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Sites across Canada
Thanks to James Steenberg, Senior Research and Planning Forester, and his dedicated team at the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, DIVERSE researchers, government representatives, and forestry partners gathered this past November for an inspiring field visit to conserved and managed forests in eastern Nova Scotia. The enthusiasm was palpable as this group—bringing together scientists and practitioners—explored the forests and engaged in thoughtful discussions about the future of Nova Scotia’s woodlands.
After driving half an hour east of Halifax, our group squeezed into pick-ups to navigate the forest roads. Arriving near a beautiful lake, we entered a calm and peaceful forest of mature red spruce, its floor carpeted in light green moss. This St. Margarets Bay site, now conserved, has an interesting history: it was commercially thinned in 2002 before becoming a conservation area after public advocacy.
Walking through the site, we noticed that trees in the previously managed area were larger than those in the unthinned control plots. This observation sparked rich and respectful dialogue among participants: what makes a site valuable for conservation in the eyes of the public? The discussion revealed an intriguing possibility—that thoughtfully managed forests can become visually attractive spaces that people enjoy visiting, challenging simplistic notions of conservation as simply leaving nature “untouched.”
Disturbances in Eastern Nova Scotia
The forests of Nova Scotia face significant threats that will require both adaptation and transformation. During our visits, we observed two major disturbances: windthrow damage and the devastating impacts of the hemlock woolly adelgid.
Wind and Climate Extremes
The province’s wind-dominated disturbance regime, amplified by extreme events like post-tropical storm Fiona in 2022, underscores the urgent need for silvicultural trials adapted to windier futures. At our second St. Margarets Bay site, we witnessed how the removal of just a few large trees to create forest gaps resulted in major windthrow during Fiona. While there’s considerable uncertainty involved—gap creation won’t always lead to windthrows—this example prompted thoughtful conversations about designing plantations and harvesting methods that can withstand windier conditions while acknowledging the unpredictability of future disturbances.
The Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Challenge
At the Milton site near Liverpool, where selection management has been practiced since 2008, we saw firsthand the impacts of the hemlock woolly adelgid on treated plots. Participants learned about current treatment options: chemical controls offering short-term relief, and biocontrols that could build long-term ecosystem resilience.
James Steenberg introduced a promising concept still being tested: “Silviculture could be a tool in the toolbox to fight woolly adelgid.” While silviculture won’t directly save hemlocks, it could bridge short-term chemical interventions and long-term biocontrol by thinning stands, harvesting the most affected trees, and leaving fewer trees to treat—making treatments more affordable and manageable.
Given that the adelgid causes up to 95% mortality and has led to tens of thousands of hectares of defoliation in the United States, our group grappled with a difficult question: by treating and trying to save these trees, are we clinging to species that may not belong in future forests? Should we instead focus on forest transformation and assisted migration of better-adapted species? These respectful yet probing discussions highlighted the complexity of conservation decisions and the value of bringing multiple perspectives together.
What’s Next? Planning DIVERSE Trials
This field visit has energized plans for DIVERSE trial sites in Nova Scotia. Several key questions emerged from our discussions:
Which tree species are best suited to future conditions in Nova Scotia?
What should we plant to ensure forests can transform and become tolerant to a wide array of unknown disturbances?
How can we balance conservation goals with the need for adaptive forest management?
Simon Bockstette, the researcher in charge of seedling production for the province, brought his geneticist and operational perspective to the conversation: “It’s a lot of legwork to get something like this going. When you guys come and say we’re ready for enrichment planting, I would ideally like to have a seed source or some provenances ready for you.”
Zack Zimmerman, a former DIVERSE student now working with forestry partners, was eager to explore replacement species: “It would be an interesting research angle: consider what could replace the hemlock in these riparian areas here?”
The willingness of all participants—from government foresters to university researchers to forestry partners—to collaborate on silvicultural trials that include species adapted to future Nova Scotia conditions exemplifies the spirit of the DIVERSE project. Together, this coalition is ready to tackle the complex challenges facing Nova Scotia’s forests with science, respect, and shared enthusiasm for building resilient forest ecosystems.
