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SFR/FTY 111/112 – Forests Through TimeMaine’s Spruce – Fir ForestPre 1900

By William H. Livingston, School of Forest Resources, UMaine

Readings:

1.  Focus Species Forestry: 20-21, 26-27

2.  Foster, D.R., and J.D. Aber (editors). 2004. Forests in Time: The Environmental consequences of 1,000 Years of Change in New England. Yale University Press. New Haven, CT. p. 62-67

3.  Thoreau, H.D. 18xx. The Maine Woods. Available on-line at: http://thoreau.eserver.org/mewoods.html. Read the "Ktaadn" paper part 2 paragraph 5 and part 5 paragraph 4.

4.  Wilson, J.S. 2005. Nineteenth Century Lumber Surveys for Bangor, Maine: Implications for Pre-European Settlement Forest Characteristics in Northern and Eastern Maine. Journal of Forestry 103:218-223.

5.  Lorimer, C. 1977. The presettlement forest and natural disturbance cycle of northeastern Maine. Ecology 58:139-148

6.  Smith, D.C. 1972. A History of Lumbering in Maine 1861-1960. University of Maine Sudies No. 93, University of Maine Press, Orono. 469 p. p. 11-27

I.  Spruce/Fir Forest Through Time

A.  Native American: Up to 1650

B.  Sawtimber era: 1650 to 1900

C.  Pulpwood era: 1900 to 1950

D.  Modern era: 1950 to 2007

II.  Native American Era

A.  Disturbance

B.  Composition (%)

C.  Forest Stand Ages

D.  Northern White Cedar

1.  Thuja occidentalis
2.  Also known as arborvitae
3.  Up to 60 ft tall, 3 ft diameter, over 200 years
4.  Flat, scale-like foliage
5.  Bark reddish tinged, shallow fissures,
6.  Cones on tips of foliage,
7.  1/8 inch in size
8.  Wood used for shingles, posts, decks, outdoor furniture
9.  Common on sites too wet for spruce and fir.

E.  Tree Composition – White Pine

F.  Speculate on the relative abundance of wildlife species in the forest of this era.

G.  Land Uses

1.  Populated for 10,000 years
2.  Wabenaki Confederacy
a)  Penobscot
b)  Maliseet
c)  Passamaquody
d)  Mi’kmaq
3.  Pre-colonial population: 16,000
4.  Land Use
5.  How would the forest change due to these practices?

III.  Saw Timber Era (1650-1900)

A.  Introduction

B.  River drives in spring

C.  Products

D.  Exporting ports

1.  Bangor (largest), Portland, Bath, Ellsworth, Machias, Calais)

2.  Destinations

E.  Impact on forests

F.  How did the spruce/fir forest change during the Saw Timber Era?

1.  Composition & structure

2.  Wildlife

IV.  Conclusion

A.  Forest composition and structure

1.  Few disturbances

2.  Favor red spruce

3.  Little early successional

4.  Over half the forest mature to old growth

5.  Favor: Fisher, marten

6.  Low numbers: Moose, deer, lynx, snowshoe hare

B.  Human impacts

1.  Native American - very little

2.  European

3.  Removed largest trees

a)  White pine, red spruce
b)  Most forest infrastructure for spruce/fir intact.

4.  Saw mills and exporting established many cities in Maine