A comparison of historical and current forest cover in selected areas of the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Forest of central Ontario

Abstract

Crown survey notes from the late 1800s were used to reconstruct forest cover at that time in four forest management units in central Ontario, Canada. Historic forest cover was then compared to forest cover in 1990 based on Forest Resources Inventory (FRI) maps. Regional results indicate that the proportions of maple (Acer spp.) in the forest increased by 12.5%, while balsam fir (Abies balsamea) declined by 3.5%, hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) by 2.3% and other conifers (larch (Larix laricina) and cedar (Thuja occidentalis)) by 2.1%. The frequency of occurrence of maple, ash (Fraxinus spp.), yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis), poplar (Populus spp.) and spruce (Picea spp.) also increased while white birch (Betula papyrifera), hemlock and other hardwoods (e.g., oak (Quercus spp.), basswood (Tilia americana), beech (Fagus grandifolia), elm (Ulmus spp.), ironwood (Ostrya virginiana) and black cherry (Prunus serotina Ehrh.)) declined. The region-wide proportional increase in maple is likely due to timber harvest techniques such as selective logging, effective fire suppression and the ecology of the maple species. Crown survey notes have been a useful tool in reconstructing presettlement forest cover. Survey notes can easily be obtained and used by forest managers and planners to understand presettlement conditions of this forest. Managers can achieve zero net loss of forest types in relation to the presettlement condition by using appropriate silvicultural practices to reduce the proportion of maple.Key words: Crown Survey records, presettlement forest, Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Forest, working group, frequency of occurrence Les relevés d'arpentage des terres publiques de la fin des années 1800 ont été utilisés pour reconstituer le couvert forestier de l'époque dans quatre unités d'aménagement forestier du centre de l'Ontario au Canada. Le couvert forestier de cette époque a été comparé par la suite au couvert forestier de 1990 en fonction des cartes de l'Inventaire des ressources forestières. Les résultats régionaux indiquent que la proportion d'érable (Acer spp.) dans les forêts a augmenté de 12,5 % tandis que le sapin baumier (Abies balsamea) a diminué de 3,5 %, la pruche (Tsuga canadensis) de 2,3 % et les autres conifères (le mélèze (Larix laricina) et le thuya (Thuja occidentalis)) de 2,1 %. La fréquence de la présence de l'érable, du frêne (Fraxinus spp.), du bouleau jaune (Betula alleghaniensis), du peuplier (Populus spp.) et de l'épinette (Picea spp.) a également augmenté tandis que le bouleau blanc (Betula papyrifera), la pruche et les autres bois francs (par ex., le chêne (Quercus spp.), le tilleul (Tilia americana), le hêtre (Fagus grandifolia), l'orme (Ulmus spp.), l'ostryer (Ostrya virginiana) et le cerisier tardif (Prunus serotina Ehrh.)) ont décliné. L'accroissement proportionnel dans toute la région pour l'érable est vraisemblablement dû aux techniques de récolte telle la coupe sélective, à la suppression totale des feux de forêt et à l'écolo-gie des érables. Les relevés d'arpentage des terres publiques o...

Avian Assemblages Differ between Old-Growth and Mature White Pine Forests of Ontario, Canada: A Role for Supercanopy Trees?

“…This historical logging, plus a policy of eliminating old growth earlier this century, fire suppression, and, in some areas, fungal disease, have together contributed to the loss and fragmentation of eastern old-growth pine forests, and to the resulting landscape pattern of remnant, isolated stands seen today (Suffling et al 2003, Thompson et al 2006). Evidence for significant reductions in red and white pine comes from broad-scale studies (e.g., >180,000 km 2 by Pinto et al 2008; see also Leadbitter et al 2002). In Algonquin Park (a 7630-km 2 provincial park in central Ontario, Canada), pine-dominated stands have declined by 40%.…”

The presettlement hardwood forests and wildlife of Algonquin Provincial Park: A synthesis of historic evidence and recent research

“…These data show that the most clearly hemlock-dominated COFEC ecosite (hemlock-yellow birch) has declined 62% (from 12.75 to 4.72% of area) in four townships in the hardwood zone since 1890 (Corbett 2000, Leadbitter et al 2002. Wilton (1987), documented the more recent removal of hemlock.…”

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Anthropogenic Disturbances Create a New Vegetation Toposequence in the Gatineau River Valley, Quebec

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