Forestry Management: Suggestions Welcome

LAKE ANNE, JUNE 16, 2015--from Stephanie (Hunt) Foster

Hi everyone,

As you may know, Lake Anne Club is certified as a “forest producer” and, as such, benefits from the Quebec tax reimbursement program and private woodlot program. In order to maintain this status and certification, every five years the Club is required to have its Forest Management Plan (FMP) updated. The last plan was completed in 2011, so it is time to develop a new FMP. 

The Board is planning to send out a "Request for Proposals" (RFP) this summer for companies to carry out the required services for the FMP.  In advance of sending out the RFP, we would welcome your comments on the attached summary of the RFP. 

Thanks for your input!

Please send any comments or questions by June 26^th, directly to Stephanie (Hunt) Foster at johnsteph@symaptico.ca

Lake Anne Club Forest Stewardship Objectives

• Ensure a healthy forest and ecological functions
• Protect other forest values such as biodiversity, high-quality wildlife habitat, and other characteristics such as streams, wetlands and woodland pools
• Optimize long term financial return in terms of producing high-quality lumber (i.e., maximize growth of trees)
• Minimize impact of selective logging activities

Deliverables:

1. Update 2011 tree inventory, and where possible provide an analysis of wildlife habitat;

2. Review past logging activities to assess the success of past logging;

3. Make recommendations re: reforestation and/or ways to accelerate natural regeneration of certain logged areas (e.g., most recent cut);

4. Prepare a new schedule of recommended “selective” logging activities for the next 5-10 years.

--Stephanie

Like something out of Thurber

LAKE ANNE, JUNE 4, 2015 -- Early yesterday, my husband Willie Wanklyn (WW from now on) stumbled upstairs to make his coffee, and was met by a merganser in the dining room. There followed a certain amount of consternation on both sides, with the merganser eventually fleeing to the living room, where it bivouacked in the fireplace.

WW constructed a birdie runway with chairs, made a sortie in a great circle from the kitchen to approach the duck from behind. From there, he managed to herd it along his flight path and out through an open door.

I don't know which was more relieved at the success of the campaign.

WW thinks the silly bird must have come down the chimney--there really is no other way in. It will certainly have a tale to tell its grand-ducklings. We, on the other hand, had to remover, er, evidence of its visit. Fortunately, I was asleep at the time, so WW got to do that part too.

--kmh

Bob's for the Birds!

LAKE ANNE, JUNE 1, 2015. Report from Bob Gaudreau

Happy days! Saw a scarlet tanager (about 12 feet from me) this morning, at the Birons' driveway!  First sighting of one at the lake in close to 25 years.  The colour is stunning in intensity and hue. It is the size of a large house sparrow.

Two snow geese at our dock last weekend.  Lots of sightings of the broad-winged hawk, a common summer resident on Anne Est Road.  Had our first hummingbirds at the feeder on Thursday, May 28.

The loons are everywhere on the lake...two or three at a time!

[Editor's note: Stephanie emailed asking if I'd seen the "swans" on Land Island, aka the presqu'ile, over the long weekend. She thought they might actually be snow geese. Bingo, Stephanie! Thanks for the confirmation, Bob.

In further bird news, a pair of eastern phoebes are nesting right outside one of our bedroom windows. We keep the curtains on that window drawn, not wishing to discomfit mum and dad.   -- kmh]