Timmins.

Delta class teaching old Muddy Mark

Once again the Delta class from Timmins High and Vocational School came for a tour of the greenhouse complex.

I enjoy having the older kids that ask good questions and have that keen interest to understand the forest.

I was surprised that they knew the White pine is Ontario's arboreal emblem, our provincial tree. 

Wonder about the other Ontario Emblems and Symbols

It was a perfect day for the class to come. In true teenager style they wore running shoes and even one in shorts, while the dusting of snow fell from the sky onto the muddy, very muddy ground. You just got'a love rubber boots!

While walking from the back to the front the class taught me about (oh I know I am not going to get this right but here is my stab at it) potoku, a cree word. It is the area between the snow and the ground where the mice and little creatures forage for food.  We could see in the field where this happened this past winter. You could see the trail on the ground from hole to hole.

The greenhouse is green and very hot. It is wonderful to come into the greenhouse on such cold days. Ask the people working there how nice it is . . . cloudy days are not bad, but it can get pretty hot in there on sunny days.

I wonder what they were impressed by the most?

Spring in the bush

I got to go to the bush this week. !!!!!

That makes me happy. I was out to look at the roads and harvest area. Lots of water. All the snow is gone in the cut over area, but there are still pockets of snow under the trees.

A pair of sandhill cranes flies up as I come over a hill walking on the road. I had my camera and my camera-binoculars, but I was not fast enough to get a picture of them flying away. 

Starlings were super loud. There was a big flock of them moving across the cut over, jumping from standing water puddle to the next. Mixed in with the group were chickadees and sparrows.

A couple of ratty looking butterflies came lofting along the muddy road. They would land, I would chase, they would not let me get very close. I think they are Mourning Cloak

It is good to be out walking in the sunshine again.

The dog is covered in mud up to his belly and my boots are covered in mud. the side of the road is soft at the puddles and my boots sink 25cm, not deep enough to go over the top.

Green in the Greenhouse

I just love it when the everything is green.

The smell of spring is strong, and the snow is still melting outside.

Mindy is taking care of her young charges. She has given each a name, jack pine 01, jack pine 02 . . . jack pine 231,348 . . . jack pine 

Earth Day Media

Front page of the Timmins Daily Press.

You can see the story and pictures on line.

Take a look

It turns out my face is on the front page of the Daily Press 2 days on a row. The paper is taking random submitted pictures for the front page.  I sent a bunch of the kids and 1 of me. Turns out I got picked.

They say things happen in 3's - I hope I am in the paper again for winning the lottery and not in the crime or obituary sections!

My Earth Day

Where I work at Millson Forestry Service we like to say it is Earth Day everyday.  Everything we do is for the forest, for the trees, for the Earth.

First thing this morning I printed out a large "Oxygen Certificate" for our Earth Day meeting at the Days Inn. Two for one special at the store.

A phone call from the Timmins Times got me down to the Days Inn a little early.  Pictures and information for the reporter. Next the Daily Press photo opt. Finally Persona channel 3 dropped in to get the information about what was going on.  Very busy hour for Carman (manager of the Days Inn) and I.

Todays issue of the Timmins Times has a great article about our event. the Business of Earth Day. 

Back at the greenhouse I am working on a little project to cut jiffy pellets up so we can reuse them when potting seedlings. Potted seedlings will grow bigger and better, which will suit the urban tree planter. A reuse project on Earth Day, just another day at the greenhouse. Earth Day is every day.

A gal, Tammy, at he greenhouse is a bit of an artist and has a history of making t-shirts. Daystar Stitching supplied the shirt and Tammy supplied the artwork.  

Look at us in the pictures - but more important - look at all the green in the background. there is close to 2 million tree seedlings in the greenhouse now. I think we have over 6 on the grow right now and more to come.

    

      

Earth Day 2009 Timmins, Ontario

The Business of Earth Day

Two locally owned businesses come together to help our earth

Timmins, ON (April. 20, 2009) – Days Inn & Conference Centre - Timmins is pleased to announce the implementation of an employee awareness program based on the Natural Resources Canada Canadian Industry Program for Energy Conservation (CIPEC). This program will encourage staff to maximize efficiency by enhancing energy performance while reducing operating costs in the workplace.

On April 22, to help raise awareness for Earth Day and coincide with the launch of its employee awareness program, the team at Days Inn & Conference Centre - Timmins will be giving all guests and dining room patrons a tree of their very own. Mark Joron of  Millson Forestry Service states that they “ have supplied white pine (Ontario’s Arboreal Emblem) tree seedlings today, these trees are similar to the “oxygen trees” planted”.

Days Inn & Conference Centre - Timmins has also joined forces with Millson Forestry Service who will be planting a tree for every two guest rooms sold during the month of May. “We are pleased to be partnering with Millson Forestry Service and are dedicated to raising awareness for this great cause,” said Carmen Swartz, Operations Manager, Days Inn & Conference Centre - Timmins. “Together we are stepping up to the challenge and will work hand-in-hand with Millson Forestry Service to help the environment.”  

For Millson Forestry Service, Earth Day is everyday.  To celebrate Earth Day Millson Forestry Service is offering a two for one special until April 28th.  When purchasing an oxygen tree you will receive a certificate indicating that two trees were planted for you, your friends, your family or client.

It was last year on Earth Day that Millson launched it’s new website and webstore. “I know that people from all over the world are looking at the site every day” said Mark Joron. “ You can buy seedlings, cones, burls, essential oils, birch bark and now firewood”.

In support of the employee awareness program, the Days Inn Timmins has been retrofitted with energy efficient lighting, launched an internal recycling program and installed waterless urinals in the men’s restrooms. Ceramic mugs have also been provided to all staff in order to reduce the usage of disposable cups.

For further information please contact:

Mark Joron

Forest Technologist

Millson Forestry Service

Tel: (705) 264-3426

email: info@millsonforestry.com

OR

Carmen Swartz

Operations Manager

Days Inn & Conference Centre - Timmins

Tel: (705) 267-6211

Email: carmen@daysinntimmins.ca 

Birds Back to Timmins

Spring is in the air! Just look up!

Standing in the driveway yesterday chatting with a friend, when suddenly "wait, quite, listen". Being a little bit of weird bird Ivan thought nothing strange in the way my gaze reached to the cloudless sky after I silenced him.

Sandhill cranes. Sandhill cranes in my backyard, ok in the airspace above my backyard, but that counts.

This is the earliest I have seen them here by about 3 weeks. Summer is going to come fast and be hot!

Earlier in the morning a pair of robins were playing on my side patio. They are early by at least a week or more. Summer is coming fast and is going to be hot!

(if I say it one more time do you think it will come true?)

You can read more about the sandhill crane at Environment Canada.

You can hear the call on the site too, or go there now.

Read more about the Robin or listen now.

Muddy Mark
Learn more

Forest Research Partnership in Timmins

The Forest Research Partnership has a project here in Timmins, just 24km down Pine street south.

Highlights for me include the discovery of 400 year old white cedar and bird study part of the project.

The block also has the biggest white pine in the area. (see the Honour Roll of Timmins Trees)

Three different orchids - I will have to follow up on what those three are when I am in the same place as my notes.

A wonderful yellow birch stand was discovered in the block and management techniques were used to continue the health of the stand. This is the only yellow birch managed stand in the north, since yellow birch is at the northern edge of their range.

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The project team is working to merge high-tech inventory with leading-edge forest modeling and silvicultural science with operational practice, to set the standard for the credible implementation of enhanced forest productivity. Specifically, integrated harvest-to-harvest sequences of best practices are being implemented that include components such as:

1. State of the art spatial modeling to aid in prime site selection.

2. Enhanced forest inventory to optimize operational planning, including block and road engineering.

3. Careful, high-utilization logging

4. Thorough mechanical and/or chemical site preparation

5. Timely planting or high quality stock, including the best genetics available and species matched to microsite.

6. Timely and effective vegetation management.

7. Density regulation defined by long-term crop plans.

Within each of these components, new knowledge and tools are being fully implemented to operationally test and validate their integrity.

See the newest report and past reports.

Beauty in the Boreal

Snow is beautiful, you have to love it! If you do not love it you may cry.

March 29th here in Timmins a snow fall record was broken. 20.0 cm of snow fell, breaking the old record of 16.8 cm which fell March 29th, 1975.

This year to date 340 cm have fallen on the trees here in Timmins. That is the amount that has fallen on my driveway too. I have moved a lot of snow this year.

Today another 10 cm fell and more is coming.

Ya just got'ta love it.

Earth Hour 2009 Timmins, Ontario

Earth Hour 2009 Timmins, Ontario. Our first time at participation.

At our place we dug a hole in the snow and placed our fire pit base there. We started the fire a little early so the young ones could roast some hot dogs.

From 8:30 - 9:30 no lights were on in the house and anything else we could think of that used power was turned off. Candles burned in the front window, the bathroom and the living room.

Outside the fire burned to provide heat and light. It was a little cold, minus 5 away from the fire.

Kid number 1 and I sat at the fire for half an hour and talked about life in her fast lane. i really enjoy our talks.

Powerwise, only the fridge and furnace working this earthhour

Wind and Solar Power at Gillies Lake

Gillies Lake now has a wind turbine and solar array that soon will be producing green energy.

It is new!

It is smaller then the wind generators in the wind farm I visited in Sault Ste. Marie, but it is still very impressive.

I am told it is a Skystream 3.7. This summer you should be able to visit it and see how much electricity it is generating. The power is wired in to the building and I think there is also plans to have it into the grid to reverse the meter!

What a great idea. It was pretty windy when I was there today and it was quite, much more quite then the big towers in Sault Ste. Marie. I am really looking forward to all the information it will be able to show. Will have to follow this once it is fully operational and displays in place.

You can follow the link below for more information on the wind generator there is also links to MRCA and Wintergreen Fund for Conservation. There is a picture of the wind farm in Sault Ste Marie.

Skystream
MRCA
Wintergreen Fund for Conservation

March 17 a record breaker

March 17th was a record breaking warm day in Timmins.

The old record set in 1968 was 10.6. Much of the snow melted and water ran everywhere.

The mountain of snow in my back yard did not go down very much but seemed to just get a little stronger and slicker.

Today it is one big chunk of ice as the temperature has fallen again to -15. Looking forward to spring, the flowers the birds, the walking trails to explore.

Greenhouse is turning green

Spring has come under the plastic. I love this time of the year. You can step out of the -30C outside temperature and into a tropic moist warmth that fogs my glasses instantly. Soon the benches will be just a sea of green.

We have been seeding in the greenhouse now for month. The little seeds of white pine, white spruce and jack pine are starting to germinate. You can see in the pictures the seed coat has not yet fallen off some of the seedlings. The seed coat will fall off as they get bigger.


I see I will have to work harder at getting better closeup shots.

















millsonforestry.com
Timmins Honour Role of Trees