Signs of old-growth forest found in Annapolis County, group says

The Citizen Scientists of Southwest Nova Scotia are calling for more forestry protection after they came across what appear to be signs of an old-growth forest in Annapolis County.

Nina Newington, a member of the group who was out kayaking recently on Goldsmith Lake, made the discovery. She and others returned and found what they suspect are more old-growth trees along with a rare, protected lichen species.

"It was quite remarkable to step out and into what was so clearly old forest," Newington told CBC Radio's Information Morning Halifax on Thursday.

"The hemlock trunks were pretty hefty, I think the largest that we measured was 97 centimetres in diameter ... that's a very substantial looking tree. But also when you looked at the slope, there was a hardwood stand that was about 10 acres in size that has great big yellow birch."

Newington said there were younger trees between the older trees. She said an old-growth forest is "a complete forest."

"It's got everything. It's got little tiny seedlings that are growing on the fallen logs of the oldest, biggest trees and you've got the snags of the trees that are on their way out that are providing wildlife habitat," Newington said.

"But you also have big mature healthy trees ... you can analyze it, but you also can feel it, that you're in a forest that's whole, it's not trying to become something else. It's not a young forest that is on its way, it actually has all of its components to it."

Lisa Proulx, another member of Citizen Scientists, told Information Morning she hopes the province will analyze and confirm if its old-growth forest.

"We have had confirmation of the Department of Natural Resources and Renewables and they said they will come in this fall and assess it. So we're really hoping they can come in and assess it."

DNR confirms old-growth forest

Peter Bush, the department's old-growth forest co-ordinator, said he and his team went to the area on Oct. 26 and determined four hectares of it was old-growth forest. He said this means it will be protected under provincial policy.

"It means no resource development activities, so not only forestry, but no mining, no new road construction," Bush said in an interview on Friday. 

He said the area fits part of the province's conservation triad approach "where we're doing ecological forestry, a small amount of high production and then 30-40 per cent of Nova Scotia is set aside for conservation. So, this is part of that area that is set aside for conservation."

Logging in part of the area was halted after the discovery of rare lichen last summer.

"We're hoping beyond that they will go ahead and protect the entire area around Goldsmith that we submitted in a proposal because even if they just protect the little spots ... it has a detrimental effect on the nearby forest and the biodiversity," Proulx said.

Newington said old-growth forests shelter a variety of life, including rare lichens.

"They had the time to develop all the nooks and crannies that can support things like the little species of risk, [like] the glass-whiskers that we have been finding," she said.

Newington said in order to rebuild the base of biodiversity, forests that could become old-growth forests in 40 years also need to be protected.

"That means we have to protect forests that are over 80 years old and look after them and not allow this logging to happen in them, specifically until the province has decided which areas are going to be protected under their commitment to protect 20 per cent of the province by 2030."

Proulx and Newington say the Citizen Scientists are hoping to work with the Department of Natural Resources and Renewables more collaboratively in the future. Bush said the work of volunteers is a big help since his team can't be everywhere.

"We take reliable information from volunteers and then we make independent assessments of them to protect areas that are of importance for all the Nova Scotians," he said.