March/April 2015 1

Wisdom in the Woods

Winnipeg resident DerrickFinch is tapping birch trees forsyrup, but unlike most tree­tappers, he’s harvesting sap inthe city instead of the country.

“It’s a bit of a cheesy pun,”said Finch, “but urban trees arean untapped resource.”

Finch tapped a dozen trees inhis St. Boniface neighbourhoodthis spring, down from twentytrees last year.

“It’s a lot of work. In an urbansetting, you have to walk ordrive to all your trees to checkon them.”

Finch said this is his third yeartapping, and he’s experimentingwith developing a cost­effectiveevaporation system. It takes 40litres of maple sap to make onelitre of syrup, but producing asingle litre of birch syruprequires boiling down 100 litresof birch sap.

For the time being, Finch saidthat he is collecting sap for hisown use, and experimenting thisyear with making birch sap beer.But he can also see the potentialfor an urban sap market.

“If there could be a bunch ofpeople tapping trees around thecity and selling it to a centralbuyer, you could create an urbansap harvesting business.”

Finch said his partner EllenCobb­Friesen studied syrup­making in 2013 with instructorKen Fosty at a workshop offeredby the Manitoba ForestryAssociation, and has sharedwhat she learned with him.

Derrick Finch displays a jar of birch syrup from last year's harvest of local birch sapin Winnipeg, some from this 50­­old birch in a neighbour's yard in St. Boniface thathe's tapped again this spring.

Harvesting sap in the cityBy Sheilla Jones

• MFA's Year in Review, pages 6­7 • Harvesting ostrich fiddleheads, pages 8­9

2 The Manitoba Woodlot

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The Manitoba Woodlot is published six times annually as aservice to the membership of the Woodlot Association ofManitoba (WAM).

WAM seeks to promote an understanding of sustainablewoodlot management, increase income and employmentpotential for the woodlot sector, promote the use of woodlotproducts in the place of non­renewable and imported products,and develop human resources in woodlot management.

WAM represents the interests of our members within theCanadian Federation of Woodlot Owners (CFWO). TheCFWO makes those interests known to forestry ministers atboth levels of government.

WAM also has a representative to the Manitoba ModelForest, another organization that promotes sustainablemanagement of Manitoba’s wooded areas.

WAM is a non­profit organization led by a volunteer Boardof Directors, which meets monthly. Our Annual GeneralMeeting (AGM) is held each year before the end of Marchand is open to all members in good standing.

Woodlot Association of ManitobaBoard of Directors 2015/2016

President: Irene de Graaf, Narol, (204) 661­2068president@woodlotmanitoba.com

Vice­President: Louise Matthewson, GimiliSecretary­Treasurer:

Allan Webb, Stonewall (204) 467­8648secretary@woodlotmanitoba.com

Past President: Len RidingDirectors:

•Mike James, Winnipeg, Beaconia•Bob Austman, Beausejour•Tom Dykstra, Balmoral•Bruce MacLeod, Winnipeg•Clint Pinder, Stony Mountain•Chris Matthewson, Oakbank•Silvia Chiaramellow, Thalberg

THE MANITOBA WOODLOTEditor: Sheilla Jones

Email: editor@woodlotmanitoba.comWebsite: woodlotmanitoba.com

Woodlot Association of Manitoba900 Corydon Ave., Winnipeg, MB R3M 0Y4

Duct tape has many uses, including taping closed thesocks you’ve pulled up over the legs of your pants to keepout wood ticks. It works, although experience shows thatyou need to wrap the tape around several times to make asecure seal.

Spring is tick season, and anyone walking through thebush and grassy headlands needs to be mindful thatmillions of hungry ticks are lying in wait for a warm­blooded creature to walk by.

Scientists who study the behaviour of ticks note that theytend to congregate in clusters on grass stalks or leaf tips ata height of about 0.5­1 metre so they can more easily latchonto a passing deer or human.

Dr. Bill Samuel, a noted Canadian specialist on mooseticks, says that ticks can feel you coming. They can detectcarbon dioxide from the breath of a moose (or a human)from about 20 metres (50 feet). They can also detectground vibrations from someone walking by. Samuel notesthat ticks lying in wait in the grass will link their legstogether to form a chain, and when a tick manages toattach itself to its new food source, it brings a whole chainof companions along with it.

The best defence against ticks, says Elizabeth Gleim, aUSA forestry researcher and tick specialist, is beingvigilant.

“The number­one thing is to perform prompt, careful fullbody checks after a visit into the forest. While preventativemeasures such as wearing insect repellents with DEET orpermethrin are wise, chances are some ticks will get pastthese defenses. The good news for most tick­bornepathogens is that it takes a tick several hours to transmit apathogen. If you can remove the tick in that time, you'll besafe.”

Wearing one­piece coveralls out in the bush helps reduceentry points for ticks. Duct tape can certainly help as adeterrent, but it’s not fool­proof.

Taking on ticksin the woods

CIF AGM set for Kenora in FallThe 107th Annual Canadian Institute of Forestry AGM

& Conference will be hosted by the Lake of the WoodsSection in Kenora, Ontario from September 14­17, 2015.This year’s theme is “Sharing the Forest”.

A pre­conference tour will be travelling from Winnipegto Kenora on Monday September 14th, and a post­conference tour will be travelling from Kenora toThunder Bay on Friday September 18th and SaturdaySeptember 19th.

Registration fee is $495.00. For more details, go onlineto www.cif­ifc.org/events/2015­cif­agm­conference.

March/April 2015 3

Softwood lumber agreement back in the newsThe Canadian Softwood Lumber Agreement is set

to expire in October, adding to the uncertainty in themarketplace. Lawyers on both sides are building theircases. Americans want to charge extra duty onimported Canadian lumber, arguing that our lowstumpage rates amount to an unfair subsidy. Thiscould create a tariff on exports of Canadian lumber,making us less competitive against domesticAmerican lumber.

CFS to study benefits of woodlotsThe Canadian Forest Service has begun an

extensive probe into the economic and social benefitsof woodlots to the national economy. This willhopefully lead to policies that support woodlotowners for the excellent work they do managing theirprivate woodlots, and perhaps some recognition ofthe environmental goods and services they provide,such as biodiversity, oxygen production, and carbonstorage.

Provincial finances taking a tollAn extreme winter in Eastern Canada, especially in

the Maritimes, left a record snowpack on the groundthis spring. To add to the misery, ice jams affectedmany rivers, causing localized flooding. There will aprolonged ‘mud season’, making it difficult forlandowners and contractors to harvest woodlots.

Tight budgets in Quebec and Nova Scotia have ledto reduced funding for silviculture programs. Thebottom line here is that fewer trees will be planted,and fewer woodlots will receive thinning work,meaning reduced net growth of our future forestresource.

In Alberta, a massive deficit is being predicted,leading to layoffs in all natural resource sectors.Provincial forestry staff and other public servants willbe affected.

On the bright side…Overall there is an improvement in prices of

roundwood delivered to mills. Increased demand inthe U.S. is driving the increase, due in part to a weakCanadian dollar. In Manitoba, woodlot ownerscontinue to face a lack of markets, with only twolarge mills remaining—Tolko in The Pas, andLouisiana Pacific in Swan River. However, themarket for firewood is very strong, and dealers arelooking for wood on a year­round basis.

Until next time, happy woodlotting. Stay safe inthe woods!

Millions of trees in California’s national forests havedied from the state’s four­year drought that has left treesvulnerable to bark beetle infestations.

The US Forest Service estimates that about 12.5­million trees have died in the current drought, adding tothe fuel for potential explosive wildfires. Aerial surveysreveal nearly a million acres of dead trees in the massivedie­off.

The last time California saw a comparable mass die­offwas in the 1970s, when an estimated 14­million treesdied due to drought conditions.

Drought isn’t the only threat to California’s forest.Bark beetles thrive in warm, dry conditions, and thedrought­weakened trees are vulnerable to beetleinfestations that damage the inner bark. The number ofbeetle­killed trees, says the Forest Service, has doubledin the past year.

Californians regularly deal with wildfires, but officialssay this will be a particularly dangerous year. There havebeen 850 wildfires in the state so far this year, which is a70 percent increase from the average.

CFWO Report: A few brightspots for woodlot owners

By Bob Austman, CFWO Manitoba Chair

California suffering frommassive forest die­off

CIF AGM set for Kenora in Fall

4 The Manitoba Woodlot

My husband Italo Ferrarese and I have a nice farm withcultivated land, woodlot quarter and bush nearby a forest,on sandy land near Thalberg, which is about 40 km northof Beausejour. We had many projects with regard to thewooded part of our property, but also due to our age wehave not done many innovations or exploited the bush.

We discovered the Woodlot Association of Manitoba afew years ago, and we have tried to keep an update of allthe possibilities that a woodlot could offer and how toexploit and improve our bush, attending meetings,participating in some WAM activities.

We have recently contacted the Manitoba ForestryAssociation, to get suggestions and advice on how to useour woodlot.

Before buying our farm in St. Clements Muncipality,we owned a Limousin breeding ranch near Lake Dauphin.My husband and I had immigrated to Canada from Italyin 1985, and we wanted to change our style of life to livemore in the wild.

Our new life on the ranch was very hard work, and afterthirteen years, we sold and moved to Thalberg.

We planted more than 4­thousand Scots pines for a

Christmas tree activity. We also tried seabuckthornproduction, attending seminars and contacting agricultureexperts in this field. We planted seabuckthorn, but wefound that our land was not suitable and the project wasabandoned.

I have been working as a translator in Winnipeg, butnow I will have more time to dedicate to WAM.

Meet WAM's newest board member:Sivlia Chiaramello

Silvia Chiaramello isthe newest additionto the WAM board.She joins the slate ofofficers from lastyear, who were all re­elected at WAM'sAGM in Winnipeg inMarch, 2015.

March/April 2015 5

Birch trees are perhaps one of the best recognized treesin the prairie landscape. Part I introduced a number ofprairie­hardy birch selections. In Part II, we will discussmore selections, as well as optimal cultural techniquesthat promote longevity of birch trees in the landscape.

EUROPEAN WHITE BIRCH – Betula pendulaCutleaf Weeping Birch is a graceful weeping tree with

attractive white bark and delicate cutleaf foliage. Thecrown shape is narrowly oval with slender branchespossessing cascading tips. With its chalk­white bark andweeping form, Cutleaf Weeping is a standout in anylandscape. However, its high level of susceptibility tobronze birch borer limits the lifespan of this tree in manyareas. The largest specimens are often found in localeswith cooler summers and where extra moisture isavailable. Mature size is 40’ x 25’ (12m x 8m).

RIVER BIRCH – Betula nigraRiver Birch is a popular tree in warmer zones due to its

shaggy, copper­bronze bark and natural immunity tobronze birch borer. However, American cultivars such as‘Heritage’ lack sufficient cold hardiness to be used in theprairies.

Northern Tribute® is an outstanding river birch cultivarfrom Dr. Herman’s breeding program at North DakotaState University. Selected in zone 3 conditions(Dickinson, North Dakota), it is believed that NorthernTribute® will stand up against the stressful prairieenvironment, including cold winter temperatures andalkaline soils. Mature size is 40’ x 30’ (12m x 9m).Presently being increased by tissue culture, it is hopedthat Northern Tribute® will be available in the nurserytrade in three to four years.

BIRCH TREE CULTUREThe culture of birch trees has been greatly

misunderstood, with many homeowners failing torecognize the link between overall tree health and pestresistance. Although well adapted in their native habitat,birch trees in the landscape are often stressed by factorssuch as deficient moisture, excessive heat and poor soiltypes. Birch trees should be planted in landscape siteswhere the soil will remain cool and moist, but where thetree’s canopy will receive full sunshine most of the day.

Eastern and northern exposures often provide groundshade from the intense, afternoon sun.

Most birch species have shallow roots and are verysusceptible to dry conditions, even for a short period oftime. Sufficient watering is probably the most importantfactor in maintaining a healthy birch tree. During periodsof limited precipitation, a slow (2­3 hours), deep (8­18inches) watering once per week is required to maintainadequate soil moisture. Applying wood mulch 2­3 inchesdeep over the tree's root system will also help to

Part IIBirch trees for the prairies:Cultivars and cultureBy Philip Ronald, PhDJeffries Nurseries

Northern Tribute birch tree

Continued on page 11

6 The Manitoba Woodlot

The 2014­2015 fiscal year for the Manitoba ForestryAssociation was a transitional one, as the MFAunfortunately lost two great employees, its two ResourceExtension Officers working in the Private LandResource Planning (PLRP) program.

The MFA said goodbye to its long­time employee,Andrea Kraayveld, as she moved onto a new adventure.Kevin Barkman, the MFA’s other Resource ExtensionOfficer also left the organization for a new opportunity.

To replace the loss of them, in the early summer theMFA hired two new Resource Extension Officers,Kristen Malec and Tatiana Moroz. Since their start at theMFA, they have been busy meeting landowners andmembers of partner organizations, and being trained onthe Private Land Resource Planning program.

Since then, PLRP has been in full swing. There hasbeen high demand from landowners (this includesprivate individuals, school groups, and organizations) forResource Management Plans offered through the MFA’sPLRP program.

In addition to Resource Management Plan delivery, the

Resource Extension Officers also participated inconferences and educational events to provide educationto the public and students about the importance of forestsand sustainable forest management.

Within the past year, the PLRP staff participated in thefollowing educational events: the delivery of a CanadianInstitute of Forestry E­Lecture about the MFA’s PLRPprogram, which was broadcast to forestry professionalsand practitioners throughout Canada, and the delivery ofa forestry workshop at the annual Harvest Moon Eco­Challenge in Clearwater, MB for grade 7 and 8 students.

Conferences included: the annual ManitobaConservation Districts Association conference inBrandon, and the Manitoba Environmental IndustriesCareer Expo at the University of Winnipeg. At each ofthe events the MFA hosted a booth, and in addition tothat at the career expo a tree identification workshop washeld for all participants. These events provided Kristenand Tatiana the opportunity to share information aboutthe MFA’s PLRP program, meet landowners andconservation district members from within the province,as well as share information with students about theforest industry.

Partnering with other organizationsPartnerships with like­minded organizations are very

important to the MFA, and through the PLRP programthe MFA has been working with several organizations onvarious projects.

The MFA has been working with the WoodlotAssociation of Manitoba, and a science consultant whoworks with schools in northern Manitoba, to develop anonline learning module based on WAM’s Wood­Wise101 workshops. The intent is to provide a self­pacedonline training course on how to properly source, storeand utilize firewood for heating purposes. In addition,the resource extension officers contributed various

Manitoba Forestry Association

Manitoba Forestry Association’sPrivate Land Resource Planning Program

The 2014­2015 Year in Review

March/April 2015 7

articles to WAM’s newsletter.Kristen and Tatiana’s work with the Manitoba

Christmas Tree Growers Association (MCTGA) last yearinvolved the development of a new website for theassociation. With this knowledge, they developed anddelivered a presentation to the MCTGA on how to createFacebook pages and inexpensive (but professional­looking) websites, and how to use them to market theirChristmas tree farms.

The MFA has been working with Manitoba HabitatHeritage Corporation, the Pembina Valley ConservationDistrict, and the RM of Thompson since 2013 on aproject titled “Sustainable Slopes”. The purpose of thisproject is to educate landowners on the benefits ofmaintaining tree cover on erodible landscapes.

The target area of the project is along the ManitobaEscarpment in the south­central area of Manitoba in theRMs of Stanley, Thompson, Pembina, and Lorne. Thisarea is quite hilly and its slopes are prone to erosion. TheMFA’s role is to provide Resource Management Plans forlandowners within the project area, to ensure sustainableand appropriate management of their woodlots in thesesensitive areas. This project runs until April of 2016.

The MFA is in the midst of its ten­year partnership withQualico Homes in the “Planting for the Future” program.In September, the MFA coordinated the planting of10,000 white spruce seedlings in the community ofVassar through this program.

In addition to this, during National Forestry Week, theMFA and Qualico Homes planted trees in Ste. Agathewith grade 5 & 6 Winnipeg inner city students fromMachray School, and grade 5 & 6 students from Ste.Agathe. This was all in the spirit of educating kids about

the importance of trees and environmental stewardship.

Spring activitiesActivities within the PLRP program include the MFA’s

annual Seedling Sales distribution, which was held thisyear on May 7­9, with a tree planting workshop for theRM of Piney in late May, and participation in theRegional and Provincial Envirothon events this April andMay.

Kristen and Tatiana’s work in the Sustainable Slopes,and the Planting for the Future programs will continue,as will their work with the MFA’s partner organizations,WAM and MCTGA.

Of course, they will be delivering ResourceManagement Plans to private woodlot owners inManitoba throughout the year.

If you would like additional information about theMFA’s Private Land Resource Planning program, contactKristen and Tatiana. See the ads on these pages forcontact information.

Winter slopes on theManitoba Escarpmentin south­centralManitoba , whereMFA is working withconservation districtson erosionprevention.

8 The Manitoba Woodlot

Harvesting ostrich fiddleheads in woodlotsFiddleheads have been a staple spring vegetable in theMaritimes for hundreds of years, but they are gaining

in popularity across North America. Harvestingostrich ferns or planting new ferns on your woodlot

can be a great source of income in the spring, asfiddleheads can sell for $5 to $15 per pound.

Story by Williams Stolz, Ontario Nature

The ostrich fern can be found growing in the wild all acrossCanada, including Manitoba, and there are even commercialfiddlehead farms popping up in Ontario, Quebec and theMaritimes.

The ostrich fern Matteuccia struthiopteris is one of spring’searly risers. Named after the Ancient Greek "struthio" meaningostrich and "pterion" meaning wing, the name refers to the large,feather­like shape of the fern. The curled crosiers that emerge inthe spring are fittingly called fiddleheads.

Finding fiddleheadsOstrich ferns are most commonly found under canopies of

hardwoods such as ash or maple near rivers or streambeds. Theyprefer little mid­ or understorey cover with adequate drainage andmoisture. Although ostrich ferns are found near water, they do notlike excessive moisture where they are constantly wet.

Ostrich ferns grow best in shade or dappled sunlight, and areusually found in soils with a moderate amount of organic matter,a pH of 5­7, and in sandy or silt loams with not too much clay.

Fiddleheads emerge in the spring, covered in a papery­brownchaff, from a black clump called a crown.

Eat these fiddleheads

Left, the distinctivefeather­shaped frondsof an ostrich fern.Right, edible ostrichfiddleheads ready toharvest.

Photo creditsAbove: Amanda Trnkowczy, NCAbove right: Victor Crich

March/April 2015 9

The ostrich fern can be confused with the bracken fern.The two are similar in appearance, but you can distinguishbetween them if you know what to look for.

Ostrich ferns usually have 6­8 fronds emerging from asingle crown, while the bracken has only one. The ostrichfrond has a celery­like, U­shaped groove in its single stemand a feather­like appearance, while the bracken fronddivides into three branches that are almost triangular inappearance.

It is important to be able to correctly identify ostrich fernsbecause some species, like bracken fern, are known to becarcinogenic.

Harvesting fiddleheadsFiddleheads are best picked from late April to early June,

from the time they emerge until the stem is 15 cm tall.Fiddleheads should be picked only when still tightly coiled,and the short stem can be eaten as well.

When harvesting, it is recommended that you take lessthan half from any one crown to ensure a sustainableharvest. Harvesting more than half the fiddleheads from acrown can harm the plant, and even kill it. If there are fewerthan four fiddleheads on a crown, they should not beharvested. It means the plant is either too young or isstunted.

Harvesting can be done by snapping the fiddleheads orcutting with a knife. Care should be taken when cutting notto damage any of the remaining fiddleheads. To remove thepapery covering, it is best to rub it off with your hands oruse a fan to winnow the covering while lightly tossing thefiddleheads.

Clean containers should be used to collect fiddleheads andonly potable water should be used during cleaning; do notuse water from rivers or streams. Refrigerate as soon aspossible to ensure freshness.

Storing harvested fiddleheadsFiddleheads can be refrigerated for approximately two

weeks. Since the harvesting season is only a few weekslong, many people freeze fiddleheads to enjoy them year­round.

When freezing fiddleheads, a simple blanching willsuffice. Boil cleaned fiddleheads for two minutes, pour out

Don't eat thesefiddleheads!

Right, the brackenfiddlehead is notedible. Below, thetriangular­shapedfronds of a brackenfern that set it apartfrom an ostrich fern.

Photo creditsAbove, top: Colin Avison, NCAbove: Homer Edward Price

Continued on page 10

10 The Manitoba Woodlot

Why become a member of WAM?

As a member you will be promoting activestewardship of Manitoba’s privately ownedwoodlands, woodlots and family forests. Youwill also receive a great deal, including:

—A bi­monthly newsletter, complete with up­to­date information of upcoming events, currentwoodlot/forestry/conservation issues, and woodproducts/services available in your area. TheManitoba Woodlot newsletter can be mailed toa Canadian address or accessible on­line tomembers only in advance of being madeavailable to the public. On­line access savesWAM the costs for postage and printing, andmembers can view the newsletter in colour.View past issues of The Manitoba Woodlot atwoodlotmanitoba.com/newsletter.

—Special members­only rates for events andworkshops.

—Opportunities to participate in field days,demonstrations, conferences, workshops andmeetings on topics related to woodlotmanagement.

—Free classified ads in The Manitoba Woodlot.

—If you operate a commercial woodlot oragrowoodlot, the WAM membership fee is a taxdeductible business expense.

—Membership in WAM is open to individualsand businesses. Dues are $30.00. Thoseinterested in membership can telephone (204)467­8648, or apply/renew membership on­lineat woodlotmanitoba.com/about­us/membership.

leftover water, then cool the fiddleheads in ice­coldwater. Remove from the water, dry and then packagefiddleheads in freezer or vacuum­sealed bags.Fiddleheads can be stored in the freezer for up to oneyear.

Care in cooking fiddleheadsAlthough there have been cases of food poisoning

from eating raw fiddleheads, the exact cause of illness isstill unknown. Because of this, Health Canada hasreleased specific guidelines for proper handling andcooking.

There are two ways Health Canada recommendscooking fiddleheads: boiling or steaming. To boil them,fill a pot with a generous amount of water and bring it toa boil. The water can be lightly salted if you so choose.Add the fiddleheads and bring the water back to a boiland cook for 15 minutes. Discard the leftover water.

To steam fiddleheads, bring water to a boil in a pan.Using a steam basket, add the fiddleheads and steam for10­12 minutes until they are tender. Again, discard thewater.

Do not sauté, stir fry or microwave fiddleheads. If arecipe calls for such cooking methods, boil or steam thefiddleheads first.

Fiddleheads can be added to almost any recipe thatcalls for vegetables. A common way to eat them is to addbutter, lemon juice and garlic.

Preparing and cookingostrich fiddleheadsContinued from page 9

March/April 2015 11

Membership Application for 2015

Membership fee 2015 $30.00Renewal fee 2015 $30.00

NameMailing Address

EmailTelephone

I am particularly interested in the following:

Firewood and biomass energyWildlife habitat enhancementSoil and water conservationLand stewardshipRecreation, eco­tourismWood products, logging, sawmillsSpecialty or non­traditional products

(i.e., berries, mushrooms, maple syrup)Christmas treesAll of the above

Would you like to receive your copy of TheManitoba Woodlot via email?Yes No

Do you require a receipt? Yes No (WAM provides receipts only upon request.)

Thank you for becoming involved and forsupporting Manitoba’s privately ownedwoodlands, woodlots and family forests.

Mail to:Woodlot Association of Manitobac/o Allan Webb, Secretary­TreasurerBox 43Stonewall, MB R0C 2Z0

You can sign­up on­line by going towoodlotmanitoba.com/about­us/membership.

conserve soil moisture and further protect the rootsystem from excessive heat and evaporation. Woodmulch also reduces soil compaction which often provesdamaging to the tree’s shallow, delicate root system.

The bronze birch borer (Agrilus anxius) is a lethalinsect pest on numerous birch species. In the prairies,this insect is most often observed on Cutleaf Weepingand Paper Birch, especially those trees growing in claysoils or weakened by drought. The larvae of bronzebirch borer feed on living phloem tissue under the bark,forming a network of tunnels that eventually girdle thestem and kill the tree. Early symptoms include thinningand die­back at the top of the tree’s canopy. The declineof a birch tree may be reversed in the early stages ofattack, but recovery is unlikely when more than half ofthe tree’s crown is damaged. Bronze birch borers aregenerally unsuccessful in attacks on healthy trees,highlighting the need for pro­active care to promoteoverall tree health.

The pruning of birch trees should be avoided unlessabsolutely necessary. Most birch will bleed sap ifpruned in spring or fall, so any pruning should be donein summer. However, fresh pruning wounds attractmigrating adult bronze birch borers looking foropportunities to lay clusters of eggs in bark crevices.Adults of this insect pest are active from June to Augustin most of Canada. In addition, excessive pruning (morethan 25 percent of the canopy) increases the penetrationof sunlight to the root zone resulting in increased soiltemperature and reduced moisture levels.

In conclusion, a birch tree can be challenging tomaintain as a healthy, long­lived specimen in the urbanlandscape. However, proper cultivar selection combinedwith intelligent placement will have a major impact onthe future success of the tree. An effort to duplicate thecool, moist, non­compacted soil conditions found in abirch tree’s natural habitat will be rewarded with healthy,pest­free trees in the landscape. The ornamental featuresof our cold­hardy birch species including barkcharacteristics and attractive, columnar forms are toonumerous for us to ignore this unique genus.

Part I appeared in Issue #108 of The ManitobaWoodlot. You can read it online by going towoodlotmanitoba.com/newsletter.

Promoting longevity ofbirch treesContinued from page 5

12 The Manitoba Woodlot

Publications Mail Agreement No. 41591026Return undeliverable Canadian addressed copies to:Woodlot Association of Manitoba900 Corydon Ave., Winnipeg, MB R3M 0Y4

EQUIPMENT FOR SALENyle 200 Kiln complete with controlsand two fans, $2500. Call Len at 204­423­2180.

Moulder/Planer, 4­headed. Over$9,000.00 in tooling (v joint, flooring, 6different casing knives, etc.). Blowerunit, electrical, 2004 cat, generator,60kw. Knives and profiles included. Inexcellent condition. Buyer could be setup and running in one day. Asking$30,000.00. Call (807) 344­7514.

1999 Model LT 40 Wood­MizerSawmill. Includes 33 HP Kubota dieselmotor, power feed, power up/down,debarker, auto clutch, shingle maker, andlapsider, Lubemizer. Cuts to 36”diameter, 21’ long; with bed extension upto 27’. Comes on wheels. Excellentcondition. Asking $18,900.00. Telephone(204) 429­2135.

All sizes of slasher, sawmill and cordwood new blades. Resharpening used22”/42”/48”/50” sawmill blades and 26”cord wood blades. Skate sharpener,chipper, blower, debarker, planer,circular sawmill, bandsaw mill, feller

buncher ($200,000.00). Used drum rollband saw sharpener ($250.00). All typesof saw blade sharpening equipment. 592Talbot Ave., Winnipeg. Contact Norm atDr. Saw (204) 667­6373 or seewww.drsaw.ca.

EQUIPMENT WANTEDSawmill equipment and saw blades anysize, shape and condition. If you want tosell/buy logs, lumber and sawmillequipment, we can provide you withcontacts. 592 Talbot Ave., Winnipeg.Contact Norm at Dr. Saw (204) 667­6373 or see www.drsaw.ca.

SERVICESManitoba hardwoods. Elm, ash, maplecustom cutting with Wood­Mizer mill.Bob Gass, McCreary, (204) 835­2631.

Saw blade repair/sharpening. We roll,tension, straighten and balance sawblades (instead of hammering). All typesof saw blades and tools sharpened. Weldall types of carbide tip saws (Slasher andFeller Buncher teeth). 592 Talbot Ave.,Winnipeg. Contact Norm at Dr. Saw(204) 667­6373 or see www.drsaw.ca.

SAWLOGS WANTEDInterested in purchasing any type of sawlog you have available. Contact Roger inRoseile at (204) 828­3386.

FIREWOOD LOGS WANTEDWanted: Firewood logs delivered andunloaded in Stony Mountain area. 16' longor longer, tamarack preferred but open toother species. Ideally 16" at stump end butwill accept 8" to 20" at stump end. ContactClint at 204­453­7788 orclint@firewoodmanitoba.ca. Cash orbusiness cheque paid per load.

LUMBER FOR SALETimber Quota 41 cords softwood annualallowable cut $4500. Call Len at 204­423­2180.

Hardwood lumber: oak, ash andbasswood. Air dried. Various sizes andprices. Contact Roger in Roseile at (204)828­3386.

MISC. FOR SALETwo cases of mesh tree guards, with 500per box. Price 20­cents per guard. ContactBarry at 204­423­2273.

Classified ads are free for WAM members.