This evening’s speakers, Andrea and Ezekiel, were introduced by Jack Wilson. Jack noted that work underway in the Forest includes trail improvement, an open air classroom, and a portable washroom.
Occasionally concerns are raised about the risk of a forest fire in the Assiniboine Forest. With 700 acres of Forest, this needs to be addressed. We have two people in our club who are foresters - Andrea and Ezekiel - and they will speak from their professional knowledge.
Andrea went to the Forest on Saturday to get pictures. There are two main categories of tree: Deciduous and Coniferous. Deciduous trees ‘decide’ to shed their leaves, and they are also known as hardwoods. Coniferous trees have cones, and needles, and are also known as softwoods.
The Assiniboine Forest is mostly deciduous such as Trembling Aspen, Bur Oak, Balsam Poplar, Manitoba Maple and Green Ash. There is very little softwood in the forest.
A hardwood forest is a type of forest that needs disturbances to renew itself, for example, fire or clearing. A deliberate fire is not considered a viable option for the Forest as it is too risky. Removal and clearing would be an option, but the impact would be minor. Significant clearing would be too destructive.
Trees in Assiniboine Forest
Deciduous
- Trembling Aspen
- Short lived
- Prone to disease
- Needs full sunlight
- First to come back after a disturbance.
- Other species don’t mind some shade, so they return later.
- Bur Oak
- Does not like to sit in water
- Likes drier sites
- Is a true hardwood
- Aspen
- Usually reproduces by root suckers
- Oak
- Reproduces with acorns
- Stress results in a bumper croup of acorns
- Balsam Poplar
- Softer wood
- Likes more moisture
Understanding Vegetation
Vegetation promotes biodiversity, which is healthy. Some provide berries and seeds, which is food for birds and animals.
Coniferous trees
- Are very flammable
- Have high content resin and sap
- Needles act as kindling
- Dense growth and low hanging branches
- Fires are harder to control and suppress
- Not a big part of the Assiniboine Forest
Andrea shared being told, as a young Forester, that all she needed to know about trees is that there are two kinds: pointy and flappy.
Ezekiel
Ezekiel is a fire behaviour analyst. He circulated booklets outlining the Canadian Forest Fire Danger Rating System (CFFDRS). The books have mostly been retired in favour of apps that accomplish the same results easier and quicker. He talked about how fire likelihood and difficulty of suppression is predicted.
Fire is unpredictable, and has an unsteady rate of acceleration. That being said, a fire in the Assiniboine Forest should be easy to suppress, and may even self-extinguish, due to the nature of the vegetation. If it makes it to the edge of a lawn, it will almost certainly burn itself out.
There is a great deal of resiliency in the Assiniboine Forest, but some vulnerability in spring and fall. A boreal forest is fire adapted.
President David thanked Ezekiel and Andrea and they answered some interesting questions.
